The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-15
CHAPTER x.

Neither the property nor the life of the
loyal people was safe. A number of mer
for no other Offense than refusing to open
ty commit themselves to secession were
rendered homeless by the torch of the in
cendiary. and like the leper no one would
give them shelter. A draft was imperi
ously called for, 'or al eady it was dis
covered that however much the Southern
heart was fred the number of volunteers
the exigency demanded was not forthcom
ing. Draft, draft, draft, everywhere the
word was repeated. Nothing would sat
lSfy the rebels but resort to conScription;
but they knew less of the unpl eaSant
character of that bitter operation than
they did three years after, or they might
have hesitated before demanding a resort
TO the wheel Of fortune.
Soon after my return a Ranger named
Michael Somervillc an Alabamian, and a
friend OF mine, quietly informed me that
the vigilance committee had my case
under consideration, and had been dis
GUESSING the propriety OF hanging me, and
that the subject had been preached to the
Rangers, but it was soon discovered that
! had entirely too mahy friends to permit
hem TO modest me seriously.
Ii was then resolved to draft me. and TO
This my friends offered no objection.
About the last of July, 1861, an order for
eonScriptiOn in McClennan County was re-
reived at Waco The document came in
on the mail stage from Austin about 9
o'clock at night, and on the following
morning, after eating an unusually early
breakfast, / mounted my pony and was off
for the North
The first place aimed for was jefferson,
at the head of Soda Lake, place of some
commercial Importance, and on reaching
it / found the excitement there as wild as
at Waco. Already large quantities of
stores were being accumulated there to be
used III the pending campaign, and the
streets continually echoed to the sound of
the drum, as company after company OF
the ,JohnnieS passed through them.
From jefferson | started to the north
western corner of Louisiana, where the
State joins both Texas and Arkansas.
While travelling along one day l heard
some guns firing a short distance to my
left, but SuppoSIng 1t to be company OF
troops discharging volley at target,
paid no attention to the matter. But
presently two men rode hurriedly past
and from what ] could gather OF their con-
vcrSaiion ] was led to believe that some
horrid transaction had just taken place.
SAMPLE OUTRAGE
DESTROYS of knowing something of its
nature, | rode rapidly along, and soon
overlook the two men and entered into a
conversation with them, and asked them
in careless manner what the firing
meant. and in response one % them gave
me the details of a most horrible murder
ITCH had Just been committed. A house
ss,Js,u near the corner OF the State, to which
l have already adverted,, owned by a
prominent Union man, whose name / can
not now give, ii having slipped my memory.
II appears that he had given offense to
q Captain Jolly. who was an aspirant for
a commission in the rebel army, and that
as method OF reyenging himself Capt.
Jolly had led % men to the house, and in
cold blood he and his party shot down
and killed four men and wounded two
h.. LII lId.,
negro woman. My companions mani
tested the utmost adherence at the deed,
and soon gave me TO understand that they
themselves were Union men.
As travelled through Arkansas passed
myself of as a nephew of Albert Pike,
who was at that time a Brigadier-Gen-
eral i'm the rebel service. Replying, when
Questioned, that ] was going to Little
Rock TO see the General, and enter the
service. Or course, ! had to play the part
of a Secessionist all this time. Had
done otherwise my life would have paid
the forfeit. But once in Little Rock i had
PLAYED my game out, and / had not the
TcmoteSt idea how ! was next to proceed
but knowing that delay was dangerous
at once set about contriving a way OF
escape, and finally got off.
Near the town of Arkadelphia overlook
q preacher on the road and we immedi-
ateiy entered into conversation on the
political situation, and ] was not long in
ascertaining that his sympathies were
with the Union cause. j then told him
frankly that ] was Union man, and in
CURED of him how persons of that politi-
cal faith were treated in that region. He
appeared frightened at my frankness, and
were near the town, he advised me
not TO go through it, but take a byway
that led around 1t, and into my road again
some distance beyond the place. He
then stated that at least 20 men had been
hung m that vicinity for their devotion to
the old Government.
POLITICAL soMERsAULT.
politely declined to accept his advice
As TO making circuit of the town but
told him ! would ride through TO see the
sights, and on arriving in front of the
hotel dismounted threw myself "around
a drink, and then mounted again but
did not ride off Immediately as ] had en-.
tered into an interesting conversation
with the clergyman.
had not been there long before I was
surrounded by large crowd Of soldiers
who at once set TO Questioning me as to
what was the news, where / was going
where ] was from etc, and to all Of these
my answers were so different from the
tenor oi our private conversation that the
reverend gentleman must have pronounced
me, IN his mind, as rival of Baron Nun
chausen, with a lair prospect of eclipsine
us fame. Nevertheless, he seemed
pleased at the sudden political somer
sauit had turned, and he doubtless ful II
appreciated my motives in becoming Sc
readily convert TO Secession.
While riding along with my clerical
friend ! was warned of little log
grocery on the hill, >" where my informant
Said about a dozen men, mostly strangers
bad been set upon and killed by Seces-
blonlSts since the political excitement had
commenced. Ii was located in a dense
pine woods, and frequented by the lowest
class OF men in the country.
This aomonition instead of rendering
me cautious, only excited me and started
within me desire to "see the sights >
and j therefore rode directly up TO the
grocery, which on my arrival contained no
man except the keeper. l at once dis
mounted and entered, determined to see
what the place was like.
The landlord of the place was a very
clever man. All grocery keepers are, you
know, on the same principle that the cat
X while you stroke il the way the fur lies.
lie at once entered into a conversation
with me about the state OF the country
and our prospects of whipping the Yam
KEGS, and, of course, according to our
figures, it would be easily accomplished
When he learned that | was a nephew
OF Albert Pike he was glad TO see me, and
INSISTED on my remaining with him. which
did from the time of my arrival, at noon
till 10 O'Clock the next day.
During the afternoon a party of men col
Iec;ed around the place TO drink, talk
politics. and curse the Yankees, and o.