The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-09-15
Renaissance

tx.
Editor Star: While we were still
On James Island after the battle of
Secessionville, we knew that the en-
envy was on Long Island but in what
force and what they were planning to
do we had not been able to find out,
so on the 9Th day Of July '62, the
commandant Of the post determined to
try to find out by having some scout
ing done. He selected Samuel Dibble,
who was. second lieutenant of the
Edisto Rifles, and Sergeant Mcleod
of one Of the Washington Light In
fantry companies, to send out on this
scouting expedition. Mcleod was from
Nova Scotia. After they had made
what preparations they thought nee
essary, including very fine and
powerful spy-glass which Lieutenant
Dibble borrowed from our third lieu
tenant, George Elliott, they set out in
small boat which could be easily
propelled with small, muff1ed oars.
They left late in the afternoon so as
to land after nightfall, which they
safely did, unseen so far as any one
knows. After safely concealing their
boat, they agreed upon their plans
and separated arranging to meet at
the boat at a certain hour unless
something went wrong with one or
the other of them, in which case a
certain signal should be given of such
a character as the enemy would not
suspect it to be a notice to the other.
Things moved along all right until
after midnight when Mcleod heard
Dibble talking with some one in a
tone of voice louder than necessary
which Mcleod knew was intended for
him to hear and endeavor to make his
escape. He did so, hurrying to the
boat as quietly and secretly as pos
sible and when he got near the boa,
he discovered a man standing on the
beach with a spy-glass looking intent.
ly over at James Island and the creek
His back was towards Mcleod and he
drew his pistol and walked quietly W
and had the muzzle at the mans heae
and then said in low, firm voice
"You are my prisoner-not a word OF
alarm or movement, or you are deat
man." The man yielded and Mcleod
marched him to the boat and made
him get in and row the boat to Jane.
Island. They had not gone very fa1
from the shore before two or three
more federals came to the beach ane
commanded them to halt and return
but Mcleod paid no attention to then
and forced his prisoner to row OF
knowing that the federals dare mo-
shoot for fear of killing their owr
man, and they had no boat to pursu.
them, so Mcleod brought his prisoner
safely into camp and reported will
him to General Hagood. He was {
yankee sergeant. The federals GO
the best of the trade as Dibble was ];
commissioned officer while the pris
oner brought in was only non-com
missioned one, and Lieutenant Ell
liott's spy-glass was a much better
one than the sergeant's. However i
was given to Elliott as in part com
pensation for his loss. Dibble wa.
sent to prison on Johnson's Island
Ohio, located at the mouth of San
dusky Bay overlooking Lake Erie, ant
an ideal place for prison. He wa
kept there until late in the year Is.
before he was exchanged, and whel
that took place he was granted fur
Tough for thirty days before reporting
for duty. He spent his furlough a
his home in Orangeburg, s. c., ant
while there married. He reported TO
duty in the last days of January O.
first of February IS. When he cam,
to us we were at Town Greek on tn,
south side of Cape Fair river below
Wilmington, N. c., and he at ono,
took command of the remnant of tn
Edisto Rifles. I say remnant" be
cause the bulk of them, officers an.
men, who had not been killed or dis
abled in battles in Virginia, had Blu
a few days before been killed or cap
tured in Fort Fisher when it fell. 4
few of the Edisto Rifles and of Capt
Sellers company, the st. MATHEW
Rifles, who had been on detail dut,
and in hospitals, had not got into For
Fisher, and few from these tw,
companies united together under com
mand of Lieutenant Dibble. VIVA
happened at Town Creek is anothe
story and will have to be deferred a
too many things that I wish to relat