The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1919-04-17
A FALLEN HERO.
Tribute of Love TO a So,d;.. Brother.
Deceased by Dr. g. n NIurphey.

hoieft smith Murphev Who died at
his home in Fulton XIV Nh 18Th
was born in OhiOn coIn,v tennessee
Ma1 9Th. l~i5. He was = - and m
dnisent husband and father md a gen
eral iavoriie with an who INV him
4 lie "as good natured ana iovial and
was THE life 81 every eatiering in
which b. mingled
u lie possessed enviable t,,i,s both
Of head and heart Like al ~ a.. De-
was human and had his sborteominss.
After an perhaps. his faults were
due more 20 ovcr-ripe rnodn,s. ,han "a
anything else or shadows ~, bis vir-
tues east he was peacsl,ie Isn't game
90 the core aud was afraid 81 nothing
lie was e Confederate soldier.
member ~ Iylcr's COMPANY 10Th Ky
Cavalry. FORESTS command
/ H. was always ready for voluntary
service ami hazardous undertaking
when called upon. No brsvcr or bet
ter soldier ever fought ber,,th the
shadow Of the Bonny Blue Fing than
Bob Murphcv
/ lie lost hi~ right arm al the Battle
of Harrisburg. Miss. July II 1854
When De- was wounded his regiment
was charging battery and H.. wns ia
the act IT putting cap gu his gun. lie
was 80 badly shocked by the wound
that he WAS rendered unconscious for
time When CONSCIOUSNESS returned
De- tried i'm vain 90 cap his gun and
give his enemy "a farewell shot with
the last cartridge that he ever placed
in gun on fhc battlefield Failing 10
do this be- buried his gun in the soft
ground iu n cotton-feld wher.. he was
wounded So the enemy would not find
g.
He fen into the hands Of the. enemy
and his arm WIS amputated bv Il Fed
eral surgeon lie was recapfurcd the
next day when the FederaIs were
driven ouf 81 Mississippi
] have heard my brother ten some
very interesting stories 81 his army
life two ~ which I viii relate. as they
are interesting and amusing.
IN l>l3 Captain Tyler with eighty
men was sent 90 meet the advance Of
General A. D. smiths army who were
trying 90 drive General Forrest out OF
West Tennessee. Tyler with his men
met the Fedcral~ an Jacks Creek and
brought on "a fight The Federals were
IN strong force and pretty soon had the
CoufcderafeS completely surrounded
Their only means Of escape was 10
charge the FederalS and cut through
their line This they did and engaged
the Federals in q desperate hand to
hand fight
During this mix-up one Of Tyierfs
men. Bob Gore. had his horse killed
which left him afoof with the battle
waxing hot all around him. There was
only one thing left for Gore 10 do and
that was o. get himself another horse
and that De- lid right cieverly BY seiz-
I ing "a Federal by the leg and showed
/ him on his horse. Quick as flash
Gore mounted the hOrSe thus captured
and rode safely aud swiftly aw.tv On
him. This was indeed a clever trick.
and perhaps has few 81 any elnilS in
the history Of the civil War for dare
devil work
Some years after the war the 18th
Ky Cavalry held "a reunion IN Fulton.
Ky and Captain Tyler was there and
made a ~Yeech 90 his old comrades.
While BE- was speaking he asked one
Of his old company. Shelby Rucker. "a
stand up where an could see him.
! This Mr. Rucker did There stands
7 the hraveSf man I ever saw said the
Captain. Mr. Rucker acknow lodged
the compliment with "a how aud sat
down. while Captain Tyler related
come brave acts II Mr. Rucker's sol
dicr life.
| Several years later I mentioned this
10 my brother who did not hear ths.
Captains speech. lie agreed with the
Captain that shelby was as brave a.
the hraveSt hut he added that be- WIS
not whit Drawer than his brother
Harvey Rucker. and az proof Of this
assertion he related the following
rather amusing story 10 show that
Harvey was dead s,arns. ,,,..r,.. - -.
cumstances.
lie said. on one occasion. on "A cam
paign march in North Mississipni that
he and Harvey Rucker were riding
side by side. Al noon Rucker. who
had some bread and honey in his haver-
sack- asked my brother TO share IL
with him. My brother accented the
invitation and the two alishted ~, tbe
roadside and while they were Ting
their frugal meal General Abe Buford
and his stan rode up and halted The