The National tribune., 1897-12-09

bang, bullet whizzed right by my ear.
| saw the smoke rise from the tail
weeds in trent OF me, hut could not see the
man. so | made the best guess | could at
the exact spot, pulled the trigger, ana
| scampcred back TO tlae timber.
Taking position behind tree, lett
! pretty safe and after q short time Nenfured
! to peep around, when ruf o. emo>" 1rom
| the same spot caused nae to GooGe behind
| the tree Just in time 10 hear the bullet 60
| by. ] returned the fire as before, sun net
| being able TO see my enemy, who was ma
| den in the weeds about two hundred yards
| in front.
| We kept up an occasional firing for an
| hour or more, when il ceased, and never
| knew what became of him; but | presume
he was out on scout. and wen, on TO pnd
another picket who wasn't so well protected
as |.
Cen Hood intended to cross the Tennes-
see at or above Decatur, but by tins time
rations. which had been short ever since
we left Lovcioy, had about given out and
we were unable to get subsistence from
| the country. So We turned down The river
and reached TuScumhia the latter part OF
| October, where we went into camps
| Being now within Is miles of home,
Henry, the negro hoy who followed me
! from Gainesville in the Snrlng, said he
| wanted To see old "MarSe" and old Miss
| so bad, and as he had been very faithful
| cooking, carrying my knapsack, etc, ! told
him to go on and tell them ] would he
there rs soon as could get a fuTlough, and
| lost no time in sending up an application
for same
Our application for furlough came back
to day anproved-for 48 hours short time
indeed, but better than none. ] accident
ally met up with Brown Duckett, OF 9Th
Ala. Battalion. ian old friend and school
mate. } who Rad got Through To visit his
uncle, in my neighhorhood. was very
much pleased 10 have his company, and
by o'clock we were ready 10 start.
walk Of FIVE miles brought us to
Gamers Ferry. where we crossed The river
and were warned by the old gentleman
who fcrrcd us over to keep of The high
WAYS and watch out for the Yankees, as
we would be liable 10 run into II squad OF
scouts any time. SO we turned down the
river bottom and followed the timber until
night set in. We then struck out across
the country.
Rain began to fall and the night was
fcarfully dark, and we were cropping along,
discussing the probability of encountering
a squad Of Yankees, when we were startled
by challenge from the bushes on the
roadside:
Halt who come dah?"
"a negro picket, by jingo," whispered
Brown. squat, so if he shoots he'll shoot
over us" We squatted and answered:
Friends, who are your"
The click of our rifles as we cooked them
scared him as bad as he had scared us,
and he was very prompt TO explain:
ooh, 'scuse me, boss | thought you
was some of de plantation niggers prowlin'
round. Ii | had knowd you was white
| folks never would have halted you; deed
wouldn't"
We "scused" him and were very glad it
turned out so favorably for US, for We were
beginning 10 fear we had got into serious
trouble. He informed us there had been
no Yankees in the ncighborhoOd for several
DAYS, ard we resumed our walk through
the muddy lanes, the rain having by this
time penetrated our clothing and wet us
to the skin.
We reached Mr.. Whites Crowns uncle)
at 10 O'clock and after having dried our
selves thoroughly, went 10 bed on the
floor. The family insisted on us occupy
ing the bed but the sheets and pillow
cases looked so white and clean we could
not think of soiling Them; being OF a floor in
a warm room by IA good fire was SO much
better than we had been used to, and
more in keeping with cur ideas OF com
fort than feather bed would have been.
ITO BE- continued.