The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-06-27
BILL ARP'S RAIDS.
He Tells How He Got Food for
the Hungry Soldiers.
Ears He Committed Highway Robbery
But Once-sorry He Had TO Do 1t
The Law the Buiwark
of Liberty.

exceedingly that l had TO do it, When
/ joined the army at Winchester. Va, in
July, 1861, Gen. Barlow sent for me one
morning and said he had been made
brigadier and had completed his staff
excepting a brigade commissary, and
asked me to accept the position. told
him that l knew nothing about the
duties of that Office, but he and DR.. Mil
Ter and Maj. Aver insisted that could
soon learn, and so ] bought me horse
and pair of high top boots and some
big brass spurs and got ready for bust
ness The blanks had not been print
ed and | couldn't find book on thai
subject, and so I didn't do anything for
a few days. l didn't receive any ra,
tions nor issue any, for / 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
night march to join Beauregard at Man
ssssas. he day after our army forded
the Shenandoah Gen. Bartow's brigade
took rest at Paris and after dinner be-
gan the march to Piedmont, station on
tiit hldlluSSdS IdllIOdu. bGn. tOH
said to me: 'Major, have sent Maj.
Aver on ahead TO get corn and forage at
Piedmont for the artillery horses and
other horses in my command, and am
informed that most of the men have
either eaten all the rations they started
with or got them wet in crossing the
river, and they must have something to
x.yha ha4r IN ipd
had better ride on ahead and secure ra
tions for about 1000 men. The regi-
mental commissares will not have any,
for their wagons are several miles be-
hind"
evil [ find supplies at PIEDMONT"
said very innoeentiy.
"You must find them," said he. .'rhis
country is full of provisions, and you
must purchase enough for 1900 men
beef, bacon, -four, salt, coffee and SO
forth. The men must not suffer"
And he knit his brow and looked
stern. With exceeding modesty l said;
General, have no money to buy with,
and maybe they will not sell on n
credit. What then?a
My dear sir" said he, this is war.
Inter arma legas silent If they will
not sell to you without the money, you
must impress what you need. The
men must be fed"
| perceived that he was desperately
in earnest. so hurried on to Piedmont
and found Maj. Aver with pocket full
of Richmond banks money, buying
corn from solid old Virginia farmer.
There were two wagon loads that had
been hauled by two of the finest yolSes
of fat oxen l ever saw. l took the
major aside and told him my orders.
"There is some very fine beef in those
steers" said he.
.sBut | have no money" said 1.
Cant you lend me some?'
Il cannot" said he. ut would cost
me my commission. You can impress
the oxen"
suppose that old fellow should re-
sist? What then?"
sect Capt. Towers to give you de-
tail and arrest him il he won't give up
peaceably."
So | timidly approached the old man
and proposed to buy his steers, but he
didn't wish to sell them at any price.
Said he wouldn't take 500 yoke for
them. When l finally came down on
him with the generals orders he was
furious and so was his son. l felt as
mean as dog They swore they would
go back home and get their guns and
Hill the first man who dared to touch
their oxen. The old man stood guard
while the son went home-half a mile
Hway--to get their guns.
And you don't even propose to let II
man price his own property nor to pay n
dollar for it, but you will give a receipt
for it that may not be worth a durn.
Any robber could do that. If this is
the way the southern confederacy has
started out it will bust wide open in 60
days, and wish to God it would"
Up TO this time | had talked kindly
and parsuasiyely, but at last, when l
found out he was a union sympathizer,
| got fired up in my feelings, and as
the Eighth Georgia marched up | got
a detail of ten men and had the steers
driven away, and as the old man was
crying and waiting for his son with the
luis Il tDtu MN Alldl IL ne Noult Chiut
over to the station would give him
n receipt that would be good at Rich
uond. He never cursed, for he belonged
20 the church, but he said "Gol durn"
and dad burn" and "dngnation" with
great emphasis.
The steers were soon turned over to
some expert butchers from the First
Kentucky regiment, and by the time
the young man and some of the neigh
bors arrived with their guns and dogs
the Inflated brutes had been killed and
f'ayed on the altar of their country.
In an hours time their carcasses were
cut up into mess pieces and distributed
and the camp fires lighted. At store
near by. purchased from good CON
federate some -four and crackers and
1000 pounds of bacon. had no trouble
with him, for he said the boys must be
fed IL il took everything he had. l in
volsed his good Offices to make peace
with the old man and his son. and about
dark they came to me and said they
would take my receipt, but il was a
COL durn cowardly piece of business.
And it did look that way. l wonder
how they got their wagons home.
But before long the good people of
the valley got the hang of the business
und surrendered at discretion. never
had much trouble with those who were