The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-14

were on the qui vive 20 surround them
Late one afternoon Acting Provost Mar
shall Selfridge of the Twelfth Ohio Dis
troct received a telegram from Cen
Burnside, ordering him to issue a call
for soldier and citizen volunteers and
proceed to destroy bridges, block roads
with fallen timber and to do all in their
power to impede Morgans progress.
The Marshal Immediately wired the
general to patrol the Ohio river with gun
boats, and urged the necessity of start
ing command from up the river to
intercept Morgan, as all the Federal
troops could never overtake him from
the rear-a suggestion that was followed
with success.
He then sent runners in every direction
and dispatched a picket of four men to
Piletown, with orders to report Morgans
movements. The pickets established
themselves within a mile of the town and
allowed Confederate horseman to pass
them unchallenged. Presently another
rode by, and another, until half dozen
had passed the unsuspecting guard.
Suddenly they returned with rush,
and in a sharp skirmish captured Sell
ridges men. Morgans forces then rode
swiftly and silently to Jackson, where
in the darkness the provost marshal and
two hundred men waited for the return
of the runners. They dashed into the
town, captured the provost marshal and
his posse, and destroyed their muskets.
In the hours of humiliation that fol-
lowed, the marshall endeavored to con-
ceive a plan of escape. but the vigilance
of the guard warned him of the futility
of any ordinary scheme.
At midnight, Basil Duke, Morgans
second in command, came into camp arm
in arm with Jackson copperhead. Duke
inquired if they had captured that blan-
kety blank provost marshal. The copper
head replied
Yes. that tall man over there in
linen duster."
Duke looked al him triumphantly and
said grimly:
I'VE will cook his goose tomorrow and
relieve him of all further trouble"
The next morning at nine o'clock the
prisoners were marched out in hne-a
terrified crowd of countrymen and farm
ers who expected to be shot.
All having arms were ordered to step
three PAGES to the front, but only two
responded The men raved and cursed
until finally a newly arrived officer sug-
gested that perhaps their refusal indicated
that they were unarmed. With an oath
the commanding officer replied:
Yes, they had arms, for we captured
a hundred muskets last night"
At this juncture two big black and
white bull dogs rushed into the open
space in front OF the prisoners and be-
gan a furious fight about six feet from
where Selfridge was standing, the teeth
of the white dog were buried in the
shoulder Of his foe. who clutched his an
tagonist by the side OF his head. They
stood on their hind legs several moments
mangling each other with savage ferocity
but neither gaining an advantage. The
marshal grasped the opportunity 10 direct
the attention of the guard and called
out excitedy:
IN bet ten dollars on the black dog!'
His comrade, A. A. Austin, took the
cue and shouted:
I'm bet ten dollars on the white dog"
Each man hourished a handful OF bills,
others began betting and the excitement
grew intense
As the guards became interested. Sell
fridge slipped back half a step. II was
out OF the ranks Another GREATNESS
Instant. and putting the hands on the
shoulders Of the men on either side OF
him. he closed the gap IA the line
HIS FIRST impulse was 10 run, but con-
quering b., he walked carelessiy away
and AYERS that he never knew how the
dog night ended His absence was not dis
covered until the prisoners were parolled
ana la n moment the town was In
tumuit, for the wrath o. the ofilcer knew
no bounds. Every house was ramsacked
ana searching parties rode Ike mad
kflfridEe Invested himself 81 HE linen
duatfr ara walked four miles 10 the house
" q friend, borrowed horse ana rode
sixteen miles towards FiksioNn, whore be-
had tho unspflkahls good fortune 90 meet
lcncrll lQlaQn WHO Waa al commaB1 "a