The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-02-11

of the law-at the best never very eff
fective in these mountains-went to
pieces at the very beginning and re-
manned wreck till the return of peace.
Before the war these mountaineers
were the most thriftless white people in
America. By comparison the free ne
groes of the south were models of intel
ligent industry They raised barely
enough corn and meat to subsist on.
They were always ON the verge of q
famine, and chronic starvation would
have been the rule had it not been for
the efforts and forethought of the wom-
en- and children.
But the crops that had always been
sparse became very uncertain when
hungry troopers began to pour through
the mountain trails, and the young corn
was ruthlessly cut or pulled up to feed
the horses. EFF we uns can't raise hogs
and hominy," as one of these captured
mountain men put it, I'VE uns can raise
hell, " and they did.
No inconsiderable number of these
men became veritable Ishmaelites.
Every disaster in their neighborhood,
whether to the Union or to the Confed-
eracy, was turned to their advantage.
AS southern partisans" they raided
the blue grass country for horses As
"Union scouts" they plundered the un-
protected stores of the Ccnfederates,
and their thorough knowledge of the
country and of the opposition that might
be expected gave them for years pros
| norouc tu from, 1afaot;on
Among the men who successfully
carried on this work of murder and
spoliation were the McGees-father and
son. Before the war they lived not far
from Wild Cat, KY, but as soon as
they had made up their minds to pursue
a course of impartial robbery they NOV
ed south to the great Cumberland pla.
| teau.
In the early spring of 1864 General
Carter determined to find the hiding
place of these Ishmaelites in the Cum
berland plateau and 20 destroy them
root and branch. Heretofore they had
eluded every force sent against them,
and it was evident that they could not
be destroyed by ordinary methods.
Learning of General Carter's purpose,
James Collins of the First Tennessee,
young mountaineer of unusual nerve
and intelligence, volunteered to go into.
the camp of the Ishmaelites, learn all
their secrets and return with the in
| formation.
The general questioned him, found
that he knew the mountains and the
people thoroughly, then gave him per-
mission to carry out his plan in his own
way.
James Collins was at this time about
"a, with dark, well formed features,
the courage of tiger and the endur-
ance Of dozen horses. He decided to
play the role of deserter, to exchange
his blue uniform for butternut suit,
and to carry with him his arms. Know
ing that the McGees had friends or
spies all through the country, Collins
left camp at night, and outside of Gen
| eral Carter and few officers in his own
regiment his mission was unknown, and
it was generally believed that he had
deserted
The rendezvous of the outlaws was
supposed to be about the headwaters
of the Clinch river, southwest of the
town of Jalisco
On the third day out from Cumber.
land gap Collins met a man at point
where he was evidently posted doing
picket duty. He was black haired, 1.-THE
boots and clothes Than the an 49,.
monnta;nasr Instoad 90 H. taa.
snn;rra, r;e. - ooau, .no neasy
mnsket and his beits and cortr;dne hor
stnmned with tho letters at g - IA
Tho spuroo Of he orSua,,o aI; ~, '
Usually these mon meet aaoh o.ho-
and even STRANGERS with n rofrosh;ma
and assuring warmth Of mannor hre
III, Won o., n;olot 80 no at.a. -
III Mise his disnleasnre ~ ,noa,;na CT ~
Ii Without raising his piece, which