Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-05-31
CONTINUED from last week.

(Continued from last week.
Several years ago at the request.
Of a soldier editor of paper pub
lished at Des Moines, | wrote up an
incident which | here reproduce:
After the battle of Corinth. Oct.
. 3rd and 4th, 1862, that part OF the
army of the Tennessee known as the
left wing of the Sixteenth army
corps. remained at and near Corinth
until the summer Of 1868, DOING
garrison duty and frequently MAX
ing forced marches after Forrest
Rhoddy and other rebel raiders, thus
rendering indirect service to General
Grant in his campaign against Vicks-
IuIrg 1t was during this period that
COMPANIES A and | of the End Iowa
Infantry, and part OF company OF
Illinois Cavalry were ordered on ue-
tached service to guard a point on
the Tuscumbia river called smith 5
Bridge which was about five miles
southeast of Corinth, and was re-
garded from a military standpoint
as a place of considerable import
ance at that time Between Smiths
Bridge and the low swamp the
land was a dense body or timber
through this timber small creek
runs at right angles with the Tus-
cumbia river; the road from Corln'h
TO the Bridge crosses this creek
mile or thereabout north of the rlv-
er and at the time of which l write
was made of corduroy through the
swamps, the whole furnishing an
excellent cover for guerillas with
which the whole country was at that
time infested bands of as murder
ous cut-throats as ever went un-
hung. These fellows would occa-
sionally leave their horses on the
south side of the ravine, cross on
an old tree that had fallen so as
to make a very fair bridge and
creeping up to the Corinth road lay
for stragglers, orderlies, mail car
riers and others. In this way they
captured several of our men.
I had been detailed to serve on
court martial in town, of which the
gallant Col. James Redfeld or the
39th Iowa, who was thrice wounded
and died like the hero he was, In
defense of Allatoona-was Presi-
dent: we were holding one session
a day. which generally lasted from
ten in the morning till two in the
afternoon. 1t was my custom to
ride to town in time for the court
and then out to the Bridge again al
ter adjournment.
Bayard, the horse l rode, had for
merly belonged to the enemy, ana
had his own notions about some
things, he used to remind me OF
Mark Twain's mule. which Twain
said always looked as If he wanted
to lean up against fence and
think. Perhaps this peculiar way
was due to climatic influences or
maybe il was because he had been
: impressed into the government SER
eyice against his will; however he new
er complained of i'll treatment, but
he always wore melancholy look
His great antipathy was thought TO
be spurs; it was generally supposed
among the boys that it was consti-
tutional with him; he despised spurs
and vet nothing seemed TO stimulate
him more. | think that was why
they called him Bayard; gently prod
him with a spur and for the moment
he appeared to freshen up like a
sensitive person under the bite OF
MOSQUITO. he would come TO a dead
stop and then leisurely turn and give
a most vicious snap at your FOOT,
hut he was never in hurry about
1T. he always took time enough TO
think before he snapped, he seemed
to enjoy it more that way.
Mounted upon this animal ] was