The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-23
brave southern Woman.

7 have often declared - said J. B. Nc
Cuilagh OF the St. Louis Globe-Democrat
that l saw the bravest deed OF the war
or at least one Of the bravest. which was
done by a woman. The brave woman 70
whom I refer was a confederate and the
I incident Of her bravery occurred on a
branch Of the Mississippi. This branch
was not very wide and we were fired on
every now and again by the cOnfederates
from the leTees as We went up il in order
TO prevent supplies being brought into the
Mississippi. Al last Commander Ellet
grew very angry at their continuous mr.
ing. He said that if the confederate shots
killed or wounded any of his men he would
burn every house within five miles of the
place Of shooting ! told him that 1 would
be better satisfied with his order If we
could notify the people Of their danger.
He said nothing in reply and the order
was in force. When we dropped anchor
one OF the men was shot at from the levee
and killed.
Elicit at once ordered several colnpa-
MES TO leave the boat in different direc-
tons and to burn every house within a
distance of five miles. He ordered me TO
take one Of the companies and to burn a
fine house lying within a stones throw of
the river. l did not like the job. but as
was an enlisted man had to obey. We
LETT the boat and started for the house.
As We approached we saw a hne-looking
old lady on the front step. She asked US
what we wanted and 1 gave the orders
Of my commander. She at once became
very indignant, but said that it was likely
that one Of her sons had shot the yankee
and that If so she was very glad of it, She
scolded me for being in the union service
ana told me that l ought to be ashamed
70 serve with the yankees. With all her
scolding, however, she was a lady. as you
could easily see from her language. I told
her that was sorry but my orders were
Imperative and that / would have to burn
her house. STILL said I, I think my
orders might be construed as Portia did
the bond of Shylock in The Merchant of
Venice when she told him he might have
his pound of Antonios flesh, but with it
he most take no jOt of blood
II seems to me-. said l. that while
our orders require us to burn the house
they do not state that we must burn all
within the house. Now, / have no doubt
that you have some family pictures, fur
niture, dresses and other things of value
which might be saved. These you cannot
move out yourself, but there are eighteen
OF my men here and we will, if you say,
bring out all your furniture and put IL
on the lawn before we set fire to the house.
The old lady tossed her head and replied
that she did not care what we did and if
we burned the house we might as well
burn the furniture, too She said, how
ever, that she had a favorite rocking
chair and that she would feel obliged to
us if we would take it out and set it on
the bank of the river before we started
the fire. We did as she directed. She then
seated herself in the chair and as the
match was applied to her house she began
to sing. She had a good voice and her
n ont 90 no Tor III,
ing our steamer. Her song was The Bon
ny Blue Flag. She continued singing that
song until the house was almost reduced
TO ashes. She was" continued Mr.. McCol-
lagh, ''the bravest woman 1 have ever
known