W. P. Bl^CK, 
 
 AND OTHERS. 
 
 TALES OF THE REBELTJON, 
 
 Containing Accounts of Hair- 
 breadth Escapes, Thrilling Ad- 
 ventures, Soouts and all the 
 Vicissitudes to which a Sol- 
 dier's Life is Incident, 
 
 1895. 
 
 W. P- BLAOK, PUBIffKM 
 MULDROW *l. T 
 
 / 
 
BY 
 
 W, P, BLACK, 
 
 AND OTHERS. 
 
 (3F 
 
 TALES OF THE REBELTJON, 
 
 Containing Accounts of Hair 
 breadth Escapes, Thrilli ng Ad 
 ventures, Si^or.ts and all th 
 VicissUudes to which a Sol 
 dior's Life is Incident, 
 
DEDICATORY, 
 
 To the brave, generous and long suf- 
 fering Southern Women, including Mrs. 
 Joe Houck, Miss Cyntha Lester, Mrs. 
 Capt. Wright, Martha Dyer, Mrs. Mar- 
 garet Vinsant, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, 
 Mrs. Eliza Williams, Mrs. Nealey Mat- 
 luck, Aunt Polly Wagoner, Mrs. S. A. 
 Pevehouse, Mrs. M.J. Trower, Mrs. Eliza 
 A. Vinsant and especially to my esteem- 
 ed Mother, who now lies mouldering in 
 the dust, and a host of others whose de- 
 votion to the ^ 'lost cause'' is without 
 parallel in history, and who generously 
 and fearlessly administered to us in our 
 trials, this volume is most respectfully 
 dedicated. May their memory ever ba 
 kept -green by the boys who wore the 
 grey — who have had innumerable occa- 
 sions to bless them for their kindness. 
 The glory they won during this trying 
 epoch, will be more lasting than a statue 
 of bronze or marble. All hail to such 
 noble types of vvomanhood. 
 
 Truly etc, 
 
 W. P. Black. 
 
 Southern Pamphlets 
 Hare Book Collection 
 ^CChapel mil 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 This is not a biography. Simply rem- 
 iniscent. I have not the least intention 
 of inflicting upon my readers much of 
 my childhood, boyhood and early man- 
 hood. It would not interest deeply— 
 that life of a child, who ran laughing 
 and singing through the grounds of an 
 old home, avIio conned liis lessons at his 
 mother's knee, who listened to the mur- 
 mur of the limpid waters of the near-by 
 creek, as it*rolied phicidly along in the 
 sliadow of lofty hills and dreamed his 
 idle dream of vine-chid cottages in for- 
 eign lands, wlio rode all -the colts and 
 calves he could catch— and was throAvn 
 by them — who climbed the trees, tore 
 Ids clothes, ''went swimmin' " and did 
 everything else for which boys are 
 noted. Nor would the life of the youth 
 
 o 
 
 r* 
 
6 
 
 or young iiian prove ruore interesting. 
 All these details might be interesting, 
 dear reader, if ^^Bill^' Black was any- 
 body— *a great warrior, statesman or 
 general—and was dead. But he is none 
 of these—simply plain Bill BJack — and, 
 fortunately, still lives; therefore these 
 incidents and particulars of his j^outh 
 shall be omitted. 
 
 The flowers bloomed brighter then, 
 the birds sang sweeter; but that was in 
 MY youth, not in yours, reader. Mine 
 for me, yours for you, friend. Let u^ 
 dream of the dead days, sometimes, as 
 the comedy of life plays before us, and 
 the voices laugh~we will never see 
 those days again, except in dreams. 
 
 ^ ^ * 
 
 Fill that hiatus with the hundreds of 
 volumes that will be written of the great 
 Rebellion. In this volume, I intend to 
 weary neither myself nor the reader 
 with an historical desertation. I shall 
 magnanimously allow others to trace the 
 torrent to the rivulet, and that to its 
 source— how the results of 1861 Avere the 
 logical outcon^e of 1825— let them show 
 how the antagonism of race and opinion 
 
WAS SKETCHES. 
 
 7 
 
 became the antagonism of the bayonet. 
 This is not the place to discuss that sub- 
 ject. 
 
 The question has been tried, the issue 
 is dead for the present and so let it rest. 
 
 Besides, you know the whole story, 
 dear reader, hovf the virtuous North 
 roared at the wicked South; and how 
 John Brovm, with the pike, carried out 
 what Helper wrote Avith the pen. 
 
 In 1861 the beginning of the end 
 came. The ''Republicans" triumphed, 
 ■ the Gulf Btates declared the union ^dis- 
 solved, and asserting their right to 
 lhape their own destiny, prepared to 
 support their action with the sword. 
 
 Thus, at the age of 23, I saw the 
 country about to be involved in the 
 throes of a civil war. But now, having 
 returned to my home and kin aside the 
 tattered and torn uniform, I shall em- 
 ploy my leisure time in recording some 
 recollections., and describing, while my 
 memory retains its freshness, a fevv inci- 
 dents of the late Rebellion. This will 
 not be ^ task—rather a pleasure— for 
 nothing more delights an old soldier re- 
 turned from the wars, than to fight his 
 
8 
 
 WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 battles over again by telling his children 
 and grand*children, clustering in fancy 
 around his knee, what wonders he has 
 seen and the dangers through which he 
 has passed. 
 
