Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1914-09-02
The Fort on the Yadkln.
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his glasses in his hand. l got as
close to him as anybody else did.
and I reckon l stood about Is or
20 minutes right by his side. He
WAS about SIX feet tall, stood
straight and erect, and was abou,
IS years old. and his hair was
partly gray. He had on q light
dove colored hat, a broa7cloth
mantle c. rried a satchel on his
wrist, and wore number 10 shoes
He had with him his wife and
family, 500 mounted soldiers and
srme eight or 10 or more ambu-
lances. These ambuIances we're
made something like our wagon
beds are today. In u smbu-
lance was Mrs. DAVIS and her
three daughters, the Oldest about
l6 years of age, the second about
IA, and Miss Winnie, a baby in
q arms. This ambulance was
drawn by two mules, driven by
the Oldest girl. I never could
imagine why that girl was driving
those mules. The family crosst d
the river before the Presidents did,
and while crossing the lead mule
jumped into she river, and such
screaming among the ladies I
never heard in my life I told
the men who we're helping me
what to do and they got the mule
out safe. The President was rid.
ing a beautiful, fine wild horse,
aud he led his horse on the boat
and held him aud talked to him
and patted him all the way ACROSS.
l happened to tonch his horse
with my pole aud he asked me
not to do that again. I was
afraid some of the ether men
might happen to touch his horse
with their poles and | asked them
not to touch the Presidents horse
and the President repeated the
requs at after me and asked them
not to touch his horse. I have
never understood why be was rid.
ing that wild horse unless he
thought he could outrun the Yap.
kees if they tried to get him. and
ha sure would have given them 9
chase with that horse. One of
the ambulances was drawn by
four as fac mules as | have ever
looked at, and a mighty nice man
was driving them. When he
drove these fine mules upon the
boat he said to me. This is the
heaviest load you have had yet.
amt it: and l told him that it
was It Id him that l had one
| ad that weighed 16. 600 pounds
but that his mules W. re the heav~
lest load yet. As 1 have just
said, there were eight or 10 CT
more smbulances in the escort,
and some were loaded with corn,
some four, some bacon, and I
think enc had silver and gold in
it. 1 am sure it did. The Presi
dent and his family we're on their
way from Richmond, Va to their
home in Mississippi. Hagave me
a dollar for setting them across
the rivsr, and [ kept that dollar,
which l ~ss very proud of and
priced very highly. until my
house was bnrued and it WAS
melted III the fire.
While We we're guardi' g the
railroud bridge on the Yadkln
Riv.r the Yankees sent some
spi 8 to ua Que day, and il. less
thin TN hour they wers on US
We fought them aud killed a pile
of them. They got in the ferry
mans house, which was q pretty
good framed building and shot at
US out CT the window. We had
two artillaries and We loaded them
and shot up the house, aud what
the balls dldn't kill the simbere
of thu house did Not Que OF
them lived aud net che of oul
mon got killed. We Ct a fine
telescope from one Of them Yan-
KEGS. Colonel Moss said his men
behaved pretty ill that fight.
General Besuregard's sou, who
was alb ut % or % years old, and
a iue boy, had been with us
guard ing the bridge. but they de-
cid I'D that they needed him worse
at Salisbury to help guard about
1000 Yankee prisoners, and he
was taken prisoner there by the
Yankees.
Ii was a sad sight to zee the
soldiers crossing the river on their
way home. Some were ", unded
and bloody, soma had broken
arms aid scratched up pretty bad.
| stayed thers and helped tn IN
cross the river because l felt like
that [ could not do enough fox
them.
o.,onnnu n~4a-