Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-12-31

remain, and that he would come ashore
the next morning and whip us with corn
stalks"
Lieut.. Allen bowed again to the lady,
and said:
MADAM, Capt. Fentress shall have
the opportunity that he desires, to whip
us with corn stalk"
remember that was ON picket that
night in little graveyard just above
the town, and heard the calls from the
gun.boat, IL o'clock, and all's well.
The next morning Lieut.. Allen drew us
all up and we rode out on the bluff in full
view of the Run-boat and waived our
sabers de6antly. Almost instantly we
could zee men running over the decks
and three boats dropped from the davits
of the ship, and each containing, as well
as We could count, about eight or nine
men. We watched them as they rowed
for the shore, and about the time that
we thought they were well of from their
boats we formed and charged into Rod
ney. We encountered them moving up
the street, and brisk little fire was
opened. Four of the men rushed into
the church, followed by Capt. Fentress
and Lieut.. Strunk. My brother leaped
from his horse and called to me, don't
fire in that church," / should have
previously stated that it was Sunday
morning, and q congregation had as
sembled in the little building in Rodney,
in which the sailors and the two officers
took refuge. Ny brother ran in on one
side while followed the four men on the
other side. As we entered ! heard the
report of a pistol, and saw Lieut.. Allen
stagger back with blood on his face, but
he quickly fred and the man who fred
fell. captured the other men that had
gone in, as stated, and let them out at
point Of my pistol and turned them over
to guard. While l was coming out a
lady sitting in the aisle Of the church said:
go up in the choir. The captain has
gone up there" In an instant, pistol
in hand, l was leaping up the steps and
out sprang the two officers and down the
other side they went, only to meet the
Lieut.. with his pistol, and they surren-
dered. The the other boys had captured
the balance Of the sailors or marines and
We drew out Of Rodney as the Rather
had opened q heavy fire Of shell and
grape. knocking off the steeple of the
church, 90 l have heard.
Well out from under from their fire,
with our prisoners, some twenty -four in
as we'll as can remember, in
Guiding the two officers, and noticing the
boats action in firing upon the defense
less town, my brother called to Capt.
Fentress, and said:
"Who is in command of the Rather
in your absencef"
He said: 'My Executive Officer"
Quickly tearing leaf out of his book,
he called Coon Clark, one Of our men, and
wrote the following laconic note:- ''To
the Executive Officer, commanding gum
boat Rather Cease firing on Rodney, or
I'll hang every prisoner in my posses
sion."
Fentress was looking over his shoulder
rs he wrote the note, and said to me:
my God! does he mean thatf''
told him he did.
The Gun-boat received the communi.
cation, and instantly the firing ceased.
We went back and apoligized for our
intrusion into the church, and assured
The congregation that no harm would
come to them now, % the boat had
ceased firing, and they we've dismissed,
and ! do not believed that there was
in the house that was very
much alarmed or hurt.
Our going after these men into the
church may possibly be criticised by
ZONE people, but the game Of war, a.
our friend Sherman remarked, sis hell"
We reached our command with our pris-
onere, and turn them over. They re-
NAMED with us for considerable while,
and Capt. Fentrees and Lieut.. Strunk,
ny brother and myself got to be good
friends with both Of them, and after the
var INV brother met LENT Strnnk In 81