The National tribune., 1900-08-09
THE PRISONER AND HIS CAPTIVE.
Civil War Romance Of a Sd Indiana Cavalryman.
By W. N. PICKERILL.

One Of the bravest, truest and most un-
complaining soldiers that | knew in all
the civil war was John III. Sterrett, of
Co. +, Sd Ind. Cav. He was born at the
little village OF Eyerton, Fayette Co., Ind,
on the 18th of December. 1899, and his
education was obtained mainly in black
smith and carpenter shop, so that his
story, so full of pathos and romance and
adventure, has never been known except
to the few who happened to come in con-
tact with him in the private life of the
citiZen-soldier, who. since the war, has
earned his subsistence by such work as
he could obtain. He now lives at Argen-
tine, kans., and when able earns his liv-
Ing by working in n stone quarry.
1t was the writer's fortune to be his
comrade in the same company from the
time he first went to the army. He was
a sturdy, rugged fellow, who always did
his duty, talked little, and never gave any
body trouble.
After the company had been Whitfield
down to the men who stayed with it to
the end SterTett was made Sergeant, and
his first notable exploit was while we were
doing picket duty on the outskirts of the
Army of the Potomac in April 1863, in
the jack-Oak and pine forests not far from
Dunfries, Va, and only n short time be-
forca the battle of Charlottesville. As
Sergeant it was Sterrett's duty to visit
the picket posts through the night to see
that all was well. This he WAS doing up
on the occasion referred to. and while at
post near the cabin Of an old man named
Keys the post was attacked by members
of Mcsby's cavalry. Ii being dark the
rebel assailantS Were at close quarters be-
fore being discovered, and with n demand
for our mems surrender they fired a vol
ley at short range, by which the horses
ridden by Sergt Sterrett and Frank Bu-
chanan were shot down.
When Sterrett eXtricated himself from
his fallen horse a man bigger than him
self WIS coming at him 10 feet away with
dubbed gun. Sterrett fired three shots
into him, killing him instantly, and his
rebel companions took to the brush. The
dead rebel was armed with a double bar
rel shotgun and two Colts army pistols,
which Sterrctt brought TO camp as tro-
phies. The writer has q vivid remem-
brance of sitting up at the wake of Ster-
retts victim from 10 until / o'clock of
that same night, it being his turn TO go
on picket duty The circumstance and oc-
casion are still fresh in his memory.
Sterrett was with the company in all its
conflicts and marched until May, 1864, at
the beginning OF the Wilderness Cam
paign, at which time he was captured and
held until the close of the war, and il has
never been the good fortune of the writer
TO meet him since we were in the COM
pany together. He drifted so far away
tnat II WAS never possible Tor nm 10 visit
our Reunions, but it WAS known in some
way that the story of his captivity was
an interesting one, and recently he has
given it TO me in his own uncouth way
1t is so full of thrilling interest that / am
sure many of the old-time comrades will
enjoy reading the story, reproduced here
In perhaps more readable shape than il
was given to me:
Il was captured at Mine Run. Va, on
the 9Th Of May, 1864. We left Culpeper
Court House at midnight and crossed the
Rapidan before daylight and advanced
slowly and cautiously until about o'clock
when we formed in field in close column
and were ordered to get breakfast My cof-
fee had inst come to boil, when the rebel
advance ran In on us. Wo mounted at once
and the Sd Ind. Cav. took the lead going
at the enemy. The regiment dismounted
and drove the rebel cavalry that had at
tackled us back on their reserve and we
were strung out in skirmish order, still
dismounted. The weather was awfuIly
warm, and most of the boys had left the
skirmish line to hunt water. Capt. Mofitt
rode out to where and Serg't Tracy were
and told us to hold our position at all haz-
erda, IT was not five minutes after that
until the rebels advanced 80 in number