The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-14

warriors were enrolled and ready for
service. Unfortunately. however. q
part Of e::Iudiaos. while recon otter
ing near Lake Ponchartraiu, we're
drawn ioto action before they we're
thoroughly drilled 10 the manual and
skirmish tactics
New Orleans was then 10 the hands
Of the Federals aud their gunbosts
piled the coast all along Mississippi, aud
the Federal soldiers penetrated the
interior. During Que of their laudiugs
Company A. commanded by Capt B
Duckworth. First Lieut. Calvin Doolt
tie. Second Lieut. r H Welsh. Third
Lieut. W Cunningham, First Corpl G
Aiuswor'h Company B, Capt Thos
Pearse, First Lieut. Mobly, Second
Lieut. Furlow, Third Lieut. John
Harrison, First Corpl Wm Robinsoo,
together with their non com N issioued
Indian officers aud sixty three privstes.
engaged the enemy. who had landed 10
superior forces near Lake Ponc chartrain
During this conflict these Indian brs, yes
fought uobly. But the skill of the
enemy and their superior plumbers and
quality Of arms we're too much for
them. Mobly and Pesrss, together
With seventeen warriors. were captured
and placed aboard the Federal guuboss
Maple Leaf and taken to New Orleans.
Pearse and several Of the Iodiaus
escaped and returned to camp. The
balance we're carried to New York CITY
sod exhibited ss ouriosities.
"Iodisn Warriors 10 Confederate
Uoiform !" This line furnished 90
amusing headline to the great d.ilies of
tho North.
This portion Of The Chootaw b...a.
lioo beesme greatly demoralised.
Several Of their leaders went to Mobile
and employed Percy Walker. a prom.
iosut lawyer at tho Mobile bar, to
procure their release from service.
To prevent complications aod oouse
quent enlargement of the Iudiaus
against the Coufedsracy I promptly
advised their foil payment and
honorable discharge the service. This
was dooe st once. The other Two
companies Of Indians continued 10
service. engaged only in scout and
recon offering duties /; plotting Coufed.
crate scouts and giving notice Of
Federal encroachments, which became
OF frequent annoyance after the fall of
Vioksburg | have elaborate data and
propose to give the redskin braves and
their excellent com msnders conspicuous
mention 10 my forthcoming -Four
Years Life 10 Camp" The historian
Who presumes 90 placing . history of
the OWL war before the world With the
omission Of Spauu's battalion of Choc.
tsw Indians will do himself au ioiurv
sod band Of brave warriors a serious
wrong.
The 18th battalion Of Con federate
cavalry continued to do desultory ser.
vice 10 both offensive and defensive
warfare 10 North Alabama. When
Gen Pillow, with bis brigade, was
ordered to take the field applied for
aduission into bis brigade, but the
officials Of Tuscaloosa pe,itioued the
var department to forbid this battalion 9
departure from shsir midst. This
request was sccedsd 70 by the depart
meot. All these matters, aod much
more, which constitute the part I took,
viii be set forth more elaborately 10
Que course of time.
As 40 evidence of the strong brother.
ly attachment that those brave, crude.
foil blood Indians cherished for Con
fsdersts soldiers here iustauos one
event that occurred near my Indian
camp, 10 Newton County. Miss. A
ireshet was on and the water 10 Chuo ky
River was running above tho railroad
bridge, trains came With soldiers going
towards Vicksburg The train pluo ged
toto the river. prsoipi.ssiug msuy
soldiers into tho raging waters. l was
present at my Iudiso osup during this
catastrophe aud ordered my Indians to
hasten to the rescue Without %
Instant OF hesitation over ono hundred
OF these noble braves plunged into that
turbulent river and rescued all the
soldiers alive. except twenty. one. whom
they brought out upon the bauk lifeless
and placed them side by side After
Identification these unfortuu ate soldiers
we're orudely buried. The greatest
interest was manifested by these In.
dams 10 their voluntary act of buusuity
as we'll as their pride of courage aud
respect for their commander. This
'oo'dent can be vouched for by living
witnesses, who now resides 10 the
vicinity.
We must remember that tho best
history is that history which does not
omit the minor details of even tie most
hutnble factor that helped to make %