The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-01-05
The Partisan
Being Captured, Death Stared
Him and His Men In
the face.
By SARAH BRYCE VAUGHAN.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.


batants on the southern side-the
army, the partisan and the guerrilla.
The army and the guerrilla lasted
throughout the four years fight; the
partisan was rare except at the begin
ming of the war. and. though he kept
up an irregular warfare TO the end, he
eventually became an enlisted soldier.
Young Carroll Bates of Tennessee
was In the spring of 1862 leader OF
one of these partisan bands He had
no commission from the Confederate
government. nor were his men enlist
ed. The consequence was that II cap
tured they were amenable TO the same
treatment as the guerrillas. which was
to be hanged or shot. Bates command
numbered about thirty men. most of
them of the better class. and the work
they laid out for themselves was the
annoyance of the Federal armies. They
would interrupt communications by
cutting bridges. tearing up tracks, set
ting fire to storehouses containing army
upplies-indeed, all such work as
would harass the enemies of the Con
federacy. Their acts would have been
legitimate had they been mustered into
the service, but as citizens they were
engaged in an unlawful warfare.
Bates was of that type of man Of
whom General N. B. Forrest was the
principal. No bridge guard knew
when the young partisan would swoop
down on them, make them prisoners or
drive them away and set fire to the
bridge that had been placed In their
charge Wagon trains unless under
charge of a large guard, even far In
rear of the Federal front, were never
safe from capture, and II captured they
and the supplies they contained were
burned. So bold and so annoying were
Bates men that the general in com
mand of the Federal troops in the dis.
trict he was constantly raiding sent
Captain Coleman with two companies
of cavalry to capture or dispense his
band
One evening Bates stopped at the
house of a Union farmer and demand
ed supplies for his men and forage for
his horses. The southerners having
been supplied had not long left the
farm when Captain Coleman and his
troops rode up from a different direc-
ton. Upon the captain asking for in
formation of Bates command the farm
er said:
They have just left here II you
are after them you'll find them near
here tonight. Bates girl lives a few
miles down the road and he's sure to
go to see her this evening. I'll show
you the roads by which you can APP
proach the house from different direc-
lions and surround it."
The offer was gladly accepted, and
when 1t was quite dark the farmer
sent one of his boys to reconnoiter the
partisans. 1t was learned that the
band was bivouacked In the yard of
the house of one Colonel Payton, COM
handing Confederate regiment IN
east Tennessee. whose daughter Dol
ly was engaged TO Carroll Bates.
About 10 O'Clock a hundred Federal
cavalrymen. converging encircled the
house and captured the entire band.
The men were In the yard, most of
them asleep. but Bates was in the
house with his 6ancee.
At the time of the capture Dolly
Payton was begging her lover to OBJ
tain a commission from the Confeder-
ate government and thus avoid certain
death in case Of capture Bates ar
gued that by doing so he would be-
come very small part of a large
army and could not as such be as use
full to the cause. She was holding up
to him the horror she would expe-
rience in case he were captured when
they were startled by shots without
The door was thrown open. and Cap
tain Coleman stepped In with a drawn
revolver In each hand. confronting
Bates. around whom the girl had
thrown her arms.
Bates, seeing that he was caught en-
deavored to unwind Doly's arms. but
she would not. Coleman, touched by
the scene. stood waiting. waving back
his men who had followed him into
the house. Finally Bates unwound
the HTIDS IDaI eQClTCleu UlIu, anu lD6
girl fell to the floor In q faint. Cole
man motioned Bates to take her up.
He did so and placed her on the sofa
on which the two had been sitting.
BY this time members of the family
appeared. took charge OF Dolly, and
Bates was taken outside. The thirty
partisans were In charge of three times
their number of Union cayarymen and
escape was hopeless.
The next morning Captain Coleman
entered the house and asked for writ
ing material. He desired to send
courier to his general with a report
Of the capture and to ask for instruc-
lions While be was writing Dolly
Payton, white as a cloth. came In.
what will you do with them?" she
asked.
THAT is for the general to decide"
81 know what he will decide. He
will order you to shoot them all"
There was no reply to this.
And why will he shoot them" the
girl went on. striving to control herself
with a view TO saving them Because
they are fighting as citizens and not as
soldiers. On this account they must
suffer the punishment of these bands