Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1909-10-01

III tne spring OF 1865, joined the ia
nous Kentucky Faulkners command un
der Captain Porter, of Memphis, an,
were independent scouts. One of on
raids, underl Lieutenant Martin, was :.
capture a wagon train of about q
wagons coming from Summerville, Tenn.
to Memphis. We were on the lookou
for some time. Finally the train passed
and we were some distance i'm the rear
but by whip and spur we managed Il
overtake them at morning sun. The Fed
erals saw they could not escape, and in
a lane they ditched wagons on each side
of the road and blocaded the center and
that checked our progress, and to oul
sorrow they had concealed in Their
wagons the 54th Ohio Regiment. That
formed hollow square. We only had
about IL in our command. Our Lieu
tenant saw the hopeless condition we
were in and opened fire and gathered all
the mules left out of the block-about a
dozen. We had one man wounded, and we
learned the Federals lost one man.
lost the best horse / ever owned in my
life. In our retreat some ladies gave me
a pony that stayed with me until the
close of the war. We had many narrow
escapes when passing the picket lines and
would have to make our escape when
the enemy was firing upon us. Once
there were only about nine in the squad
when we found the Federal cavalry COM
pany coming out from Memphis. We
were by the Nonconna River and they
were coming on road that crossed the
river at a rocky ford which held only
about half the company, and when they
were in we fired, and the "yanks"
stampeded.
The next day the report came that
Col. Forrest was about to attack Mem
phis.
In few days we were on the Herman
do plank road, and in lane about q
mile and half long we suddenly came
upon a cavalry company dismounted and
resting in the fence corners. Now you
bet We had to make tracks to save our
hide-a one mile race before we could
reach the woods. We were always safe
when we took to the bushes.
The next year, when our army began
to need, our company was put in Col.
Balentine's Regiment, and We were sent
to cover Johnson's retreat. We camped
on the Tallahatchie, near Oxford, and
then went to Oxford the day Gen. Grant
entered. We were opposite Grants right
wing, and behind ridge. could not
observe the movement of the Federals
and asked our officer to let me 20 up
and look at Grants army move 30 nice
ly, and was 80 interested that I never
heard the command when the order
came to retreat. The "yanks" were
moving upon. us at an angle to our left
and each company came about ten steps
nearer than the one that went before,
and when they came as near as about
forty yards, fired on them and retreat
ed, and found was there alone. Our
had gone, my horse was gone
and it was after shutdown. In my retreat
found Texas man coming into the
road on my pony. now had my horse
but could not get to my command.
About one mile South was the road
from the west into Oxford. Grants bug
Ter was blowing call for camp. When
reached the cross-road, a gentleman who
lived there told me Grant had put out
pickets between .me and my command.
I suppose / was half mile west from
Oxford. Put my horse up and gave him
some feed, and went to bed and slept.
In the morning at roll call in Oxford /
left for the west.
After this retreat Van Dorm took our
cavalry for his famous raid in Middle
Tennessee. went back home, follow
ing Gen. Smiths command back to
Memphis. Found Lieutenant Scales there
and We formed a scout. During this time
a negro who was cook for us when in the
Ninth Regiment, brought company Of
Federals out from Germantown, after
the squad. / was taken prisoner about
the last days Of June, was taken to Ten
nessee and sent to Memphis. Our prison
was in Irwin block, east of Court Square.
On 4th of July we were put aboard q
bound for Alton, Ill. There
was Texas soldier, Rufus Henderson,
who offered to take care of me, and sug-
gested we jump overheard on the Ar
kansas side of the river and swim out.
1 was sick or / would have gone. Mr..
Henderson made ready and when the
guard turned on post Henderson threw
him into the river, jumped in and came
out in Arkansas all o. X. and wet. (Mr.
Henderson lived in De Soto county after
the war; After this the officer put US
ON top of the boat and had to wrap in
a blanket-it was so cold. The next day
we stopped at st. Louis; they still kept
us on top of the boat.
The next remember was the old pen
itentiary. We had good treatment, plen-
ty to eat and comfortable quarters-if
man can be comfortable with plenty Of
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