Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-09-04


but through the front or rear openings
in the covers | could see the property
stacked up inside.
Having learned all wished to know.
l continued my way to the rear end of
the train, then turned into a wood,
where lost myself for awhile 1t was
now my object to ride northeastward
to General BIS corps and deliver my
order. While l was waiting l heard
rumble and a creaking in the. road and
recognized sounds made by artillery.
If | had needed further evidence of re-
treat this would have confirmed my
opinions, for the next thing to supplies
a retreating army moves is its heavy
guns-that is, unless pressed so hard
by an enemy as to need them for de-
| fense.
! The direction | was now to take fore
ed me to cross the road had Just left.
Preferring to move through woods, |
kept on among the trees as long as pos
sible, then turned into the road. having
a stretch of quarter of a mile before
me before striking other timber. While
making this interval heard the quick
thud of horses hoofs behind me and,
| turning my head, Saw a troop of Con-
federate cavalry coming. turned into
the wood on the north side of the road,
and, though did not alter my gait, l
continued my course. heard Hello,
thar from the troop, but, pretending
not to hear, kept on. AS l disappeared
in the wood there came sharp Halt,
you, thar"
must make a quick decision. In
Federal uniform | could not expect to
deceive an officer as | had deceived a
teamster. l would be obliged to give
an account of myself and would doubt
less be detained. If the generals or
ders were found on me my Federal
uniform might not save me from the
gallows, for, although it was simply an
order, it was evident that it was based
! on my observations of Confederate
movements. / was certainly not on a
direct line between the Federal general
who had written it and the officer for
whom it was intended. This would
pAONC AlC Il oCClCL otlNlCC lldn
All this was but fash in my brain.
My decision was made upon the i'm
portance of getting the order through
If succeeded it would give our troops
great advantage; If l failed a fine
opportunity would be lost. l determin-
edsto run for it. Having passed out of
sight, / put spurs to my horse and,
though l was obliged to dodge the
trees, made good progress. was in
hopes that those who had seen me
would not consider me of sufficient i'm
portance to chase But these hopes
were blasted by hearing one, or more
horses crashing through the under
growth behind me.
A lightning flash before me indicated
that the wood had no great extent and
| would soon be in the open. 1t was
evident that | must soon fight or sur
render. While l was thinking about
it came to the end of the wood and
entered field. Soon after doing so
looked back to see by how many / was
pursued. But one man thus far had
left the wood. rode on at break
neck pace for about half a mile then
looked back again. Only the one pur-
suer was in sight. This decided me.
| determined to fight.
But, realizing that was more likely
to be taken alive than killed, after
drawing my revolver l took the mes
sage from my holster. What would
do with it? If l threw it away the
man chasing me would see 1t and look
for 1t. ! stuffed it in the muzzle of
my pistol. then, refining in my horse,
| faced him toward the Confederate
He was within hundred yards of me
at the time and. drawing his weapon,
came on. My horse was standing still,
which enabled me to take good aim.
When he game within range we both
fired almost simultaneously. His bull
let cut the edge Of my ear though
did not know 1t at the time. My bull
let pierced his brain.
No sooner had the man fallen from
his horse and saw blood oozlng from
his forehead than I bethought myself
of the situation. If no more Confed-
crates came for me and | could find
the dispatch | might yet carry 1t to
General b. | calculated that on ac-
count Of its light weight it had not
gone more than few yards from my
pistol and. calculating the direction Of
the wind. began to hunt for It, Seeing
bit of paper, l took it up and found
it to be the dispatch. 1t had been
partially opened by pressure against
the atmosphere. Had it not been for
this doubt If | should have found
1t, since in its globular form it was
very small and blackened by powder.
My first act after finding it was to
look to see If any more pursuers were
emerging from the wood None ap-
peared. Noticing c. s. A. branded on
the troopers horse i decided to take
him instead of my own. l also took
his hat and his belt, the latter hav-
ing the same letters. He wore no
coat or l would have taken that too.
But / threw away my own coat and,
mounting. rode away at gallop.
The change of horse and belt served
a good purpose. AS soon as got away