The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-08-10
FIGHTING PARSONS.
HOW THE REv. MR.. BERRY FOOLED
THE REvYMR. REED.

Vhey Were ooouts al Oppoeing torces Dur
ing the Civil war-fhs Commander who
Issusd Orders In Loud Tone and Sang
Hymns to His Soldiers.
~ can tela you good story a bout Myron
W. Reed. the brilliant Denver dominic, y
said Wisconsin man who has been ac
quainted with Reed for 30 years.
"Myron Reed went into the army pri.
vate, but was a captain within two years
and In 1864 was offered q commission az
colonel Of an east Tennessee regiment. He
was daredevil, az fearless In battle a. he
IL brilliant In pulpit. the sort Of officer
certain to be called upon when there was
important scouting to be done. Captain
Reod did great deal In that line during
his service In Tennessee.
before daylight ono October morning
In 1864 an order was received directing
Reed to select 30 of the most trusty men
In the regiment for scout duty and report
at division headquarters with the least
possible delay.
"'Captain Reed, said the general. You
seem to seek hazardous undertakings.
have work of that character for you.
"You have mistaken my meaning, sir.
/ do not court danger. am simply
| reduy uU III tIulos w run riSAb IL Uno ncrN-
| ice demands It..
"'Very well; have It as you will. IL is
reported on what regard good authority
that large Confederate force Is coming
into this part of Tennessee from Arkansas.
want you to take these men and push In
their reported direction az rapidly as your
animals can carry you. want you to
make at least 80 miles today. When you
meet the enemy, return without delay and
report and IL possible without allowing
him to discoys- you.
"The captain and his 90 followers, all of
whom resomblcd their commander In one
respect-every one Of them being dare
deyil-rode through the Union picket line
soon after sunrise. Soon after sunset,
when the shades Of night appeared and the
Tennessee mountain whose base they wero
nearing looked gloomy and forbidding,
they heard something that greatly added
to their gloom, fearless though they were.
II was the one word:
'Haltl'
1Thc speaker was on the side of the
mountain, ont of sight and not more than
q quarter of q mile away. 1t had been q
perfect day ani was n perfect evening. The
voice rang out as clear as n bell. Reed sat
isGed himself quickly that the command
bad not been intended for his force. His
opinion was confirmed when tho same
voice was heard giving these directions:
80 lieutenant, tell Colonel Jones of the
Tonth Tennessee to go into camp on that
side of the road. Have Colonel Bailey take
his regiment just beyond the Tenth. Let
the other three regiments of the brigade
camp on this side of the road
'The Union scouts, upon hearing the
generals directions for the disposal of the
brigade for the night, moved few rods
from tho road, dismountcd, fed their
horses and tried to get little rest before
starting on the 30 miles ride to the Union
lines.
"An hour later they heard the same
voice. little farther up the mountain, Al
follows:
"'First Arkansas brigade, II you will
give me your attention will comply
with the very general request of the com
mand to sing
"Then for half an hour, in q voice that
was as clear and sweet as that October at
mosphere. he sang hymn after hymn, old
fashioned ones such as the Yankee boys
had often heard In their northern homes.
When the singing ceased, the vocalist bri.
gade commander told his men to 60 to
sleep and get good rest, as they would be
called upon on the morrow to make
forced march of many miles and possibly
end 1t with a hard battle.
mot long after that Captain Reeds
scouting party started back to camp, reach.
ing there about 10 o'clock the next day.
His report of the discovery Of an Arkansas
coming battle, but It did not occur. The
First Arkansas brigade did not keep its
engagement
The following winter Captain Reed
found himself in charge Of large number
of Confederate prisoners. Among them
wns one who was much given to singing
hymns. Reed thought he had heard the
voice. Approaching the singer, he en-
gaged him in conversation, with the fol-
lowing result:
"'Have wo met before?
"'Not that know Of, sab.
"Your voice has q familiar sound
"Thcn he thought Of the hymns he had
heard on the side of that Tennessee noun
tain.
"'Do you belong to an Arkansas bri.
gadcs' asked Reed.
"'No, sab. I'm Tennessee soldier
"'Were you with an Arkonsas brigade
when it went into camp on Tennessee
mountain last OCTOBER He named the
locality.
"'I was on the mountain you speak Of,
but not WITH an Arkansas brigade.
"Did you sing hymns and then tell the
men Of your brigade to sleep and rest, for
the next day they would have long, hard
march and mayhap fgbtY
"'I sang that night, sab, and made the
remark, but not to brigade, sah.'
"A regiment?'
"No, sah, to six men who were with
mo on scout. We saw force of 90 or 30
horsemcn nearing our position, and not
caring to leave just then and knowing
that we could not fight SO large party
we resorted to that harmless trick to halt
the Yankees and give us a chance for
short rcst, after which we rode back to
Damp faster than we left It..
"What IL your name, pleaser
"Bcrry, Captain Berry of the -
Tennessee cavalry, sah.'
"Captain Berry, I'm glad TO meet you.
had command Of tho party you mention.