The National tribune., 1897-02-11
Corporal Pike.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: While con-
fined in the rebel prison at Macon, Ga, in
the Summer Of 1862, q number of struggling
Union prisoners were added to our number
from time to time Among these soldier
in the uniform of Cavalry Corporal or
Sergeant, was brought in one day, and was
soon pointed out to us as being a Union
scout and belonging to some Ohio cavalry
regiment. He was above medium hight
slightly built, of swarthy complexion. looked
q good deal like half-breed Indian, and
his name was Pike"
Some time during our imprisonment there
it being at the fair grounds and not very far
from the railway station, quite number OF
prisoners escaped. A few succeeded in getting
into the Union lines near the sea coast; but
the greater number were captured and re-
turned to prison, loaded with chains.
Among the latter was Pike" who had es-
capped and had nearly reached our lines
above Chattanooga, but having fallen i'll on
his road to freedom, was forced to surrender
to some marauding party of rebels who en-
countered him while in that condition. He
was returned to prison at Macon, and the
officers being shortly afterward transferred
to Madison, Ga, l being one Of them, never
heard nor saw anything more about Pike y
until to-day l read in Gen. Sherman's Me-
moirs, in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE Of Dec
81, last, the account of Corp'l Pike" when
it required to me that this must have been
the same individual who had been prisoner
at the time above mentioned. / have nc
doubt any of the prisoners of that place and
time, who have not yet joined the Grand
Army" above, will remember the Indian
scout Pike."-GUsTAvE KoTHE, Captain
5Sth ILL.,, Cassel, Germany, Jan. II, 1897.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
issue of Dec. 81 / read in Memoirs of Gen.
w. T.. Sherman, where Corpl Pike is intro
duced in the great drama of our late war.
Corp'l Pike was member of an Ohio regi-
ment-I think 4ih Ohio Cav, and one OF
our best scouts. He lived to be promoted
to Lieutenant in, the LIST U. S. Cav,
when he died from the effects of a gun-shot
wound, accidentally inflicted on himself at
Camp Logan, Oregon, in 1866, after a fight
with Indians. In breaking up the enemy g
guns, he, Lieut.. Pike, had hold of the muZzie
of one, in the act ofrstriking butt on rock
the gun exploded, and the ball entered his
thigh. He fingered about IA days and died.
Thus ended the life of brave man and
soldier a7f -
wonder tome His life never was written.
at the death of Lieut. Pike Acting Quar-
termaster Sergeant, Co. F, 23d U. S., Camp
Watson, Ore; Capt Barry, 1st U. s. Cav,
Quartermaster; Col Baker, LIST U. S. Cav,
commanding, in the field against the Snake
Indians. Among the effects of the late
Lieut.. Pike were the passes of our leading
Generals-Shermap, Grant, and others. Said
passes Lieut.. Pike set great store by. The
passes were written on linen; some on satin.
They were inclosed in small silver tube.
Those passes were, at his request, forwarded
to some town in Ohio to his father The
rest of his effects were distributed among
his old comrades. I got claw-hammer
(have it now which lie carried on his scout
ing expeditions.-RoBERT BRUCE, Pendle-
ton, Ore.