Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1907-11-13
WHEN DAVIS CROSSED The YADKIN.
Interesting Bit Of Local War HIstoy]EToId
by.UncIe Henry Mills Of Stanly County.

bYsUnCle Henry Mlle OF Stanly Coun1y.
Ethel, Thomas, an accomplished
writer who makes frequent contri
buttons to the Charlotte Observer
recently. had the following in thai
paper, thessame being part of al
interview with Uncle Henry Mills
of Stanly county, "known far ane
wide as wide as "Fiddler Mills: ;"
I wanted some points'onsIanoth
er subject. and as my time was
limited I asked: swell, Uncle
Henry. tell US about that dollar
you have that President Davis
gave you."
With his expansive countenance
glowing with pride and his dim
eyes Frightening with patriotism,
he lifted his gray head and ex-
claimed with eager enthusiasm:
"Yes, I must give you some
points about the war. You are
going to have this sent to the
paper, ] believe you said. and per-
haps some of the boys belonging
to my company Will see this and
write to me. How glad I would
be to hear from all of them that
are still living! I belonged to
Company supporting forces. The
company was made up of men
from seven counties, Anson. Stan
ly, Montgomery, Moore, Chatham
Randolph and Davidson, and all
had to be forty-five years old. We
we're ordered to Lexington and
there drilled three weeks. I, as
first lieutenant, then went to
Carthage, with fifty men Hamp
Lilly, the captain, went to Troy
with Anson men, I remember lots
of the Arson boys ribut will just
mention a few: Uncle Jimmi5
Martin, Kler Hough, Bob Munley
Merit and Allen Tysor, Geo
Willoughby, Lawrence Horn, and
a Strickland, Lowery and Jones :"
Uncle Harry's eyes we're dim
with tears as he called over the
names of his beloved comrades,
and again said:
"How glad I'd be to get a letter
from any Of the boys who are still
livingl"
I do hope that every old soldier,
who belonged to Company I, and
who sees this, will write to this
dear old man whose happiest
hours are spent in sweet reminis-
cence on the past. He continued {:
"At the railroad bridge, on the
Yadkin river, between Salisbury
and Lexington, We fought with
Stoneman, whipped him with ease
and never lost a man." Here
Uncle Henry laughed triumph
antiy.
"That was the last fight we had,
it was there that we disbanded.
The day before we disbanded,
though, is when I got the dollar
from President Davis. He mount
ed on a magnificent and frey
horse, his wife and three daughters
in an ambulance drawn by two
mules, together with five hundred
mounted horsemen, wanted to
cross the river. Miss Winnie was
then a baby in her mothers arms.
The ferry was about one hundred
and fifty yards from the railroad
bridge. the ferryman had left and
I was the only man in the COM
pany who could manage a fiat.
So Colonel Moss put me in charge,
exempting me from all other
duties. I carried sixteen horse
men at trip, and at last a few
with Mrs. Davis and the children.
One of the mules belonging to the
ambulance, got frightened and
jumped into the river, almost
dragging the other out. We got
1t cut loose though, and it swan
to the bank. Mrs. Davis was very
much frightened, but bore up
bravely. She was a tall stately
woman with red hair, and
all the children looked very much
like her. The President was the
last to 60 over. He asked me to
be careful and not touch his horse
with the pole. He did not speak
to me as an inferior, but very kind
ly as to friend. Oh, how we boyt
loved himl When we got safely
over the river he thanked me anc
gave me silver dollar which
always kept as a sacred momete
of that occasion. Three years age
when Lum's-(Mr. Lum Lentz