The National tribune., 1903-09-17

ne nOnOraDly Iulnlleu anu observed. WIT
ought not to be made on non-combatants.
The soldier, however, ought to be content
to take his chance. tits more soldierly
to teach pickets to fight when attacked.
than to complain of it. and n picket who
will allow himself to be surprised on his
post ought to he shot. AT the time of
which l write the Federal army at Green
River was provided with very little effect
i've cavalry. Its commander, therefore,
unless informed by his spies, whose re-
ports were, of course. iifreduent. was ig-
norant of all that occurred even imme-
dately outside of his advance videts. and
unless informed for him to know wheth-
er an attack on his picket line was made
by scouting party. or premlsed serious
affair. He was. then, obliged either TO
prepare for battle every time anything OF
the kind occurred. greatly harrassins his
troops, or to take the risk of an attack
when unprepared. 1t was an excellent
means too. of judging of the strength OF
an infantry camp and the changes made
in it from time to time. to attack the pick
ct line at various points. hear the long
rolls beaten. and see the troops turn out,
as occasionally could be DONE
THE SCHOOL OF THE CAvALRYMAN.
.'Why do these steeds stand ready digit?
Why watch these warriors, armed, by
night!"
| here give the stories in detail of
few minor adventures of Morgan and his
squadron. not that they are of special IN
terest to the soldier trained in camps, and
Injured to the life of rOush-ridlng cav
alryman, but because they fairly repre-
sent the nature of the service in which
Morgan and Duke were constantly en-
gagged during the occupation of southern
Kentucky by the Confederate army, in
the Fall of 1861. and the greater part of
the succeeding Winter. OF course these
primary lessons in the school of the cav
alryman were merely preliminary to those
learned in harder school. by Federals
and Confederates. in subsequent cavalry
operations in connection with the cam
paisns of Western armies. This service
of Morgan'S. however. was much supe-
rior in dash and execution to anything
that had been attempted by either side,
and. it served to educate Morsan's men.
and Morgan himself. for the successful
conduct of more daring and far more i'm
portant enterprises.
BURNING BACON CREEK BRIDGE.
Just before reporting to Gen Hindman.
and when retiring from Woodsonville. the
Federal army then lay encamDed between
Bacon Greek and No.in, the advance about
three miles from Bacon Creek-the out
posts being not more than half n mile
from the bridge. Morgan burned the
bridge. a small structure. easily replaced.
but its reparation was necessary to the
use of the road. \ few days labor servel
to re-erect the woodwork. and it was ready
to receive the iron ia IL. when Morgan
asked leave to again destroy it. 1t was
granted. and without delay. he started. ut
night. from Bowling Green with the entire
squadron believing that he would find the
bridge strongly guarded, and that to sue
cessfully accomplish his object he would
be compelled to fight At daybreak he
halted. being only short distance from
Green River There he quietly waited I'M
til it was again night, when he resumed
his nocturnal march, Crossing the ford
was not guarded he surprised and dis
persed a body of home-euards, who had
assembled at MunfordsSille for the pur-
pose of Regulating" SOME obnoxious
Southern sympa thizers at that place.
Marching swiftly, Morgan. cached the
bridge Mt midnight and to his surprise
and satisfaction found atbut it was uI.-
guarded-the guard that protected the
workmen during the day having been
withdra at night. The work of burn
ing and destroying the bridge was Oc-
within three hours-nO inter
ruption by the enemy being attempted.
The destruction Of the bridge was Il mat
ter of little consequence, but the benefit to
was twO-fold - increasing the
hardihOod of his men in that species Of
service, and giving himself still greater
in his own tactics.
A RAID WITH TWO MEN.
Shortly after Woods0nville had been
included within the picket lines of the
enemy, and the small town occupied with
troops, Morgan took two men and made a
nocturnal raid on small scale prompted
simply by an irresistible desire for adven-
ture. He went to. Itowlett's Station, on
the railroad. and when within 200 yards of
the Federal picket line. he found the
small building used as depot in pos
session of five or six stragglers, who We're
playing cards and drinking, having a
merry time. Morgan captured the merry
makers, set fire to the building and when
the troops had been called out by the
alarm of fire, he sent in a message, by one
of his prisoners. informing the command
ant that he would come again, some good
night of the following week. and burn him
threat which, of course, was merely Il bit
of pleasantly.
MAsQUERADING IN BLUE OvERCOATs.
Morgan, with five men, left his camp
ut Bells Tavern, about the middle of
crossed Nfeen River at an I'M
guarded ferry. and on the following day
rode into Lebanon, GO miles from Bells
Tavern. There were a great many mill
tary stores in the town and in a large
building between it and the camp of sew
eral hundred soldiers. near the town.
Struggling soldiers, off or on duty, were
frequently passing to and fro through the
town. Morgan destroyed the stores and
made all the struggling soldiers, whom he
could catch. prisoners. Some of them he
after taking from them their
overcoats, with which to disguise his own
men and quietly evade some dangerous
situations. He brought out with him nine
prisoners, n large flag and other trophies.
He was closely followed by two cOmpa-
MES of cavalry, but gained the river first
crossed over, and turned the boat adrift,
just as his pursuers reached the farther
shore. On the next day he produced spec
tacular effects by marching into Glasgow
with his five men and nine prisoners in
column. and the "Star Spangled Banner"
flying in front.
When Morgan reached his own camp.
the prisoners were quartered with differ
ent "messes." but were not placed under
regular guard, the Illnesses" being respon-
sible for their safe-keeping. On this Oc-
casion it happened that some of the
"messes" had in store liberal quantities
of sparkling Catawba wine-probably cap
tured(D when ON some nocturnal eXpe-
Ill t..s at.r. a rnt IL