Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-11
GEN. NEAL BOWS CAPTURE.
Story Of the Exploit by the Man Who Really
Did Il.

during the 1lFll war, Dut lew people
know how pertinacious .'the enemy has
been ever since. For so years there has
been, on an average. one daring individual
per annum who has joined the glorious
company of alleged Dow captors. and the
ranks are still being recruited.
The latest aspirant to the honor of hav
ing bagged Dow is said to be Col. Allen
D. Gambler. Georgias secretary of state,
and according to some critics, gentle
man of fertile Imagination. His thrilling
tale has interested many people. but none
more than DR. John c. Mackowen. some
times of Louisiana. sometimes of Capri,
Italy. and sometimes of the word in gem
eral Dr. MacKowen has good reason to
he interested. because he has Il vivid
recollection. and sunGry proofs. of having
himself captured Neal Dew on June 3,
1863. and without the assistance of Mr..
Gambler or anybody by that name
DR. MacKowen is a colonel by right of
service in the Confederate army, but in
a country where such title may be
earned from cabbies and bootblacks by
the bestowal. or the mere hope of a tip,
he objects to anything more military
than his degree of NJ. d. Having lived
in Europe most of the time Tor Il good
many wears. he has an abnormal dread
of American reporters. and the Sun COR
respondent had To be duly certified 10 and
vouched for before the wary eX-soldier
would consent to talk. Once fairly en-
barlled in conversation. however he is
as genial and as unreserved as one could
oxnect of a man OF pure Irish descent.
bred in the South and rpened in Italy.
AZ have never paid much attention to
these alleged Dow captors," said DR..
MacKowen Their stories. when I saw
them. amused me. but that was all. AS
| live abroad most of the time, l gave
nv friend. Calhoun Fluker, Esq, the
privilege of capturing Dow as often as he
wanted to- if he would agree to suppress
all other would-be captors in this state.
Mr.. Fluker has conscientiously lived up
TO agreement. The Boston Club. here in
New Orleans has been the scene of his
repeated capturing exploits, and he has
religiously kept all other Louisianians
out of the field.
But. with the best intentions in the
world. he couldn't cover the whole South,
YOU know, so Dow captors have sprung
up with surprising regularity and fire.
quency When Gambler captured Dow as
a political card, however, some of my old
soldiers thought il was time for me to
trv to secure a little rest for the Old gem
eral. The publication of the exact facts
may not have any effect in suppressing
these inventive geniuses. but I have am
pie proofs of what / state.
Nf in
Louisiana. having been compelled tn leave
by regular regiment because the knuckles
of my right hand had been shot out us
you see, AT Shiloh. / was then q years
old My fathers plantation was in East
Feliciana parish and the house was full
of costly articles. which ! knew very well
would be great temptation to anybody
with such propensity for stealing as
that with which rumor credited Dow. 1t
was to this reputation, in fact, that he
owed his capture, for my original inten-
ton was to take Gen. Banks himself
Accompanied by five scouts. by name
Henry Berkley Bragg McNeely. Wilson
Medearis. John Petty and ]. q. Il. Simms.
[ entered the Federal lines early in the
morning of June 3. How did We get in
side the lines? Well. do You know what
II bayou is? 1t is an outlet from the river
to the salt water. 1t is in reality one Of
the mouths Of the river. the water of
which eats its way. in various places.
through the soft, alluvial soil. on a side
cut to the gulf. Owing to the quality of
this soil, the mud in the bed of a bayou
is from 10 to - feet thick and therefore.
the Federal generals thought they had
the finest picket line in the world when
they had bayou between them and the
enemy. But there was one thing upon
which they were not informed. and that
was the subject of bayou bridges. The
planters used to bridge their bayous by
plinSs logs one upon another. loving
them parallel with the banks. The water
flowed through the interstices. you see.
and yet one could easily cross.
During the course ofafhe season. how
ever, the logs gradual sank deeper and
deepe" into the mud. until, if more logs
were not added. they gradual ly-sank be
This is what had happened at the time ]
speak of; 50 that, while the Federal
generals slept in The sweet confidence of
having the best picket line. in the world;
bridges known to4tle Confederate scouts.
who came and went at their own pleas
ure. III. aSSf
We'll. as i said we entered the lines
early in the morning and lay all day in
the cane brake; about a miles from Dow s
headauarters. As we waited there dur
ing those long hours r thought the matter
over, and finally decdedsto capture Dow
instead of Banks kept thinging, you
See, of BOWS rumored fondness for ap-
propriate things that plea sed his fancy.
ana was pretty sure that certain solid
SllNef table service belonging to my
Iather would scarcely fail to tempt him.
knew my father to be a peppery Irish
man who would not be deferred from
thrashin2 Dow, even by the presence of
federal troops. | could see, as logical
sequence of such an incident. that Dow
would have my father shot with small
ceremony. and the longer | thought about
IL the more ardently | leaned toward cap
turing the man from Maine. Banks
would nave been the easier prey but DOW
was the more dangerous character and
ilnaiiy decided on him.
We waited until after taps and then
walked our horses to headquarters, allow
ing tiine for the FederalS to turn in ana
get TO sleep before we arrived. The house
where the general had his quarters was
owned by Mr.. Cagg. who was a goou
confederate, was also his wife. Like
all plantation houses it stood in Il large
yard, in which were scattered the kitten
ems. SmokehsuSc, storehouSeS, servants
quarters. and other Outbuildings. l or
dered my men to tie their horses to the
back fence and to leave their firearms
there. You know how ii is in case
ike that? Some one is sure to get ner-