Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-01-17
Early ReCOIIectiOnS
OF Old NOxubee,

sad fate of Richard H. Lloyd, who wa
of the Shuqualak firm, when the wa
broke out, of W. E. and R. H. Lloyd
they occupying the last store south OF
the west side.
Richard Lloyd, too, went out will
the Shuqualak contingent of "a wh'
went 10 Mobile and became portion O.
the Gulf City Guards, which company
as before stated, was assigned to th'
Oath Alabama Regiment, W H. Higley
colonel.
Just before leaving Mobile for Pen
sacola with the Gulf City Guards, Rich
ard Lloyd married and never saw his
wife but one time afterwards during
the war and that was when his regi
ment passed through Mobile, bound fol
Corinth. to take part in the battle Of
Shiloh.
In one of the battles, along in 1864
that his regiment engaged in Lloyd was
cs,tured and sent to Rock Island prison,
where he remained for two months af-
ter the war had ended, refusing to the
last to take the oath of allegiance.
His wife. who had remained true
throughout the long struggle, seeing tina
others who had been confined in the
prison mentioned had come home, and
learning of them that Lloyd's refusal
to take the oath was the cause of his
being held and that he would sooner or
later be ordered shot if he didn't, sac
rifced her jewelry and other personal
belongings; bought a horse and buggy
and struck out on the long and uncer-
tain trip, overland. for Rock Island, IL
hnois, hoping that her presedce and en-
5 treaties would cause her husoa to
realize the folly of holding out longer.
since the cause now was. admitted a
',lost"' one, and after many kardships
and narrowing experiences, having to
pass through military lines and meeting
gangs of jayhawkers and guerrilas ali
along the route, after having crossed
the Ohio river, (they suhjecting her to
alpkipds Of insults). and begging ker
way the last few days of her travels,
for her money had given out, she finally
rsasHed her tiestine tionv "a. s-As.a.
Her first move there was to see the
chief prison officer, which she did she
describing him as hearCless wretch,
with not the first spark of human in
his breast, for when she told him that
it was her husband whom they had con.
fined in the prison that had reFus el to
take the oath. and Of h-r long trip
overland there to see him and prevail
upon him to take the oath, he gruffly
answered no." AMI stated that it
would knock the boys out of too much
fun shooting him, as his doom was
sealed, and that she was too late.
Fairly paralyzed at this cruel, un-
couth ultimatum, but not altogether
discouraged beyond hope, she asked if
she might not see her husband onse
more before he was taken from her,
and for a while this was coldly refused,
but Mrs. Lloyd being an educated wo-
man, with the powers of an emotional
actress and evolutionary grace Of a
queen, knowing it was her last hope,
continued her pleading and enacting a
scene, tit was afterwards learned
through the newspapers), which for ell
oquence in the words used; agonizing
facial expressions, and pity arousing ef-
feet would put to shame the most elo-
quent criminal lawyer OF the land.
For one hour. it is said, she continued
her prayer standing, looking the officer
squarely in the face and taking hope as
she would see the telling effect that
some point she had made in her prayer
had had the:proper lodgment.
1t was her last refuge, and spurred
to desperation by thoughts of her hus-
band being shot and her long, sorrowful
ride back home, she made the best of
the opportunity, finally obtaining the
officers consent not only to let her see
him, but to release him, (although the
day had been named for him to be shot),
if he would only take the oath Of alle-
giance-to never take up arms again
against the United States.
A couple of guards were here ordered
to take Mrs. Lloyd to the prison cell of
her husband and stand guard while she '
talked to him.
After a long and affecting embrace,
(the guards, it is said, at times not be- /
ing able to keep back the tears), ;, Mrs. I
Lloyd started upon the work of trying
10 convince her husband that since all
the armies had surrendered. of the folly i
IF his refusing to take the oath, and f. q
lally got him to consent to do SO, and
1t length he was released.
That evening they started on their
ong ride home, but before leaving
Lloyd was warned of the danger of v
travelling on Yankee soil in Q Confed. :
,f,.te Hiiifortii Eut It was all he had ),
nd ,sikh M makek ~ tsAk ANkk rim =