The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-19

Ifedefacy. " "
 Yours truly.
 e Tom shearer. Address, starkville. Miss
 This is earnestly requested to be
 published in the U. D. C., column HISTORICAL PAPER. s------s-~---
 Read Before Daughters By Mrs. Annse H, Robertson.
 The death of General Daniel McCook. the Ohio Brigadier who lost his life near Huntsville during the early part of the civil war was the subject cf historical paper read at tho last meet ing of the Virginia Clay ciopton Chap ter of the Daughters of the Confederacy by Mrs Annie B. Robertson. The pa- per read by Mrs. Robertson contains notes of historical interest given her by Captain Frank B. GurIey of the Confederate Army, who was the central Figure. of the tragedy and condemned to death by the United States army court martial for firing the fatal shot. Cap tafn Gttrley Is still living near Hunts vile and has never before made Q statement of his version of the affair. Mrs. Robertson's paper was as Sfol- lows:
 Askev by our hostess to contribute an article on this day--dedicated by the U ID. C.. Historical Class to the 4th Alabama Cavalry and Infantry. I thought I would give one of local in- terest which. l believe. has never been written from the Southern standpoint, but for several years filled the North ern papers with their version. There fore I have gotten these facts from the one person new living who can give them And l think it only just to the 4th Alabama Cavairy and Company C.. especially. that the truth should be told by their side and preserved by tho Virginia Clay Ciopton Chapter. U. D. c
 Frank B Guraey having been com missioned captain of cavalry by the order of the Confederate Congress, raised company in Madison and ad- Joining counties. one hundred and itf- teen being the highest number enlfst~ ed.
 Some time in the spring of 1882 he was sent to watch the enemy Tn North Alabama and Middle Tennessee. taking about thirty men. and was to report to Gen Kirby Smith. then at Chatta- nooga. Thinking he had not men enough for the work. he returned to the command and asked the command ant to let Capt J M. Hambrick with thirty men go back with him into the enemy's lines. which request was granted
 And now will premise by saying that aeixed Captain Gurley for dates of the skirmIsh in which General Me- Cook. U S. A.. was killed, and ! give his answer in his own words: II can't give dates--E had no way of keeping dates--T dfdf not know when Sunday came. We lived on what we could get and slept where the enemy would let us" At that time he did not know that he was making history If was in the spring of 1862, soon after the re- turn of the two companies to North Alabama. Captain Hambriek in com mand by right of seniority. Here again I quote from Captain Guriey; T learn ed by slipping around among the few people who would take the risk of be- ing my friends that a drove of beef cattle had been taken from the eiti- zens of Limestone and Madison coun- ties by the Federal troops and would pass along the Limestone and Winches- ter road about 8 certain time. Cap- tain FIambriclx. sixty-six men all told, thought as the road on which tho cat
 tie would pass was through barren woods they might scatter the cattle and pick up quite number of them, the stolen cattle being quite loss to the citizens.
 NfOlnE nOTln LHGX ISdCnSQ tH6 lltFItc- stone road, when Captain Hambrick halted the command and Captain Cur ley was ordered to move west to see if the cattle had yet passed. They soon came in sight of some Federal soldiers in tn edistance. the captain and men would retire, the enemy following. When they would stop the blue coats would do the same thus tolling them until they were in firing distance, then the shooting began. Soon the Federals gave back. they shooting back, and the EConfederates at them. The dust soon became so thick that they could see only the hindmost men! This continued for about one-fourth- of a mile. when a school wagon. going at full speed. under some oyerhan@ing limbs tearing of the top. The wagon was driven by negro. Two white men were on the back sseat One was in full uniform and the other in his shirt sleeves. Cap- tain GHrley was in advance of his troops with Lieutenant T. P Guriey. his brother; F., B Gill, James Ma closely When within about fifty yards Captain Gurley fired three shots, really as he says, shooting at the of ficer In. uniform. The wagon was halted and on reaching it they found that the man with his coat off had been
 wounded, one ball passing through his body. Now. as the shooting had been at the man in uniform, supposing him the only officer. the killing of Gen. eral MeCook was by accident When the rest of the command came up Cap tain GHrley turned the wounded man, who proved to be General McCook. his stan officer. Cant. Hunter Brooke. and the wagon. over to Captain Hambrick. and Captain Gurley and men continued in pursuit of the enemy Tn about a half mile they ran into a divided col. umn of Federal infantry, which did not fire at them. although Company C passed the head of the column
 Seeing the situation, Captain Gurley ordered a retreat then reporting to the commanding officer. There was no further fighting Captain GurIey says: ''Why we were not pursued we never knew. and thought strange the Federal cavalry should abandon their commanding officer. General McCook had been left. presumably, to protect railroads in the rear of the Federal army that had moved towards Chatta- lnooga to intercept. General Bragg's ad- vance into Kentucky MeCoek's last encampment had been in and near Ath- ems. Ala, and he was moving towards Winchester. Tenn, to join the Federal army with his brigade to pursue Bragg Captain Hambrick had ordered the wounded General to be taken to the nearest private house. Dr. Steger says: "f think Mir. Crutcher's, He was att tended by his own surgeon and stan officer. and the family did all they could to give relief. Soon afterward