The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-24
ELI PERKINS" RELATES
SOME "BILL ARP' STORIES

RED I'd get you to ask Him If He
wouldn't make me His son in law
Major Andrews, a yankee captain, was
telling some jolly rebs in Georgia about
his experience at Bull Run.
THE only time that | ever really felt
ashamed in my life was in that Bull
Run battle" said the major. MY horse
fell under me, and | was obliged to ride
an army mule during the rest of the en-
gagement, and he finally carried me clear
into the rebel lines
Yes, | remember the incident we'll"
said Bill Arp, who was standing by. II
found that mule with a L. S. brand on
him the next day after the battle
''YoU did. really?" said the major, hard
ly expecting to be corroborated so
promptly. Where did you find hin?'
asked the major.
Bill saw that there was door wide
open as he replied. "Stone dead behind
a rail fence
"Shot?'
mo; modification -
Bill Arp is such q good citizen now, and
SO loyal to the republic that you would
hardly believe how Jealous he was for
the confederacy in g..
A friend of mine, Major Munson had
/ charge of the Dalton district, in Geor-
gia. when the humorist surrendered 1t
was a hard thing for him to do it, and
it took a week or two to come down to
it, but he finally laid down his sword. AS
Bill delights to tell good stories on The
yankees, | cannot resist telling the story
of his final surrender, Major Munson
gave it to me- OF course the majcr puts
! in the southern dialect little stronger
than Bill used it, but the reader must
!
Cured Bill was sill unreconstructed.
Most OF the confeds' me in very
quietly" said the major. and seemed
glad to have the thing settled. but once
in a while ! struck man who hated
/ to come under One day a big, hand
some man with tangled hair and
| Virginia red mud Oh his boots came in
to talk about surrendering. 1t was Bill
Arp.
" Dog on it. sir, he began in the
Georgia dialect, 4 have come in. sir, to
! see what terms can be scured in case L
I surrender.
Haven't you surrendered YETI? I In
quired.
!" NO. sir, Not by a dog-on sight, 1
said I'd die in the last ditch, and I've
| kept ny word
Whose company did you belong TOP
Belong! Belong! Thunderation! !
| didn't belong to any ones company!
| Why, sir. fought on my own hook
- W mere was 1t!
No matter, sir: no matter I can't be
crushed | can be insulted. nn
crushed Good day aiI Ii see the Uni
| ted States Weep tears Of blood before I'll
surrender. Haven't card but my name
| is .Arp-Bll Arp
''Ile went off, but in about n week he
returned and began:
90 AS the impression seems to be gem
eral that the southern confclcracy has
been crushed. / call to see what terms
l,a tod I
to lay down my sword.
Unconditional surrender ! briefly
, replied.
'''1hen, dog on it. sir. I'll never lay
it down while life is left The cause is
lost but principle remains. You can in
form General Sheridan that Bill Arp re
fuses to surrender
Colonel Arp returned two weeks later.
He seemed to have had hard time Of
it. as his uniform was in rags and his
pockets empty Look a-here. captain,
he said, as he came in. I don't want TO
prolong this bloody strife. but am forced
to do so by honor. r. accorded reasonable
terms | might surrender. What do you
say?
- The same as before
Then YOU are determined to grind
us to powder Ell? Sooner than submit III
shed the rest of my blood. Send on
your armies, captain, l am ready for
en-
'Jusr a week from that day Colonel
ARD came in again, said he'd like to sur
render. drew his rations with the rest
and went off in great good humor to his
Gainesville farm.