Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-04-26

my hand from the pistol, and | was again so
dazed that he could easily have killed me-
Again he offered me my life. and waited
patiently for me to be sufficiently conscious to
decide whether / would live or die. / deter
mined to change my plan of fighting. left
the pistol on the ground and folded both hands
across my breast, saying, Knock my. brains
out and be done with 1t, for will never sur
render / think he was under the impression
that had very few brains to knock out Down
whizzed the gun for the finishing blow.
Il seized the gun. however He jerked
back with all his strength / had braced my
left foot against the body OF the horse, and be-
tween his pulling and my pushing / was re-
leased, and sprang to my feet. The first thing
/ did was to wrench the gun from his hands
and throw 1t into the bushes. He had been
generous enough to save my life good many
times when / was down and unarmed. / had
1t in my power to let him know how dubbed
gun feels. and besides had two pistols and O.
Bowie knife in my belt, in addition to the dis
abled pistol; but / could not use weapon
against so chivarous foe.
After some blows had been exchanged
with naked fists, saw that would have to
fight faster, or the enemy would be upon me,
and / might yet be captured. ! had had some
experience as a wrestler at school. and re-
solved to throw him, and when had him down
on his back he might be willing to surrender.
But he knew that business better than did,
and / was again down and at the bottom. Sew
eral times we turned, first one on top and then
the other, and each time blows were ex-
changed. Finally rolled up against the trunk
of small tree, and he pinned me down on the
other side. He had greatly the advantage Of
me. Finding that l had no other chance, /
seized him by the throat and he returned the
compliment choking match began in which
we both engaged.
Being on my back, and looking up, saw
the butt of carbine descending on the head
of the captain. / realized In a moment that
one Of my men had come. / had been seeking
the destruction of my enemy, but In an instant
was trying to save his life. At the risk OF
losing my right arm, threw 1t over his head
and turned the blow, which would have killed
him instantly. For long time suffered from
the effects of that blow, but never regretted
my efortsto save generous enemy One Of
my scouts, a named Taylor. hearing shots
and missing me from the party, had dashed
up just in time to prevent my capture.
s'The captain at once offered to surrender.
found that all this time he had been carrying
In his body ball from my second shot
refused to accept his surrender. telling him
that ii could not take him myself would not
take him with reinforcements. cavalry off,
Ger dashed in sight; / mounted horse which
When / saw the captain last he was sitting
against a tree completely exhausted have
never been able to hear what finally became
Of him. If he is still alive. / sure that he
has never forgotten me- any more than have
forgotten him."
When Mr.. Stringfellow presented himself
before General Lee to make his report. he was
fresh from this conflict; covered with blood
from head TO foot. his hair soaked with blood,
and must have presented a grewsome sight.
Lee ga1ed 1t him and asked, with that old
twinkle Ia his eyes, "Stri1gfellow, did you whip
General sm1thg1
s2o-but traed." said the bloody scout.
my boy Said General Lee, "one Of the
beautiful things in the Bible is that wonderful
saying She hath done what she covtd. 9"
AT kny rate the little band of sixt6en brave
men Md done what they had set oAr to do
they had deIayed Smiths army. There was q
Heres scontrcFerky about 1t afterwards among
Grant Bulier aud Smith. and things were said
70 Smith about letting "a handful of bush.
wharkerse fhx4F his 1oes into disorder.