The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-04
TWO FIGHTING PARSONS

trTdllc Denver dominic who is Just
now much in evidence ia connection
with Eugene V. Debs' colonization or
socialistic scheme said a Wisconsin
man who has been acquainted with
Reed for 30 years.
Myron Reed went into the army a
private, but was captain within two
years, and in 1864 vas onered a COM
mission as colonel of an east Tennessee
regiment. He was daredevil. as lear
less in battle as ne is brilliant in pull
pit-the sort of an officer certain TO be
called upon when there was Important
scouting 10 be done. Captain heed did
a great deal in Ihat line during MS
service in Tennessee.
Before uayAsnt one October morn
ing - le04 an order was received oi-
recIing keed to select 20 CT the most
trusty men in the regiment for scout
duty and report at division head
quarters win tne least possible delay
Captain Reed, said the general,
YOU seem to seek hazardous under
taAlngS. have woTh OF that char
acter IOr you
You have mistaken my meaning.
SIR co lot court danger. am sim
ply ready, at all times, 10 run risks if
7 The service demands it,.
very wen, have il as you will 1t
is reported on what l regard as good
authority that a large confederate
force IS coming into TINS part OF Ten
( lessee from Arkansas. 1 want You 10
take these men ana push il their re-
ported direction as rapidly as your
ANIMALS can carry YOU. 1 Wand yea 10
make al least 20 miles today. When
you ineet The enemy return without de-
Jay ana report, ana II possible without
ALLOW ing hlIn 10 discover you.
The captain and his 20 followers,
all OF wnOm resembied their com
mander in one respect-every one of
item being a dare devil-rode through
the Union ricket line soon after sun
rise. Soon alter sunset, when the
shades OF night appeared ana the Ten
nessee mountain wlOse base they We're
healing lookea gloomy ana forOldding
they heard something tha1 greatly ad-
ded 10 their gloom, fearless t4ougn
they We're. 1t was the one word:
Haiti
The speaker was on the side of
the mountain, out OF sight, and not
more than quarter OF i mile awav.
IL Rad been perfect day and was
perfect evening Inc voice rang ULt
as Gear as = tell heed satisfied him
self quickly that the command had
not been intended Tor his force. his
opinion was ccnnrmcd wnen the same
voice was heard giving these direc-
lions:
Lieutenant tell Colonel Jones of
the Tenth <4r-aEsas 10 so into camp on
that side OF the rUad. Have Colonel
bailey take his regiment just beyond
the le2th. Let the other three regi-
ments CT the brigade camp on this side
of the road
The Union scouts. upon hearing the
generals directions for the disposal OF
the brigade Tor the night, moveu a lev
rCds from the road, dismounted, fed
their horses and tried 10 ger little
rest before starting on the 80 mile ride
to the Union lines.
An hour later they heard the same
voice, little farther up the mountain,
as follows:
First Arkansas brigade if you will
give me your attention. viii comply
with the very general request of the
command to sing
Then, Tor half an hour, in a voice
that was as clear and sweet as that
October atmosphere, he sang hymn
after hymn, old-Iashioned ones, such
as the yankee boys had often heard in
their northern homes. When the sing
ing ceased the vocalist brigade com
mander told his men TO go to sleep and /
get a good rest, as they would be
called upon on the morrow TO make a
bly, end it with hard battle
Not long after, that Captain Reeds /
scouting party started back to camp, /
reaching there about 10 o'clock the next
day. his report Of the discovery of an I
brigade led TO active prepara- +
lions for a coming battle, but IL did I
not occur The First Arkansas brigade
did not keep its engagement.
The following winter Captain Reed :
found himself in charge of large num-
Der 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 engaged him in conversation
with the following result:
Have we met before?'
:" Not that l know of, sah.'
Your voice has a familiar sound.
Then he thought of the hymns he
had heard on the side of that Tonnes
see mountain.
do you belong to an Arkansas
brigade?' asked Reed.
" No. san; I'm a Tennessee soldier
Were you with an Arkansas brig
ade when it went into camp on a Ten
nessee mountain last OctOOer% naming
the locality.
I was on the mountain you speak
Of, but not with an Arkansas brigade
IS Did you sing hymns and then tell
the men of your brigade to sleep and
rest, for the next day they would have
4 long. hard march and mayhap a
fght?
I sang that night, sar, and made
-he remark, but not TO a brigade, sab
a regiment
No. sab; to six men who were with
ne on a scout. We saw a force of % or
20 horsemen nearing our position, and
not caring TO move just then. and
lnowing that we could not fight so
arge a party, we resorted to that I
harmless trick to halt the yankees and
give US a chance for a short rest, after
which we rode back to camp faster
han we left it
What is your name, please?'
Berry Captain Berry Of the --
Tennessee cavalry, sab.
Captain Berry. I'm glad TO meet
you. I had command of the party you (
mention. Your ruse worked. I
marched right back 10 camp and we
got ready TO fight a large body of
Arkansas troops. You were getting
way from ME with as much zeal as | !
vas displaying in getting away from t
our command. Guess you and 1 had T
lot better say much about our ex- I
on that October scout I've
-oI something as good as the commits +
airy keeps in this canteen. Try it,
. Thank you. sab; ! never drink 5
"A Tennessee soldier and don't
rink
1 am also minister of the gospel. :
ah'
The two captains became warm {
riends.