Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-04-03
Civil War Stories



A Southerner sends a story Of an
adventure during the Civil War in
which the heroes were two boys, the
youngest only 10 years old: A load of
Wheat was hidden under the floor of
their uncle's barn. about twelve miles
northeast from Richmond, and the
boys volunteered to go and get it. 1t
was in August, 1868. They started
With a wagon and two good mules, ap-
preached the farm from the southwest,
Rnd made a detour over bitches and
Through fences because they did not
Aare to go by the regular road. The
Federals were encamped about two
miles east.
We reached the barn without having
been seen, and driving into a shed at
fached to the building, succeeded in
loading the grain, and secured the
sacks by crossing ropes tightly over
the top, to the high sides of the wagon.
To reach Richmond roa we had to
drive within sight of the Yankee camp.
At this point the road tuned at right
angles toward the south. We had put
ropes round the axles next the shoul-
der, so as to stop the Chuck of the
wheels, INC so reached this turf with
out being seen, but a Travelled only
a short distance on the old station
road when we found that we had been
discovered, and could see a party Of
horsemen coming after US at a rapid
pace.
My cousin, who was an expert driver,
although so young, told me to hold on
tight while he mounted the near mule,
and then commenced the race Of our
lives. . .
For some distance the roa was COR
duroy, and at the rate we We're going.
1t was only by h most deXterous
movements and tightest grip that |
could stay on the sacks. Our pursu-
ers were gaining on us. At first they
fired only a few shots, but soon a
shower of bullets punctured the sacks
all round me, and sent the wheat flying
into my face. My coat and hat were
struck several times.
1t seemed that a few moments would
surely settle the matter. 1 shall never
forget the yells of those Yankees, ac-
%companied by the incessant thup! thup!
of the bullets as they came faster and
faster; but strange to say, not a bullet
touched us or the horses.
At a sharp turn in the road, a blind
road led off into the woods, inc as we
were driving on the side of the road in
the grass, Paul took this chance, and
1nsbnI into +bi- rooJ v-Iaro tho hiUb
bush hu~clleberry grew rank and thick.
We were now out of range Of the Fed
eral guns, but we did not slacken our
pace. Grazing a tree here and missing
a stump there, we dashed over logs,
through hollows and up hill until we
were sure that our pursuers had kept
TO the main road.
We We're congratulating ourselves
when "Halt!" brought us to a stop,
and a soldier, with u ready, demand
ed, "Who comes there?'
l answered, "a friend" Then came
the order, Advance and give the coun-
tesign"
1t was now dusk, and we could see
the blue %oyercoat, and thought that
this was a Federal picket but as We
game nearer, 1 say gray trousers, so 1
told my cousin to risk the words with
which we had been furnished for the
night-"R. E. Lee"
you can pass the sentry said.
Just a short time before this we had
heard a discharge Of arms i4 the direc-
ton of the road that we. had left, but
we were surprised to see a dozen or
more Yankee lined up as prisoners
when we reached headquarters. One
of them swore Justify at us for the trap
which we had run them into. We were
glad indeed to rest by the camp fire in
side of our lines, and the next day
about 10 o'clock arrived in Richmond,
with a loss Of comparatively little Of
the wheat.
Did Richmond never looked more
beautiful, nor could there have been
two more thankful boys. We enjoyed
the fruits Of our trip, too, for we had
a change to wheat bread, which was
a treat, after months of nothing but
corn bread.