The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-08-30

Salisbury, N. G. Here We camped
about the middle of the afternoon,
aud took in the town generally.
Some of the boys wanted to be lit
tie mean and overbearing and no,
act as first class gentlemen in some
respects. They struck bar keeper
in the town and agreed to give him
"a pull" which they did and got
what liquor they wanted. However,
the officers found it out and had his
establishment shut up til the troops
all left town. But before this took
place the men had what liquor they
needed and calling in others who
were willing to JOIN them they l,q-
uored up the crowd generally and
concluded to make a raid on what
was not a very reputable portion of
the city, where they found some of
the guards who were detailed for
light duty and who were far away
trom their place under cover of dark
ness. These they got after and
made them skedaddle to their quar-
ters in short order.
They kicked up such row that
the police were called upon. But it
did no good. The police were told
plainly that they could not interfere
and that they had better retire. No
arrests were made and nothing of the
kind attempted. The Iesult was sew
eral broken windows and doors, over
turned tables and chairs together
with smashed glassware and every
bther species of mischief that is the
outgrowth of keeping such places.
Soon the next morning the command
was formed in line and moved on
ward. We afterwards learned that
the city authorities didn't care to
undertake to prosecute the csses that
had been reported and had an under
Standing with the colonel in CON-
mand Of the squadron that he would
move his men In time to prevent any
further trouble.
We will stop here to say by the
way of parenthesis that these demon
strations on the part of our men were
not altogether the result of drunken
lawless mob, of course whiskey
brought it about. But some of as
good men as we had took a part
when they found out what was up.
Salisbury was one of prisons. Sew
eral hundred federal prisoners were
confined there at that time, and tho
guards were made up largely of able
bodied men who through some means
had procured the light job where they
would have nothing to do but little
guard duty now and then, and spree
around over town and have fine time,
while the poor, ragged, troops did
all the fighting. The Confederate
soldier was very sensitive when such
a state of affairs presented itself. He
was always ready to lend his help to
regulate matters. Deserving men
could always depend upon the true
Confederate soldier for help and sym
pathy. But the skulker and coward
he had no use for. So this accounts
largely for the demonstrations at
Salisbury that night.
After leaving Salisbury we en-
coun'ered the Yadkin river. 1t was
up. Three miles above the railroad
bridge we fouud ferry with a small
flat capable of carrying eight horses
1t one time. Just below the ferry
was an old ford that had gone into
disuse. The men, most of them,
concluded to tackle it and plunged
in. We weht dnwn close to the bank
for nearlya hundred yards then took
around just above ripple and curved
our way round till we reached the
other bank. Some of the taller
horses made it without swimming,
but every rider was more or less wet
when he reached the Davidson county
bank. That evening about sunset
we marched into Lexington, where
we camped till next day.
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