Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-07-31

conclusion seemed 70 be that If they
were 10 have their forests shorn and
their land turned upside down it didn't
much matter who might DO ft-Yank or
johnny.
Free colOrcd people who lived outside
the lines had grievances too. They had
been able to hide some COWS, pigs,
chickens and turkeys from occasional
Union soldiers who prowIed about
alone but against a few thousand hun
cry men who were fully Informed on
the secretiyC ways of the African it
was useless TO contend. They followed
us when we returned to camp and be-
came part Of the colony of which Pos
sum Ben was a bright and shining
light.
For some weeks after LOngStreets
departure we spent most Of our time In
the field. The general commanding pre-
fcrred that Longstrect should have as
few excuses as possible for coming
back again on the plea of looking for
forage, so he proceeded to take up 20
miles Of railroad track on each of the
two roads leading from our post It
was a tedious job, but as we troopers
had little to do but look on and occa-
sionally be killed while repelling In.
quisitive JOhnnies we rather enjoyed IL.
4 large force Of infantry and light ar
tillery was with US So were some
hundreds of contrabands, and while
we kept the enemy on the river too
miserable to come across in a body and
visit US the contrabands raised the
rails, loaded them on platform cars and
burned the ties. We worried General
Lees oyerburdened heart a good deal
for two or three weeks, but that was
one of the jobs for which we had en-
listed. We made so many feints at at
tempting to cross the stream and al.
vance in force on Richmond from the
south that he had to send some of his
men down to watch US.
We worried the natives too. Our
horses ate all the grass, hay and fod-
der that Longsreets men had left, and
the assurance that the owners would
be paid could they prove that they were
good Union men did not seem to COM
fort the said owners q bit. They did
not doubt that our officers told them
the truth, but-there were some stub |
born facts in the way of their getting
their pay after peace should be de- /.
clared. A one legged farmer with n
military look and a pair of crutches
was picture Of agony while his barns
were being emptied and his stacks .
melted away. His wife went stark .
crazy over what seemed the impending
starvation of her family
Immediately after beholding such ex-
. -iicnccs or hearing of them q man
who had any heart under his jacket .
would a little rather be shot than not,
so after hearing that demented won.
ans rawlings l was delighted to be as
signed to very dangerous duty. 1t .
was to carry Il dispatch to the general |
n brigade on our extreme |
left We felt so secure in our superior .
that the right, left and cen.
ter were isolated commands rather |
than parts Of a line. l started an hour OF |
two after dark and was told that anoth. (
or man who had been sent on the same
errand returned with the report that
there was Confederate cavalry in the
woods ! had been selected because I .
had fast horse which ought to be able (
to dash through any ordinary line be- (
fore an alarm could be, Given. and the .
chances of single rider being fired .
upon and killed in the dark were not .
very serious. | could not miss the /
road, for it had no forks or branches.
There seemed enough risk in all this /
to insure my remaining awake. | stuff.
ed the dispatches inside my shirt, put
fresh percussion caps on my rcvOly- /
ers and started. Nothing unusual oc- !
Cured for a quarter of an hour or