The National tribune., 1896-10-15
PERILous TIMES.
What . Loyal Man In Kentucky Had to I'm.
dergo During the War.

| v
be as fully known rs it should be how much
the Unionists of Kentucky and Tennessee
and other Border States had to suffer during
the war in defense of their principles sur
rounded as they were by their armed enemies.
If they joined the Union army the per-
picking question was what to do with their
families. The families of the Northern sol
diers were comparatively safe, bnt for the
families of the Southern soldiers there was
no protection, 10 place of safety, and they
were subject to the bitter detestation and
persecution of the enemy.
/ have met with no one on the picket-line
who could give so vivid picture of the
situation as Capt. James Oden portrayed to
me.
He lived in the little town of Carlisle,
the Countyseat of Nicholas County, KY, on
what was called the border of Mason's &
| Dixon's line.
The assumption was that we had moth
ing to do but to stand and look on and see
our fellow-men killed, and read the papers,
and have good time.
This was all well enough to talk about
and think about, but in an early day after
the cannon began to roar in our hearing and
the report came home that some of our boys
had been killed, then matters began to look
a little more serious than the neutrality idea
had presented them to us. We began to
think, why is it that things are thus and SO,
and we began to see that things were one
sided, and it looked as if we had no part in
this little matter.
Speaking out what I felt, I said too
much to suit some of our big men, such as
old Col. Norvil, Isaac Holiday and others,
and they told their boys that the best thing
to do was to remove Jim Oden. Well, they
proceeded to remove me forthwith. The con-
sequence was that for time I had to lie out
nights under haysiacks and in the barns Of
my friends, not daring to go into my own
| house or the house of any of my friends to
sleep. l had lots of friends, and have yet, and
l feel sure l always will have, but at this
juncture friends did not suffice. l had five
little mOtherless boys, or babes, as it were,
dependent upon me. To desert them / could
not, nay, would not, and my friends were
| all in the same boat. 1t is true, had three
sisters and good old mother-in-law who
were caring for my little ones, but what did
that amount to under the circumstances
They had been robbed of their all, their
larders, their chickens, their pgs-every
thing.
Il went to Col. Metcalf, who was my
cousin, and told him that / thought the
safest place for me was in the army, and he
said he thought SO too, so l enlisted in the
7th KY. Cav. The Colonel said to me, Jim,
you take couple of your friends and go out
on recruiting expedition So we struck
into the hills and mountains of eastern Ken
tncky and western Virginia and in three
days we had l03 men who were ready to do
anything at our bidding. We were out only
10 days when we entered Camp Dick Robin
son, and as all my boys had been lodging
and hiding from the enemy like myself we
felt safe for the first time for a year. The
poor fellows had been lodging Humphrey
Marshall, lying out, and hungry as bears
until they felt just like eating the devil and
jeff Davis thrown in.
~ father was United States Marshal at
the time entered Uncle Sans service, and
soon after our Colonel received dispatch
from him that they were Overrun by the
Copperheads, and wanted a company of men
sent to him, if such thing could possibly
be done. So / was sent 10 him with a COM
pany. We were putting down the rebellion,
and felt as Jim Blaine said when on the
floor of Congress baking speech when the
massacre at Fort Pillow had just been an
nounced: Give me the power and would
knock the rebellion into cooked hat in
few days.
I'VE went to Mt Sterling, Montgomery
County, and arrested Harry Daniels, one of
the most prominent men in the State, and
expected 10 send him to Johnsons Island,
but the old fellow thought be was TOO DID, so
he took the oath and gave the Government
$1,000 and went home happy. Then went
to Sharpsburg and arrested Dick West and
his brother, Wether West; also man named
Bots. They were men of high standing,
leaders IN their County, and all were sent to
JohnsOns Island and served out the Govern
ment sentence as prisoners of war.
About this time the rebel Morgan came
on detachment OF the 7th Ky. in charge of
our horses at Cynthiana, cut and sashed
the boys, and took most of our horses.
About the same time KIRBY Smiths forces
appeared in the neighborhood of Richmond, |
KY. AS 1t Is well known, old Humphrey |
Marshall and his forces were planted in the |
hills aud mountains of east Kentucky and |
West Virginia; so you see / was in a pen,
and was forced to fee for safety to more con-
genial quarters.
This move threw me into Maysville. |
KY, where / remained for 10 days awaiting !
events, when cousin of mine, who had been
cooped up in Maysville Tor a time came to |
me and said: Cousin Jim, can't you get me
ont of this? / have word from home that
all is quiet on the Potomac, and we will be
sale In gong home to our business The
truth was he was a merchant and was sink
Ing money every minute he was kept in
Maysvile. Owing to my lack of caution.
was persuaded to get pass from Mai.
Clark for us TO 60 home to Carlisle, and
when we drove up to his store, and looked
over in the Courthouse yard, there were
300 of the infernalest looking men ever
rested my eyes on.
was met by many friends and acquaint-
ances before / got ont of the buggy. and
many of them whispered to me that / was
in danger OF losing my life then and there,
and the only chance for me was to dodge
and hide. Just at this time the bows and
the young men from the stores were coming
out to go to their suppers, and of course all
OF them had to run and shake hands with me.
One of them said: Can't you 20 up and
have some supper? / want to talk to you.'
said yes too quick, and as we went up to
his boarding-place he said to me: Jim.
you are gone up; they will kill you sure. /
have heard them talk So we walked on.
and when / entered the hall at his place /
met lady friend. She threw up her hands
and exclaimed: What are you doing here?'
l said to her: Lucy, will tell you when I
have more time / passed her in the hall.
went out the back way, crossed the alley.
and jumped over high paling fence, land
ing in q nice garden. Near the fence were
two or three rows of the LARGEST cahbave T