The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-25

firearms and mems saddles. They did
not find anything but a side-saddle, and
one of them cut the skirts off that. Just
then some one said from the road, in a
loud tone
You men bring a chunk of fire with
you, and get out Of that house,
"The men got the fire in the kitchen
and started out, and an officer put
guard around the house, saying:
This guard is for your protection
"They soon hurried down to the bridge
and in a few minutes we saw the smoke
rising and knew they were burning the
bridge. AS our fence extended up to the
railing of the bridge, mother said:
4" Come with me and we will pull our
rails away, so they will not be destroyed
'As we got to the top of the hill we saw
the rails were already piled on the bridge
and were on fire, and the Yankees were
in line on the other side guarding it, We
turned back towards the house, and had
not gone but few steps, before we saw
Yankee coming at full Sized, and be-
hind were some men on horses. l heard
them shout, Halt and surrender
The man stopped, threw up his hands,
and handed over his gun. The officer to-
whom the soldier surrendered said:
Ladies. do not be alarmed. l am Gen.
eral Forrest, and my men will protect
you from harm?'
HE inquired: Where are the Yankees? p
Mother said: They have set the bridge
on fire and are standing in line on the
other side, and If you go down that hill
they will kill the last one of you
by this time our men had come I'D,
and some went out in the field and both
sides commenced shooting. We ran to
the house, and l got there ahead OF all.
General Forrest dashed up to the gate
and said to me:
Can you tell me where l can get
across that creek?'
81 told him there was an unsafe bridge
two miles farther down the stream but
that | knew of trail about two hundred
yards above the bridge on our farm, where
our cows used to cross in low water, and
| believed he could get his men over
there, and that if he would have my sad
die put on horse l would show him the
way.
''He said: There is no time to saddle
horse; get up here behind me-
F'As he said this he rode close to the
bank on the side of the road, and jump
ed up behind him.
Just as we started off mother came
up about out of breath and gasped out:
Emma. what do you mean?'
General Forrest said she is going
to show me a ford where / can get my
men over in time to catch those Yankees
before they go to Rome. Don't be uneasy;
l will bring her back safe
I'VE rode out into field through which
ran branch or small ravine and along
which there was thick underground that
protected us for awhile from being seen
by the Yankees at the bridge or on the
other side of the creek. This branch emp
tied into the creek just above the ford
when we got nclose to the creek,
said: General Forrest, / think we had
better get Off the horse as we are now
where we may be seem
We both got down and crept through
the bushes, and when We We're right at
the ford l happened to be in front. He
stepped quickly between me and the YAM
KEGS, saying: i am glad to have you as
a pilot, but | am not going to make
breastworks of you
THE cannon and the other guns were
firing fast by this time, as l pointed out
to him where to go into the water and out
on the other bank, and then we went back
towards the house. He asked me my
name, and asked me to give him lock
OF my hair. The cannon balls were scream
ing over us so loud that we were told to
leave and hide in some place out Of the
danger, which we did. Soon all the firing
stopped, and / started back home. On
the way | met General Forrest again,
and he told me that he had written note
for me and left it on the bureau. He ask
ed me again for a lock of my hair, and as
we went into the house he said:
One OF my bravest men has been
killed, and he is laid out in the house
His name is Robert Turner. l want you
to see that he is buried in some grave
yard near here.
He then told me goodbye and got on
his horse, and he and his men rode away
and left us all alone. My sister and
sat up all night watching over the dead
soldier, who had lost his life fighting for
our rights in which we were Overpow-
cred but never conquered. General For
rest and his men endeared themselves to
us forever
Such is the simple story of this nob;.
woman whose heroism the State of Ala
bama is now about to perpetuate in it's
State seal. Her presence of mind and
stances of which would have paralyzed the
faculties of most women, meant much to
the people of the South. 1t enabled For
rest to overcome very formidable obsta- |
Gle in his pursuit of the Federals who |
were leaving ruin and desolation in their |
path, and gained for him at least thfee |
hours in time, inestimable in value, since |
it enabled him to overtake and compel !,
a Inn in ioht of Rnr1
The Legislature of Alabama in 1899 /
voted to Emma Samson now Mrs. Johnson) |
as token of admiration and gra titude." +" |
a gift OF GAO acres of land commemora-
tive of her heroic action. She still has in |
her possession the note Of thanks written !
her by General Forrest. 1t is in lead !
pencil on the stained leaf of an old pocket ,
memorandum or account book, and is said |
to be the only specimen of the Generals !
wartime writing now in existence.