The times., 1899-06-04
SOUTHERN GIRLS
Held As HOSTAGES
An UnreeOrded Event of the
Civil War.
A Federal Officer Tells the Inter
esting Story.
Captured Fifty Confederate Mnidens
and Imprisoned Them untii North
ern Women Were Released.

Il was mixed up in one little unrecord-
ed event of the civil war;" said General
B, that was interesting from its very
unusualness. and which as / look back
upon 1t, seems strangely picturesque We
we're attached to what was known as the
Marine Brigades. little fleet OF twelve
'tin-ciad' river steamboats, that piled up
and down the Mississippi after the surren-
der Of vicksburg. The term 'tin-clad,' by
the way, is somewhat misleading. as ii is
not remotely connected with the white
metal, but signifies rather boats heavily
planked with oak for the purpose of pro-
tecting them somewhat from the rayages
Of bullets.
One day our little battalion OF four
companies was ordered to steam down the
river, disembark at Rodney. march TO Fort
Gibson, and there consult sealed orders in
regard to further proceedings Imagine
our surprise upon reading the instructions,
to find that We We're expected to capture
and carry back to vicksburg as prisoners.
fifty of the most aristocratic Confederate
young women in the city. However. we
had served long enough to obey orders
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 the resi-
dence of prominent Confederate Judge.
Then different squads we're 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 re-
port at headquarters within two hours on
penalty OF their family residence being
burned TO the ground. The only Informal
tion We could give them 1.-THE whole trans
action was as much mystery to US as to
them) was that they were to be taken to
Vicksburg as prisoners of war. but were
on no account TO suffer any discomfort or
indignity.
"of course there was great weeping, wall
ing and gnashing Of teeth from tender
mothers, loving sisters, and irate fathers
and brothers. But the incident had to he
accepted as belonging 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 rendez-
vous. Mercy was implored for the one de-
linquent- An additional hour was granted,
and at their own suggestion several of the
young women were dispatched to her home
to persuade her to follow their example in %
The result Vas that before the hour was
up, the last fair prisoner put in an ap-
pearance. though in a very defiant mood
Our troubles, however, by no means
ended here. Indeed. they were hardly fair
ly begun The next question was how to
transport out beautiful eaptives to Rod
ney, distance of some twenty miles, over
roads that were in frightful condition from
the deyastations of war and consequent
the good men. were off TO the war. and
as for carriages. they had most decidedly
fallen into state OF inocuous desuetude.
There was obviously nothing for US to do,
therefore, but to gather together all the
broken-d down old horses and dilapidated
vehicles in the vicinity. which we somehow
managed to hitch together with plow har-.s
nesses. bits of rope, straps, etc. With
these improvised coaches drawn up into
line. began the process OF loading on our
victims. and when they were all slowed
away it was a motley looking prooession.
| can assure 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 SO. The
civil war was fought by men whose average
age was only twentythree. Well, We made
our way slowly, amid tears and laughter,
burg. Upon arriving here the young wo-
men were taken before the provost mar
shal, who put them on parole. confining
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 transaction
then transpired. 1t seemed that some
Northern young women school teachers had
been taken prisoners by the Confederates,
and were at that moment in their camps.
where they were forced to wash and mend
for the soldiers, and perform other menial
services. These Confederate young wo-
men were, therefore. to be held as host
ages until the Northern women were re-
leased. There was little delay in the ex-
change. and We had our fair visitors in
Vicksburg only thirty days. They were.
however, very gay. delightful days. Yam
kee officers and Confederate maidens inter-
mingled socially, and the acquaintance so
rudely forced upon the beautiful Southern
ers proved. in some instances a mutual
pleasure. | could. indeed, point to more
than one romantic marriage that was the
direct outcome of our raid upon Fort Glib
SON."