The National tribune., 1901-10-10
SOME QUEER CHARACTERS.
Peculiar People Met by 7th III. Cavalry


w. W. Booton, Co. D, It'll III. Cav,
London Mills, H., writes that the Corn
Campaign of 1864" appearing in a re-
cent issue of The National Tribune, re-
minds him of incidents of his service with
Hatcher's Cavalry Division, while in camp
at Gravelly Springs, Ala. Upon arriv-
ing at the Springs, he noticed a large
church, but being of religious DISPOSE
ton, he did not wish to take lumber from
this building, if other material could be
secured. After passing the church he
heard hammering, and upon his return n
few moments later, he found nothing left
of the building except the KS sleepers
upon which the floor rested. These he
secured and made into a comfortable
shanty, accommodating himself and five
other comrades. Comrade Booton Jared
better than most of the men, as he was
one of the detail assigned TO duty guard
ing the cattle corral. The regiment s
stay at Gravelly Springs was not long, as
Gen. A. ]. Smiths troops were ordered
to the sea coast and the division to which
Comrade BOOton belonged moved down to
Eastport and took possession of the
quarters vacated by Smiths men. Here
his squad was detailed as guard at the
Brigade COmmissary. Lieut.. Il. A.
Davenport, 9th Ill. Cav, was in charge
of the Brigade COmmissary at that time.
While at Eastport, Comrade Booton met
some interesting characters. Of them he
says:
Near our quarters was camped an in
teresting group of men known as Capt.
Harrison's scouts. Among them were
two young men, Henry Brown and Bill
McCallOm, who at the breaking out of the
war owned and farmed an island in the
Tennessee River near Pittsburg Landing.
Bill was a Washington in statue and Il
typical SOutherner. 1t was said that
H. IL 10, ~,
Purdy road the house was surrounded by
bushwhackers; but Bill stood them off
with his revolver until night, and escaped
in the darkness.
another interesting character was
Harry Clifford, a detailed scout from the
9th III. Cav. 1t was said that Harry
rarely went further than old Mr.. Jack
sens, near Iuka, and that he got the most
of his information from the farmers fair
daughter, MOllie; but this romantic state
of affairs was brought to an end when a
noted horse thief and robber, / believe his
name was Dagurre, went to stay all
night at Mr. Jackson's, and while he
slept Mollie and Mr.. jackson tied his
hands and feet, with the intention Of
turning him over to the Federals in the
morning; but during the night the villain
lGosed his hands and swOre vengeance on
Mollie. The fair damsel flew to the pro-
tccting arms of her lover, Harry Clifford
at PASSPORT, where they were happily
married by Elder Miner, of the 7th Ill.
Cav.
"Dagurre was afterwards captured, and
one evening while being escorted by his
guard after a pail of water, he suddenly
dropped the bucket and made dart for
liberty. The sharp crack of carbine
rang out on the still night air and
Dagurre was seen no more; but it was
said that a ghost was after seen fitting
through the dense underground near the
Table Rock on Eastport bluff
Another matter of interest during our
stay at the COmmissary was what was
termed draw day for the citizens, and to
sit down ones gun and lift lady from
the back of q condemned mule was a
pleasure that rarely fell to the lot of 81
and Shorty. Among those who came to
the COmmissary was an old lady who was
inclined to make light of the rations is
sued by the Government; another lady
said: Mrs. Shackelfert makes fun of
Uncle Sans grub, but she is living bet
ter now than she ever did in her life
Another who came to the Commissary
was a fair-haired, blue-eyed young lady,
who said her name was Tucker, and that
she had relatives living at Decatur, Ill.
Several years after the war / was telling
my Uncle, j. p. Stevens, of~the Gath Ill.
yates Sharpshooters), about this Miss
Tucker, and was surprised to hear him
say: Why, l know that girl; her father
belonged to my regiment