The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-04-12
AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR.
A Close Call and Escape from
Dddth.

sissippi-a prominent candidate for at
torney generals the hero:
well, judge" said the reporter, Il
see from the Mississippi papers that
your old friend Wiley N. Nash is a
candidate for attorney general"
Yes said Judge Land II have
seen some very complimentary notices
of Wiley's candidacy in the papers. I
trust that he will be elected, as he de-
serves to be, for no truer or drawer man
lives"
"Ibeiieve that you served in the same
command during the WARP" queried the
report.
Eyes; we were in Harvey's Scouts to-
gethcr in 1868. Wiley was then mere
boy-about l6 years old-and rode
little black pony. But he proved him
self every inch man in battle. and on
one occasion saved my life."
"How was that, Judge?"
"Well, on Nov. IL, 1863, Harvey and
about twenty-five Of us were scouting
within few miles of Natchez, and ran
into a column of United States colored
infantry. escorting a foraging train.
The encounter was in lane, with a
big cherokee hedge on each side. After
! discharging our carbines, Harvey order
ed charge, and we were IN moment
engaged in q terrible hand-to-hand
Observation-Disclosures VS.. muskets and
bayonets. My horse was stabbed
several times, and finally | was shot
through and through the lung and bay
oneted in the right side. l fell off my
horse and lay on the ground uncon-
scious for some time. When the boys
returned from the pursuit my horse
was caught, / was lifted into the sad
Idle. and thus carried some distacne,
when, not being able to endure the
agony of the motion any longer, was
at my own urgent request left in pine
thjcket several hundred yards from the
road, and my horse was tied near me.
| believed that was dying lost my
mower of sight, and must have tainted.
/ | At length regained consciousness, and
soon heard the rapid hoof-beats OF
horse. / thought at first that 1t was
federal trooper, but soon recognized
Wiley and his black pony. who had
come to rescue me, II possible, from
death or capture. by persuasion he
i induced me to exert myself, and with
his assistance mounted his pony,
which he led slowly back to the public
r,,d. There we found a buggy. which
had been Impressed into service ny
Captain Harvey, and sent back IN
charge of Press Jordan. ! was trans
fered to the buggy and rapidly driven
by Press to place of comparative sa1e'
ty. Here l parted with wiley NASH
who left me to take his place In the
rear guard. and have never seen him
aimee. though hear from him occasion
ally and have watched his upward care
or In his life with affectionate interest
Trulv. he was the bov-hero OF the com
mand. and was true to duty and TO ms
comrades at the peril of his lie. Inc
scents. however, were like band OF
hrofhers-alt devoted to their gallant
leader. who fell by the hand OF an as
sassin at the close of the war. nope
} have not bored you, but the name OF
wilev N. Nash always brings BAGS
memories that must be my excuse ior
these "reminiscences. All things being
{ aoual / think that the veteran, whet
har un;on o. confederate, who did hl'
d,tv an the field of battle, should have
: the prefereuce for official posi- ton ant
| sinceselv trust that Wiley Nash VII
oct there. IN. o. Picayune, frloal
: April s, 1898.
, Mr.. Editor:- Seeing the above, call
: m mind another incident that cam
, under nv observation during the war
: in which Wiley Nash was instr imenta
in saving the life of another memoe
, of Harvey's Scouts. 1t was when GU
t company was stationed on the lei
flank of Jhonson's Army at Atlanta
% While on scout one day we en-
eountered a large body of Federal Cav
alry. very unexpectedly, at snor
turn of the road, and were compeiie'
IN heat a hasty retreat, closely presse'
. nv overwhelming numbers, that cam
E down ON us like an avalanche whe'
I thew discovered how few were oppos
: ING them. There was running nam
: TO hand fight for some distance ana a
y times the blue and the gray were 10
y ,discriminately mixed up so that yo
= could not tell friend from foe excep
y hv their uniforms. During this meie
r a man by the name of John Lorance
.vha enlisted from this ceunty-wa
: ov.rtaken and badly emit over the hea
md face with numerous sabre stroke
and left for dead on the side OF IN
h road. Wiley Nash witnessed TINS seen
}, and sought the fkst opportunity to res
;. en-. his comrsde from the hands oil IN
N. t,rnaa tn one side of tn
road and rs soon as the Federal oaVa