Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-04-02

making hero Oh
Wild Bill Hickok, border character
who died with his boots on at Deadwood
in 1882. Over 80 years ago Wild Bill
abandoned civilization as it was along
the Missouri and went to New Mexico,
where he began life as a COW puncher.
Ten years later he was one of the best
known men on the plains.
Wild Bill was nickname given to
James b. Hickok, an Illinois boy who
ran away in early life and lived among
hunters and trappers in the mountains.
When the war broke out, in 1861, he
enlisted in q regiment which served in
Missouri and his exploits as scout
were upon the tongue of every officer
and soldier Of both armies in the trans
mississippi region. With a constitution
toughened to outdoor life, marvellous
strength GOODNESS and audacity he was
just the man to play the double role re-
quired on the border where warfare
was irregular and a soldier took his life
in his hands the moment he stepped be-
yond the beaten track Of armed columns.
One incident told in Missouri just
after the war took place during Curtis
expedition into Arkansas in 1864. Wild
Bill and companion who shared his
adventures were in the enemy's lines
travelling with the troops. Wild Bill
had assumed in the southern army the
name of a dead Confederate and was
looked upon as loyal to the stars and
bars. After marching and camping with
the southerners for month or more and
nj bo re apf w
one day to rejoin their friends This
was done in a most theatrical manner,
but perhaps it was the only way out of
the dilemma. The scouts had informa
ton of vital Importance to Curtis If de-
livered at once. The Federal advance
was feeling the Confederates. who APP
peared to be in great strength. A bat
terry and a thin line of cavalry were
drawn up in front of the Confederates
to amuse them with false motions while
awaiting the main column. Suddenly
two riders were seen to move out from
the front of the enemy's line and move
slowly toward the Federal cavalry
skirmishers Little heed was given at
first to this spectacle, but soon the Con
federates commenced firing at the lone
horsemen. A wall of smoke arose along
the whole front, for every man in the
southern ranks seemed to think the bat
tie was on.
The two riders spurred their steeds
to gallop and were quickly followed
by a score of oavalrymen dashing out OF
the cloud of smoke. Then the Federals
knew that the riders were trying to es
Il u g . H. 49, ,f,nIr
ly deployed a company to cover the bold
attempt. Finally the riders halted at
what proved to be a wide ditch which
they had not seen in advance and could
not leap. They turned and rode back to-
ward the Confederate lines, and the
Federals thought for a moment it was
only false movement to cover some
deep design, but after going back few
lengths the riders wheeled in the face
of an awful fire, delivered in part from
enemies but few rods away, and sped
once more toward the Federal lines.
Only one reached there, however, and
him the foremost advancing skirmishers
recognized as Wild Bill, the scout. His
companion went down before reaching
the ditch, horse and man shot at the
same time by the two pursuers who had
been almost at their heels in this second
run. When his companion fell, Wild
Bill gave the reins to his gallant horse
Black Nell and turned in his saddle
The lockers ON saw the two COnfeder-
ates tumble from their saddles, and at
the same time Black Nell arose in the
air and landed her brave master among
i. i &
point.
When questioned why he did not
steal into the Federal lines at night, the
scout said: "Oh, mate and | wanted to
show them rebs what a U1iOn soldier
could do. Since we've been with them
we've heard nothing but brag. We
thought we'd just take it out of them. "
General Curtis learned from the scout
that the Confederates were moving to
flank him and was saved from disaster
by the timely warning which few
hours delay would have rendered value
less.
When General Sterling Price was on
his big raid in Missouri, Wild Bill was
with the Texas rangers, passing as an
Austin man named Barnes Price and
Curtis came together at Sandy river,
and Wild Bill had information for his
chief as to the strength Of the Confeder-
ates. One day he was on picket when
the soldiers began exchanging papers
tobacco and coffee, and shortly after the
barter was over Curtis knew that his
scout was near at hand. But Wild Bill
saw no chance to escape and finally de-
cided TO take the boldest method, as be-
fore. There was a sergeant in his com-
pauy known as a great braggart, and,
finding him in a humor for challenge III
the midst Of "A crowd, the scout dared
him to ride toward the enemy's lines
to see who would 20 the nearest 1t
turned out that the sergeant was no
coward, for be kept beside the scout un-
til the bank Of the river was reached.