Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-03-17
CHAPTER Y

line TxpOsure OF denuen pianS u'fy
nsEe been due to the long continued
presence Of our party at his house. II
atlthe last moment we had obeyed his
injunction ito bide at the rock house,
WI would have been spared the humiE.
at on Of another capture. Sly old Tom
Fl bncock in some way got wind OF the
plbt--for il was plot. constructed on n
pdFfect understanding Of the movements
aHd intentions Of our guide-and the
trip had been held open for hours await
ins Tom $ arrival. The pickets had been
pCEted in the snow about the house
Awaiting orders until after midnight,
cHafng their ringling ears and rubbing
tleir stiffened fingers.
lHeaden and his wife had been cap
tpFed early in the evening at the mill
on the Cullowee road and were held
prisoners at the house OF Roderick Nor
tob. the same whom irate Betsey so
hdngered and thirsted to stomp through
nk turnpike This place was only half
u mile down the road, and our sorry
cibwd was soon picking its way over
The snow in the same direction, fanked
bI two lines Of mountaineers carrying
ttair rifles ut shoulder and tramping
silently under the bare trees. We were
file officers and three citizens-when we
reIched the house, five and five, for in
tile first room we entered sat the Head
ei|s meekly behind gun barrels.
The citizens were kept below stairs.
aid the Yankees sent into the garret
rcbm above. A feather bed, hastily
abandoned by its occupants, stood In
ii le center Of the room, and into II our
p;,rty Of three clambered without mo-
nj Ent's delay and were soon fast asleep.
We were awakened in the night by
fehrful outcries from the room below,
which proved TO come from Lieutenant
Knapp, who had eaten some frozen
cl|estnuts as he came down the noun
tain the night before. When we gathered
at breakfast in the morning, he lay in a
cC rner very quiet and only comfortable
aiter his cramps, thanks to the women
who had been up all night trying to as
ST age his agony.
Although thoroughly recovered, Knapp
ftigned illness so cleverly that he was
lett behind with two guards. These
y,lung gentlemen, having no suspicious
OF his game, went out to the spring TO
wbsh, leaving their guns in the house.
AF soon as they had disappeared Knapp
syrang up and disabled their guns and
r. IN away at his leisure across the gar
d|n.
We had an easy days march before
u so our guards said the next morning,
Cd reach the headquarters OF the bat
tallion at the forks Of the Tuckasegee. A
natter Of 20 miles, following the trend
of the streams, with no ridges to cross,
is only step to the long legged and
Icing winded mountaineer. but 1t was
lchg, dreary march to us.
1t is late in the wintry afternoon. We
ai|e perhaps five miles from our destina-
tibn. Weary with walking, we are strag-
Cling silently along the road. The dark
MISS Of the cloudy afternoon and the
il creasing chill Of the approaching
evening inspire gloomy forebodings in
tile heavy hearts of the prisoners. The
road has fallen to level with the river,
aid the receding mountain gives way to
gintle ridges crowned with scattered,
ldhfless chestnuts, gaunt and forb:dding
iI their eccentric distortions.
From behind the barren hill to the
r.eht wailing sound comes to our ears.
Vie stop 10 listen-to be sure that we
hear human voices-then hurry On until
VIE turn the obstruction and come in
sight Of group Of miserables assembled
oh the bleak mountain slope. 1t is the
lt;w plaint Of women 8 voices who are
seated on the ground wearied with the
Iteration Of their griei There are four
tbwed, weeping igures, each brooding
ober lump Of something covered by
t,lttered bedluilt. Four husbands-a
flther and three sons-dead since early
morning. lie under the quilts. The old
cit Of the women mourns not only her
husband, but all the dead are her sons,
ahd another wounded to death has
stumbled little farther into the noun
tlins A group Of neighbors waiting to
thry the dead stand silently by, coldly
regarding the women and only sympa-
tbetic enough to orefrain from disturbing
the mourners in their grief.
"Who are they?" we ask.
"Only the Watsons." says one by
SANDER. "a passel O. hog thieves. A
rood radiance to the country"
saw the closing scene OF a bloody
fbud between the Watsons and the Hoop
cts, for there was only one male Watson
lift. Although the dead men believed in
the southern cause and their slayers
We're Union outlaws Of the most aggres-
slve type, we heard little indignation
expressed even among our guard.
One Of the Watsons had been slain by
al Hooper, and in retaliation therefor q
Hooper ON recruiting leave from his reg
ihent in Tennessee had been shot in his
doorway in the autumn before. The
Wounded man, after lying ont in the
lkurel half the winter with his hand ON
Ills rifle, had at last recovered. and here
was his revenge. Before day he and his
clan had surrounded the cabin Of the
tb- <x,ra - wh,~.H onoorof--