The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-11-03

leaving our horses and c~lamberiGg
over ridges to observe the enemy in
the valleys below. shirmishing some
times afOOt and sometimes mounted;
occasionally chasing and sometimes
capturing detached s~QuadrOns of the
enemy. riding until men and horses
could go no further. then s~natching 4
few hours of sleep and on again.
This went on for ceVeTal weeks, We
scarcely u%nsaddling our horses. aa1c
until l became so worn out from loss
Of sleep that 1 could go no further.
In this way l became separated from
the rest of the scouting party, but
soon met up with two others Of my
regiment. They were boys but little
older than myself. with about as little
discretion and sense of responsibility,
and together We inaugurated a Little
campaign of u own.
General NegIey had marched
through stevens Gap into McLemore's
Cove. INC was a~dvanclnge in line Of
battle. For two or three days we kept
just in rOn of his column. shooting
and being shot at, yelling defiance,
and having as we thought more fun
h a a cage full of monkeys. 1 coui6
relate many amusing incidents con-
neCted with this escapade, but les
my story be too long will recount only
one: The day before l was captured
1 met a negro. He had been running
till he was nearly out of breath. and
had a fiddle clutched tightly in his
hand. probably his most precious pos
session. He managed to splutter b.
tween breaths: d for GOdermighty's
sake. don go down dar. boss, dey is
right dar at de blacksmif's shop"
We knew exactly where the black
smiths shop was and leaving the
main road we made our way cautious
ly through the woods until within 200
yards of the place. Here l dismounted
and craWled on my hands and knees
into the road We had just left. There
they were at the blacksmith's shop
sure enough, and here 1 fired my last
shot of the war. There was a large
oak tree about two feet from a fence
and between it and the fence stood
one of the Yanks. 1 carried a Belgian
rifle with a bore nearly an inch in
diameter. and which threw about an
ounce and a half or two ounces CT
lead..I took careful aim. and as Unc,e
Remus would say tried to let Hin,
have all dar vas in her The gun
kicked me sprawling, and if was
worse hurt l was not as badly scared
as the other fellow. for he idn't try
to jump or climb the fence. but liter
ally fell over 1T. The next day 1 ex-
amined the tree and found that my
bullet had torn a piece of bark off
ABOUT Inc size OF d SdOQle SklTC W1IlUl
a few inches of his face.
The next day my career as a fight
ing soldier came practically to an
end, Generally Negley, evidently be.
coming tired Of our fOOlishness, sent
his escort to charge the woods. This
came to us like a clap of thunder out
Of a clear sky. for up to this time we
had seen no cavalry. and knowing in
fantry could not catch US we had be-
ooOna hold SaU that INV " horse
had before him the race Of his life,
and tried to pick him up with the
spurs n shake him. but it was no
use. He had been a good one, but had
run one race too many. The other
boys. being better mounted. rode safe
ly out. and, incredible as it may seem,
carried one Of the scouts with them.
What happened to me is best told in
the following extract from General
Negley's official report:
Sept. 9. 5 p. m.-Moved Stanley's
brigade to the front or a ~reconno's-
sance: drove the rebel cavalry 3a
miles. My escort. under command Of
charge on a superior force of the
enemy. capturing two" CWar of Re-
bellion Official Records. Series 1. Vol.
XXX, page 326.)
In reading the above many years
after the event. l can scarcely repress
an audible SMILE" for the superior
force Of the enemy" consisted only
Of George Dalton. Ben Simply and my
self, and the other two. if alive and
believed the story. would no doubt feel
just a little surprised n proud to
learn that it required q brigade to
drive them 31a miles.
That 1 was a much disappointed
chap can be imagined but 1 was still
game, and lost no time in reminding
my captors that they had only recov-
cred their w property. and pointed
with pride to the brand "U. s." on
horse bride. saddle, cartridge box,
belt and blanket. 1 was carried back
to General Negley, who sat in dignI-
fed state at Davis crossroads. The
questions he asked me 1 found out
afterwards were not uncommon, but 7
guess my answers were a little diff
ferent from the usual ones. My i'm
pudence amuSeS me as / recall 1t.
We'll. Johnnie. are you not tired of
fghtlng?" was one of the questions.
Answer-'NO. general. 1 am not"
Next remark-"I should think a rat
would be glad to leave q sinking ship"
When l replied that 1 was going
dow with the ship he looked at RE
earnestly for several seconds. and then
said slowly: "You-are-a-pretty-
gOOd-rebel." / considered ii the
highest compliment hat he could nave
paid me.
He then ordered me to dismount,
but voluntarily gave me permission to
take from my horse anything that I
thought l would need. 1 move the
saddle bags containing my extra shit
and pair OF socks and accepted the
invitation of a part of the escort to
go back with them to camp. Of any
of my comrades h read this are sur
prised at my having so many clothes
] would remind them that 1 had been
at home only a short time before.)
When We got to camp sup er Vas
over. n my new friends a~pologized
for not having anything better to set
before me. saying they didn't know /
was coming. or they would nav saved
a warm supper for me. Had l been
an invited guest l could not ave been
treated with more courtesy. l 10
manned with these boys and others at
the front till nearly the opening of
the battle Of Chickamauga, n i
gives me great pleasure to record tho
uniform kindness with which l was