The National tribune., 1902-02-13
The CAPTURE OFABATTERY
As Told by One of the Colored Troops.
BY THEADoRE F. ALLEN, 7TH OHIO CAV.

BY THEADORE T. ALLEN, 7TH OHIO CAV
1t is so seldom that we see ANYTHING ir
The National Tribune in relation TO the
experience Of the colOred troops that
am tempted to send you the story of Ole
Wash Grundy, colored veteran of the
civil war, who, as he states, was in tht
charge made by the colOred troops to cap
ture piece of artillery from Hoods vet
Grams in the battle of Nashville, in De
cember, 1864. This story was told to my
| friend, Mr.. John Trotwood Moore, of Co.
umDia, Tenn, who has put the story into
form as follows:
HOW OLE WASH CAPTURED A GUN.
| Jennie, the famous dun mule of Viii
son County, Kansas, is dead. Jennie was
so old that men had long since quit guess
ing on her age. She was gray over the eyes
when Jim johnson drove her into Kan
sas, and that occurred in 1871. She bore
on her shoulder the U. S. brand, and pop,
ular tradition is that she participated in
| the Mexican War;"
When Ole Wash heard the above read
he was very much excited and wanted to
80 to Kansas to see about it.
why, sub" he said; 'dat's de same
! mule l was plOwing wild on a rocky hill
side up at Double Branches in de Fall
of ateen siXty-fOur, when Wilson's Cav
airy cum erlong and tux me and dat muel
bdfe erlOng and made sOejrs outen us.
Hits jes lax de paper said-I knowed
every har on her an she was trottin' bred
from her head end to her lightnin' end.
beiD' by Spanish jack Outen mare by Il
son of imported Messenger. She was
drapped in de Fall Jeems X Polk was
lected Preserdent, and she went thru de
MeXerken war, jes lax de paper say.
EFF deyll only dig her up and see eff
she's got scar on her lef' hin heel dey
won't be no doubt OBJ it at all. She got
dat scar by kicking n solid shot from Il
40-pounder dat de MeXerkcns had fired
at our men, back into de AIererken line,
and KILN whole regerment oh MeXer-
kens jes' in de act OBJ sayin' dey ebening
prayer! Fur de Lords sake, boss, hit )
de truth! | wudn't lie bout er mule, An
| jes' lax to see her onc't motor she
was de cause oh my being SO prosperous
today"
How was that?' I asked. 81 thought
you said Wilson's Cavalry got you both 2"
so dey did, so dey did," he said, ''and
dats de pint I'm arter. You see, dey
TUX us bOfe an made sOjers outen US
Dey put de dun mule to pullin' cdnnonS
an put me to diggin' bitches, wild a whole
regerment of yudder niggerS, and throw
in up breastwOrks and tunnelin' hills
round Nashvul. | swear to yOn, sub, eff
emmy body thinks sojerin' am play, jcs'
let him jine de army de mex scrap Uncle
Sam gifts into. Befo 80 days am out
dey'll yearn fer white winged peace wus-
ser dan de animules shet up in de ark
yearned for de tutter oh de doves wings
But wusser times wuz comin'i An
when Hoods army' cum in de Yankees
gin us guns an tOle us we had ter fight
or be cotch an hung ter de telegraph
postes! Says | ter de offercer:
Good Lord, Marsc Yankee, don't
shoot Ot white fnit-cf 'Snoca
1 happen TO hit Ole Marster, or one of
Mister Forests men, whut dem white
folks gwine do ter dis Niger ef dey ketch
him? Niger don't kno' muffin bout
huntfn' anything but pOssums-lemme do
de diggen.' Sez /, I'd ruther dig er hole
TO Chiny for you dan ter face dem can
mons oh Mister Forests men wild Marse
John Morton or pullin oh de triggerr
But dat jes' made de offercer mad
wild me, an he tole me eff we didn't go
an shoot dey,d hang us for dsserters. |
tell you, boss, de Niger whut was cap
tured an pressed into dat war wus sho'
in her tight place. IF he didn't fight de
Johnnies shot i'm. Gawd, | don't want
no mo- oh it! Dey amt 'gwi'n git me in
no mo- wars
wall, sub, dey saunt me out to de
front soon es Gineral Hood got posted on'l
de hills souf of Nashvul, an dey marched
us all out in de line ter take big gun on
'er hill. | swear to you, boss, eff you
amt nurver been marched up ter take
er big gun an hit loaded an p'inted at
you, you don't kno' whut it am to hab
de mos miserbul, unkomplementary feel
ms in dis wOrl chasing each yudder up.l
and down yo' back bone. Ebery step
TUX it 'peared lax my feet jes' stuck to, de |
yearth, an | was so skeered de cold
sweat stood in beads all ober my gun bar
rel! Ebry bone in my body got stiff as
stick cept my backbone, an dat jes'
seem to wanter to curl up an lay down