The National tribune., 1895-07-04
AFREE-GoING, NATURAL-GAITEDL LIAR.

A FREE-GOING, NATURAL-GAITED LIAR
Those who like an easy running, ball
bearing, pneumatic-tire liar-and there
are many who do-will be delighted
with a man named Solomon, wht
keeps jewelry store in Macon, Ga.
and who tells the st. Louis Republic :
thrilling story of his deeds during the
war; He claims to be the only survivor
of the Louisiana Tigers. If he belonged
to that organization he comes by hi:
mendacity naturally, for there has been
more audacious and voluminous lying
about that crowd than any half-dozen
others on either side during the war.
The truth is that "Wheat's Louisiana
Battalion" as it is officially known, was
few companies, 400 strong altogether,
made of river men and sailors, caught in
New Orleans by the outbreak of the
war 1t was In nowise remarkable for
fighting or services, but it had officers
who knew how to sound their own
trumpets, and consequently it passed into
current belief that most of the rebel sue
cesses in Virginia in the early part of the
war were due to the superhuman ferocity
and valor of the louisiana Tigers. "
There were only IS of Us left after the
battle of Malvern Hil," said Solomon, land
after the battle ut Rappahannock Bridge
there were only three of us left and / am
confident the other two were either killed
or have died since"
How lucky it was for the Union that
all but Is of this terrible crowd wore
themselves out as early as Malvern Hill
stopping the torrents of Union bullets
and shells. IF they hadn't been SO
greedy of fighting, and let the rest of
the rebel army have a share, the war
might be going on yet.
Mr.. Solomon continues:
sour first fight was at Bull Run. When
we left home we were armed with Mississippi
rifles, and anybody who ever saw one will
tell you that it hal saber bay onet attached
to it-no other guns were ever made like
them. On our arrival at Bull Run We found
the fight just beginning as the train stopped,
so, without waiting for orders, jumped from
the train and plunged into IT. Our first
action was to fire one shot from our Missis-
sippi rifles, ard then, drawing our saber
bayonets, we plunged right into the fight
"Only our battalion and the 9th La. were
in the battle. Others tried TO get there in
time to get in, but were delayed. This same
delay caused Gen. Beauregard to order the
of the train shot. Just before be-
ing executed the conductor owned up to de-
laying the train on purpose. We won the
battle. however, although Maj. Wheat was
shot through the lungs. This was the SEC
ond time he was shot through the lungs, the
first time in Mexico, and, strange to say, the
ball that struck him then went in the left
breast and came cut on the right side, aud
the bali that struck him'Rt Bull Run entered
the right breast and came cut on The left
side. In other words, the paths OF the balls
crossed each other, but the hero of Palo Alto
yelled out:
D 'em, they CART xiii me, even if
they shoot me through the head
History states that there were about.
10000 men on the rebel side at Bull
Run. Of course, they all merely stood
around to enjoy the spectacle of one
Louisiana battalion, occasionally assisted
by another regiment, whip the whole
Yankee army. 1t must have been an
occasion, and we do not !
wonder Solomon likes to recall it. This |
Is his memory of the battle of Malvern
Hill:
Poor Major he was shot through the
read at Malvern Hill. and instantly killed
That was when we were lighting the Buck
aiis. This was the battle. you know, where
President Lincoln and Gen. Scott had invited
Of ladies and others To come and |.
witness the humiliation Of the Confederate
army, and | il tell you there were thousands
# them there; women in carriages and hum
lreds of men in citizens clothes. all of them
here to see the rebels wiped from the face Of
he earth, but they were disappointed. There
we're only few Of Us, but thousands Of the
,thcrs, and il looked like we bad no showing,
Iut I'll tell YOU we had III some way gotten
,ews that Lincoln and Scott had invited all
hese people 10 witness them wipe us from
he face Of the earth, and as we did not give
cent at any time whether we lived or died,
ust so we died a-fghtiDg, we made up our
minds that everyone of us would be a corpse
IN the battlefield before we would be de-
Gated. SO we went into the fight with this
and won it. -
We need hardly say that his memories
IF Malvern Hill differ remarkably from
hose of everybody else who was in
he fight. Also, history says that the
,ebels got a terrible licking in that
But then, Mr.. Solomon
ias a true Southern scorn of dusty |
history. He implies compliment to
he Bucktails, probably meaning the
Reserves. There were