The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-05-09
General Woodward Recounts q
Tavern Fight That Wound
Up With Him Aboard Man
of-War and Destined for Sea

4
The accompanying installment Of the
"Reminiscences Of General Thomas .. ..
woodward is the second part OF long
letter written Editor J. ]. Hooper. Oh
the Montgomery Mail in December,
1858, and in which General WodWaro
reviews many Of the. Incidents OF his
1ong ana active life. The first part
Of the letter carries him through his
early service in the war of 1872 AND
describes certain fights in which ne
took part In the early part OF the war
between the whites and the Indians
and the American and the British. he
was in the fight at Caleebe Creek In
Macon County with General Floyd IN
1914, after which he went to spend
seevral weeks among the Creeks In
Middle Alabama.
Returning 70 Georgia, having dis.
charged his own military obligations
he took one hundred dollars 10 serve
as substitute for one Tom Cothron'
In which service he was sent to Camp
Covington near Savannah.
This was In the closing year OF the
war. Insthis letter he recounts an an
teresting chapter in his life. his sign
ing on the sloop OF war Epervier from
which he was released by the court.
The vessel on. which he spent few
days was lost somewhere In the At
iantic and the fate Of It to this day Is
unlearned.
SOLDIER LIFE IN
THE WAR OF 1917
We reached Camp Covington-Tthe
Captain allowed me all the privileges
he dared to. I was soon detailed Tor
a. teamster and II was not long before
xrrtk 10
vannah, the better class excepted as
any one belonging to the army. II hao
very fine suit of Indian "hxins'
known to but few. There was young
man in Glasscock's company by the
name Of Augustus Parker who spoke
the Indian language much better thar
/ could. There was a man In Hor-
toms company by the name of Jake
burden, a fine pensman who wrote out
pass and signed Col. Hawkins name
to It.
with the aid OF the Indian dress this
forged passport and Augustus Parker
I imposed upon General Floyd and al
many others as I chose to, Gen. Wat
SON, my brother-in law. being amons
them.
/ played It of on the citizens of sa.
yannah until I got tired. A grea
you could you have seen them a
the time I was well acquainted witt
most of the officers and men that be
longed to the army.
1t 30 happened that some Of the OF
fcers in the army got to visiting
circus that was in the city and ha'
once or twice gotten into trouble Il
civilian dress A Major Mitchell AM
some other officers proposed to TAX
me along and pay my way in the cir
Gus and II a, knock down took place
was to take a hand2in It.
went and after the show was over
all hands went to drinking hous'
or grocery We had not been ther'
long before a dispute arose between
the landsmen and the seanen. Th'
signal was given and let in on thu
little larry trousered fellows, and i
was not long. before I received a blow
on the side Of my head with stici
which put me to some trouble to know
whether 1t was the grocery or myself
that had been knocked down. But
soon found that II was myself ant
called for quarter. Seamen are mucl
more generous In matters of that sor
than landsmen; they hauled OF ant
when came to look around my GROVE
had left. The seamen asked me witt
4 was ana what was dnu Hduo
fair statement OF the whole matter
They said I was pretty good fellow
but could not be let of until I woult
go to a tavern and take something t
eat and drink with them. I consented
to this. thinking I would get an op
portunity TO leave them. The taverl
I think was kept by one Shellman.
Not long after we reached the tav
ern. a man by the name of Campbell
came in.. I knew him; he had been I
soldier in 1872 under Col. John vii
Iiams from East Tennessee. He thel
Informed me that he was then ma
rine and belonged to the sloop of wa
Epervier. or Ell Epervier, and tina
much money was made by shipping oil
board of her. I soon found that SOM
OF those who had been in the frolic a
the grocery were naval officers, for the!
would at times ask me IL I knew tn
penalty for striking a naval officer
They soon found that knew that !
was necessary for them to have worl
some badge, so as to distinguish then