Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-07

fighter from away back and in this battle
he killed eight of his opponents In success
sion. In the ninth round, he was pitted
against the best of the batch of Crews
Columbus chickens. and broke the latter's
leg in the first shuttle he made. The Geor-
CLANS were now in despair, but as 1t Is fire.
quently the unexpected that happens, so 1t
was in this case. AS old Brahma leisure
ly reached over to give his fallen foe one
more peck the latter sprung at him and
with one sound leg struck the steel gan
nearly through his enemy's head. Brahma
fell back with a disgraceful squawk, and
the battle was ended.
The Georgians were almost wild, while
the Alabamians were correspondingly de-
pressed. and to make the tragedy COM
plete. General Morgan drew his knife and
cut Brahma's head off-remarking, with
more human nature than justice: i al
ways thought you were dungnil ana
now Anow It."
AS previously stated, our usual sport
was horse riding, and many and excltlhg
were the races we had. In the best OF
these Georgia and Alabama were arrayeo
on opposite sides Toward the last the
contest was narrowed down to two horses
-"Crowhop" and "Claybank CROW
hop" was Yankee horse, captured by
member of the Sixth Georgia regiment
and took his name from being string
halted" which made him jerk up one
hind foot in rather peculiar rasnlon.
''Claybank' belonged to a man In my
Observation-Disclosures Alabama, Partisan
Rangers. and obviously took his name
from his color. "Crowhop" was fast;
could in fact outrun anything In either
the Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky or Ten
1 nessee brigades, provided he could be kept
on the course, but he had a way OF flying
the track sometimes even after he had
the race practically won. In the last race
between these two, considerable money
was up but the Georgians didn't back
their representative with their usua en-
| thusiasm.
Just before she horses started. LAeuten-
ant Hodo, of the Sixth Georgia, after ex-
citedly asking on which side Of the track
| Crowhop was to run, made haste to the
| end of the course and proceeded TO CLIMB
| a tree This was after we had crossed the
Savannah river, following Sherman in his
infamous march to the sea. and on each
| side of the race course were a number OF
/ South Carolina militia. They were, OF
course, amazed at Hodo's action, and IN
quired its meaning. To this he replied;
Boys, there's going to be cyclone
here pretty soon and / am fixing to stand
/ from under"
The race course was a straight one, and
the Judges stood on either side, at the
| end, each holding a fence rail, by which
to sight which horse passed out first
/ Presently the horses came numbering
| down the home stretch, Crowhop about
/ a hundred yards ahead, his jockey lean
ing back and riding easy, while Claybank
| trailed in the rear, his rider applying
whip and spur.
Just as he appeared an easy winner.
| Crowhop flew the track and the predicted
| cyclone came to pass promptly on time.
/ He ran between one of the judges and
| his fence rail, knocked both down, jumped
| into the midst OF the militia. and those
he didn't trample he stampeded. While
| this was going on OF course 'Claybank
| was getting in his work, and went un-
| der the string or rather INSIDE OF the
rail-" away ahead. much to the JOY OF the
I Aiabamians and the discontinue Of the
| Georgia contingent.
| But the Alabamians' victory was short
lived, for Claybank was soon to meet his
/ waterloo and lose his race and his life
at the same time.
| After Savannah was captured the COM
mand had a few days respite before the
| beginning Of the end. OF course, we
were never long in a place until sport was
| inaugurated and Georgia. smarting under
her defeat, bantered Alabama for another
/ race This time Crowhop, being in dis
! grace, was reIegated to the rear, and big
| sorrel horse trotted out in his stead to
contest the honors with Claybank.
/ Now, Claybank was a fast horse for his
1 day and time and was fairly well trained
/ TO run on a straight track. But he. like
| Crowhop. was not without an infirmity.
| being blind In one eye. This probably
/ would have made but little difference II
| his rider had had two good eyes, but ne
was ridden by one-eyed man, and both
horse. and man were blind on the same
/ side.
To make the comedy OF errors complete.
there was a rather sharp curve in the
track, and it on the blind side. SO here
1 came the one-eyed horse and his one-eyed
rider, lickety-split, and when they came
j to the curve in the track they just kept
| straight on, till Claybank brought up
| against a pine tree on the blind side and
! broke his neck, while the rider took a fly
| ing leap, frog fashion, and landed about
| Is feet further on.
| This was about the last of the races OF
which I have knowledge. 1t left Georgia
| flushed with victory, and Alabama with
empty pockets and a dead horse.
Soon after the end came, Johnston sur
| rendered, General Wheeler was captured
and sent north, along with Mr.. Davis
and family, the dashing cavalryman act
| ing en- route as nurse for Baby Winnie"
who was in after years to immortalize the
name of 1.-THE daughter Of the Con-
| federacy."
Tragedy at last reigned supreme.
~. Private) w. c. DODSON.