Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-08-16

road and awaited their approach
with cooked rifles. When they
got nearly to us we both stepped
to the front and called a halt.
They Immediately stopped, and
we commenced questioning them.
They were some of the most
substantial citizens of that part
of the county, and some of them
were on their way to town to re-
port to Col. Iverson.the landing of
Yankee troops. They had con-
cealed themselves in the bushes
and saw them land several hun
dred men, besides artillery and
horses. That they had lashed
two boats together, laid planks
between them, and on these had
landed the horses and the can
non. They certainly were there,
and when they had begun to
scatter to get wood to make a
fire they thought it was time to
leave. Now, what to do We
consulted together and thought
we had better go back and tell
what news we had. We were
not afraid, but thought we had
gone far enough, particularly as
it was getting dark. The say
ing, Fear in common with all
the other passions, has been
given to us for the purpose of
exercising our reason and ac-
quiring virtue by its subjuga-
ton, and the man, if any such
there.exist, who is ignorant of the
feeling, is monster and not a
hero" come into my mind, and I
told Swift [ thought we had
gone far enough and lad learned
enough. He was willing ana we
turned our horses towards home.
We reached headquarters about
10 o'clock and made our report.
Soon everything was busy and,
hurrying Orders issued for ra-
tions and the ladies, God bless
them, under the leadership of
that mother of Confederate sol
diers, Mrs. John Walker. getting
ready all sorts of good things.
There was little or no sleep in
the village that night. Col.
Tomson orGered four of the six
companies under command of
Capt. Faison, of the Sampson
company, to march promptly at 3
o'clock a. M, and to hold the en-
emy in check if he could not
whip them, until he could come
up WITH the other two companies
held in reserve. AS [ said there
was no sleep. More letters were
written that night to wives and
sweethearts, fathers and moth
ers, than the mail bag would
hold. But there was no shrink
ing. The only thought was,
show us the Yankees, and we
will tell the rest, no matter what
their number. Promptly at 2
o'clock the command set forward
over as sandy a twenty mile
road as ever was seen-a little
before 8 o'clock halt was made
about two miles from the bridge
and scouts sent forward to feel
for the enemy. | did not volun-
teer as scout this time. / thought
[ had better stay back and pre-
pare to attend to the wounded.
| Every man selected him a tree to
fight behind, and everything was
in readiness and very quiet, ex-
cept the officers passing among
the men, giving directions, fire
low men, and take good aim
every one of you are good for a
dozen Yankees.
| Presently the scouts were
seen returning; slowly and de-
liberately. AS soon as they
came in hailing distance a shout
was raised chow many are there, .
and when the answer was made
Mary a one." Surely there was
| disappointment. Then you ought
i to have seen the men throw them
| selves on the ground-tired, hun
| cry, thirsty and generally played
lout. Now for the return, 20 miles
from town. the sun baking down,
and a sandy road, and also all
the disappointment that we had
!, | not achieved glory. But return
we must, and a start was made,
but of all struggling armies that
ever was seen, this WAS the
worst. About 10 miles from
town we met cavalcade of al
} the wagons, buggies, carts
drays, and every kind of vehicle
, on wheels, which the ladies haG
: collected, loaded with everything
/ good to eat, not forgetting some
: thing to wash it down with, anG
sent them to follow after us ant
feed us after we had conquered
the enemy. It was fully a weel
!. before some of the men got bacl
to camp, footsore and weary.
: had on my horse one before an6
behind and one or two hangins S
: on by the tail. But though weary
5 and jaded in body, not one bu
full of fight and only did no
t fight, because the Yankees wer,
: not there.
el The cause of the report neve
t was explained, whether it wa
| mirage, fear or a vivid imagina
l ton, it certainly was an hallucina
l ton, for they were not there, no
r had there been Yankee in tina
5 neighborhood. However,
1 I I
beauties of war, and many dee