Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-06-29

in this morning. AS everybody comes
to Chicago, | decided to come over and
inspect the town as a regular assign
ment.s Nearly everybody seems to be
here, but, do you know, | am disap.
pointed. ! had Il %sneaking notion that
/ would meet John Folsom on the
streets, recognize him, and ave Il long
chat with him.
John WAS a Rrh, and l was a TanK
in the great Buell-Bragg foot race from
East Tennessee to Louisville in the fall
Of 1867. We struck up m acquaint-
ancp under the most extraordinary cir
cunistances, and | would like to com:
pare notes with him now. The TWO
armies marched for Il. month on nearly
parallel roads. Neither general wanted
to fight, but csh wanted to reach Lou
isvillC before the other. In the feints,
bluffs and covering manCuvers there
was liable to be at any time a general
miN-up.
I'm this particular case | hurt my
self coming down M~uldraugh's aill, and
the next night, finding l could not keep
up with my company, | dropped out
and, completely Frustrated, crcpt INTO Il
cornticld and lay down under a tree.
/ knew the ConfeGrrates We're hanging
on our flank, but | iun't care. l went
to sleep and slept through the night.
In the morning, When | opened my
eyes, l saw not far from me a leg
trouscred in gray. | OWNED that t>c
Confederatcs had passed along the road
and that Il straggler had shared my
quarters.
This looked serious, and l realized
tina my safety depended on quick ac-
ton. The Reb was still asleep, with
his gun alongside of him. In five sec
onds I was sitting astride of him and
was holding his arms to the ground. ]
weighed over 200 then, and the Reb in
formed me before he opened his eyes
that Il horse had fallen on him. When
he did open his eyes l tiercely demand
ed his surrender. He said there was
no need of making so much fuss about
1t. He would surrender.
Il at once removed the pressure, as
sisted my prisoner to his feet, patted
him into shape, introduced myself,
learned tina his name was John Fol
som, and we proceeded to get break
fast. We felt better after that, N i'll
friendly spirit discussed the situation.
1t was clear to US that, If we went to-
ward Louisville on the road before us,
we were Just as liable to meet Con-
federates as Unionists. Therefore, we
agreed that we would go forward, each
one carrying his own gun. If we struck
a detachment Of UniOnistS he was my
prisoner; if we came upon Il COnfed-
crate picket line, l was his prisoner.
''This seemed to both Of us a very
good plan. But the times were out Of
Joint. and the first man we met was a
suspicious civilian hitciIins his horse
to a light wagon. He wanted to know
why in thunder we We're going about
together hat way. / explained h a
the Eeb was my prisoner. He wanted
to know why in Sam Hill l didn't take
his gun away from him. Then he Or
dered the Reb to take my gun away
from rue. He would not listen to any
explanation, and we Joined teams on
him. tied him to 4 tree. and, taking
his hose and Wagun, cut out for Louis
vile.
I'VE made good time and had just
agreed to modify our protocol so as to
permit a quick journey to Louisville as
joint partners in the outfit when we
saw three Confederate cavalrymen
guarding a bridge in front. By this
time the clause in the protocol provid-
ing that in case we met C~onfederates
I was to be John Folsom's prisoner was
a dead letter. l didn't want to be cap
tured, and John, having friends in
Louisville, didn't want me to be cap
tured.
80 we took to the woods, and max
ing Il great racket with u guns and
our horse and wagon n calling out,
Here they are, boys, at last We
caused the cavalrymen to retreat, and
went on Dell nell toward Louisville. In
due time we reached the Union lines
near that city, where fresh trouble
awaited us. The pickets were in a
state of excitiment, and they would not
let us in. I wanted to go forward and
explain, but they threatened to shoot
me If I moved an inch. Finally, as
]ucl1 would have it, the officer of the
day. a cool headed fellow, rode out to
investigate us.
1--WE were in the middle Of the road,
seated in our wagon, when the officer
and a squad Of cavalry rode up. They
all laughed when they saw us, and the
officer asked how we came to be to-
cether. l explained that Folsom was
nv prisoner that we had been between
the lines for two days, and had a peck
of trouble, and stated the substance of
our protocol. 1 saw that he doubted
the story, and asked him to send us to
General Nelson, who, 1 knew, was In
chief command. 1 told him that I, Dan
r. Anderson, of the First Kentucky,
came direct from Buell's army and
that my prisoner, John Folsom, came
direct from Bragg's army, and we
might have news for General Nelson.
This struck the officer ~favorahly,
who said there was such a mix-up i'll
front that they didn't know where
either army was. But he added: Great
Caesar, you don't know Nelson! There
is where HI missed 1t, for 1 had been
in the old IroncIad division through
the Nashville, Shiloh, Corinth and Nc
Minnville campaigns, and had a per,
-r- x-st1, Nyp1e1n noS ION