Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-13

...-.-.----
himself by bringing up the cnarge a.
headquarters that had affiliated witt
the rebels and appointed them to ONCE
| True. In a region where all were rebels
! had slept under rebel roofs, eaten al
| rebel tables. and transacted the business
| Of my Office with the aid OF
rebel co-workers. And as soon a.
my official report came under
scrutiny my acts were stamped approved
and never undone. Governor Price was
the only unrepentant rebel / had to do
with On the whole trip. which extended
into several other counties without new
complications. Price was afterward APP
pointed Federal Judge of Greenbricr
county. but refused to take the ironclad
oath OF allegiance to the United States,
and hence was disqualified.
ION my return to camp at Lcup Creek
another form OF evil incident to post-bel-
lum times had 10 be confronted. During
the whole OF my sway as provost marshal
i had been able to keep the work of the
moonshine distilIeries pretty well under
control, but during my absence in the
interior the moonshiners had been reap
ing harvest by furnishing the soldiers
the wherewithal TO celebrate Lees sur
render In bibulous and noisy style. The
hood were scandalized. The commanding
general OF the department had heard OF
1t, and rather sharply intimated that
l must put stop 10 IL for the sake OF
my reputation. The Home Guard cap
tain had already circulated his charges
about my utilization with rebels and
there was danger that my administration
or the provost marshars duties would
end under a cloud.
van Bibber again came 10 my aid He
set out alone on a spy trip TO the noun
tains. and in due time located still TWEEN
" miles from camp. The stuff concocted
at the still was transported in small auan-
titles by citizens travelling under passes
issued by me for the ostensibe nurpose
OF legitimate trading between the noun
taineers and the villagers. II was sold 10
soldiers at 81 pint. I started for the
still. taking along as part OF the detach-
ment several of the worst sinners in the
matter OF getting the contraband supplies.
intending to compel them to destroy with
their own hands the goose that laid their
golden egg.
we found several kegs Of whiskey
ready for market. and emptied IL on the
mountain side. Then we entered the still
and cut the pipes. also destroying all the
raw whiskey and the material I'm process
OF distillation. The peculiar odor of the
sun was something new to me and very
offensive, but carried out the work most
enectuaIly, and was some distance on the
return march before noticed any serious
enects from inhaling the fumes OF the
still
my first sensation was that of a Sc
we're headache, with nausea. / was soon
Frustrated and in the condition OF a man
VINO has drunk TO excess To a man the
boys sympathized with me then. although
the incident made fun in camp after all
was over. While never a crank ON the
subject, l was a confirmed teetotaler. and
my modification at being as good as dead
drunk can be imagined. The men la
bored with me a couple of hours. and
finally got me as far as Gauley Bridge. TO
the house OF citizen where / had often
oeen a guest, being. in fact, sweet on a
daughter or the family. / was laid out
on settee, where l slept for some time.
only the Older members Of the household
knowing my true condition. | was sun
posed 10 be worn out with the fatigue of
my mountain ride after moonshiners but
having had heavy nap Ii was taken for
granted that / would appear at the tea
table, which l did at the cost of some
effort. Various delicacies were urged
upon me, but / declined them all and
when asked II anything not in sight could
be brought for my benefit | innocently
burted out:
Nothing, unless 1t be some pickles.
by that time the affair had got 10 an
amusing stage with my host and his wife
nut the young woman I'm the case had re-
NAMED throughout very sympathetic. The
pickle joke, however. raised a general
laush al my expense, and left the house
next morning feeling like a man coming
out OF spree, and with the reputation of
having been done up by my inveterate
enemy and the disturber OF my camp. old
tanglefoOt.
Luckily. before my prestige as Provost
Marshal had been seriously shaken. there
came a complimentary order from head
quarters praising the detachment for
wipinS out the moonshiners, and this was
followed by a decision that nv extraor.
binary method OF setting up government,
across the lines was legal. II was dc.
eiared that the county is the unit of gov
eInment In this country, and that the
county governments existing in the Com
lederate states in 1865 were the creations
OF the inhabitants Of those counties and
there could be no other legal ones untiI
the Inhabitants took action. Therefore
the old officers needed but the edict of
martial law 10 fix their status. The neo-
pie very generally were satisfied. and SEN
sloly let well enough alone. much 70 the
disgust OF hungry rascals who were left
out in the cold"