The National tribune., 1910-09-08
THE COLONEL GOT THERE.
How BalIy Mule Almost Got the Col.
onel and the Adjutant Into Trouble.

| Iultor NdtionaI tribune: Kentucky
in 1864 was famous for its guerrilla
regions. and believe the country about
Franklin and the State road thru
Woodburn to Bowling Green was about
the "squalliest place" into which a fell
low who wore the blue could have ven
tured.
One day in June I rode out along
this road with lady friend to the
farm house of Union family / knew,
we rode two fine Kentucky thorobreds
me distance from our camp was seven
miles over the chalky- white turnpike.
and we cantered over the beautifully
wooded landscape with little fear of
danger.
We arrived safely at our destination,
and were met with that kindly well
come real to hearts bound in a COM
mon cause. We were not unexpected,
and every preparation had been made
for festive day, full of good cheer.
Julia, my lady friend who ACCOMPANIED
me- was dressed in a soft and futtering
lawn suited to the day; but as this is
I not love romance / shall not try to
! make ii so to the neglect of the thrill
ing adventure that proved TO be the
climax of the outing.
For prudential reasons I kept well
within doors during the day. but when
the sun was swinging low in the west
we took our departure.
Our horses were brought to the plat
| form by Ned. the only colored boy left
on Inc plantation, and as we drew near
! ne expressed the hope that we might
not have race with the p'or white
trash. who kept cavortin' bout the ma
| bo' hood, 'sturbin the peace of decent
folks" referring evidently to the row
! ing guerrilla bands that were so thick
in that region.
Scarcely had we mounted when two
hofsefnen, clad in regulation blue,
came dashing by. They were the Lieu
tena nt-Colonel and Adjutant of my own
regiment, riding horses covered with
| roam. Seeing US at the fence, they
slackened their speed to warn US of a
squad of armed guerrillas who were in
not pursuit of them. The condition of
their horses and their evident alarm
convinced us that the warning was no
Joke. / asked Miss Julia il she wouId
go. She answered, Yes" seemingly
anxious for sensation, and we dashed
on into the main thorofare, to find
guerrilias about 500 yards in our rear,
shouting for us to surrender. We knew
we were more than equal In a race
against their already jaded horses. and
as we were well out Of gunshot range
| had little to fear
We kept our distance well. In order
to arouse their best endeayors we oc-
casIonally lessened our speed. thar the
guerrlllas might come nearer; but this
we soon realized, was trihing with fate
Tor the bullets came whizzing uncom-
1ortably close at times We gave rein
10 our horses, and overlook the Colonel
3nd AdJutant in a run of q mile or
more, and found them busily engaged
IN hltching mule to a buggy, both of
winch they had found in barn by tt q
roadside. They had turned their tired
horses loose, and were now dependent
on the faithfulness and running ca
pacity of that mule.
But, alas, for the frailty of men and
mules! 1t seems neither can be trust.
ed on every occasion. The Kentucky
mule IN this case surely did not realize
the dangers of the situation, for the
old beast regardless of whatever pride
should have descended from his ances.
ltorS, and with an utter Indifference 10
posterity, baked. Up to this time he
had tried to do, doubtless had done
his best, but would do no more. There
was no cOlored man along, and the
white man was not equal to the occa-
sion. There he stood, sad-eyed but
composed. The situation was tense.
i was delegated to reconnoiter ar
angle in the road, which cut us of
from the enemy's view, while the Col
oneI, who had been jealous preacher
before the war, opened up his battery
Of rhetoric and eXpostulation upon the
mule. The mule was hereto an UNI
believer and an infidel; he wouldn't
bulge. They hastily unlocked him
lpushed the buggy into the weeds be-
side the road. and left the old mongrel
to his meditations.
We We're within mile and q half OF
our camp, and we were getting nervous
II was decided to take the two officers
on our horses, behind my lady friend
and me, and so make n final dash into
camp. There was no time for further
parleving. The Colonel tipped the beam
lat 240 pounds. He and the Adiutant
climbed the fence preparatory tC
mounting. j looked back again for the
Euerrillas, expecting every moment to
see them round the turn in the road
and swoop down upon u.s. but they
were nowhere to be seen. They nc
doubt concluded that they were push
ing the pursuit too near TO our camp
and had dissolved from the view like
the mists of morning
lColonel and Adjutant decided to leave
that mule to his own accusing con-
science and to pull out afoot for the
Ireeimental headquarters.
You can ina gine that the scheme of
doubling up" was not exactly to the
liking of my lady friend and ], tho we
had tried gracefully to accept the sit
uation. Now that we were free we
were urged by the Colonel to push on