The National tribune., 1899-01-12

more narrow, and there is long series
of cascades down which the water rushes
fOaming and roaring, daShing and thun-
dering among the rOckS-Sometlmes Tor
miles-lashed into foam by its own I'M
petus, and then pouring over perpen-
dicular falls and breakers in the rocky
bed.
1t was a fearful ride in the dark, as
several of the cascades were five or SIN
feet from top to bottom, and one, known
as the "big jump" was 10 feet IN per
pendicular hight; or so at least was III
formed by men who followed boating over
the shoals. The most dangerous rue
had was by a point on the south sue "a
the stream, called Green's Bluff. by run
ming on that side avoided the highest
part of the big Jump" and | made my
way over it in safety, though not without
some bruises and a thorough drenchihg.
At South Florence | saw innumefable
campfireS, and was at a loss to account
tor it. During the day, while laying up
on an island, 1 heard the reverberatiohs
Of cannon on the water, and now mere
was a camp iii full view-perhaps the
very one | was searching after. l was III
swift but not turbulent part oil the
shoals, and | determined at once TO re
connoiter, and therefore pulled my bod'
around in full view OF the camphfes,
some of which were near the water ;
edge, and discovered the gray uniform OF
the sentries, and | was, OF course, on
again in thc distance, knowing that nao
passed an army of rebels.
well knew that at least portion OF
cur army was near them, or Why the fr-
ing | had heard2 A little further down,
and / discovered the piers OF a railroad
bridge, the woodwork Of which had been
burned, and ] felt satisfied that it was wa
on the road leading to Tuscumbia. Suli,
however, ] did not see any suitable place
to land till a long way below that point,
when | discovered narrow road leading
out from the waters edge, and up to it
pulled my little craft, resolved to find
house and get some information about
the movements of troops in that part OF
the country.
THE JOURNEY MADE.
While hunting for house | heard the
beating OF a single drum off in the dis
tance, and shortly after followed a rev
ellie but far away from where | was.
carefully to reconnoiter, l dis
covered a picket just before daylight, and,
stealing up toward him behind thick
growth of weeds,-for he was near
fence, the corners OF which had not been
touch him with my gun, when l called
out to him to know his regiment, and he
'"The 5th Ohio"
l found TuScumbia in possession OF
Gen. Blair'S troops, and the General fur
niShed me a good breakfast and an am
bulance to Cherokee Station; and from
here, by order of Gen. Wright, | was con-
veyed on a special train to luka, where
Gen. Sherman then was, and at once
delivered my dispatches, which were not
yet three days old No sooner had l de-
livered the documents than my strength
utterly failed me, and / sank down ex-
hauSted before | could reach the place
assigned me to rest.
The service / had performed was most
arduOus and dangerous. But let Gen.
Sherman himself describe it and its i'm
portance, which he does in the following
document:
Headquarters Military Division of the
Mississippi, Nashville, Tenn, April Is,
1864
Corp1 James Pike, Co. A, 4th Ohio Cav,
n October, 1863 carried a message from
Zen. Grant to me at Iuka. He got
canoe at Whitesburg, opposite Hunts
vile, and came down the Tennessee over
the Muscle Shoals all alone for over 100
miles OF river, every mile of which was
picketed by the enemy, and reached me
safely, as stated, at Iuka. 1t was that
message that FASTENED my movement TO
Chattanooga. The whole affair is highly
creditable to the skill, courage and zeal
Of Corp1 Pike.
tSigned) W. T. SHERMAN,
Major General.
)ther ways Corp'l Brant and Private
John Wakefield, of the 4til Ohio, went
Down the north bank of the river with it,
and Lieut.. Fitzgerald, with 100 4th Eegu-
ars, got through with il. But | do not
believe either OF these parties could have