Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-02-04
FIGHT CHEAPER THAN FOOD.

FIGHT CHEAPER THAN FOOD.
Former Guerrilla Explains Why
He Released His Captive.
Hunting guerrillas with a brass
band was great fun in the beginning
Of the Cival war;" said an old timer,
who was at reunion Of blues and
grays at dinner the other night, "but
1t didn't last long, and reckon 1t got
at least one man down to his fighting
weight early in the game, for he after
wards became good fighter.
"He was q German merchant in
town that lay on what was then the
border. Across the border the jay
hawkers and guerrillas dashed alter
nately. don't think 1t ever occurred
to him to take sides until ragged
body Of guerrillas rode into his store
one day and fitting themselves to his
hand-me-downs told him to charge the
bill to Lincoln and rode away.
HE enlisted in the Home Guard for
the Union a few days later, and not
long after was elected captain. The
commander Of the post at this time
was Major Josephs.
about once week Major Josephs
lined up his battalion In front Of the
leading tavern Of the town and had
sort Of dress parade. After the band
played, Major Josephs put the guard
through as many evolutions as he
knew, he strapped pair Of field glass
es to his back and giving the order.
Column forward led his men through
the principal streets Of the town-the
guard was mounted-headed by a
trumpeter. He was or on a guerrilla
hunt.
1.-THE little captain Of whom spoke
was one Of the gayest Of the troopers
in his get up. On one occasion, when
Major Josephs was detained, the COM
mand on one of the guerrilla hunts de-
volved upon the little captain.
1.-THE command rode away, as usual,
behind the blare Of the trumpeter, and
disappeared. The little captain on that
occasion carried Major Joseph's field
glasses. They looked like a couple Of
joints Of stove-pipe hanging down his
back.
Somewhere in the foray the little
captain rode ahead Of his men to re-
connoitre. He came to small creek
and rode his steed to the middle Of 1t
and threw downs the reins to let the
animal quench it's thirst. He lighted
his pipe and was in a sort Of reverie
when he saw q rifle pointed toward
him from a brush thicket on the bank
ahead.
"'vell,' said the little captain, 'vot
i'd is dot you vant?"
"A voice from the thicket replied,
'Skedaddle.'
"'All rightd,' said the captain, and
taking up the reins he turned his
steed. AS he did so sharp, Halt
rang out from thicket on the bank
for which he was headed, and mo-
ment later rifle barrel appeared.
"'vell,' said the little captain, 'Vot
Is Id you want mid me-?
'Skeedaddle,' was the reply.
"The little captain turned his face
to the other shore and the rifle which
first challenged him was still in evil
dencs.
"'Say, look here, dot aind rightd in
you fellers. I can't skeedaddle, as you
call it, ven VOC covered pehint and
pefore. Vot you want me to do. shump
in der vater?'
YES called out one, get in the
creek and come ashore. Send your
horse back
1.-THE little captain was in the act Of
obeying orders when one Of the guer-
rillas told him to ride out, which he
did. He was taken to headquarters,
which was brush heap, and kept sew
eral days and then released, but he re-
turned to Major Josephs without the
majors field glasses.
Some years after the war, in which
the captain became major in the
volunteer army, and won his spurs, he
was swapping "reminiscences with one
Of the men who captured him in mid
stream in the early days. He said to
his captor:
"I never understood Wy you fellers
didden keep me ven you het me dot
time
"'Well, major said the old guerril-
la, after we had kept you two or three
days we concluded it would be cheap
er to fight you than feed you, so we
turned you loose
"Vell, said the major, I was purity
hungry dot time ven I vas captured,
but you vos purity hungry ven der war
vos ofer, is dot not SOP
Then they had the most genuine
reunion that ever saw."-New York
Sun.