The National tribune., 1898-04-28

mendous row, and deceiving the enemy as
to their numbers and as to their character
as infantry or cavalry.
In this manner Morgan, assisted by two
small guns, called bulldogs" attacked
the Yankees with success in towns, forts,
stockades, and steamboats,; and by the
same system, Wheeler and Wharton kept a
large pursuing army in check for II days,
retreating and fighting every day, and de-
luding the enemy with the idea that they
were being resisted by a strong force COM
posed of all three branches of the service.
Col Grenfell told me that the only way in
which an officer could acquire influence
over the Confederate soldiers was by his
personal conduct under fire. They hold a
man in great esteem who in action sets
them an example of contempt for danger;
but they think nothing OF an officer who is
not in the habit of leading them; in fact,
such a man could not possibly retain his
position. Col. Grenfell's expression was,
"every atom of authority has to be pur-
chased by drop of your blood"
He told me he was in desperate hot
water with the civil authorities of the
State, who accuse him of Illegally impress
ing and appropriating horses, and also OF
conniving at the escape OF a negro from
his lawful owner, and he said that the
military authorities were afraid or unable
to give him proper protection.
For the first nine miles our road was
quite straight and billy, with thick wood
on either side. We then reached pass in
the hills called Guys Gap, which, from
the position of the hills, is very strong, and
could be held by small force. The range
of hills extends as far as Wartrace, but |
understand the position could be turned
on the left.
About two miles beyond Guys Gap were
the headquarters OF Gen. Martin, the officer
who commands the brigade of cavalry
stationed in the neighborhood. Gen. Mar
tin showed me the letter sent by the Yam
KEGS few days ago by flag OF truce with
Mr. Vallandigham. This letter was curl
ouSly Worded, and ended as far as | can
remember, with this expression: "Mr. Val
landigham is therefore handed over to the
respectful attention OF the Confederate au-
thoritieS."
Gen. Martin told me that skirmishing
and bushwhac!ling went on nearly every
day, and that 10 days ago the enemy's
cavalry, by bold dash, had captured
feldpiece close to his own quarters. 1t
was, however, retaken, and its captOrs
were killed.
One of Gen. Martins staff officers con-
Quoted us to the bivouac of Col. Webb
(three miles farther along the road), who
commanded the regiment on outpost duty
there-51st Alabama Cavalry. This Col.
Webb was a lawyer by profession, and
seemed "a capital fellow; and he insisted
on riding us to the videts in spite of the
rain, and he also desired his regiment to
The extreme OutpOsts were about two
miles beyond Col. Webb's post, and about
IS miles from Sheibyville. The neutral
ground extended for about three miles. We
rode along it as far as it was safe to do so,
and just came within sight of the Yankee
videts The Confederate videts were at
an interval Of from 800 to 400 yards of
each other. Col. Webb's regiment was in
charge of two miles of the front; and, in
similar manner, the cIiain of videts was
extended by other corps right and left for
more than so miles.
Scouts are continually sent forward by
both sides to collect information Rival
scouts and pickets invariably fire on one
another whenever they meet; and Col.
Webb good naturally offered, if was par
ticularly anxious to see their customs and
habits, to send forward few men and have
a little fight
/ thanked him much for his kind offer,
but begged he wouldn't trouble himself so
far on my account. He showed me the
house where Vallandigham had been
dumped down" between the outpOsts when
they refused to receive MIN by flag of truce.
The woods on both sides of the road
showed many signs of the conflicts which
are of daily occurrence. Most of the
houses by the roadside had been destroyed,
but one plucky old lady had steadfastly
refused to turn out, although her house
was constantly an object of contention,
and showed many marks of bullets and
shell.
Ninetys seven men were employed every
day in Col. Webb's regiment to patrol the
front. The remainder of the 51st Ala. were
mounted and drawn up to receive Col.
Grenfell on our return from the outpOsts.
They were uniformly armed with long
rifles and revolverS, but without SaberS,
and they were fine body of young men,
Their horses were in much better condi-