The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-02-12
a BRAVE SOUTHERN WOMAN.
sosE 'rhe Bonnis Biue flag while
Yankees Burnsd Her Home.

Yankees Burnsd Her Home.
II have often declared" said ]. d.
McCullagh Of the "a. Louis Globe DEM
ocrat. that 1 saw the brayest deed OF
the war, or az least one of the bravesJ,
which was done ly woman. The
brave woman 10 whom | refer was a
rebel and the Incident Of her bravery
occurred on a branch OF the Mississippi.
This branch was not very wide and We
We're fired on every now and again by
the confederates from the levees as we
went up in order 10 prevent supplies
being brought into the Mississippi At
last Commander Elicit grew very angry
~ their continuous firing lie said that
n the rebel shots killed or wounded
any of HIS men he would burn every
house within five miles OF the place Of
shooting. l told him that / would be
better satisfied with his order Il we
could notify the people OF their danger.
He said nothing in reply and the order
was in force. When we dropped am
chor one of the men was shot at from
the levee and killed Elicit at once
ordered several companies to leave The
boat In different directions and 10 burh
every house within a distance o. five
miles. He ordered me to take ONE Of
the companies and TO burn fine hongo
lying within a stones throw OF the
river ] did not like the job. but as J
was an enlisted man had to obey We
left the boat and started for the house.
oh "A 4
ang old lady on the front step. She
asked US what we wanted and / gave
the orders OF my commander Sac al
once became very indignant. but said
that II was likely that one Of her sons
had shot the Yankee and that II so she
was very glad OF II. She scoided me
for being In the union service and told
me that / ought to be ashamed 10 serve
with the Yankees With all her scold-
3ng, however. she was a lady. as YOU
could easily see from her language,
told her that ] was sorry. but my
orders were imperative and that
would have 10 burn her house Stlll.
said ]. i think my orders might be con-
strued as Portia did the bond OF Shy
lock In 'The Merchant OF Venice"
when she told him he might have his
pound OF Antonio's flesh, but with IL
he must take no iot OF blood. II seems
30 me. said ]. that while our orders
require us TO burn the house they do
not state that We must burn all within
the house. Now, 1 have no doubt that
you have some family pictures. furni-
ure, dresses and other things OF value
which might be saved. These you can
not move out yourself. but there ere
eighteen of my men here and We Will.
~ you say. bring out all Of your furni-
ture and put II on the lawn before We
set fire TO the house The old lady
tossed her head and replied that she
did not care what we did and II We
burned the house we might as well
burn the furniture. too She said. how
ever, that she had a fayorite rocking
chair and that she would feel much
obliged 10 US II we would take IL out
and act II on the bank Of the river
before we started the fire We did as
she directed. She then seated herself
IN the chair and az the match was ap-
piled 70 her house she began 10 sing.
She had good voice and her words
rang out across the water, reaching
our steamer. Her song was The Bonny
Blue Flag. She continued singing that
song until the house was almost re-
dueed 70 ashes. She was" continued
Mr.. McCullagn, the brayest Soman /
have ever known"