The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-02-20

pocket, cut his bonds and stole
away quietly to the horses. He
said be saw one old white fellow
standing mp on three legs, and he
knew that he would make no fuss
when q stranger came near him, SO
he jumped the fence where he was
tied and "took q sneak" but pre-
fsrred to leave on foot rather than
give them any chance to track him,
a. they would be able to do had he
taken @ horse. 40 ''reveille" was
sounded just "a he disappeared in
the woods.
Waiting sufficient time to give
Galloway chance to make good
his escape, the two guards began
shooting their revolvers. and run.
ming in an opposite direction from
that taken by the prisoner. Shoots
and saddles" was At once sounded,
the escort formed in line, and in two
minutes Forrest put in An appear
ance, supposing the Federals were
about to attack them.
On learning that the prisoner had
escaped. and none of the guard
being able to tell how 1t had hap.
pened, the dashing cavalry leader
began cursing the guard, damniug
them individually, collectively, in
detail and by sections; damned his
whole escort, from the highest of
ficer in it to the niger cook-not
one escaped his wrath-and after
cursing sll of the State of Tennes-
see in general and the town of Boil
ivar in particular he ordered the
guard under arrest, with the state
ment that he was about to march to
Tupelo, Miss, and on arrival there
he ''intended to shoot every damned
one of the ten guards" They were
ordered to fall in the rear of the es-
cort, and the march began.
On the way to Tupelo, the guards
were all disheartened at the prospect
of being shot except the "Baby," "
who kept saying "Don't worry boys,
Forrest won't shoot ten of his es-
cort-good men are too scarce to
kill sem that way"
Arriving at Tupelo Forrest put
the guard in a little old niger
shanty in which a number of goats
had been housed for year, again
telling them he would 'shoot the
whole ten At sunrise" They were
kept there for o week or more, when
Russ one day climbed up the old
fashioned chimney while some of
his companies engaged the attention
of the guard, climbed down the roof
made his way to his company quar-
tiers, and got Capt. Jackson and
Maj. Strong to intercede with For
rest for their release.
Russ made his way back to the
goat pen the SAME way he got out,
and Forrest, who had somewhat
cooled down by this time released
all except Sergt. Sims, who was
Sergeant of the guard, declaring he
would court.martial and shoot him.
Sims stayed in the goat pen for
week longer, when he was tried by
court-martial, and there being no
evidence to convict, he went free.
Sims never knew till long after the
var who turned the prisoner loose.
Thirty.nine long years have pass
ed since these events occurred.
"Baby Russ" has had the destructive
hand of Father Time laid upon him,
aud his dark looks have been turned
to silvery whiteness-in spots. He
is at present City Secretary and
Treasurer of Shelbyville, Tenn,
and retains that jovial disposition
he possessed when he " as the "Baby
of Forests Escort" Galloway re-
turned to Salisbury, Hardeman
County. after the war, and settled
within half q mile of where he was
born. There he has prospered as
farmer and has grown to . tall strong
man, of rugged frame, but erect as
a grenadier, standing feet inches
in his stockings, and shows no par
ticular signs of age, except such as
any Woodworking farmer would ex-
hibit after so many years of active
farm life. He knew Russ was in
Tennessee, but had never seen him,
although each had one letter from
the other.
Visiting the Masonic LIBRARY
during the meeting of the grand
bodies, Galloway on looking over
the register saw Russ name. He
~, -. Al; az ly -ort nm En- tho iNdoo