The National tribune., 1896-05-07
PICKET SHOTS.
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.
After Jem Davis.

Mich. Cav. lie failed to say that the regi-
| ment assisted in the capture of jeff Davis,
instead of capturing him all by themselves.
He says The 1st Wis. Cav. was sent out on
May 6, 1865, in pursuit Of JEFF Davis. We
learned from the colored people that party
had passed ON and crossed the Ocmulgee
River.
after our party had crossed we fell in
with detail of the 9TH Mich. Cav, Lieut.
Col. Pritchard in command of them. He
informed our Colonel that he (Pritchard)
was ordered to come to the Ocmulgee River,
guard the fords, and remain there until fur
Their orders.
"Our detail pursued our journey. After
travelling all that day we struck Daviss
trail, and we kept on until late at night.
We went into camp until toward morning
of the 10th of May. We were certain we
were in the vicinity where Davis had gone
into camp the night before.
"Our command was ordered to deplOy
and surround his camp before daylight. As
we were making move we heard loud
Haiti We supposed we were meeting
Davis's camp-guards, and the order was
given to fire. There were n number of VOL
leys fired from both sides before we made
the discovery that we were firing into the
4th Mich. Cav.
'This was the first intimation we had
that Pritchard was nearer than Abbeville.
Now, if it had not been for Col. Pritchard's
eagerness TO gain nOtoriety and disObedienCe
of orders given him, he would not have lost
two of his brave boys.
The distance to Daviss camp from where
the fight took place was about 70 yards; the
LIST Wis. and 4th Mich. Immediately sur
rounded the camp. Three persons left a
large tent, one with tin pail upon her arm,
and moved toward the thick wood. Lieut..
Dickinson called Haiti and COrp1 Munger
advanced and recognized one of the persons
as Davis, by his high-top boots. The other
two were Mrs. Davis and Miss Howell"
Mouse Reused Both Armies.
J. w. Parsons, Stanley Post, G.. r. New
Britain, Conn., writes: "A 10th Mass. man
in our Post tells story about field mouse
that crawled up inside of the pants-leg of
n sleeping soldier of his regiment in 1862.
The two armies were very near each other,
in the Fairfax section of Virginia. All was
very quiet, when suddenly this sleeping
soldier brave as lion in battle, was
awakened by the mouse. He sprang up,
yelled and stamped like mailman. The
boys thought he had gone crazy, but they
finally gained an idea from mis- bowling that
something was inside his clothes. They went
10 beating the life out Of n supposed snake,
and incidentally out of the soldier. A tiny
mouse was seen dropping out of his panls-
leg. 1t was quite dead. The awful racket,
however, had meantime caused the lOng-rOll
to be sounded down our lines, followed by
that of the Johnnies / wonder how many
of the boys recall this"
Narrow Escape.
Levi J. Groom. Chief Bugler, 2d Veteran
n. Y. Cav, Glens Falls, n. Y, writes:
shall never forget the Christmas of 1864. 1
felt that | was OF more consequence that
day than any other of my army life. The
able portion of our regiment THE I'd N. Y.
Vet Cav was off on an expedition in Mis-
sissippi, leaving us convalescents in camp at
Morganza Bend, La, under command of
Capt. Brecker.
1t was a lovely day, the river was high,
and the fleetwood was running lively. L
was catching plenty of it for my camp fire.
At last l caught piroque or dugout canoe,
and then was happy, for / bad once worked
on the river in New York State, and could
ride anything that would hold me up.
u jumped into the piroque, padded it out
in the river and back TO shore again. Some
times l went nearly halfway across. Hap
pening to look up at the fort, which was the
Generals Headquarters, / saw them run out
one of their guns and train it on me. Sup
posing there was au enemy somewhere, l
padded with all my might into shore to get
out of range.
Pulling up the canoe and climbing up
the bank, | was confronted by mounted
officer who questioned me as to my name,
rank, to what command belonged, and in
A. n II. II.
and when / went beyond the shore l was
in the enemy's country; our men had run
out that 12-pOunder to fire on me, and that
l had saved myself by turning in toward
the shore at that moment"
For Comrade Bedrord's Eye
William III. Gregg, Co. A, 34th Ind, Bluff
ton Ind, writes: SIN % recent issue is
notice from Ezra M. Bedford, Vessels Post,
So, PortyilIe, N. Y, that lie found gold
headed cane at Louisville, KY, in September
last, aud supposed some cOmrade had lost it;
that he would be glad to return the same if
it was described so as to satisfy the finder,
etc / was in the seat wreck at that place,
and it was there lost my gold headed cane.
wrote Comrade Bedford twice, giving a
complete description of my cane, the initials
w. H. s. on the head, and diagram of
shape of head of cane, etc, and | cannot
hear from him in any way.
"The cane is highly priced by me, and if
my description is correct, do not under
stand why he does not send it TO me. If my
description is not correct, cannot see why
he does not answer my letters, rs L inclosed
stamps"
Information Wanted.
Comrades of Co. c. 147lh Ind, please adj
dress Emanuel Hushman, Runnells Iowa.
Scattering.
H. M. Parker, Co. A, 18th H., Blissfield,
Mich, would like to find the Euglish-made
Enfield rifle he drew from the arms capt
ured at Fort Donelson and carried till near
the close of the war. His name is engraved
on the guard-plate. He would like to hear
from every survivor OF Co. A, with view to
having another Reunion at Freeport, ILL.,, in
Sep ember.
w. Il. Barclay, Alsea, Ore, wants to find
his discharge from Co. /, Oath nj. S. Nj. Cav.
He says he sent it to his attorneys in Neosho,
Mo-, and they told him it was lost in the
mail
j. E. A. Servers. Shamokin, Pa, asks if
there was not a battery in action between
Forts Gregg and Wagner when the Union
troops had possession of them.
who Was the Comrade?
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: At the
battle of Gettysburg, in the historic Wheat
EaII bainp cloceIy ,,s,rcued bu tho