The National tribune., 1901-04-25

did not occur until two days afterwards.
The second day after reaching Long Greek
the Major of the Indiana Cavalry was
sent with two companies of his regiment
20 miles northwest to watch, that no sur
prise came upon MS from Arkadelphia,
where number Of Confederate soldiers
were stationed.
After travelling all the forenoon the Ma
Jor went into camp On a big plantation,
where there was plenty of forage for
horses and big farmhouse and outbuild-
ings for quarters. At home in the old
en-, everything betokening comparative
wealth and plenty. Quieting the women's
fears, the Major told them to get dinner
for his dozen officers and he could furnish
the coffee.
In the meantime our Sergeant Major, a
bright young man, and the old planter ap-
peared to be having some mysterious cOis
fab off in the corner, which ended by the
latter going to the bureau drawer and
taking some Masonic regalia and jewelry
and displaying them on table before US.
My dear sir" said the Sergeant, put
them away, put them away. Your appeal
for protection is ample: but even if neither
you nor l were MasOns you would not be
molested. We are not making war on
women and old men. But let me tell you,
notwithstanding our Masonry, if there
were anything here we would be justifa-
Bile in destroying, your Masonry would not
help you. Masonry does not now, and
never did, recognize traitors as worthy Of
! Its aid and protection, and you understand,
of course, we look upon all who are op-
posing and fighting Old Glory as being
traitors; but you and yours are perfectly
safe so long as we are here, and with the
exception of feed for the horses and per-
haps a few chickens the boys may pick
up, nothing will be harmed, and this good
dinner now smoking on the table will be
amply paid for by the officers partaking.''
So we ate, rested, and enjoyed ourselves
as only tired soldiers can after q hard
ride. But bark; what was that! Boom,
boom! came from the direction we had
come in the morning, and we knew the
| fight was on.
Ordering the Bugler to blow "boots and
saddles" and detailing an officer TO go to
our outlying pickets, the Major soon had
his command under full swing on a return
march, and never were % miles more
quickly passed over than by our little COM
mand.
We arrived just in time. The enemy
had sharpshooters out going for our can
noneers; behind, in thick brush, lay in
fRntry waiting to make a dash; but Gen.
Clayton determined TO forestall them, and
stringing out his infantry in wide order
| deploy lines, he himself made the dash,
and in half an hour, the firing growing
| was on the retreat.
The cavalry was drawn up in line on the
edge of the woods, with orders to push on
rapidly as soon rs the enemy commenced
| retreating. The woods were thick and
| broken, and it was impossible to keep any
formation, and the cavalry was soon
broken up into little squads, pushing on
each independent of the other.
| We were soon far in advance of our
T infantry, picking up here and there be-
| lated rear-guards of the foe, when sudden
ly we emerged TO the edge Of big planta-
| ton and surrounded and cut up by the old
| fashioned zig-zag rail fence. Directly in
front Of us was long ascending slope of
HILL on top OF which was rail fence.
| The retreating Confederates had reached
| this fence, and were strung along behind
it, awaiting our approach.
Gen. Clayton was among the first to
reach the foot OF the slope, and he knew
our best chance was to push on at once;
but where were his troops--but 30 or 40
clustered around him. So he set the
Bugler to work blowing the advance, and
I out of the woods in every direction came
squads of the cavalry boys, railying on
the bugle call.
| In the meantime those already there
were busy demolishing the rail fence, just
inside Of which We were drawn up in line
ready for q charge.
Behind the enemy, and but short dis
tance from him, ran turn of the same
stream our command was camped upon.
The shores on either side were n deep,
mirey. black, rich slush, so that it was
| impossible for either man or beast to ford
| it; but here also was the main road from
Pine Bluff to Monticello, and it was
crossed by good, substantial bridge.
The General was riding up and down