Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1904-08-12
cApTlvEs IN A SYCAMORE.
Close Quarters of Two Boys in Blue,
with Confederate Scouting
Party Below Them.

After the second battle of Corinth,
where Gen. Oglesby was wounded, went
into the scouting service, under Gen. G..
M. Dodge and when Lawler and Sullivan
we're licking Forrest at Parker's Cross
roads, | was with a detachment of the
Fifteenth Illinois cavalry, under Maj.
Carmichal, and our chief of scouts Col.
Bill Breckinridge, trying to capture and
destroy Forests ferryboats at Clifton,
Tenn. We found so many confederates
there who objected to it we concluded
not to cross the Tennessee river; but
we skirmished good part of the day,
across the river. In the afternoon the
troops retired, leaving few scouts to
watch the confederates. We kad hid
our horses back in the timber. My part
ner and l discovered, just below the
ferry, sycamore stump, probably so
feet high, leaning over the bank, and
with a hole in the upper side, near the
| ground large enough for small man
| to crawl into, Invested of coat and ac-
couterments. Inside there was room to
spare. Lying on the ground we stripped,
| then slipped in and drew our clothes,
| including. our coats, in with us. The
stump was large; there was room for
us to crawl side by side till we could see
| out at the top; and to help us, wood
| peckers had made numerous holes, so
that we could see in various directions,
up and down the river and straight to
the ground, while the end pointed
straight into Clifton. We had just got
ten comfortably settled in our nest when
a confederate command marched down
and launched several of their flatboats
and started over for a reconnaissance.
1t was then too late for us to retreat,
and we concluded to hold the hole and
see it out-or see out of It, They came
over, 100 or more. Some boats landed
under our snag. OF course, they left a
guard at the river. and our discomforts
then began. AS if with malice and de-
liberate purpose that squad built a fire
right under us, and went to getting din
ner, Smoke? 1t was fearful! How
those woodpecker holes did draw! And
We dare not sneeze or cough! They
heaped insults on injuries-talked hare
about the - Yankees, called us cow
ardly pups, and even used profane Ian
guage because we had shot across thu
river into houses and killed some o.
their brave comrades who were shooting
out at windows and doors at us coward
ly whelps who stood behind trees or la!
fiat on the ground instead of coming ou
in the open like men!
We just lay still and took it withou
, saying q word back-but we made man!
T mental reservations.
, How good their bacon and corndodge
: smelled to pair of hungry Yankees il
, tree. How chilly we got, looking dow
on that fire. so feet below us. And hoy
did want to cough, sneeze, jaw, kici
turn over or move some way! Wer
, confederates ever before so long in eat
ing a dinner? We could have droppe
a a cartridge into their fire. My partnei
G. NJ. COPELAND, wanted to do it, but
o was fearful they might decide to tr
n to find out where in thunder it cam
y from. Three bad hours they kept u
= there, and We dared not move; to Ii
n there perfectly quiet was no easy mat
: ter. Finally the scouting party re
turned. about sundown, and all crosse