The herald., 1896-09-27
CONFEDERATE SAL
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During the latter part of the war the
confederates went into camp about CO.
lumbia. on Duck river, in Tennessee.
The soldiers were half clad, half fed,
and thoroughly desperate. They were
IN no mood to be trifled with, and when
the provocation came they were law
unto themselves.
while they were in camp at this place
. woman who had followed the army
for some months gave the officers con-
siderable trouble. She was utterly de-
praved and shameless, and she was not
pretty enough to cause her escapades
to be leniently regarded.
This woman did not even have a
name. She was known as Confederate
Sal, and was heartily detested by the
soldiers and citizens.
1t was impossible to tell where Sal
would break out next, or what new and
startling tapers she held in reserve.
One week she would make her appear
ance in Columbia elegantly dressed and
conducting herself like a lady. A few
days later she would be found covered
with rags and dirt. gioriously drunk
and shockingly profane.
Then the patience Of the officers would
give way, and the brazen adventures
would be sent twenty miles away and
Ieft in the woods in the hope that she
would never return. 1t was useless to
resort to such mild methods. After a
few days absence Sal would return
with a new outfit and would remain un-
til she got into disgrace again.
Nobody could learn anything OF her
past history. She invented so many
different biographies that none OF her
stories could be believed. Some said
that she was a soldiers widow. but 9TH
erss declared that she had been well
known as disreputable character in
several confederate cities. No matter
who she might have been in the past,
the soldiers looked upon her as holy
terror and her evil fame spread into
the federal lines, where 1t was reported
that she had strayed upon more than
one occasion.
In the course Of time Confederate Sal
became a vexatious problem to both
armies. Once a party of confederates
seized her while she was drunk and
carried her into the. federal camps,
where they left her The wretched crea-
ture was discovered the next day by the
federals, and was promptly sent back
to the other side
They tried everything to get rid of
her, but she never failed to return. She
was locked in the guardhouse, whipped
and threatened with death, but all to
TO. purpose. Generals and colonels used
to fly from her as they would from
cyclone. Her temper was furious be-
yond description, and the most hard
ened men could not listen to her foul
and profane tongue.
She was dangerous, too. Sometimes
she was remarkably well dressed, with
plenty Of money to spend, and the Off
GERS had suspicion that she was a
spy in the pay of the enemy. There was
no proof. however, and she could not
be disposed of on this pretext.
Sal was not a beauty, but when she
was at her best she was dashing wo-
man, a daring rider, and when she
was sober her conversation showed that
she had enjoyed some educational ad-
yantages, She was about 40 years old,
and her face bore traces of intemper-
ance and exposure.
This reckless camp follower finally
went too far and presumed too much up
on the forbearance of the brave men
whom she had annoyed beyond endur-
ance.
She had been absent for about ten
days, and the officers and men were be-
eit,ning to hone that they had seen the
last of her, when the report came that
she had engaged board with respect
able family some distance down the
river. She was dressed better than ever
and we'll supplied with money, and
claimed to be the wife of one of the
most popular generals in the army The
people where she boarded did not know
her, and accepted her statement that
she desired to be near her husband for
few weeks.
On the second night of her stay the
supposed wife of the general came home
roaring drunk in the company of two
rough looking soldiers, who were driven
off with great difficulty by the family.
Mrs. General then got mad and turned
her tongue loose. She mortified the in
mates Of the cottage by dancing the
can-can, and wound up with the an
nouncement that she was Confederate
Sal.
When the news of these high links
reached camp there was unbounded in
dignation. 1t was agreed that Sal had
insulted the whole army by masquerad-
ing as the wife of their favorite general
and few determined men got together
and held quiet consultation. That
night about dozen soldiers slipped out
Of the camp and went down the river to
the log cabin in which Sal had sought
shelter after being driven from the cot
tage.
AS the visitors expected, they found
the woman sleeping off the effects OF
her heavy potations. They awakened
her rudely and told her the object Of
their mission.
1t was a hard fight The captive
fought like tigress, but the men tiet
her hands and feet, and then fastened
heavy stone to her neck. They bore
her, screaming and kicking, to the river
and threw her in just as they would
have done a mad dog.
There was one splash and then al
was silence. The soldiers looked at on,
another.
Let us go back to camp" said thu
leader.
Suppose they find out about thi
job?" asked one.
'Who cares?" replied another. "W,
are needed inthe coming battle, ant
there is no danger that any of us will
be punished for this nights work
am willing to have my share in 4
known
And he was right. The story got out
but there was no investigation. Confed
crate Sal had no friends to profess
against her fate.-Wallace Putnam
Reed in Chicago Times-Herald.
A SEPARATE ROAD FOR CYCLES
New York May Give Them Half thu