The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1905-1908, 1908-04-15

cursing and threatening.
The little group left without escOr
OF their own choosing, were in the
midst Of an angry sea OF blue-coats
and the situation was unique, not e
say alarming when an officer rode az
and demanded Of the men. Where are
those rebels?"
They we're with these women" was
| the answer.
Approaching the party he bowed DO
litely and asked II they had seen any
rebel soldiers to which they answered
In the Affirmative.
Where have they gomez" was the
next question.
Home. / think" was the ready reply
Of one of the party.
All the while the old lady, whom
wars dire alarms had thrown into a
violent panic. was Historically repeat
ing In a high, strained voice, Il appeal
to an officer for protecuonl"
There was no use for the officer to
assure her that she was and should
continue to be protected; she was
wound up and couldn't stop. And here
that saving sense Of humOr that has
redeemed many tragic situation came
to the help Of the two younger women.
and they fell to giggling.
Their protector called a sergeant
from the ranks and ordered him to es.
cart the ladies' safely past the com
mand
All the afternoon Of that long, hot
summer day they drove along the cOun.
try road past an apparently endless
line of blue-coated cavalrymen, and
later by the numbering army wagons.
1t was evidently a forced march
The men all looked tagged out. and to
many Of them as they rode tired ma
lures sweet restorer, balmy sleep,
had come; the reins lay across the
saddle bow or lightly held in nervous
hands, and their bodies swayed with
the motions@Of their horses. They
slept profoundly.
But many OF them we're wide enough
awake In spite OF WEAKNESS, and stared
boldly at the little party. swinging out
Of their saddles and helping them
selves from the lunch basket and fruit
bucket until both were empty. But nc
word did they speak, and when they
had gone by and IAe very last wagon
which brought up the rear was passed
! the sergeant touched his cap and rode
away to report to his superior
Such experiences we're a part of the
every day life of the woman who lived
between the lines and there were
others yet more thrilling in themselves
and With a 1oruor haorfv,r- -, o.fo,te l.,
our country's history.
When General Grant planned the
overland advance through Mississippi
on Vicksburg he chose Holly Springs
as desirable paint for a depot of sup
plies, garrisOned 1t and moved on.
The occupation was managed with
scanty reference to the wishes or
rights of the citizens. A group Of Of
ficers would enter your house without
ceremony, open such doors IS they
chose, look around the rooms as II they
were unoccupied, and cody discuss
their suitability as quarters, a llTvy
approved thss moved In forthwith.
in one residence centrally located
and conveniently near a large school
building. which they occupied as bar
racks, a beautiful Young girl lay III
with typhoid fever. Fhay liked the
house and ordered the family out.
A sad little procession following the
cot on which the girl Law moved down
the street to the home of friend who
had not been disturbed, and everybody
predicted that it was the fOrerunner OF
a later procession to the cemetery.
But the patient began to improve from
that day; either the shock or the
change of air brought about her com
plete recovery.
A diamond has many facets, and all
of them are necessary to a perfect
stone; so every great event in life is
led up to by invisible threads Of cir
cumstance.
There have been numerous accounts
of Gen. Van Dorn's raid into Holly
Springs, each one perhaps true in IT.
self, but incomplete without the others.
The Memphis Commercial-Appeal
published some time ago a story told
by one of the musicians attached to
the One Hundred and First Illinois In
fantry. and relating what he supposes
to be the true account Of the surrender
Of Holly Springs by that regiment to
General Van Dorm.
Il was a very interesting story, and
certainly makes clear one fact-that
the rebels outwitted the Yankees in
this coup-this "uncOntested disgrace
ful surrender of Holly Springs" IS
General Grant calls 1t in his memoirs
After giving the facts Of the attaes
and surrender he states as his opinion
that a man named John Hama bugleT
In this same Illinois regiment-was in
reality a Confederate officer who had
become separated In some way from
his command in Prices army In Mis-
s0url. and In order to make his way
south and rej5in his comrades had en-
listed IN the northern army. That this
John Ham managed by the aid Of a
southern woman to convey a message
to Van Dorm. and this brought on the
attack upon Holly Springs. AS proof
of this he says that Ham went away
with the southern cavalry the day Of
the raid
Every word Of the John Ham story
may be true, but 1t is only one OF the
threads of circumstances which led tC
the capture Of the regiment and many
millions of dollars worth Of supplies
for Grants army on the goth of De
cember, 1852. Into the hands Of the
young wife Of whom have spoken wa
given another clue leading with abso
lutte directness to the denoument.
I'm. v.rFwkn~ uNfaWwCnu .h vsFu II