The sun., 1896-03-15
THE WARS SUREST SHOT.
LAMAR FONJAINE's ChREER IN
THE CONFEDERATE ARBrY.


sixty Minutes-Had Power 60 Draw on
the Tressury-His Dash Into vick ksburr.
MEMPHIS. March 14.-Folowing tho peace.
full and monotonous nvocaton of n planter and
n man of letters in tho secluded hamlet OF
Lyon in Conhoma county. Miss. not far from
Memphis, lives Lamar Fontnine. who was per.
haps the most sanguinary single. handed fighter
in tho civil war. He carries the scars OF sixty
seven bullets, and killed many men that he
cannot make even an approximate estimate of
the number.
The Maroris Of Lothian in his history OF the
war of secession, published several years
ago. being convcrsant with many incidents in
tho life of Fontaine, says In effect that none
of tho historical or traditional heroes of the
chivnlric middle ages. no soldier the world has
ever known whose deeds of valor have como
down In story, song, or fable, can hold place
alongside this man in tho qualities OF bravery.
perseverance, or devotion to duty; and tho
Marquis lamcnts that tho Confederate States
produced no poet or biographer capable of en-
balming the memory OF this nineteenth CEN
tury warrior.
Fontaine began military service as chief OF
scouts and courier for Gen. Stonewall jackson.
He served in tho samc capacity with Gems.
Stuart and johnson, and for n short time with
Lee. He took part in twenty seven battles
and more than ono hundred skirmishes in
which blood was shed. Although he was only
Il private in the ranks, hc was once intrusted
with n carte blanche order on the Treasury Of
tho Confederate States. IIo was known MS tho
best mari sman with rife or revolver in either
army. Ho was wounded sixty. seven times. and
thirteen times his lungs were grazed. Five
times during the war he was reported as dead.
Lamar Fontaine has In his veins the best
blood in the South. lie IS of tho same family
as the late Justice Lamar of the United States
Supreme Court. Fontaine came to Memphis
this week to attend II gathering OF the local
Confederate veterans post. and to rcnd paper
commendatory of the South Battle Abbey
project He Is under the average IN stature, stature.
features of which are a broad brimmed hat and
siiv "Have ,n' You any idea of the number of men
you killed In the course OF your war carecr''
he was asked.
sion l shot sixty men In sixty minutes. and
the record was kept and was vouched Tor by
sn' loo Bridge. i near Warrenton snrinrs, on tho
Rappahannork, in August, 1soe That was
about the first time time ever h met ,etnrs GGm hee
knew him by sight. / wns then acting as
courier for Gen. Jackson, who, it seems. had
sen. Sen. Lee from Gen. Jackson When had per
TO zee II what he had heard about my. ability |
us n mnrksman was true. ] told him would
% the % Vslles esSs was s. rars upon which was sta
toned Federal battery tia: was pouring shot
be loaded and discharged. Drawing forth
and opening his watch. Gen. Lee ordered me
to %ed tay oeESn to III sh0G Shoot No. on gun
Of Of my rifle; Now No on gun no, 4. and that
other, would take his place. Finally Gen, Lee
sixty men in sixty minutes is your record
''On a later occasion Gen. Lee asked me if my
'oassiSpsS !%Ss, 91a ao4s, ne' ssid trouble T. ME.
Because of the people you have killed,
,rouSs yon when saS you
:: Why do you ASK that, he replied t., -, ,,u
'lusy hut "to to kill % every federai soldier Could
nnd Kill Federal soldiers from the same sense
Fonfaine was asked how he acquired such
fine skill in the use OF firearms -,
when ! was small boy settled with my
parents in that State. Later l went to live
hs the %he
Fontaine from the point OF view OF the his,
was. besleeed by the Federals: At that time
Fontaine. acting as a spy and under disguise,
had been in this city, for a month or 50. pick:
fit Of Gen. Joseph f. Johnston, who, had his
headquarters at Jackson. Miss. One day there
sson At omee r @ 60 20
this city got knowledge Of Fontaines orders
and Of his presence here The desire ITO 70 capture
crate sharpshooter became so intense that
large reward was offered for him. dead or
roads leading sout.ward lie avoided them and
reported on time to his General at jackson for
The orders were that he should carry de-
spatches and 10000 musket caps through the
difficulty Of this undertaking may be Judged |
from tho fact that Nicksburg was bcleaRuered |
Sy asr Gen cEsses s
controlled and guarded by the Federals. and
there was a reward Of 100000 for the head of
ing ali thorouRhfares. Under cover OF dark.
ness he passed through the Federal lines. and
outposts. when he found himself. in a clump OF
brushwood. confronted by a half dozen sol
on sight they opened fire on him. He rushed
among them. revolver IN each hand, and four
two fled. and the spy ran into the city. When
he presented himself before the officer In com
WAS found that he had on h his BODY s he marks
of seventeen bullets. This adventure is we'll
As to the numerous fatalities" in which
Of them had their ludicrous side. John Esten
Confederate historical novels was II com
penion of Fontaine during the war and used
his noves In Mohnn Fonlaine IT. eiiissS is sHetchad
in the character Of Night Hawk. In 'Surry
of Eagles Nest" he has the name of Farley.
Curously enough. the novelist. IN this work.
states as an historical fact that Fontaine was
killed at Petersburg. which proves only that
Fontaine was such a skilfu actor as to deceive
his closest friends.
1T is true. though Fontanc said to the
writer. that at Petersburg was wounded in
a hot skirmish engagement, and, being unable
10 run away, simulated death when the Fed,
erals overran the ground on which La. When
It was learned In my company that ] was dead
one Of the officers sent OH at once for a coffin
in which to bury me. About the time the
coffin arrived In camp showed Mp, too. That
interfered with the funeral. But next day,
In the course of a general en- gagement. the oi,i-
Ger who had displayed such friendship for me
received fatal wound, and the remains of
the poor fellow were sent home In the coffin
he had ordered for me-"
II was while on his mission to NicksburE that
Fontane was honorcd with unlimited creiit
upon the treasury of the Confcderacy. 1t
was in the shape OF an order signed by #. q.
Minis. the Chief Quartermaster OF the War
Department. and read:
'The Confederate States Treasurer will
honor any draft presented him signed by Lamar
Fontainc."
Perhaps in all the history OF warfare no
such credit was ever before reposed in II pr-