The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-05-01

the Union forces, the Ninth Regiment
shattered and demoralized, commenced
a retreat. In an article published at
the time, Mr.. Dackins gave following
as his experience inside the rebel
lines.
Mr.. Dackins Told His Story.
Fl broke my gun and threw it away
together with my, blanket and every
thing else except my clothes. I drew
off my shoes, and. threw. them away.
l knew, what was coming. and sure
enough the rebel cavalry came up in
splendid order. and followed us all night
about thirty miles. We rested a few
minutes at Ripley. thinking to make
our breakfast. but had no time. The
rebels were after us again, so we start
ed off on double quick. There we
were compelled to leave our ambulan-
ces and sick and wounded with one
surgeon to take care of them. The weak
est of us had to fall back into the
woods but | kept mp another twenty
miles. had followed our cavalry that
distance, sometimes taking hold of
a horses tail and hanging on for miles
determined to keep up as long as my
legs would let me. But the enemy
had better horses. than our cavalry,
so they kept nip on a Light run all the
time. Sometimes our, horses would
fall down from, exhaustion and the
riders would have to foot it.
"At last I was so worn out that |
could 90 no farther, having run and
walked fifty-seven miles from five
o'clock in the evening until six next
morning hours. I went into
the brush-laid down and rested until
dark, and then resuming my journey,
travelling till daylight.
Didn't Want Their Company.
GAS l was going down a hill four
rebel cavalrymen saw and captured
me. I saluted them with Good morn
ing. boys" and they responded in the
same way. They appeared to be real
gentlemen, and still | did not want
their company. I made up, my mind to
keep up courage, believing that there
still was hope. At once, L began
to make my plans of escape, and to
this end l sought to gain the conf
dence of my captors. | offered my
services to cook breakfast for the par
ty. and as | fried the meat | whist
led and sang. to divert attention. In
possibly half an hour. one of the men
said that he saw stragglers and leav-
ing me in care of one the other three
started in pursuit. The horse of my
keeper was standing in the road, and
as the others started he followed, and
my guard, losing sight of me started
in pursuit. 1t was my opportunity,
and when he had gone short distance,
| dropped the meat and ran at my best
speed into the woods. Returning he
followed me, but / had dropped behind
a tree, the roots of which had been
turned up by the wind. | pulled my
legs under me, and he came up, the
ground being covered with brush and
grape vines, he could not see me. He
called and swore if | did not come
out he would kill me- His three COM
panions came up, they swore and threa-
tened, but being securely hidden, |
did not answer. A short distance be-
low me five men came from their con-
cealment, gave themselves up, and my
captors went off with them. After
they left me 7 moved further, | could
hear them still hunting me, called
and threatened to shoot me, but |
stood them off, and discouraged they
gave up the hunt. Though | escaped
them, my troubles had only commenced.
Between my present position and
Memphis were four brigades or rebel
cavalry, stretching out and covering
the country for forty miles, so
would have to 90 through their lines.
I decided to hide during the day and
continue my travels at night.
Took the Back Track.
"The first night I made poor show
of it. for I followed back road, it
led me into big marshes and bayous,
and it took me all night. l was bare
foot. my feet were badly scratched and
bleeding. and l had nothing on but a
shirt and pair of pants 4 had to
swim a river and in recrossing it on
log l fell off, distance Of fifteen or