The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-11
Adventures of a Scouting PARTY,


IT can tell you a good story about Nyron
W. Reed. the brilliant but erra,;c Denver
dominic who Is just now much in evidence
in connection with Eugene v. De5's colon.-
zatson or socialistic scheme" said Wis
consin man who has been acquainted with
Reed for thirty years
"Myron Reed went into the army a pri-
vate, bu; was captain within TWO years
and In 1864 was offered a commission as
colonel Of an East Tennessee regiment He
was q daredevil. as fearless in battle as he
is brilliant In pulp.t-the sort of an officer
certain TO be called upon when there was
important, scouting TO be done Captain
Reed did q great deal N that line during
his service In Tennessee
Before daylight one October morning In
1854 an order was received directing Reed
to select twenty Of the most trus,y men IN
the regimen; for scout duty. and report -
division headquarters with the leas; posi-
BILE delay.
Captain Reed said the general. you
seem 10 seek hazardous undertakings.
have work OF that character for you
You have mistaken my meaning, sir.
I do norcourt danger. i am simply ready.
at all times, 10 run risks II the service de-
mands IT.
Very well: have IL as you will. II is
reported on what regard as good authori-
~ that a large Confederate force Is COM
ing into this part of Tennessee from Ar
Kansas. / want you 20 take these men
and push IN their reported direction as
rapidly as your animals can carry You. 1
want you to make at leas; thirty miles TO-
day. When you meet the enemy return
without delay and report. and If possible
without allowing him 10 discover YOU
The captain and his twenty followers
rode through the Union picket line soon
after sunrise. Soon after sunset. when the
Tennessee mountain whose base they were
nearing looked gloomy and forb:dding. they
heard the one wcrd:
Halt
mountain, out OF sight. and not more than
g. quarter of a mile away. 1t had been a
perfect day and was perfect evening The
voice rang out as clear as a bell. Reed
satisfied himself quickly that the command
had not been intended for his force. His
opinion was confirmed when the same voice
was heard giving these directions:
Lieutenant tell Colonel Jones OF the
Tenth Arkansas 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 bril-
gade came on this side OF the road.
The Union scouts. upon hearing the gen
erals directions for the disposal of the bri-
gade for the night. moved few rods from
the road, dismounted. fed their horses and
tired to get a little rest before starting on
the thirty-mile ride TO the Union lines. An
hour later they heard the same voice q
little farther up the mountain, as follows:
First Arkansas brigade, IL you will
give me your attention, I will comply with
the very general request of the command
to sing.
Then, for half an hour. in voice tina.
was clear and sweet as that October atmos-
phere, he sang hymn after hymn, old-fas.i-
.oned ones, such as the Yankee boys had
often heard in their northern homes. When
the singing ceased the vocalist brigade COM
mander told his men 10 go to sleep and get
a good rest, as they would be called upon
on the morrow 10 make a forced march OF
many miles. and possibly end il with hard
battle.
Not long after that Captain Reeds scout
ing party started back 10 camp. reaching
there about 10 o'clock the next day. His
report of the discovery OF an Arkansas bril-
gade led to active preparations for a COM
ing battle. but 1t did not occur. The First
Arkansas brigade did not keep its engage
ment.
The following winter Captain Reed
found himself in charge of a large number
of Confederate prisoners. Among them
was one who was much given 10 singing
hymns. Reed thought he had heard that
voice. Approaching the singer. he engag-
ed him in conversation with the following
result:
q" Have We not met before?
Not that know OF. sah'
Your voice has familiar sound
Then he though; OF the hymns he had
heard on the side of that Tennessee noun
tain.
do YOU belong TO an Arkansas bril-
gade?' asked Reed
No. sab; I'm Tennessee soldier
Were you with an Arkansas brigade
when IT went into camp on a Tennessee
mountain. last October? naming the To-
cality.
II 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 msyhap fght?'
Il sang that night. sab. and made tire
remark. but not TO brigade. sab
a regimen.7'
No sab, 20 SIX men who were with me
on a scout. We saw a force Of twenty-five
or thirty horsemen nearing our position
and not caring 20 leave just then. and
knowing that we could not fight so large a
party. We resorted 70 tina, harmless trick
70 halt the Yankees and give US a chance
for short rest. after which we rode back
to camp faster than we left r."