The Republican journal., 1906-03-01

each boat, he formed the men into line
or rather ordered me to do it, | being
the drill master in the manual OF small
arms on board ship, having acquired
that knowledge while member OF co.
X of the old 4th Maine Regiment, IN
which | served from April IA until
July 4, 1861. He took no precautlon to
send out scouts to view the situation.
and seeing some cattle grazing about
fourth of mile away he pushed us
ripht into the open, he leading the way
in a gallant manner. But before we
had advanced twenty rods we came III
full sight of a company OF Texan Rang
ers. mounted ON their mustangs, VINO
opened fire on us with their rifles. Ihey
were out of the range OF our SPRING
! field rifles, and intended to keep SO, and
! though we opened with yolley our
shots all fell short. Their bullets be-
gan to dy among US thick and fast
| two men were wounded by the enemy'S
| first 6re-and the men broke and ran
for the boats, followed by the officers.
Smith followed after very reluctantly.
| | knew that if we did not make for the
boats with all possible dispatch our
chances for getting afloat would pe
slim. for ! sighted another squad OF
| Rtbs making an effort to get between
us and the boats, which lay over Dank
out of sight | am willing to admit
that the advance made on those boats
was rather rapid; but long and quick
as nv strides were, most OF the men got
there ahead OF me. l soon prought
order out of confusion. | ordered
the Is men belonging to my boat TO
form line and take up position close
u of no
the 1st cutters crew while they launch
ed the two boats; for the rebels could
not see the boats until they reached the
banks of the river, and my men were
then ready to meet them as soon as
thew came within range. Masters mate
Lldden had the boats launched and
ready for the crews to embark before
Smith found his head. All he did, and
all he seemed capable of doing, was to
swear at the men for running away,
calling them towards, etc. we soon
had all on board and showed Oft; and
not a moment too soon, for the Repels
came to the bank and peppered away at
MS quite lively for time. We got out
of their reach without having any one
injured, with the exception OF the Two
men slightly wounded by the Reb's first
fire. We arrived on board all right, but
none of us felt very jubilant over the
exploit. We were sadly in want OF
fresh meat and were all ready and will
| ling to make another effort to secure 1t.
| We were in the condition of the man
who watched the woodchuck hole with
gun in hand all day, and who when ask
| ed by a passer by if he thought he could
get him, replied: Get him! l have
got to get him! The minister is coming
and we are out OF meat.
A few days later we made a combine
with the barque Arthur and the schoon-
er Rachel Seaman and landed at the
same place under the command OF Cap
tain Kittredge of the Arthur, and soon
had all the meat the three vessels re-
auired with but little effort. About a
month later, but farther up the island,
we did the same thing with like results.
Mr.. Smith made several attempts at
! foraging for beef, and to destroy small
vessels. but was complete failure in
eyery particular because he knew no
caution He was like the man who was
told by the farmer that he could have
all the chickens he could catch at one
grab while they were being fed in the
ward. and who, instead of creeping up
and catching a few by swooping down
and Selling them by the legs, made
rush at the entire flock with his arms
spread out, thinking he could gather the
entire flock in his arms, and got
nothing. a
myself, with the proper boats crews,
made several raids to Decrow's Point
for cattle and never failed. This is
peninsula extending for about forty
miles down the coast of Texas to or
near Matagorda city. Rounding its
extreme lower point you enter Mata-
gorda Bay, which is quite a large
ties the Colorado river. Decrow's Point
was occupied by it's owner as IS u, a
At about midnight and run up the
coast for ten or fifteen miles, leaving
We had a paymasters steward who
hailed from the west and had been
cattle man. He was a good shot and a