The National tribune., 1910-02-10
UNFoRTUNATE COLoRED SOLDIER
Captured by GuerriIias, Barely Escapes
With His Life, ard Is Now Branded
as Deserter

Editor National Tribune: While cap
tor and captured are yet alive, and
while a wrong is being persisted in by
W. Byrd, an ex-member of Co. A, 1st
L. s. Col. Cav, should be told, and if
The National Tribune will give space to
this strange but true tale the wrong
may be righted.
George Washington Byrd, for many
years barber in Columbus, o., has
tried thru Congressman of the 18th
Ohio District to have his disabilities
removed, but thus far in vain. He is
marked d deSerter. He was absent
when his regiment was dismissed from
the service.
The following is his story: "I lived
in North Carolina before the war, and
was a fireman on the North Carolina
Central Railway under a Yankee en-
gineer. L had never been a slave, and
when 1 learned that the Confederate
Government meant to force us free ne
gros into the service in some capacity /
told the engineer that l intended to
make myself scarce in that part of the
country. He told me where to go and
how. and thru the aid of the Quakers
l made my escape and Joined the 1st
U. S. Col. Cav, Co. A, Capt. Charles w.
Dye.
After the surrender of Lee another
soldier and 1 were sent out to find
abandoned Government wagons. am
munition, etc While on this trip my
comrade and / stopped at a pool to
bathe and wash our shirts. Presently
we discovered that We were surround
ed, and lot of armed men-they
looked like guerrillas-ordered us to
come out and dress.
one or two of these Withholding
rebels was determined to kill us. These
-- niggers caused all our troubles
one said.
The officer in command ordered
them to desfst. These niggers are our
prisoners he asserted, and I viii shoot
the first man who disobeys me-
They took us with them and we
marched for days. and / learned they
were going to JOhnston's army in North
Carolina. As we neared the State line
we met large squad of rebels and our
captors and these men had a long talk.
While the men were talking and
visiting the man who saved my life
came to me and said: The war is over.
but these men may Kill you; slip down
there in the bushes and hide until we
get awayI
This we did. i had some relatives
In Galllpolis, o., and afoot and alone l
walked from southern Virginia to Ohio.
II took me six weeks to get there I
did not know anything about my regi-
ment. / did not know how to find out.
Years afterward, however, / tried to
get a pension, and then found / was
marked deserter
Finally / came to Columbus and
started barber shop, and one of my
whlte CUSTOMERS was a man by the
name OF Marlowe. i did not know his
name until one day 1 was telling my
story TO colored comrade, who asked
q
II noticed the white man I had
shaved, and who remained in the shop
reading paper. lay down the paper
and listen with sort of strange look
and when / had finished he asked:
What kind of horse did that man ride
who saved you from being shot?'
i remember the horse / said. Sure
L remember that horse. 1t was a dark
chestnut with natural white collar rum
ning down to a point on its breast
Yes. said the man; that is right
Who are you that know about that
horse? l asked.
l rode him. My name is Marlowe.
ii was Maj. Marlowe, of Confederate
Scouts, and for q time a spy I'D North
here. AS spy 1 visited Columbus in
1864. ] Joined the knights of the Gold
en- Circle at Lancaster, and was given
money to live on while in the North.
also enlisted men in Ohio for the Con-
federate army. At the time we cap
tured two colored men in Virginia my
scouts were on the way to Johnston's
army"
The writer has met both men and
discussed the case. Marlowe made affi-
davit to the circumstance, and Con-
gresham ID. c. Badger presented il to
the Department. Later the present
Congressman from Columbus. Hon. f.
IL. Taylor. Jr.. tried to do something,