Woman's enterprise., 1921-11-18
MORE ABOUT DARING BOYS OF
THE CIVIL WAR
A Strange Craft With Which to Nav
igate the Turbid Mississippi

~
igate the Turbid Mississippi
In this issue of the Woman's Enter
prise l will attempt to describe the
method adopted by one Of the boys
who escaped from this federal invested
city during the Civil war to enter "the
tented field" of the Confederates; ito
seek bubble reputation at the can
mons mouth" as the poet has it, but
that readers of this sketch may bet
ter understand the subject it will be
necessary to 60 back beyond the Civil
war to relate the way adopted by cat
tie drivers to get stock across the
river so as to avoid the expense OF
ferrage.
Previous to the Civil war an extern
sive section of southwest Louisiana
was known as the Attakapas and as
railroads had not yet penetrated tha1
portion of the state to furnish trans
portation, horses, mules and horned
stock were raised in enormous guam
titles and these, to reach markets.
had to be driven long distances. wv
ING to lakes and swamps between that
section and New Orleans the stock, or
at least quite a large number, was
driven to West Baton Rouge to cross
the river and the village now known
as Port Allen, then as the depot, was
the point generally selected at which
the stock entered the river.
Several cattle men usually combined
in a drive and have seen as many
as five hundred head Of cattle forced
70 take the water at the same time.
A novel and interesting sight was to
observe hundreds of horned heads bob
bing over the surface Of the swift run
ming water in efforts to reach the east
ern bank, which they generally did
within or near the limits Of the city,
AS they emerged from the river they
were assembled by COW boys who with
tho;r horses had crossed on the ferry
boat.
Local boys Of that period were gen
orally strong and fearless swimmers
quite number Of whom considered II
no great or remarkable feat to swim
from one side Of the river to the other
and it was great fun for such bold
fellows to enter the water as cattle
were driven in, catch ones tail and be
towed out as far as he cared to go.
This brings me to the adventure Of
the late Mr.. Joseph Favrot, father Of
Mr.. St. Clair Favrot, who having
reached the age of sixteen years
thought the time had arrived for hin
to take up arms in defense Of his IA
tive South. But how to get through
the Federal lines was a question n
long pondered over. So many Of tn
bows had evaded the alert sentinels O.
the enemy that they, the Federal'
were unusually active and vigilant, no
only guarding all roads and by-path
with infantry but employing cavalr!
to scour the country for miles in ever,
direction.
Within their lines were quite larg
number of cows which the citizen
were permitted to keep to furnisI
milk, not only for themselves but TO
officers messes as we'll, and as ther
were no water works at that time
was necessary to drive the animal
daily to the river for water. To &C
complish this sevral boys woul
band together and Join in the drive t
some point accessible for the purpos
and on one occasion while engaged /
watering the stock in the evenin
about dusk an idea penetrated tn
mind Of Joe that q chance offerd 70
escape by initiating the COW boys fro'
the Attakapas and driving two 0