The National tribune., 1909-12-09

going thru woods that CHANGED to be in
our route, all the time evading the
public roads and keeping good look
out for the enemy, who, l am glad to
say. did not overtake us.
When about mile from camp an
old crippled man came out of his house
near the road and told us to get away
from there as fast as possible, for it
had not been half an hour since some
guerriffas or bushwhackers had been
there, sand that they were killing every
Yankee soldier that they came across.
So we went on at a lively gait, and
reached camp safely. The cripple said
be glad to have the Yankees whipped
in fair fighting, but not by guerrilla
warfare.
The Thomas Lewis, who insisted so
strongly on us going into his house to
rest. was one of few who harbored,
fed and assisted in every way those
guerrilla bands who were so plentiful
in that part of Georgia at that time in
their cruel and inhuman warfare.
In December, 1908, SO years later, /
was staying for a few days with a gen.
tlefrlan by the name of John Plemmons.
who lived on his mountain farm in
Gilmer County, Ga. One evening while
sitting in front of the oldfashioned
fireplace, before good blazing fire, Mr.
PleHmons related to me story that
his father had told him soon after the
war was over. Mr.. Plemmons belonged
to Georgia regiment that was in Gen.
Joseph Wheeler's cavalry, and was in
the army during the time referred to
in the above adventure. His father,
Samuel Plemmons, who was too old to
enlist, was living on his farm in Bar
tow County, Ga, some four or five miles
from Kingston. Among his neighbors
was Thomas Lewis.
rhe story as related to his son was
as follows: In September, 1864, while
the armies of Sherman and Hood were
fighting around Atlanta, seven Yankee
soldiers came TO the house of his neigh
bOr Lewis. They had with them two
muskets, and were from the hospital
camp near Kingston. Mr.. Lewis invit-
ed them into the house to rest, but they
declined to go. They left. going thru a
small peach orchard. In short time
about 30 guerrillas appeared at the
house of Mr.. Lewis, where the seven
Yankees had been only few minutes
before. After a few words with Mr..
Lewis the guerrillas started in pursuit
OF the Yankees. who were last seen in
the peach orchard. Mr. Plemmons
never knew whether the Yankees were
overtaken and killed or not.
A few days after the Yankee soldiers
had been at the Lewis house a battalion
the scene in that neighborhood. They
started in by burning Lewis's house,
barn and everything that they Bcoufd
find that would burn, not allowing any
thing to be taken from the burning
buildings They then went to half q
dozen other farm houses whose occu-
pants had been harboring and assisting
the guerrillas. and burned them out
too
Mr.. PIemmors's father, as well as q
few other people in the vicinity, were
not disturbed by the Union cavalry and
were treated very kindly, altho know
ing that he and his neighbors were
strong rebels and that their SONS were
in the army fighting for the Confeder-
acy. Mr.. Plemmons said that il was {
mystery to know how the Union cav
airy knew who the people were tina
harbored the guerrillas. but they knew
every one of them. and they all paiC
dearly for their work.
While PlemmOns was relating tn,
story to me j could hardly hold in unit
he had finished to say l was one of thu
seven Yankees spoken of, and the ont
who said to the others not to go int
the Lewis house. His father also tolt
him that the guerrillas did not moles
ANYBODY after the visitation of the 5tf
Ohio Cav. He said ii was reported tina
the cavalry caught some Of them, ant
that he was satisfied they made shor
work of the gucrrillas, so that they
never molested anybody again. During
the remainder of the war peace reigned
in-that section so far as guerrillas wert
concerned. If any Of the seven Yankees
are living. ] should be pleased to heal
frpm them.-D. ID. Nicholas, Co. f
11Sth Ohio, Knoxville. Tenn.