The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-12-04
SATURDAY,, DECEMBER 4, 1897
IN THE ARNY
ONLY ROOSTER IN GEORGIA THAT HAS
A TOMBSTONE OVER HIS GRAVE.

n y OlNG OVEh 1lO GRAVE a
Enlisting at Culpeper, Va, He Served
Under Major Williams In Many Battles
A Sentinel In a Tree-Eow He BETRAYED
Jim Nessmith.
while we were camped near Gull
pepper Court House in the fall of 1884,
raid Major Tom Williams, II became
acquainted with d family named Dow
dy. Just before the battle of Culpeper !
paid a visit to the farm and found the
ladies in a panic, preparing to flee. They
set before me such scant fare as they
had left, and after / had eaten q hasty
luncheon Miss Mary Dowdy called to
me and led the way to the back yard.
""There Is the last of our stock Of
poultry said she, pointing to a little
bantam cock that was strutting about
the yard. Il haven't the heart to kill
him because 10 is a pet, If you want
him, you can take him and do as you
like with him.
During the campaign of 1858 he Of
ten sat on my shoulder through the
long, weary marches and hurried re-
treats, and / shared my rations with
him. Ono night we had reached the
flank of the enemy's camp by a forced
march and lay down to sleep on our
arms, expecting to be reused at the
break of day for a sudden charge. l had
cto-tal orf with Go,o,,1 narchad upou
my m1sLet barrel. and a sudden change
III the or6er of march had separated US
from the wagons, so l placed the roost-
er on the limb Of II sapling above my
head, while | lay down to snatch a few
minutes sleep.
General did not utter a single cluck
in protest, although he must have been
very hungry from long fasting, but
qui, tly squattId On the branch while l
flung myself on the grass and leaves
ard was soon fast asleep. | was so
weary that l slept profoundly until l
WIS suddenly aroused by an unearthly
screech in my ear. Raising my head, l
took in the whole situation at a glance.
General had dropped down from his
perch and uttered a shrill crow right in
my ear which had awakened me, and as
l opened my eyes I saw the fash Of guns
rs our pickers fired and i'll an instant
fell back upon us where we lay. The
Yankees had turned the tables on us,
and, discovering our presence, the sur
prising force became the surprised, and
in ten minutes there was an unearthly
racket going on in that pine thicket.
Fright and left of my position the
bows came out of cover and advanced
with wells and cheers, moving cautious
" and firing as they moved. 1t had be-
come sufficiently light for me to find
nv few belongings, and l soon recover
ed my hat and hayersack, which l had
forgotten to pick up in the hurry OF the
first surprise, aud just at that time
was saluted with n loud crow just above
my head, and looking up l saw General
perched upon his limb, he having flown
back there when the firing began, ana
with his head held On Il side he was
Siding along the swaying branch, crow
ing and ~clucking.
"In spite of the banging OF the guns
and whistling of bullets General stuck
j bravely to his perch and never fiuttered
during tho entire engagement. When
I told the story in camp that night
General WIS the toast Of the evening
and he was treated to all sorts OF It'd
bits in recognition of his gallantry
-. AI,o G.ll cf action
..One uorning, however, Genera
nlayed the camp detective III a most
alarming manner which came neaI
proying d disastrous t. a fellow soldier Oh
another mess. All foraging Lad Ieen
strictly forbidden, and no man was a..
lowed to leave the ranks under the
heaviest pcnalty Of military discipline,
There was n fellow by the name CT jim
Nessaith. who occupied "A tent NOT Ia
from that CT the captain of our conlf''
nv. Abont 4 o'clock the order was lass
ed along The lines for us to prepare u
march. rmh a
General was perched on the llnlp o.
n brsh near me while | sat munchlnt
NV hard Jack, and al Of a uadeh 4.
raised himself on his perch ana crow,
aAaW ~