The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-05

the column near where l was standing,
resting my rifle on the top of my clutches,
which / leaned against the column.
Many of the stan officers stood by, and
watched the shots. l would call No. /,
at gun No. /. then No / at gun No. 2,
and so on, until 1 mad fired about twenty
rounds, hitting my man every time. When
Gen. Lee rode up, and l quit shooting,
Gen. Jackson told Lee that they were just
watching my skill with the rifle and that
l had fired about twenty shots without
miss.
Gen. Lee glanced at his watch and
expressed a desire to witness il himself.
l was then introduced to him. and again
opened fire on the battery, and continued
to exhibit the same skill After l had ex-
hausted the last round of sixty that
began with | told them that l would have
to quit, as | was out of ammunition. The
general looked at his watch, and remark
ca that this was wonderful. Sixty
shots without miss, and not over an
hour in doing it, He then asked me if
my conscience did not trouble me. I ask
ed, for what general? He replied, For
shooting so many of those people, / ask
ed him if he had ever killed a rattlesnake.
lie said, Yes then asked if his con-
science hurt him when he did so. I can
not say it did, he replied. l then said
General, / shoot at yankees from the
same principle that you would at a snake
enlisted for that purpose, and l do it
Ifom sense or duty He then pulled out
his dispatch-book and wrote what
thought was dispatch but not folding
IT, he handed what he had written to me
AS took the paper, I asked, Who will
l snow 1t to, general? With that soft
gentle look half smiling, he said, Show
It to posterity,' l folded the paper care
fully, and from that day it has been a
sacred keepsake, and was never exhibited
TO any one save the members of my our,
family; and the fact of my having ii was
not known until it was brought out in
the Hamilton and Gaubrill trial al Rran-
don, Miss, in 1856 when l had to show il. ="
Beyond doubt, the most remarlxa HE fea
accomplished by Fontaine from the point
OF view Of the historian was the carving
OF dispat ches and caps into the CITY of
Nlcksburg when that city was invested
by the federals. At that time Memnbis
was in the hands'of the enemy. and Fon-
talne, acting as a spy and under dis
gulse, had been in that city for A month
or so, picking up what information he
could for the benefit of Gen Josenb a
Johnston, who had his headouarters at
jackson, Miss One day there came a
summons for him to report to Gen. John
stoh az once simultaneously the federals
IN 'that city got knowledge of Fontaine's
orders and of his presence here The 6a
sire TO capture such a dangerous spv ana
fedoubta bic confederate sharpshoofer he
came 50 intense that a reward of $4,000
was offered for him. dead or alive ana
troops were dispatched to cover All tbe
roads leading TO southwark to interceDt
ms progress. But he avoided them ana
iePoIteu on time 10 his general at Jack
son for orders The orders were thai he
was to carry dispatches and 10000 musket-
caps through the federal lines and into
the city of Nicksb burg
Ihe appalling difficulty of this under
taxing may be judged from the fact that
Nleksburg was beleaguered BY 75 O00 fed
erals under Gen. Ulysses S. Grant: all the
approaches to that city were controlled
and guarded by the federals and thera
was a reward of $4,000 out for the head
of Fontaine A'o ii1au
But this courier understood the usas of
discretion, as well as the necessary far
Nalor he set out on his journey He
avoided all thoroughfares. In connIete
disguise and under cover Of darkness he
passed through the federal lines in a
small canoe, or "dug-out," and delivered
ms caps ana dispatches to Gen. Pember
tom ana, after spending a few davs i'm the
cry, ne returned with dispatches TO CEN
Johnston's headquarters. at Jaclcson
Miss, and delivered his dispatches and
Cen Penn erton's receipt for the cans sI1J
dispatches delivered to him.
1T was while coming our of Viclsh,,rr,
that ne met with his most exciting adran9
ture, and his relation of it sounds r,er
Vicious. He hoated down the river at
night to point some eighteen miles h.
low Nlcksourg, and, landing he procured
morse, and, riding in the direction Of
Jackson. ne had TO cross the Big BLACK
river Every ford and ferry on the same
was closely guasded by the federals. ana
ne toue INTO the guard at one of these
ferries ana they ambuscaded him; and. as