The National tribune., 1910-07-28

to do. He accepted Lieutenant's COM
mission in the infantry. His regiment
was sent to the Pacific Coast, and was
soon actively engaged in the Modoc war
under Gen. Candy. He was accidental
( ly killed in a peculiar manner by the
bursting of a carbine. He was with his
company. following up a band of ma
rauding Indians, who in their hurry to
escape had thrown away their arms,
! first bending the barrels by striking
them against trees or rocks. Pike,
upon seeing the bent guns, picked one
up and pulled the trigger. The gun,
being heavily loaded, exploded and
killed him.
CorpI Pike had been captured, and
in this letter tells of his experiences
after being taken to Macon, Ga
Washington City, Dec. 1, 1862.
Dear Father: The first night that
got to the main camp the Major of
Starnes's Battalion talked to me until
about midnight about the unfortunate
war in which we are engaged. He
seemed anxious to know what our SOL
diers thought Of it. I told him that
the South must submit, and that moth
ing less would satisfy us. But said
he, the North wants to free our slaves
AT Chattanooga, when I was taken
before Col Bibb, the Provost Marshal,
he was busy at the moment writing
While / was waiting a spruce Lieuten-
ant came up, looked at me and said as
tho he had just made a discovery: I've
seen you befo'.' Have you?' said I.
You are the man that took Fayettes-
vile single-handed, and burnt up a lot
of our bacon on Wells Hill, and then
rode into a church after some of our
men. and asked the preacher If there
were any Southern soldiers in the
house. I wish they'd put me to guard
you. Your name is Pike I've seen you
befo', sir
II made an about-face and said: And
now you see me behind. sir Come,
come. Yank; remember you're a pris-
oner,' spoke up Col Bibb. L am I
replied. but l have no favors to ask of
any of you Lieutenant said Col
Bfbb. getting red, take the man out in
the hall until I'm ready to see him.
And he went on writing.
Presently he came out, and. eyeine
me. said: Do you know me. sir" No.
said ]. We'll. you served under me in
Texas. i recognized you instantly You
were then in the Regular service That
is mistake replied; I was Rang
err He scowled at me, and shouted at
the top of his voice: You did serve
under me. / am not mistaken That
is not So 1 answered; I never was a
Regular
II was kept in jail there for six or
seven days, ana then taken out TO go
to the Jail at Knoxville. Col Bibb said
to the guard: IF you allow the people
to talk to that man (pointing at me), ]
will have you put in irons; and you, sir
(shaking his fist wrathfully in my face)
will put you in double irons IL I hear
another word from you
II replied: Crack away He went
away in huff. Just then a heayv-set
man with a plainlooking countenance,
dressed in blue homemade Jeans, but
not single military strap or trapping
about him, came into the depot and
walked up to me and said: This is that
Yankee, is it?' The Sergeant caught
him under holds and threw him vio-
lently across the railroad track. The
man gathered himself up and went of
without saving a word. After he had
got out of hearing a man in the crowd
spoke up and said: Sergeant. you -
fool. that was Gen. Leadbetter.'
The Sergeant looked rueful for a
moment, and then said: I don't care a
-; won't be punished for every
mans doin's.' ] was sorry for 1t my
self. for ] wanted TO ask Leadbetter IL
ne treated all prisoners as rough as he
oid Andrews and his men and myself
But l promised that I would tell
you about how we fared at Macon.
In Prison at Macon.
1T will begin with Mai. Rylander's
speech to US on our arrival. We arrived
In the morning hungry as we could be
without anything in our haversacks
We were told that rations would be is
sued to us that afternoon. Instead of
that II was about 8 o'clock the next day
before We got them. The rations for