The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-06-28
Soutchim Girls rs Hostages

corded event Of the Civil war. said
Gen B that was interesting
from it's very unusuancss and which,
as look .oack upon it, sccn- strange
ly picturesque. We were attached to
what was known as the Marine Bri
gades, Il little fleet Of twelve tin clad
river steamboats, that piled up and
down the Mississippi after the surrcn
der Of Eicksburg The term tin-clad,
by the way, is somewhat misleading,
as 1T is not remotely connected with
the white metal, but signifies rather
boats heavily planked with oak for the
purpose Of protecting them somewhat
from the ravagcs Of bullets.
cone day our little battalion Of four
companies was ordered to steam down
the river, discmbark at Rodney, march
to Fort Gibson, and there consult
sealed orders in regard to further pro-
cccdings. Imagine our surprise upon
reading the instructions to find that
we were expected to capture and carry
back to Ficksburg as prisoners, fifty
Of the most aristocratic Confederate
young women in the city. However.
We had served long enough to obey or
dcrs without question, and provided
with guides familiar with the town,
We set about our bizarre and not too
agreeable task. We first established
headquarters at residence Of prom
incnt Confederate Judge.
"Thcn different squads were sent
out to call at the homes Of the young
women and escort them to the place of
rendezvous. The instructions were
that they must report at headquarters
within two hours on penalty Of their
family residence being burned to the
ground. The only information we
could give them (thc whole transaction
was as much mystery to us as to
them) was that they were to be taken
to Ficksburg as prisoners of war, but
were on no account to suffer any dis.
comfort or indignity.
"Of course, there was great weep
ing, wailing and gnashing Of teeth
from Gender mothers, loving sisters
and irate fathers and brothers. But
the incident had to be accepted as be-
longing to the fortunes Of war, and at
the end of two hours forty nine Of the
fifty, attended by anxious friends and
relatives, were at the rendezvous.
Mercy was implorcd for the one delin-
quent. An additional hour was grant
ed. and at their own suggestion seve-
raj OF the young women we're dis
patched to her home to persuade her
to follow their example in gracefully
submitting to the inevitable. The re-
suit was that before the hour was up
the last fair prisoner put in an appear
ancc, though in very defiant mood.
"Our troubles, however, by no
means ended here. Indeed they were
hardly fairly begun. The next ques-
tion was how to transport our beauti-
full captives to Rodney, distance Of
some twenty miles, over roads that
were in frightful condition from the
devastations Of war and consequent
neglect. All the good horses, .oo,
like all tho good men. were off to the
war, and as for carriages, they had
most decidedly fallen into state Of
innocuous desuctude. There was OBJ
viously nothing for us to do, therefore,
but to gather together all the broken
down old horses and dilapidated ve-
hicles in the vicinity, which we some
how managed to hitch together with
plough harness, bits Of rope, straps,
etc. With those improvised coaches
drawn up into line, began the process
of loading on our victims, and when
they were all slowed away it was
motley looking procession, l can as
sure you. Even the sound of farewells
and the sight of weeping eyes could
not blind us to the humorous aspect
Of the scene. You must remember
that we were all pretty young fellows
in '63. The Civil war vas fought by
men whose average age was only %.
Well, we made our way slowly, amid
tears and laughter, to Rodney, where
we embarked for Vicksburg. Upon
arriving here the young women were
taken before the provost marshal, who
put them on parole, confning them to
the limits Of the city. Most Of them
had friends in town with whom they
chose to remain, and suitable quarters
were found for the rest.
'The reason for the whole transac-
tion then transpired. 1t seemed that
some Northern young women had been
taken prisoners by the Confe!arates,