The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-05-29
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
WILLIAM ACTS THE ROLE Or
HIGHWAY ROBBEE.
it Was During the War aud He Had
1t to Do.


but once in my life, and it shocked me
exceedingly that 1 had it to do. When
/ Joined the army at Winchester, Va.
in July, 1861, General Barlow sent for
me one morning and said he had been
made brigadier and had completed
his staff excepting brigade commits
sary, and asked me to accept the posi-
tlon. L told him that l knew nothing
about the duties of that Office, but he
and DR.. Miller and Major Aver insist
ed that could soon learn, and so
bought mo horse and pair of high
top boots and some big brass spurs
and got ready for business. The
blanks had not been printed, and I
couldent find book on that subject
and 80 l dident do anything for few
days. 1 dident receive any rations
nor issue any, for I was waiting
for my commission and instructions
and blank forms to come from Rich
mond. These had not come up
to the time old Joe Johnston
made that all-nigbt march to ioin
Beauregard at Manassas. The day
after our army forded the Shenan-
doah General Bartow's brigade took
rest Mt Paris and after dinner began the
march to Piedmont, q station on the
Manassas railroad. General Barlow
said to me: "Major, 1 have sent Major
Aver on ahead to get corn and forage
at Piedmont for the artillery horse and
other horses Of my command, and I
am informed that most of the men
have either eaten oil tho rations they
started with or got them wet in cross.
ing the river, and they mus. have
something to eat when they get to
Piedmont. You had better ride on
ahead and secure rations for about
1000 men. The regimental commits
saries will not have my, for their
wagons are several miles behind"
"Wlll l find supplies at Piedmont?"
said ], very innocently.
"You must find them," said he.
''This country is full of provisions,
and you must purchase enough for
1000 men-becf, bacon, flour, salt,
coffee and so forth. The men must
not suffer"
And he knit his brow and looked
stern. With exceeding modcsty I
said: General, l have no money to
buy with and may be they will not
sell on a credit. What thcn?"
'My dear sir" said he, "this is war.
Inter arma leges silent If they will
rot sell to you without the money, you
must impress what you need. The
Zen must be fed"
L perceived that he was desperately
in earnest, SO I hurried on to Pied
mont and found Major Aver with O
pocket full of Richmond banks money,
buying corn from solid old Virginia
farmer. There were two wagon loads
that Ind been hauled by two of the
| finest yokes of fat oxen l ever saw.
took the major aside and told him nv
orders.
"There is some very fine beef in those
steers" said he.
"Cut I have no money" said I.
"Can't you lend me some?"
81 cannot" said he. cit would
cost me my commission. You can i'm
press the oxen"
Suppose that old fellow should re-
sist? What then?'
"Get Captain Towers to give you
detail and arrest him if he won't give
up peaceably."
So l timidly approached the old man
and proposed to buy his steers, but he
didn't wish to to sell them at any
price. Said he wouldn't take SlOO a
yoke for them. When I finally came
down on him with the generals orders
he was furious and so was his son.
felt as mean as n dog. They swore
they would go back home and get their
guns and kill the first man who dared
to touch their oxen. The old man
stood guard while the son went home
half mile away-to get their guns.
"And you don't even propose to let
a man price his own property nor to pay
dollar for it, but you will give a re-
ceipt for it that may not be worth n
durn. Any robber could do that. If this
is the way the southern confederacy
has started out it will bust wide open
in sixty days, and l wish to God it
would"
Up to this time had talked kindly
and persuasively. but at last, when /
found out he was union sympathizer.
got fired up in my feelings, and as
the Eight Georgia marched up / got
detail of ten men and had the steers
driven away, and rs the old man was
crying and waiting for his son with
the guns told him that if he would
come over to the station I would give
him receipt that would be good at
Richmond. He never cursed, for he
belonged to the church, but he said
"Gol durn" and "dad burn" and
"dingnation" with great emphasis.
The steers were soon turned over to
some expert butchers from the First
Kentucky regiment, and by tho time
the young man and some of the neigh
bors arrived with their guns and dogs
hn fak