Year: 1863

Russell OF hlnSman, who Is IN Stocktol ;
Battery, was published sometime since III
the Cleveland Herald. 1t shows how the
"oath of allegiance" was regarded.


We left Fort Scott soon after | wrote
YOU. and have been in the field ever
since. Have had two battles, and l had
a private fight of my own with two'bush-
whackers,' which happened in this
way


had struggled off to the left of our
command in search of an adventure on
foot, and alone. Stopped at house and
asked the lady if she could give me
something to eat. She did so, and after
breakfasting l went out through the
peach orchard, got some peaches and
went on in direction of the brigade. In
passing through field of corn | came
upon a small patch of cotton in which
stood two horses saddled and bridled,
while two men dressed in citizens clothes
each wearing Colts revolver, were talk
ing with some girls who were engaged in
picking cotton. When they saw me they
drew their revolvers and cooked them
walked up to them and enquired
WHY they drew their revolvers. One OF
them replied, with an oath, Ito take
down Feds with. replied that Il was a
Fed, and they might experiment on me
if they liked" They seemed frightened
at my boldness, and inquired IF there
were any more Feds at the house" /
replied that "they were plenty around
there" when they asked me again IF /
was Fed,' and upon my assuring them
that l was, they said ''all right" put up
their pistols and produced a certificate
that they had taken the ''oath of allegi-
ance" ...


When | asked what they meant by
saving what they did when | came up TO
them, "they tried to pass it off as joke.
| told them that would not serve. Just
at this time two little boys came out of
the house, and one of the chaps, manned
James Duff, who was the leader, asked
them if there were any more Feds at the
house. They said no whereupon Duff
took out his revolver again, as bold as
could be, and said, Il want your pistol" T"
That's your game, is it? said |, you
can't have it." They both cooked their
pistols, standing about six feet from me.
| was standing with my arms folded, my
revolver on my left side. | thought it
was time to act Two men standing in
front of you, with cooked revolvers point
ed at your breast, is fix that every man
don't get out of as slick as did. One OF
them came towards me, and reached out
his hand as if he would take my pistol
out of its holster, saying, ''let me see
your revolver, 1 would like to trade. -
"Don't care about trading" said l step
ping back and drawing my pistol slowly
with my left hand till the barrel was
clear, cooking it with my thumb, then
suddenly changing it TO my right hand, |
quickly fred at Duff. heard their re-
volyers snap at the same instant. Step
ping back and STOPPING nearly to the
ground, fired at the other and heard
his bullet whistle over my head at the
same moment. They both turned and
ran, which astonished me so that | stood
still about two seconds, then took after
them, saving, 'I'll give you all you want
of nv revolver" Duff had on a white
coat, and when he turned ! saw the blood
trickling down his back, and thinking
he was severely wounded, paid no more
attention to him, but took after the other
fellow, fired at him once while running,
and saw the bullet hole in the shoulder.
Getting tired of running, | stopped, and
watching when he came in sight between
two rows of corn, fired again. Whilst |
was chasing him, the girls were screaming
and telling them to run, for Gods sake
to rum" When they were both out of
sight in the corn, | looked out on the
prairie-in the opposite direction from
our brigade-and saw few troops COM
ing along with two or three dilapidated
old wagons. As | did not know of any
force of ours that were coming in that di-
rection, thought they were Secesh, and
not wishing TO fight a whole regiment
alone, and on foot, looked around foI
the horses, but they had run into the
corn when the firing commenced; so
footed it over TO the road, where our
train was passing, and there found that
the troops l saw were the advance of Col.
VIM. Weir's brigade.


got some of the battery boys and an
ambulance, went back and found the
men evidently in dying condition.
Duff was shot through just above the left
nipple. Grimstaff was shot through the
right wrist, through the left shoulder, the
ball breaking the collar bone and lodging
| in the bony part of the arm, and through
the right shoulder, glancing on the breast
bone and going down. Fixed them VI
as well as we could and took them tC
Sarcoxie, where our troops were stopping
Gen. Soloman called me up in front o.
the brigade, and after hearing my story,
complimented me on the bravery | had
shown, and presented me with pair OF
silver mounted reYolvers, which | shall
be proud to compare with your silver
pitcher presented by --. | have not
been thus minute in telling you this, be
cause | wished to boast of killing two
men, for taking life is serious thing un


der any circumstances, but you said yoI
would be interested in any little incident
in our daily life, and wished to show
you how clear mans perceptions some


times are in times of danger, as my motto
ing the blood and the bullet hole in thu


coat. I~also thought their revolvers haC
been loaded long time, and might miss
and the result proved that was right.


In regard to the bait les we had, L sup


pose you saw in the papers an account o.
the fight at Newtonia, Mo. The brunt o
it was borne by our battery and the nintl
Wisconsin, which suffered severely. On
lly one of our men was wounded. Hi


arm was shot off just above the elbow.
seems mystery that no more were hurt
for the rebels rained shot and she'll


perfect hailstorm-upon our battery


which seemed to draw all their fire. w


hatter ourselves on our accurate shooting


We fred one hundred and twenty round


of shot, shell and canister. Our SUP


port failing to come up, we were oblge'


to fall back, leaving the enemy in posses


sion of the field. Three days after W


went back with larger force and opene'
fire on them, and after about dozel


rounds they broke and fed in the wild


est confusion. We captured three guns


and quite a lot of small arms, ammuni


ton, camp equipage, etc. We have beel


following them up till we are camped on


mile from SigePs famous battle field


which we can visit every day if we like.


There are many interesting things ther


that will long remain to mark that fierce
} " contested field.


l am enjoying myself better than a
any time since have been soldier
Have first rate and good living. We ex