The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-03-13

| wish to add ny mite, hoping that.
some one may enjoy reading it as we'll
as have those already published.
The following incident occurred when
was soldier under General Forrest,
and only eighteen years of age.
During the month Of February,
1865, our company, that is, Capt. IL.
A. Gartrcll's company Of General
Forests escort, was sent to Senate
h;a, Miss. With Col Jessc Forrest,
brother of General Forrest. Our in
structions were to watch the federal
forces in and around Memphis. On
the 18Th Of February, 1868, ! YES
sent with detail on picket, and was
placed as vidcttc on the banks Of the
Cold Water River, at the ferry, on
the road between IIernado and Sena-
tobia, Miss, at the same point where
VIC built our temporary bridge on our
trip to Memphis. The picket post
was some half mile from the river il
the direction Of Senatobia.
While standing on the bank alone,
and only partly hidden by trees, my
attention was attracted by cavalry
man riding up on the opposite side Of
the stream, which was very narrow,
but too deep to ford, the width of the
stream at this place not exceeding
eighty or hundred feet. This caval
ryman, supposed by me to be one 6
our force, was not more than fifty
yards from where l stood. AS soon
as he discovered me, nc raised his
pistol, cxclaiming: There is one
uow," aud before I could realize he
was an enemy, began firing. l re-
turned the fire as promptly as posi-
bic with my carbine, and when shot
he threw his hand to his face and
recled to one side, his horse dashed
around and disappeared n the woods.
As soon as he fired some ten or twelve
other Yankees rushed and opened fire
on me. l drew my pistol firing, and
rctreating to large stump some fifty
or hundred yards off, continued
loading and firing until the balance Of
the picket, numbering about ten men,
came up, when it was discovered that
the enemy had large force, and it
was thought best for the squad to
leave the immediate bank Of the river
and await developments. When this
matter was reported to Colonel For
rest, he sent scouting party, con-
sieting Of Lieutenant Merritt, Sar-
geant G. NJ. Touche, J. II. De Jour
nette and myself, of Captain Gartrell's
company, and five other men selected
from some other part of Colonel For
rests command (namcs unknown to
writer), making total of nine men,
The instructions to Lieutenant Mer-
ritt were that he should cross the
river some two miles above the ferry
to watch the progress Of these men,
and to discover, if possible, the num-
ber and their intentions.
We succeeded in crossing the river
on raft held together by grape vines;
the horses were required to swim. 1t
was after dark when all were across.
We were then cautioned to be very
quiet, every man to be on his guard
and not to speak above a whisper.
The first we heard Of the enemy was
the noise Of some cavalrymcn ap-
preaching, the clank Of their sabrcs
making as much noise, it seemed to
US, as if a regiment was coming. We
did not know their number, so turned
out of the road into thicket, not ex-
ceeding 20 feet away, and waited for
them to pass. After waiting few
minutes we started in the direction
from whence they came and soon
found farm house. My recollection
is that the owners name was Burrows
or Burghes. He treated us very
nicely, and said that he was sorry in
deed We had not come few minutes
earlier, as four Yankees had just left
his house, taking with them four of
his hest hams. These were the men
WIN had just passed us. We felt very
sorry that we had not captured them,
and the hams as we'll, as hams were
great rarity.
We learned from Mr.. Burrows {or
Burghes) that a force consisting of
several hundred Of the enemy were
oamped some mile and half or two
miles from his house, and where we
could fnd them without going to the
main road. Wemoved cautiously and
found them without trouble and pitch
ed our camp (or, in other words, dis
.,,n,,nAaI o.I .allaI