The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-30
GENERAL sHELBvs OLD SLAVE.
Ms BodJ Servant In Tho War Is SiIIl With
Inc famlIy.


General "Joe' Shelby's old body
-servatn, Uncle Billy" Hunter. In
spite OF his seventy-two years, Is still
sturdy and vigorous. He remembers
phe war times remarkably well. and
likes nothing better than to talk OF
the many fights and incidents in the
lie of his "old massa. the famous Con-
federate general. whose body rests in
Forest Hill cemetary. With the excep-
ton OF Shelby's expedition To Mexico
one OF Fhe dramatic events in our his
tory-and the thirty years ar,vr the war
when the general lost sight of him
entirely. Uncle Billy"was with him
from the time he was aged twelve. "Bil-
~ Is at his best when he gets started
OH General Shelby during the war; says
the kansas City Star.
c Dere never was man like Genl
oheipy, san said billy" the other day
20 reporter for THE star" "His so
ysrs Jes thought the world OF him.
wan never Go fight but Come on,
ooyS' an he was always In de front.
s-leaaln EN- on. Manys the time I've
pioushh up fresh hoss foT him when
MS ms was shot, and carried coffee an
oite something to eat 10 him on the
heid. Wasn't no one else could cook for
the genl 'cept ole Bnly. Come here.
you damned black nigger, an get me
something TO eatl" he uater yell, an
you bet 1 did right smart. He would
cuss me awful, but Lori that wasn't
nothing. When ne didn't, I knew there
was trouble on
All through the war | tended him,
ana When he was shot in the wrist at
cape Girardo I nursed him Lots o.
men went hungry in'hhose days, but /
generally could pick up something for
the gen1. Had To he mighty careful
bout It, for-he didn't allow no stealiu'.
yes. sab, ! was captured jos once.
Lemlne see, that was at Lone Jack.
ten Sheley sent me TO Colonel Jor-
uan camp bout ~ mile away, an the
Feds scooped me and took me into the
village, but in an hour an a half the
James brothers came chargin' through
and drove the Feds off. They pulled me
out from between two feather beds
where i was Keeping away from the
bullets and took me back TO Shelby
When he saw me he looked mad clean
through Where in hell you been, you
black rascal?" says he. go get me some
breakfast damned smart
when Gen'l shelby started for Mex
ico with his one thousand picked men
he says To me, Billy. you take Miss
Betty'-thats my missus-'and the chill
dren back home and you're "a free man.
Il
them cross the Gulf of Mexico 10 New
Orleans and from there To Lexington
safe and sound. After that / drifted Oft
| on my own hook. working as porter in
hotels an tending bar, and never
heard of the Gen1 for morn thirty
years One day while 1 was working for
| Jim Baldus In Chicago | heard that
my ole massa was United States Mar
| shal i'm Kansas CITY and I let him know
where | was. He sent for me to come
| back. but / guess ] didn't So ~ quick
enough to suit him, for onee sunday
when I was readin' the papers in the
barToom i'm walks a man and says:
| I'm Deputy Marshal Pouts OF Kan
sas city an I'm looking for William
Hunter
/" rs the man. sab says I.
What you done. Billy?' said Baldus.
| TN stand by you
| General Shelby told me to bring
| you back with me- Potts said. He said.
| that damned Niger wyrked for me
| more than thirty years, an he's going
| 10 take il easy now. You bring him
| back. and I'll give him all the land he
| wants.
I'D go through fire fer the ole mas
| sa, says /, and back ] starts. The mis-
| sus give me two horses and ] stayed
| with 'em till the general died. done
lost the best friend / had then. An
now I'r, living with Joe Shelby. Jr..
| sab. and tend his children Jest as ! did
him when he was 2 little feiler. Bur
| every Decoration T1y | goes over to
NV ole massa's grave and put flowers
on il in memory of the finest man that
| ever lived sah--Genl Joe Shelby"