The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-07-13

March 4, 1854 ] was in state o
collapse. caused partly by my wound
which was aching very badly, no
having been attended to in any man
ner for nearly forty-eight hours, an,
partly from hunger. but mostly from
the terrible ordeal | had passe,
through. There were about fft,
wounded and sick Union officers n
the hospital Not one OF them
thought would live until morning
Soon after ] was laid on the cot one
Of our officers brought me a cup o.
coffee, made by burning some coarse
corn bread they had to est, without
milk or sugar. together witt a small
piece OF corn bread. ! can assure
! you It was not very palatable, yet Il
refreshed me. Soon James Watson
a prisoner who was a hospital steward
in our army, and chosen by the reDe
Surgeon to act as hospital steward in
the prison, came to me and by the
free use Of warm wat - soaked my
clothes on my shoulder ,mtil he soft
ened the dry blood enough to get
them OF. He then dressed my woun
the best he could for the night. III
next morning the surgeon came and
after examining my wound, said to
me. Young man, you are very ba'
ly wounded, and 7 would say there
was about one chance in a hundrc
for you to live" looked up at hin.
and said; Doctor, viii take t.
one chance" lie laughed and said:
Young man, your eyes and count
nance do not look as though you ev-
er drank much liquor" l replied that
u had drank very little. He said
"Then | win give you one chance in
ten to live" My reply was: Doctor,
that IS big improvement" and
added Il want you to remember that
/ am going 10 live to get back in
Gods country" He laughed heartily
and said Keep up your pluck, and
y wouldn't wonder - 81 carried you
through" Not long after the doctor
had left me had some very unex-
pected callers, consisting Of Mrs. Sed-
don, the wife of the rebel Secretary
Of War, accompanied by her daughter,
a Young lady about twehty-one years
old, and her son who was about six
teen years old. They we're led to my
cot by the adjutant of the prison. Mrs.
Seddon was angry clear through, and
began to abuse me by saying: "Iou
are the officer that ordered my house
sacked. You are the one / saw on
our porch. You are the one that
ordered the men to break up my fur
niture" ! got a chance to say: mo,
MADAM, you are mistaken" She said:
"Yes. you are the one, and President
Davis has promised me that If can
recognize you as the officer he would
hang you, and ] do re1ognize you as
tn cone" BY this time she had got
clear beside herself. and. coming.
closer to my cot, shut her hand shook
1t very close to my face, and fairly
yelled you are a chicken thief, a
horse thief; you stole my daughters
riding horsel" Don't mother; don't
talk so; you forget this is wounded
officer" Mrs. seddon, turning to her
daughter, said: Let me alone' The
young lady answered: Mother, you
must not forget that you are a lady
The daughter actually cried 10 see
her mother act as she did. Mrs Sed-
don, turning to me even more fierce
ly than before, said: Il recognize
you. you scoundrel. as being the ofgic-
er that ordered the soldiers to sack
our house. You are a murderer, for
YOU hung poor ned" (Meaning our
negro guide.) At this time the
daughter spoke up and said: Mother.
] am positive this is not the officer
that ordered the men into our house.
| am sure he is not the one, and
shall tell father and President Davis
he is not. Come, mother, do come
away" and she fairly pulled her
away But Mrs. seddon must have
one more parting salute, and. shak-
in CHER hand in my face, said: 1--WE
will celebrate the Sabbath by seeing
you gibbeted" They then all walk
ed out.
All during the above interview
had hardly said a word except two
or three times to say Madam, you
are mistaken" | saw that ! had
very strong advocate and defender in
Miss Seddon. ! wanted to thank her
for it right there, but well knew f.
would not do. Young Master seudon
had stood three or four feet TO the
left and rear OF his mother, and from
his looks and actions I thought sided