The National tribune., 1897-10-14
THE NATIONAL A. 1897

ing led into 4 space not more than three feet
high. Immediately over the dining room, and
] had TO climb to it by placing a chair on a
table
/ took in the situation and calculated that
/ could get in and give them time to replace
the door and move the table and chair before
the Yankees could get in the house, and 1t
wasn't long before | yad an opportunity OF
testing it. Our faithful old servant who
| was on picket came running in and told me
to "hide quick; the Tories are coming.
On looking out ] saw about forty coming on
| gallop, and by the time / get comfortably
fixed / heard the changing of sabers and rat
Ting of spurs in the room below me.
The room was low, and nothing between
me and them except a thin ceiling. l could
hear distinctly every word spoken, and among
the first questions | heard was Where Is
Pugh?" 1t surprised me very much to hear
my name called, but the voice seemed familiar,
and after listening awhile l recognized 1t rs
coming from a fellow who had deserted my
company a short time ago. but / did not know
until now that he had Joined these Tories.
My sister told him | had gone back across
the river, but it did not satisfy him. He
said he knew | was at home, and he was
going to catch me before he left, and, as if to
relieve her anxiety, added that he.dldn't
want to hurt me, but it was his duty to
arrest and send me to prison. About this
time he spied my $50 hat, which had bought
i'll Tuscaloosa a short while before, and which
in my haste | had left on the table. He said
he knew it was mine, and placing it on his head
began dancing around the room, but young
lady visitor snatched it from him and held
to it.
They searched every nook and corner, but
failed to find my retreat and then began pill
laying trunks, bureaus, etc, all the time using
the most vileand profane language ever heard
1t made my blood boil to hear my mother and
sisters insulted by the thieving scoundrels, but
l could do nothing more than keep quiet and
hear their abuse. They staid something near
an hour (it seemed much longer to me), and
left in the direction of Florence
When came down l found such a wreck
as | had never before witnessed. The con-
tents of trunks drawers, and wardrobes were
scattered over the house and yard Women's
clothes and such things as they did not want
were trampled under the feet of men and
horses, and many of them utterly ruined.
We began to gather up the fragments, and
| was told that this was not an uncommon
occurrence; that they did not expect anything
better when these fellows made their visits.
Well / thought, if such was the case had
rather be a soldier and take my chances at
the front, than at home subjected to the IN
suits and indignities of such brutes. The
remainder of the day passed off without
any disturbance except one or two false
alarms
At Home, March 31.-About 9 O'Clock in
the afternoon my picket was driven in, and
reported that they were coming again. Ire
treated in good order. but very rapidly, and
by the time they got in the house everything
was in its proper place, and was ready to
hear what they had to say. This proved to
be the same gang on their return trip. Their
horses were loaded with stolen goods, and
about the same scenes were re-enacted as on
yesterday.
However. / Jared better in one respect
Feeling around in the dark / found several
bottles of wine, and having gouged the cork
out of one with my knife, drank wine,
while the Tories were cursing and abusing
the ladies. below i soon felt like | could
whip a whole regiment of them, but had dis
erection enough to keep quiet. They made
further inquiry about me, and my . friend y
volunteered the information again that |
should never get back across Tennessee River.
After abusing everybody they came in con-
nection with, and stealing everything of any
value that they didn't get yesterday, they
left for the hills of Tennessee, to carry the
plumber which they had secured on this raid
They had about everything that could be i'm
agned, from a baby's shoe to. a bedquilt.
Ny home ut the time of these occurrences
was at Graveliy Springs Ala, which place
many who were with Gen. Wilson will re-
member. Gen. Hatch's Headquarters was
my fathers house during January and por-
ton of February, 1865.-J. p. c..