The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1910-03-10
THE AFFAIR AT RODNEY.
An Incident of the Civil War En-
tertaIningly Described by an
Eye Witness.
(Fayette Chronicle.l

The following letter, written by
Mr.. Conklin, of Omaha, referring
to an incident of the late war has
been furnished us by Major
Broughton. At the time referred
to Mr.. Conklin was a youth, living
in Rodney; later he enlisted and
served two years in the Confeder-
ate army:
Omaha, Neb., Jan. s, 1910.
Mai. Tno. w. Broughton,
Lorman, Miss.
Dear Friend and Comrade AS
you mentioned in your last letter
that the Fayette Chronicle would
soon publish an account of the
capture of a federal naval captain
and sailors in the Presbyterian
church in Rodney, during the war
between the States, | thought as
l was in the church that day,
and had the experience of hav-
ing both federal and confederate
officer level their pistols on me
within two or three minutes time,
that perhaps my experience might
also be interesting to the readers
of the Chronicle.
AS preface, will say the cap
tain of the federal gunboat was a
very sociable man and frequently
came ashore and talked in friend
ly way with the citizens, and had
attended church few times pre-
vious to the day of his capture.
The citizens of Rodney did not
know of there being any armed
Confederate soldiers in that vicinl
ty at that time; there were though
several paroled Confederate SOL
diers in the town, it being their
home, they having been captured
and paroled, some at Vicksburg,
Others at Port Hudson, when those
places surrendered to the Federals.
Well do l remember that excit-
ing day. 1t was beautiful, sun
shiny Sabbath morning. The
church was crowded so much that
a bench had to be brought from
the negro gallery and was occupied
by sailors who could not find seats
in pews. The Federal captain was
seated Immediately in front of me.
The pew he was sitting in was en-
tirely taken up by himself and sail
ors. A Federal officer who had
accompanied a lady of the town to
church was seated on the opposite
side of the church from the cap
tain. He was the only one of the
party that was armed, he having a
navy revolver. Soon after the SER
vices commenced, we were startled
by noises on the outside of the
church, such as running of horses
in the street and a rafting noise
which we afterwards found out was
caused by the Confederate cavalry
: mems spurs rafting on the brick
walk in front of the church. We
could not imagine the cause of the
noises, but everybody seemed to
have a premonition of something
dreadful going to happen. Before
we had time to take IN the situa-
ton, Confederate officer ran in
the church from the left entrance.
He had revolver in each hand,
and with them pointed toward the
Federals, said, in loud tone, with
an oath, "Surrender, you are my
prisoners. The Federal captain
quickly arose to a standing posi-
ton with uplifted hands, facing
the Confederate, said, 1--WE sur
render, for Gods sake don't fire
among the women and children. .
At that instant the Federal Officer
from the opposite side of the
church fired at the Confederate
who Immediately fred at the Fed
eral and then such excitement anC
confusion never witnessed before
or since. Women and children
were screaming, men, women ant
children were rushing in every di
rection endeavoring to get out 0
the church, some jumping out 0
windows, others rushing out of th
doors. Back in the choir looke'
to me to be the safest place, an
in my excitement | climbed owe
the top of the pews to get there.
found few of the citizens of th
town in the choir; the only ones
ran remember now were lame