The National tribune., 1904-09-22
SMITH AND HIS GUERRILLAS.
He Kills an Unarmed Soldier Of the 9Th Iowa.
An Exciting Midnight Adventure to Capt
ure Him, and the Burning Of His House.

he Kills an Unarmed Soldier Of the 9Th Iowa.
An Exciting Midnight Adventure to Capt
ure Him. and the Burning Of His House.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Comrade
v. Nevins, in a recent issue of The Ma
tional Tribune, asks for information of
Smiths Guerrilas. While / admit that l
am not competent to give complete his
try of this notorious character, who kept
middle Tennessee and northern Mississippi
at fever heat for many months; but by
reason Of being quartered within the region
of his operations, and having had some ex-
perience with his methods Of warfare, l
will narrate what l know about him, as
believe that part is unwritten history.
On Wednesday, Jan. Z, 1863, p. m,
the 9Th Iowa went into camp at Davis s
MILL on Wolf River, about five miles south
west of Grand Junction, Tenn. The army
was returning from its disastrous central
Mississippi expedition, where it had been
subsisting for several weeks on corn served
on the ear, and in the evening above men,
toned two comrades of Co. E started out
foraging, but as they took no arms, their
mission was purely a peaceful one. They
proceeded some distance, and it was get
ting dark when they came to large frame
farmhouse standing back from the road.
They entered the gate, and had just
reached the steps which led up to the
porch when man came out of the door
with gun in hand, which he aimed at the
nearest soldier and fired. The charge went
through the head of the first comrade, who
fell dead in his tracks. In the seconds in
tervening after the discharge of the gun
the second comrade jumped behind some
shrubbery in the yard and had the good
fortune to hear the second charge of the
~, s l. h.rf
to the darkness or the distance, the second
shot did no harm, but greatly stimulated
the soldiers endeavOr to increase the dis
lance between himself and his would-be
slayer. Having reached the woods, under
cover of darkness, he escaped, and returned
to the camp of the regiment as soon as
possible, and reported the facts to head
quarters
Whether the incident was reported to
brigade or division headquarters 1 know
not, but about 10 p. m. three companies
of the regiment were called up and ordered
to prepare for marching without haver-
sack or blankets, but 40 rounds, the usual
business accompaniment of the soldier of
that period. Maj. Corse afterwards Gen
eraD had charge Of the expedition, and we
started out. and proceeded cautiously with
many stops, until 1 o'clock, when we halt
ed in front of large farmhouse. We were
then informed that the owner of the house
had shot and killed Noah Webster, men,
Der Of the 9th Iowa, and we were there to
get the body of the dead comrade, and.
if possible. capture the man who did the
deed. The troops were placed at positions
so as to surround the house, and detail
of six men, of which l was one, was or
dered to go to the house and search it.
On reaching the steps that led to the porch
l saw the dead body of the comrade, and
reaching the door we raped it in no gentle
manner. but getting no response, the order
came KNOCK the door down." when Com
ders against it and forced it open. On en-
tering we struck a light. and proceeded
to search the house, going from one room
to the other until all were examined. In
the kitchen we found a long diningtable
set, as if just ready for the family to sit
down and devour. Everything looked very
inviting to a hungry soldier, but then we
thought that when man would shoot and
kill an unarmed soldier, he would not be
too good to place poison in the food if he
thought he could thereby infiict more de.
struction to his enemies. We, therefore,
wisely left the supper alone. In the parlor
was an old-fashioned piano, which Com
rade Fleming opened. and a moment later
was on the keys with his feet stamping
vigorously, showing as he said, show a
Yankee boy could play the piano" In a
room upstairs were several bales of goods,
which we cut open and found they con-
tanned blankets of the best quality and
were evidently for shipment south. In a
stand drawer | found papers and pictures.
Among the papers the following pass was
found, and has been retained in my pos.
session ever since:
Headquarters Thirteenth Corps, Depart
ment of Tennessee.
Lagrange, Nov. ID, 1862.
oMr r. w Smith has parmiSSiOn RI
come from his house southeast of La
grange, to this place and return. Good for
four days.
by command of Maj. Gen. Grant.
'WM. S. HILBYN,
Colonel anil Provost MarshaI-G General"
To state/the case more correctly, this
man, r. w. Smith, was posing as a loyal
Tennessean, and had permission to pass in
and out Of our lines, and at the same time
was Captain Of guerrilla company which
were making night attacks and capturing
our pickets, and hanging or shooting them
as soon as captured.
The frequency with which such events
occurred made it necessary to change the
position of the pickets every night, SO that
the day time, could not tell where the
pickets would be at night and appear in
their rear and surprise them.
At this juncture the crOaking voice of
Corse was heard calling for all to come
out, which we did with some reluctance, as
we all wanted more loot / had a pair of
the new blankets and a fine volume of the
Life Of Bonaparte when left the house.
On reaching the outside I found the boys
busy building fires around the house and
some of the outhOuses, which were soon
shooting upward the red flames of destruc-
ton. The negroes, too, were aroused by
the noise and fire, and came out of their
house in squads to see Massa's house on
fire. Among the crowd that gathered was
an unusually well-dressed man, with red
topped boots, pants stuffed inside, as if
of some consequence, and Maj. Corse i'm
mediately spotted and grabbed him and
placed him under arrest. The man seemed
perfectly white, and begged off. saying:
Il am q niger slave: don't take me-"
Other negroes confirmed his story that he
was one Of Smiths slaves. so that he was
not retained q prisoner very long. A pic
ture was shown to him, and he recognized
II ne % Cv~rskh