The daily morning Alaskan., 1900-03-27


 Were Taken as PrI.Oner. of War and Were Carried Co vicksburg and There Bsld as Hostages.
 "I was rOixed up in one little unre- corded event ot the civil war;" said General R. that was interesting from its very unusualnesS. and which. as l look back upon 1t. seems strangely pic turesQue. We were attached to what was known as the marine brigade, It, tls asst of ia 'tinclad' river steamboats that piled up and down the Mississippi river after the surrender of Nicksburg. The term 'tlnclad.' by the way. Is some what misleading. as it Is not remotely connected with the white metal. but sig nines rather boats heavily planked with oak for the purpose of protecting them somewhat from the ravages of bullets.
 "One day our little battalion of four companies was ordered Co steam down the river. disembark at Rodney, march 10 Port Gibson aud there consult seal ed orders ln regard Co further proceed ings. Imagine our surprise upon read ing the instructions that we were ex- pected Co capture and carry back to Vicksburg as prisoners % of the most aristocratlc Confederate young women In the city. However. we bad served long enough e obey orders without question. and. provided with guides fa- mlllar with the town. we set about our bizarre and not too agreeable task. We nrst established headquarters at the residence of a prominent Confederate judge.
 Then different squads were sent out Co call at the homes ot the young wom- sn and escort them Co the place of rem dezvous. The instructions were thas they must report at headquarters with In two hours on penalty of their family residence being burned 10 the ground The only information we could give them lthc whole transaction was as much a mystery Co us as to them) was that they were Co be taken Co Vicks- burg as prisoners of war, but were on DO account to suffer any discomfort or indlgnlty.
 "Of course. there was great weeping. waillng and gnashlng of teeth from tender mothers. loving sisters and irate fathers and brothers But the incident had Co be accepted as belonging to the fortunes of war. and at the end of two hours @ of the 5O. attended by anx- lous friends and relatives, were at the rendezvous. Mercy was implored for one delinquent An additional bour was granted. and. at their own suggestion. several Of the young women were dis patched Co her home tO persuade her Co follow their example in gracefully submitting Co the inevitable. The result was that before the hour was up the last fair prisoner had put in an appear ance. though In a very defiant mood.
 "Our troubles. however, by no means ended here. Indeed. they were hardly fairly begun. The next question was how Co transport our beautiful captlves Co Rodney. a distance of some % miles, over roads that were in a frlghtful con-
 
 horses. too. like all the good men. were on to the war. and as for carriages, they had most decidedly fallen Into a state of lnnOcuous desuetude.
 There was obviously nothing for us Co do. therefore. but to gather together all the broken down old horses and d. Iapidated vehicles In the vicinity, which We somehow managed Co hitch together with blow harnesses. bits of rope straps. etc. With these lmprovlsed coaches. drawn up into line. began the prOceSs Of loading on our victims. aud when they were all slowed away it i, was a motley looking procession. | can assure you. Even the sound Of fare wells and the sight of weeping eyes could not blind us Co tde humorous as pect or the scene You must remember that We We're an pretty young fellows in lsigi The clvil war was fought by men whose average age was only a
 Well We made our way slowly, amid tears and laughter. to Rodney where we embarked for Nlcksburg. Upon arriving there thc young women were taken before the provost marshal, who put them on parole. cOudning them Co the limits Of the city. Most of them bad friends ln the town with whom they chose Co remain. and suit able quarters were found for the rest
 '"rhe reason for the whole transae. ton then transpired. lt seemed that some northern young women school teachers had been taken prisoners by the Confederates and were at that mo ment 10 theii camps. where they were forced Co wash and mend for the sol dlers and perform other menlal sery' lees. These Confederate young women were. therefore. to be held as hostages until the northern women were re leased
 There was little delay ln the ex change. and we had our visitors in vlcksburg only 90 days. They were. however. very gay. delightful days Yankee officers and Confederate maid ems intermingled socially. and the ac- qualntance so rudely forced upon the beautiful southerners proved in some instances a mutual pleasure. 1 could. indeed. point to more than one roman tic marriage that was the direct out come of our raid upon Port Gibson Washington Times.