Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-08-17

with Federal troops, for there were
none there, but with marauders. These
were the offscourings of both armies
and of the negro population Of that
region. They made themselves the
pests of Virginia at that time. Their
little bands consisted Of deserters from
both armies, dissolute negroes and all
other kinds of 'lewd fellows Of the
baser sort" They .raided plantations;
they stole horses; they terrOrized wom-
en-; they were thorn in the flesh Of
General Grants officers who were
placed in strategic positions to prevent
the possible occurrence Of guerrilla
warfare and who therefore could not
scatter their forces for the policing Of
q land left desolate and absolutely
lawless.
During the sojourn In the mountains,
in his effort to push his way through
to Johnston, Guilford Duncan came
upon a plantation where only women
were living in the mansion house. A
company of marauders had taken pos
session Of the plantation, occupying Its
negro cabins and terrorizing the popu-
lation of the place. When Duncan
rode up with his seven armed men he
instantly took command and assumed
the role of protector. First OF all ne
posted his men as sentries for the pro-
lection of the plantation homestead.
Next he sent out scouts, includlhg
number of trusty negroes who belong
ed upon the plantation, to ma out
where the marauders were located, ana
what their numbers were, and what
purpose they might seem bent upon.
From the reports of these scouts he
learned that the marauders exceeded
him in force by three to one or more,
but that fact in no way appalled, MIN.
During long experience in war he
had learned well the lesson that num-
bers count for less than morale ana
that with skill and resoluteness small
force may easily overcome and destroy
a larger one.
Duncan sent at once for the best
negroes OH the plantation-the negroes
who had proved themselves loyal IN
their affection for their mistresses
throughout the war. Having assem-
bled these he inquired Of the women
what arms and ammunition they had.
There were the usual number OF SHOT
guns belonging to plantation and
considerable supply of powder and
buckshot. Duncan assembled the ne
groes in the great hall Of the planta-
ton house and said to them:
81 have seven men here, all armed
and all fighters. 1 have arms enough
for you boys if you are willing to Join
me in the defense of the ladies on this
plantation against about the worst set
of scoundrels that ever lived on earth"
Johnny, the head dining room serv-
ant. speaking for all the rest. replied:
ain cose we is. Jest you lead us,
mahstah. and you'll see how We'll do
| de wu'k."
Tie marauders had established them
selves in four or five Of the negro
quarters OH the plantation, and in
certain sense they were strongly forti-
fed. That is to say. they We're housed
in cabins built of logs too thick for
any bullet to penetrate them. -Four OF
these cabins were so placed that ire
from the door and the windows or
either of them would completely COM
mapd the entrance Of each Of the 9TH
ers. But to Offset that. and to offset
also the superiority Of numbers which
tho marardcrs enjoyed, Guilford Dun
! can deci,.cd upon an attack by night.
| He knew lie was Outnunibered by two
or three 10 one. even if lie counted the
| willing but unframed negroes whom he
had enlisted in his service. But he did
not despair of success. 1t was his pur'
| nose to dislodge the marauders In a
night attack, when he knew that they
could not see to shoot with effect. He
knew also that "he is thrice armed
who knows his quarrel just"
Cautioning his men to maintain 81
lcnce aud to advance as quickly as pos
sible, he got them into position and
suddenly rushed upon the first of the
four or five negro quarters. Knowing
that the door of this house would be
barricadeI he had instructed some OF
the negroes to bring pole with them
which might be used as a battering
ram. With a rush, but without any
hurrah, for Duncan had ordered quiet
as a part of his plan Of campaign, the
negroes carried the great pole forward
and instantly crushed in the door.
Within ten seconds afterward Dun
cans eX-Confederate soldiers, with
their pistols in use, were within the
house. and the company Of marauders
| there surrendered-those of them who
had not fallen before the pistol shots.
This first flush Of victory encouraged
the negroes under his command so far
that what had been their enthusiasm
became positive battle madness.
Without waiting for orders from him
they rushed with their battering ram
upon the other houses occupied by the
marauders, as did also his men, who
were not accustomed to follow, but
rather to lead, and within a few min
utes all Of those negro huts were in his
possession, and all their occupants
were in effect his prisoners.
At this moment GuilfOrd Duncan,
who had now no legal or military au-
thority over his men, lost control OF
them. Both the negroes and the white
men seemed to go mad. They recog-
aized in the marauders no rights OF a
military kind, no title to be regarded as
fighting men and no conceivable claim