Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-23

Captain Fuller directed me to report
to him at Memphis.
1 was then instructed to relieve ia
Butler military agent and operator
at Colliervile, station thirty miles
from Memphis. Butler said 10 me,
You'll have to hustle around to ma
a place to eat and water to drink, as
there was no boarding house or OH
GERS mess for an operator. Inc water
supply was obtained from won river
three miles distant. An escort OF cav
airy went with the water wagons as
the rebel troopers were constantly
harassing the picket posts and hring
on the water trains.
Works Clever Ruse
got my cooked rations and two
bottles of Catawba from Memphis
daily. A mixed train came out from
the city in the morning, returning IN
the evening. The cab of the engine
was barracaded with heavy plank ana
a guard of infantry rode In heaVy
plank car, with portfolios to protect
the train. Lafayette station, five
miles distant. was the terminus of the
road, where John Thayer was operator
with a picket post for protectlon.
Falkners rebel cavalry made a rald on
the place; the pickets fell back. mayer
wired me what was doing; I notlneu
patched a cavalry regiment douple
quick In that direction Thayer hao
bugle He for a ruse, sounded the
cavalry call to fall in line OF pattle,
which was effectual in holding pack
the enemy until the regiment arrived.
That bugle call made Thayer FAMOUS
fellow with the cavalrymen.
When Mr. Lincoln issued his great
emancipation proclamation it was sur
prising to witness the effect so soon.
The negro refugees coming IN IroIn
down in Dixie, trudging to our camp
in fiocks of hundreds. A long; nlsn
cotton platform near the depot was
utilized for hunks under the foorlng;
tents were also furnished them, with
rations of food This motley crew
was now snuffing the air OF IreeuoIl,
such singing, preaching, shouting ana
dancing night after night , on Ina
the weird scene, was a sight to be-
hold
Telegraph Office Rombarded
General Sherman's narrow escape
from capture or death was an excit-
ing circumstance. He came out from
Memphis with an escort of cavalry
men to inspect the troops at conner
VILE Great preparations were Inaoe
to receive the general. The regiments
narade line, no one suspecting what
was to occur. Two officers came rush
Inc in nv office to wire the general IN
command at Memphis. that a force OF
rebel cavalry were making dash 10
intercept General Sherman anu ms
escort They did not stop TO write Ih9
message, but dictated what l shoulo
say. - .,,a
About this time the officers could
see the enemy from the window at a
distance. placing artillery in position.
The brick depot was in line Win tne
earthwork fort, some hundred yaros
away. Cannonading now began;
ebeu or solid shot tore through the
brick wall; the mortar dust was stihing
and hlinding to me. I lost no time IN
running to the fort. Sherman ana MS
escort dashed in making very mar
row escape. After an artillery hre OF
shor+ duration the enemy Withdrew.
some DAYS afterward it was learned
| that a federal staff officer Who was IN
love with a southern woman, had ol-
vulged to her of Sherman's intended
| trip, The woman, being an aroens
| friend TO the rebel cause, had notined
| General Forrest in time to be Httie
| 49, iata The traitor officer was dis
| honorably discharged from the service,
| his shoulder straps and buttons cur
| off escorted outside the picket line anu
turned loose an outcast;
Cavalry soldiers who had sore eyes
were detailed to deliver kilograms at
NV office. My eyes became sore, in
famed and painful. so much SO; l
asked to be relieved. Captain rul fer
trAa tnent. where in the course OF
month ooa my eyes were we'll enough to go
r. work. I was offered position on
tbe Ohio and Mississippi road at better
nav than in the military service, but
that was too tame a job for me-
Back to old Kentucky
When I returned to Cairo there was
no wire connection with Memphis.
Military dispatches were carried py
-s-arsanoars on river steamers. l was