The Tupelo journal., 1905-12-22
PEN-PlCTURES OF THE OLDEN TINE
ny o w l. CLAYTON.

a creek, whose bridge had wash
ed away, and to cross the ford
one had to 60 down the creek
about thirty feet, and then come
up the channel to near the place
where the bridge had been to
get out on the other side, my
brother, being just then in a
considerable hurry, did not go
down to the place where the road
entered the creek, but jumped
his horse off the bank just below
the bridge and out on the far
side. Carroll, fearing his horse
might not be able to cross in this
manner, turned up the creek in
a road leading in that direction:
Four of the enemy followed
James,, while all the others pur-
sued Carroll, and each could hear
the firing at the other for some
minutes. Brother, being now
u~ntrammeled by a slower horse
than his own, he gave his horse
full rein, and in the course of a
mile he had so far distanced his
pursuers that they turned back.
Desiring to learn what had be-
come of his fellow soldier, he
turned to the left, and struck
across fields and swamps, intend
ing and aiming to intersect the
road he had taken. After the
separation Carroll was pursued
for about a mile, and being fired
on all the time, when he came to
a small town, and feeling that
his only hope of safety lay in a
bold move, adopted the same
ruse they had used SO successful
ly in relation to the hat, and
again raising the rebel yell, dash
ed back towards his pursuing
foes. He, being hidden just then
from tho Federals, and they
thinking he had surely met up
with reinforcements this time,
and influenced by the noise he
made, fled in great disorder, and
their peril was at an end for that
time. Carroll, instigated by the
same motives which prompted
brother James to turn to the
left, himself turned to the right,
and downin some unknown creek
bottom, a mile and a half from
any road, and about five miles
from their first encounter with
the would-be familiar blue
Coat" the friends met again,
and you may be sure no two
comrades were ever prouder to
see each other than they were.
Nota wound had either received,
and yet the peril was great, and
the escape almost miraculous.
l would now like to say a
few words about Carroll Mitch
enor and my brother ]. S. Clay
ton. Some may say it is not in
good taste to speak of my broth
er, and especially as he is still
living.
But I will ask you to suspend
judgement till you hear what
is said. They were both good
soldiers, and never feared
the face of an enemy. Carroll
Kitchener died in the city ofTu-
pelo, where he then lived only a
few years ago. He entered the
confederate service when a mere
boy, too young to be required to.
do so. His father was first Lient,
in c. &. James Lyle's company
of cavalry, and a man who never
put his head below the top of
a breast work. when fighting
from behind one, and Carroll
was "chip off TIE old block"
He was specially fitted for scout
duty, and for quite a while he
acted in that capacity for Gen.
Wheelers cavalry. This service
was performed in Georgia. He
was in many close places, but
fortunately never received a
wound. After the war he moved
to Saltillo, settled there in bus
mess for many years, and was
well and favorably known
throughout the country. AS to
my brother ]. S. Clayton, who
now lives in Cleburne, Texas,
| wish to say, l was very closely
allied with him in business for
many years. In 1858, as l have
heretofore told in these articles
we were associated together in
teaching school at old Martin
Academy; belonged for part of
the war to the same regiment,
and after the war, and in Oct.
1866, he got license to practice
law, and at once entered partner
ship with me in the practice Of
law, and we remained together
till Feb, 1879, when he removed
to Texas, and there went into
the mercantile business. He
was a sound and safe lawyer,
and one of the incest men to ar
range his papers in a cause |
have ever known. He was in
herently modest, and never did
value his own capacity at it's
worth. Though all the years
since the beginning of 1879 we
have kept up a regular corespon-
1oroo ord bic tro11h1oc and cor.