The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-09-03

determined to kill him and burn the
house in revenge. He had his bed
drawn to the door, and being propped
up he kept them away from the rear of
the house. while his wife, who was
armed with an old revolver, fired often
enough to prevent any approach TO the
front. There was spring house OF
solid build a few rods from the back
door, and the "bummers" entered il
to regale themselves before closing in
On the house. The door opened inwards,
and while they were playing havoc
with the milk pans the woman ap-
preached and pulled the door to and
thrust stick through the handle. The
structure was too solid to be beaten
down, and as there was but one win
dow, the men tried 10 make their es-
cape that way. Propped up in his bed
with his wound paining him at every
movement, the confederate fired at ev-
cry head thrust out, and his bullets
flew so close that all attempts were
soon abandoned. We found him with
his musket in his grasp and dead
man on the floor, and we also found the
soldiers huddled together in the spring
house. The confederate could have
been carried off prisoner of war, but
he was not disturbed. On the contrary,
while a hundred blue coats were di-
viding their rations with the wife, the
officers were making cash donations
to the husband. AS for the "bummers,A
they were turned over to the rank and
file to be kicked and they got dose
to be remembered all their days. Gus
| ter rather favored a man who set out
| for adventure between the lines, but
he had no mercy on hooters and rob-
| bers.
The Gettysburg Campaign.
As the confederates were fighting
mostly at home there were few bum
mers" in comparison. There were guer.
rilla bands who robbed friend and foe
alike, but individual soldiers were not
given to it. The golden opportunity
came when Lee invaded Pennsylvania
Before crossing the Potomac he issued
| the strictest orders against looting, but
they were observed only in Maryland
| When the Yankee state was once
reached thousands of men went to for.
aging on their own account. They
were ahead of the army-behind it
on both TANKS. They foraged on horse.
back, on foot and in wagons. For II
miles on either side of the highways
they did not miss a farmhouse. The
first callers gobbled the horses. The
next wanted provisions. The next
looted the houses. Men on foot bore
away looking glasses, trunks, bedding
crockery, tinware-anything they
could carry. Those on horseback had
| great bundles in front and behind
| them. In train of 20 confederate
wagons captured on the retreat wa!
found almost every article in use by
civilized people. The ''bummers" hat
taken pillow points, drag teeth, old har
ness collars, rusty spikes, cracked jugs
kegs of vinegar, handleless axes, ant
even the "old oaken buckets" from the
wells. There were crowbars and iro1
wedges; there were buggy wheels ant
lace curtains. There were farmers
boots, children's shoes and women!
slippers, and hosiery belonging to al
OF them. In one wagon family Bible
two checkerboards, an old gun barrel
childrens picture books, Webster
dictionary lot OF cucumber pickle
and WORKOUT harness were flung
into a box together. The Pennsylva
MIA Dutchmen were the principal suf
ferers. and they did not get through
filing claims for five years after tn,
war. No houses or barns were burned
but no farmer escaped being despoiled
Not one in dozen of them had time t,
hide anything, and a quarter of al
hour after the first hummer" SHOWED
up the farmer was financial wreck
Nine-tenths of the stuff loaded up wa
worthless to the captors. but forag
and commissary supplies were throw
away to take it in. After the battle O
Falling Waters, when Lee fnall,
crossed the river. he left on the Penn
sylvania shore about 30 broken-dow
wagons. In one of these was Dutcl
bedstead of mahogany, which locke,
to be 200 years old, and it was so heav,
that it must have taken four men t
lift it. In another was an iron safe
empty. and with one hinge broken. !
weighed 300 pounds, and what its cap
tors were going to do with it was
puzzle. There was at least one ,bi
looking-glass to every wagon. and tn
various rag carpets put together woul
have measured two miles. A coffin an
a tombstone were about the only tw
articles missing.