The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-14
10 short time over three hundred

warriors were eDrOileu aGu IeauJ 'oi
service. Unfortunately, boveser.
par, of tbe..Ioalsns while reconDoiter
ing pear Lake Ponchartrain, were
drawn iuto action before they we're
thoroughly drilled in the manual aud
skirmish tactics
New Orleans vas t5en 10 the hands
of the Federals and their guoboats
piled the coast all along Mississippi, ADD
the Federal soldiers penetrated TIE
interior. During cue Of iheir laodiugs
Company A, commanded by Capt B
Duck kworth, FRS. Lieut. Calvio Doo!it
tie, Second Lieut. R H Welsh. TbIcd
Lieut. " Cunningham, First Corp! 6
Aiusworih Company B Cap: Thos
Pearse, First Lieut. Mo5ly, Second
Leu, FurloW, Third Lieut. Jobo
H arrisoo, First Corpl Wm Robinsoo,
together With their non CON nissloueo
Indian officers aud sixty three pri7ates,
engaged the enemy. who lad landed io
superior forces near Lake Pcucbartra!n
During this conflict these Indian braves
fought no5iy. But the skill of the
enemy and their superior numbers and
quality of arms we're too much for
them. Mobly and Pearse, together
With seventeen warriors, were captured
and placed aboard the Federal guoboat
Maple Leaf and taken to New Orleaus.
Pearse and several Of the Indians
escaped aud returned to camp. The
balance we're carried to New York city
aud exhibited as curiosities.
.tIudiau Warriors 10 Confederate
Uoiform ~ This line furnished 40
amusing headline to the great dailies Of
the North.
This portion Of the Choctaw batta-
lion became greatly demoralized.
Several of their leaders went to Mobile
and employed Percy Walker, q prom
iueut lawyer at the Mobile bar, to
procure their release from service.
To prevent complications and conee
quent enlargement of the Indians
against the Confederaoy I promptly
advised their full payment and
honorable discharge the service. This
vas done at once. The other two
CON panies of Indians continued 10
service. engaged only 10 scout sod
reconno offering duties plotting Conied-
crate scouts and giving notice CT
Federal encroec5mepts, which became
of frequent annoyance after the fall of
Vicksburg ! have elaborate data and
propose to give the redskin braves aud
.heir excellent CON manders conspicuous
mention 10 my forthcoming -Four
Years Life 10 Camp" The historian
VITO presumes on placing history of
the civil war before the world With tie
omission of Spanu's battalion Of Cboc
saw Indians will do himself au Injury
aud band of brave warriors serious
wrong.
Tie 18th battalion of Confederate
cavalry Continued to do desultory SER
vice in both offensive and defensive
warfare 10 North Alabama. Wheo
Gen Pillow, with his brigade, was
ordered to take the field l applied for
admission into his brigade, but the
officials of Tuscaloosa p ioned the
war department. to forbid this battalion $
departure from sbsir midst. This
request was acceded to by the depart
meot. All these matters, aod much
more, which constitute the part | took,
vii: be set forth more elaborately 10
Due course Of time.
As ap evidence Of the strong brother.
ly attachment that those brave, crude,
full blood Indians cherished for Con-
federate soldiers | here instance one
event that occurred near my IudiaD
camp, in Newton County. Miss. A
freshet was on and the water in Chunky
River was running above the railroad
bridge, trains came with soldiers going
towards Vicksburg The train plunged
ioto the river, precipitating many
soldiers into the raging waters. was
present at my Indian osmp during this
catastrophe and ordered my Indians to
hasten to the rescue Without an
instant CT hesitation over one hundred
of these noble braves plunged into that
turbulent river and rescued all the
soldiers alive. except .wepty-one, whom
they brought out upcu the bank lifeless
aud placed them side by eide After
Identification these unfortunate soldiers
were crudeIy buried. Tie greatest
interest was manifested BY these In,
diaos 10 their voluntary act of humanity
as we'll as their p-ide of courage aud
respect for their commander. This
;ocidept can be vouched for by living
witnesses, who now resides IL the
vicinity.
We must remember that the best
history is that history which does not
opnit tho minor deta,Is of even TIE mnst