The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-03-06

TO loved ones, mounted Tip" and
started out, not knowing where night
would find me.
Something prompted mc to try 10
get back to Guyton before the Fcdcr-
ais should arrive. Perhaps it was a.
wish to see just one more time can.
othcr-not sister" At any rate,
two hours later l was in the village.
But just as | drew my rein at e. "a
miliar gate little darky darlcd round
the corner and yelled, "Horse sojers
coming -
Going to the corner, 1 watched the
approaching cavalcade for few min
utes and discovered to my great de.
light that they were Coufederates.
The command proved to be General
Lewis Kentucky brigade Of Wheeler $
cavalry, with the Fourth Tennessee,
under Major Bledsoe, in the lead.
Reporting to him as mounted infan-
try out of a Job. the major at once
questioned me as to my knowledge of
the country, and on being told that l
was born and reared in that county,
he exclaimed, "Just the man we want
"a guidc Come or"
Following neighborhood road, we
came to the next station on the rail
road, Eden, or "No. e. little while
before sunset. 1t was here that the
main road to Savannah from the south
side of the Ogeechee River crossed
that stream, and as one corps of Sher-
man army waa known to be on that
road, aud probably in advance Of those
approaching on our side, and perhaps
at that very momcn. crossing the
river, stand should be made here
with view Of at least-4eteipg them
know that the way was not entirely
clear
"Wc'll dismount here" said Major
Blcdsoc, "and you will please take
that man riding across the woods yon-
der and rcconnoitcr for me towards the
swamp
On reaching "that man." who prov
ed to be a farmer lad getting out of
the way, and delivering to him Major
Blcdsoc $ request, he replied, 81 don't
need to rcconuoiter. There are Yam
KEGS in that swamp, and I dom t be-
long to Major Blcdsoe."
With that he struck old "Fire Fly"
with his peach swith and galloped
! away. went on toward tie swamp.
When | stopped in a clump of gall
berry bushes to make observations
satisfying myself that that man.
was right about Yankees being in the
swamp and that they were moving to
where | was, turned my face in the
direction of the point where I had left
Major Bledsoe and his regiment, when,
to my inexpressible astonishment and
terror, [ beheld line of Federal skir-
mishers, about seventy-fve, I'm sure,
stretching across the open piny woods
from scarcely one hundred yards above
me to the railroad, and near the cross
ing where had parted with Major
Bledsoe. Less than 6rty yards below
me and parallel with the skirmish line
was "stakc and ridered" fence, and
my only chance of reaching the rail
road and the wagon road beyond it was
to take my chances at full speed down
the skirmish line between it and the
fence. 1t seemed hopeless under
taking, and for moment I considered
the question of dismounting and
"heeling it" for the fence, but there
was no friendly stump near, and the
inspiration to dismount without it
didn't come at once, SO I resolved to
run the gantlet." Dropping down
close on clips neck, headed him
for the railroad, and gave him the
word. He seemed to understand the
situation and burst from the gallbe.-
ries like startled deer. With every
leap, it seemed to me, rifle ball went
singing past or struck pine near by
with noise like frecracker. We
fairly flew And how those skirmish-
ers shot! Cursing then, perhaps,
their bad craftsmanship, laughing as
many time since they told the story
OF the "fyiDg rebel" and his iron gray
horse that they couldn't hit.
A half mile below the railroad cross
ing I overlook Major Bledsoe, who
manifested no surprise whatever that
[ had saved myself, and on remon-
stratiDg with him about leaving me
without notice, he laughingly replied,
II forgot you were only mounted in
| fantry.'"