Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-05-06
Civil War Stories
A Close Call.

/ canteen with water at q farmhouse
some distance from the road.
Nearing the house. heard woman
scream, and. Fastening forward,
| found In large room two men trying
to take jewels from an elegantly dress
| ed lady / attacked them with my
| dubbed gun, and Knocked them both
! down, but they recovered sufficiently
to escape. At the request OF the ladies,
was then placed on duty to guard
the house until the troops had passed.
There were three ladies in the house.
and they were thankful for my pro
lection. gave me a nice dinner, and
treated me royalty. They invited ne
to call on them IL / ever again found
myself In that part of the country.
started for my command in
happy frame of mind. Hearing noise
behind me l turned around and found
myself face to face with two Confed,
crate cavalrymen One OF them said.
Drop that gun, Yank"
was so surprised that | not only
dropped the gun but almost dropped
myself. They disarmed me, ordered
me TO mount behind one of them, and
went some distance into the timber to
camp of some fifty or seventy-flye
men, OF various ages, unmilitary in ap-
pearance, but having an unusually fine
lot of horses, Some were lounging
about. some playing cards, some pitch
ing horse shoes and others grooming
their horses. They paid but little at
tention to me or my captors. | was
taken to the only tent in camp.
The leader, with a scowling face. or
dered the men to take me to the quart
house This was small Enclosure OF
| upright poles, and here / was surprised
TO find the two men whom l had at
tackled. Three others were with them,
and we're apparently from the same
command. The two men recognized
me and made an attack upon me The
guard interposed, and then took the
two men out and tied them to trees.
The officers held a consultation at the
tent and then we were drawn up in
line and the leader said that we had
been captured robbing houses along
the road, and that We had been SEN
fenced to death.
He gave us permission to say a few
words, and this privilege l improved
to the best of my ability. l told OF
my encounter and how my remaining
on guard had delayed me and caused
me to be captured
They examined the two prisoners
and found bruises 'corroborating that
part OF my story. They told me to
step aside and said they would inves
tigate my case later The others made
no satisfactory explanation and were
told TO prepare for death. They were
placed in single file with eyes covered
and their hands tied behind them. 4
private with a new Spencer rife took
position in front Of them and ser
geant gave the command Ready aim
fret
Two OF the men fell dead. The third
fell severely wounded. The same com
mand was repeated, and the other two
fell dead. The sergeant then stepped
up to the wounded man and sent :,
l.. bullet through his brain
The bodies were dumped in to a
wagon and carried away. The leader
after questioning me more closely
went with two men to the house where
| had been on guard Soon they re-
turned with two of the ladies', who
: greeted me cordially, expressed regret
at ftfta 4 h,t
must be released
The leader asse mbled his men, and
said that my story mad been corrob
GRATED and that my capture was due to
my zeal in protecting the persons and
property of their friends and relatives.
and that he was In favor OF releasing
me. The proposition was received with
general approval The ladies insisted
that ! should have an escort back to
my command. This also was agreed to
upon condition that would wait until
after dark. was then given the lib.
erty of the camp, after pledging myself
not to reveal its location The mal
made me feel quite at home and want
ed me to join their command.
After eating hearty supper / was
furnished a good horse, and, with two
companions. started for my command.
After a short ride we came in sight OF
the Union camp. There / dismounted
and my guides returned. / marched
up to the picket line, was challenged.
and not knowing the couutersign, was
arrested and held by the guard until
morning. Then, being taken to brigade
headquarters, and questioned, I said
that | had been captured and after,
wards escaped was allowed to r.
turn to my regiment and greeted by
my comrades as one returned from tae
dead