The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-01-19
AN EPISODE OF
Al YEARS AGO.
Judge r. w. Hatch Writes About The
Sewei's Lane Affair.

am writing this episode which oc-
cured forty-one years ago, or about. /
scarcely can think of all that transpir-
ed lost my diary Of all the happen
ings of the war which ! kept, and it
would be very valuable to me at pres
ent as forgot dates and names of those
who were with me.
One morning just before General Hood
took up the line of that eventful cam
paign to Tennessee, Captain S. A. Hay
den, of the 10th Louisiana Infantry,
came over to my tent and asked me if |
did not wish to go with him to the front
accommodating. ] replied that would
go. put on my cartridge box, haver-
sack, blanket, picked up my gun, and we
started off with fifteen Others, Lieut..
Miller of my regiment, Goth La, the
others belonging TO the 10th La. We
marched out about ten or twelve miles
to the front and came across two of Har-
vey's scouts on picket duty. They told
us of some three or four pickets of the
enemy who came out every night about
dark at Vichtsport, and how easily we
could take them in. The idea struck
Capt. Hayden and Lieut.. Miller, in fact
all of us were we'll pleased with the
idea. While waiting for the time to
come two of fuckers scouts came up
and told US where the Yankee cavalry
came out every morning about three or
four companies strong, from one-half to
two hours before daylight, and that they
passed through short lane about
quarter of mile long, which was called
Sewels Lane. So we concluded to go
with them; it was then about an hour
to sunset. We marched all night over
hills and hollows and some of the rough
est places thought had ever marched
over, though it was very dark. Finally
we arrived at our destination about one
and half hours before daylight, which
was but short time. We heard the
cavalry passing QUIT was the Tenth
Kentucky Cavalry Union troops and as
soon as they passed out we moved to
the mouth Of the lane, There Capt.
Hayden left us. He and Lieut.. Miller
took five men and posted them at the
upper end of the lane, Miller remaining
with them. Capt. Hayden came back to
the lower end of the lane with the bal
ance of men, % in number. There was
washout in the road some three or
four feet deep which we could and did
hide ourselves in, awaiting the return
of the cavalry While we were waiting
we could hear the Yankees in camp
talking and making fire, preparing for
breakfast, and feeding their horses,
which was only a quarter of mile
away. When the party returned we
were to fire upon them, and to continue
to do so. The signal to fire was for
Capt. Hayden to fire. Presently here
they came, passing Lieut.. Miller and
squad at the upper end Of the lane.
They were very much scattered and
Capt. Hayden, | thought, would never
fire. was ON the extreme right of the
squad, and the front man was directly
over me when Capt. Hayden fred. We
poured a volley into them. They Wheel
ed about, and we kept firing. Lieut..
Miller and men fired at the upper end
of the lane and the enemy was complete
ly demoralized, not knowing the weaker
place to get out. We kept up firing as
long as we could see any of them. How
many we killed and wounded | never
did know, but quite number. Men
and horses were lying in the lane. We
captured one prisoner but turned him
loose as we did not wish to be bothered
with him. Had as much as we could do
to take care Of ourselves. We were
close to the enemy's camp and in a
strange country. fuckers two scouts,
after routing the cavalry, said to us,
swell boys, every one take care Of HIM
stbs anu lcIt We puii6u ouU dCFDbb
to the woods to get out of the way OF
the pursuing party. Capt. Hayden de-
ployed us as skirmishers through the
woods. We could hear the bugles; the
enemy was preparing to follow after us.
TAey swore vengeance against US. They
would show Us no quarters whatever, so
the citizens we're telling us. We all
determined to fight to the death if the
enemy came up with us.
While we were going through the
woods little goat jumped up out of a
tree top and raised up its head, Looking
at me. raised my Enfield and fired,
shooting it through the head. We we're
expecting the enemy at any moment,
being not over three quarters of mile
distant from their camp. But we we're
very hungry and could not let anything
pass in the shape of something to eat.
| picked up the little kid, threw it
across my shoulder, carrying it about
mile. We stopped and cleaned it and
got an old lady to cook it for us. The
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