The National tribune., 1905-11-09

bees and we filled ourselves so full of
honey that we could taste beeswaX for
a month afterwards. We offered our
prisoners honey-in-the-comb, but they
would not touch it, but gave us a mad
look which seemed TO say: You can
not sweeten our hate with honey
Those Qualla-Qualla Indians were the
surlicst set Of greasers / ever met.
Morning coming, the prisoners were
roped together, two and two. and our
little command headed for the grub
line. Marching through snow and ice
filled streams was rough on the prison
ers. but time would not permit us To
wait for warmer weather.
We had ali urgent call 10 Burnside.
and our movement was accelerated a
little by the fact that more Indians
were on the warpath. When near the
junction of Noman'S Creek and the
Tuckasegee, short halt was made and
a detachment went to Mai. SellerSs
plantation and took his fine carriage
and other property that we needed i'll
our business. The carriage was used as
an ambulance for our wounded.
The nth Cav, history says, was the
attachment that captured Maj. Sellers.
This is mistake. | was one of de-
tail that made the capture. AS we were
marching on the Indian camp. ana
when short distance from their out
post picket. Lieut.. Rowcliffe, Co. NJ
with Is men and Il citizen guide, left
the command for the Majors planta-
ton. We rode at fast gailop till VIC
reached his residence. lie, hearing US
came to the front door and was made
a prisoner. His wife and little daugh-
ter. when they realized what had hap
pened, made a great scene, and many
tears We're shed. To keep from crying
myself / went To- the Majors sta bles,
where j became frozen TO q large white
cir
with thu mule she yelled: "Ch, papa,
see. that nasty Yankee has taken our
dear Sanco, Make him let it alone.
Don't let him take my Sanco away. On,
boo-hoo-boo-hoo!" The childs crying
appeal came near warming my heart
and melting me from the mule, but !
kept the mule. and, getting the high
toned Maj. Sellers mounted, we headed
for the Indian camp via Qualla-toWn.
As We were entering that mountain
hamlet We heard the bark OF our little
howitzers and knew the fight was on.
Increasing our speed. we made the dirt
fly, came near capturing a squad of
mounted rebels, and reached the bat
tleground just as the last gun was
fired.
The escape Of Maj. Sellers happened
thus: Lieut.. Rowcliffe being his cap
tor, and the Major being too fine a
bird to be cooped with the other pris-
oners, he was placed in charge of the
Lieutenant for safety and comfort. AZ
ter the first days march on the back
track we halted for the night close by
the bank of the Little Tennessee II
was a very cold and clustering night:
a tent was fixed up for Rowcliffe and
the Major to occupy A guard of three
men q being one of the number) was
detailed to keep an eye on the tent
and prevent the Major from escaping
About o'clock corpI Hopkins, Co. NJ
To ftlA dC. II Il
the Major had given his parole a guard
would not be needed that night, and
dismissed us. | thought it queer
move. but being merely a private / was
not supposed To know anything Of the
kinks and twists OF u parole The fol.
lowing morning the Major was miss
ing: but / still had his mule. The Sc
cret about the escape was that signs
grips and signals played Il conspicuous
part. When we reached Citico VALLEY
and cncamped near Woods School
House Lieut.. Rowcliffe took my mule
and rode ii to Knoxville. The last
heard Of il. il was in o pasture away
UP in Illinois: but 1 did not own the
pasture.
Cav. Is not recorded by Fox as fighting
regiment, you know that we saw and
felt n lot-yes. big lot-of very hard
service. You know that our mounts
made hoof-marks over as much terri
torv during our term of service as the
hest Gf inc cavalry regiments made. al
though our loGs I'm killed i'm battle was
hut little over IL per cent Of a total
enlistment OF So w.. luc--- ia,
we never turned our backs to the en-.