The National tribune., 1898-04-28

iHfoWinS open u gate DeS1Oe the road.
they rode into a timbered lot and at once
scattered. Frightened by the firing, the
horse OF one who had turned in his saddle
to IRE on his pursuers, ran under a pro-
Jecting limb, which caught him, and he
was thrown senseless to the ground. The
others were caught at the next fence.
Another man was found at a black
smiths shop, where he was having his
horse shOd. The smith had one foot OF the
animal in his hand perhaps half the nails
driven, when the alarm was given that
Yankees were coming. Attempting 10 es-
cape, the rebel had not ridden a hundred
yards when the unfastened shoe caused a
fall and the capture of both rider and
horse.
BY noon Of that day all the country side
had been alarmed, and owing to this, and 10
being Incumbered with prisoners and cap
tured stock, the movements were less
rapid than at first, and consequently not
so successful. But the force was kept
moving the next night, and the ensuing
morning, having been over forty hours in
the saddle, the little command reached
the ferry without having had single
casualty, and with u prisoners and over
seventy horses and mules-not an I'M
profitable raid, on a small scale.
During the Winter and early Spring Gen.
Crook with a division, lay at Carthage.
about forty miles by land from Gallatin,
from which point he drew his supplies and
received his mail and dispatches. As the
route was parallel with the river, raiding
parties from the other side annoyed the
line frequently, and the scouts were often
sent as reinfOcements to parties of cav
airy which passed over the road nearly
every day.
AS bodies numbering from fifty to hun
dred crossed. it was evident that they
must have other than canoe transporta-
ton, and the district commander sent 30
men OF the scouts up the river to a point
some distance above where the attacks
were generally made, with orders TO make
careful search along the banks of the
river and destroy every boat, no matter Of
what size that could be found.
Proceeding to a point about % miles (by
land) above Gallatin, the search party
worked down the stream, examining, as
far as practicable, every creek or inlet
where craft could be concealed. The
party reached a point where the road was
some four miles or more from the river, and
where most OF the attacks had been made.
They camped for the night at a largo
farmhouse, the owner OF which, while he
did not conceal his sympathy with the
South, was willing to tell what he knew, IL
questioned. He stated that while he had
not seen it, or the parties using it, he was
sure, from the heavy trails which had on
several occasions been found in his fields,
that large flat was kept hidden some
where near, on the other side.
Nothing suspicious was heard by tho
pickets during the night, and early in the
morning, the command was moved down to-
the thick timber which covered the banks
of the river, and the horses left in it under
guard while the remainder OF the men
started to patrol the stream B,lt the
trail, not more than two days old, OF a con-
siderable body OF horses was found near,
and easily followed to a point where the
landing had been made Opposite was tho
mouth of Cedar Creek, a deep, narrow
stream, with high banks OveTgrown with
cane and brush.
Satisfied that the much-wanted boat
was hidden there, the next thing was 10
find way to get to it,
At the foot of high, rocky blum on the
opposite side of the river, and mile or
more below the mouth of the creek,
canoe could be seen. Concealed in the
fringe of bushes at the top OF the BANK on
their side, the scouts waited Tor hours.
IL was nearly noon when cOlOred man
found his way down the steep, rocky de-
clivity. He was hailed by the Sergeant OK
the scouts and forced to bring the canoe
across
AS the pull up the stream would take
some time and must necessarily expose
the man or men in the canoe to observa-
ton by any stray paSser-by on the otnef
bank, man was dressed in gray coat
that one of the party had, and directed to
paddle the boat up to point opposite tho
mouth of the creek, while the others OF the
party were taken through the timber.
This was in order not to give so much
time for alarming any party when might
be guarding the fiat. OF course, the gray
coat was not to be worn IN crossing.
Seven men, all the craft could hold,
were chosen. the entire force having volun-
teered for the crossing. AS they took their
places and pushed off, the rest were de-
ployed in the bushes along the top OF the
bank, in position to cover retreat IL neces-
Sary.
ms 81 rpfr
forbiddng firing without orders, and nm
pressing the necessity for quiet, rapid
work. if the boat was found. The paddles
worked noiselessly as they passed up the
creek.
hundred wards up the channel was the
length of the river as seen from the mouth,
but as the little party passed around bend
in the stream they saw, only lew YARDS
away, a new fat, large enough to carry 90
horses at once and fitted with PAIR OF
large sweeps and steering oar.
Seated on the farther end, with his back
to the approaching craft, was man, fish
ing, but with his gun lying beside hum,
evidently supposed to be on guard he
was aroused from his occupation when the
canoe touched his boat, and the Sergeant
Sprang on board.
Selling his gun, he sprang to his feet,
Ieveled the weapon at the intruder, ana
pulled trigger His failure to fire was FOL
lowed by the click of locks in the canoe,
but no order was given to- fire, and the
fellow taking advantage of the confusion
attending a scramble to the larger boat,
sprang into the bushes and escaped
Two strokes of an ak severed the ropes
that fastened the fiat to trees on the bank,
we men seized each sweep, two more,
With their rifles, watched for enemies on
he banks. They were soon out OF the
narrow estuary and in the current OF the
river.
Several of the enemy soon appeared.
Their fire drove the crew to such cover as
vas afforded by the sides of the boat But
return from the party deployed before
crossing drove the rebels off, and after
some distance down stream to q
point where the opposite bank afforded no
shelter to foes, the fiat was cut down about
O IL waters edge, the pieces, with extra
uel, '.aped in it, fire well started, and the
blazing mass allowed to float down the
liver.