 I think those grand-children will take 
 an interest in my adventures. They be- 
 long to the fresh, new generation, and 
 all the jealousies J hatreds and corroding 
 passions of the past epoch will disap- 
 pear. Simple curiosity will replace the 
 old hatred; the bitter antagonism of the 
 partisan will have yielded to the philo- 
 sophic interest of the student, and the 
 events and personages of that period 
 will be impartially discussed by peace- 
 ful firesides. 
 
 Therefore, I shall draw some pen pict- 
 ures, as near as I can, of what I have 
 seen. Come, perhaps as you follow me 
 you will live in those stormy days of a 
 convulsed epoch; breath its firey atmos- 
 phere and see its miglity forms as thcj^ 
 defile before us in a long and noble line. 
 
 To review those days and instill a sa- 
 cred memory for those figures wliich 
 have descended into the tomb, is tlie 
 purpose of these lines. 
 
WAR. SKETCHES. 
 
 9 
 
 • Therefore be inagnanimous, kind read- 
 er, and regard me as one who is telling 
 yon his adventures, and not as an au- 
 thor Avho is composing a feigned liistory. 
 I am only a ''poor prisoner on parol'e," 
 so leave me this last consolation, let me 
 talk. 
 
 I now sit in my quiet home, not far 
 ;-away from the waters of the Arkansas 
 river; the winds sigh and the sunshine 
 laughs that peace has come. 
 
 Do not hurried! V r^f^an the following 
 pages, neither wo ... .:_,:ive you assidu- 
 ously con them, simply read what I 
 have written ahd let the resiil" \k 
 for themselves. 
 
 Hoping that the corroding passions 
 which involved me in my time, may 
 never be known to 3"ou, that you may 
 never know more of war tlian what you 
 may read, I am 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 W.' P. Black. 
 
"Bill" Blagk.— 1864. 
 
WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 CHAPTER I, 
 
 Kind reader, I shall bore you vA"h 
 only enough of the ^'geneological tr c 
 through which I came, to give my ''pe- 
 cmiar nationality. ' ' 
 
 My great-grandfather, Wni. Black, wa.i 
 a Scotchman. He married an Irish lady 
 and afterward came to America. At tlie 
 breaking out of the American Revolu- 
 tion he enUsted and shared the hard- 
 ships and privations of the ''Eap:ged 
 Regiment," commanded by the inde- 
 fatigable General Marion, ''The Swam]) 
 Fox of the Pedee." My grand -father 
 was born in Carolina, on the 4th day of 
 July, 1776. He wa^ a ci^ptain 'under 
 
12 
 
 Ueii; Jackson during the Greek war of 
 1812^ and was at the battle of Tohopeka 
 or Horse Shoe Bend, when the spirit of 
 the Creek nation was broken. 
 
 My father was a native of Kentucky, 
 first seeing the light on a balmy day in 
 April, 1807. At the age of 23 he was 
 married to my mother, whose maiden 
 name was Elizabeth Baird. She was of 
 French descent. Her people had incur- 
 red the enmity of the Canadian govern- ' 
 ment and had been banished as enemies 
 to the crown. Her father located in In- 
 diana, near Princeton, where my mother 
 was born and raised. Shortly after fath- 
 er and mother were married they moved 
 to the, then, territor}^ of Arkansas, and 
 opened up a farm in the northwestern 
 part of the country, on Lees Creek, since 
 embraced in Crawford county. Here 
 they lived to raise nine children, six 
 boys and three girls, all of whom were 
 strong and robust except the fourth, the 
 writer of these memoirs, who was some- 
 what Aveak and puny. The co'^ ' ni of I 
 my health was such that I concei : 
 the idea that I was an imp jsiti^^yi on my : 
 friends and famil}^; therefore, at tlio age ! 
 
\V.\ T{ S!v MIES. 
 
 While (>n tiie f]Ti]UUM' 1 Wa ^ sonlrl : liK'S 
 
 with tho ('v)\vl)(iys nmi siUiU'times wiiii 
 Hu' rani^HM's: iiwd to tin* wild, iVee cluir- 
 acUvr of liiV (^x:isteuc(\ 1 owe IIk^ vastly 
 improved eoiulilioii of my lioaltli. 
 
 While leading this* nomadic life, we 
 not infrequently eame in contact witli 
 roving bands of wild liidians tluit infest- 
 <mI that part of the Cvranti'y. TiK'se en- 
 iragements were usually s})i ri ted and 
 diaracterized with that savagery and 
 bk)odthirstiness peculiar to the Indian's 
 mode of warfare. I have fre(juently 
 »^seen the reeking scalp torn from the 
 'beads of fallen braves, and, mori^ tha.n 
 bnce, my own hair lias raisc^l on end 
 j ^vhen in too close proximity to 1h<' rcd- 
 vnan's scalpii^g-knifi^ 
 
 ( )n one (H/casi(Hi a party of l)oys. eight 
 in lurmher, liad waiMh'red some five or 
 six mih\s from my uncle's ranch, in 
 search of jack-rabbits and antelope. 
 Su(blenly om^ of the 1)oys poinU^d to a 
 painted l*rav(^ riding paralel with us, l)ut 
 un the opi)osite side of a ridge. How 
 We had longed for tliis momeiilj <)ui* 
 wildest anticii)a.tions sought no high(M- 
 go;d than the ])r<'srnt moment se(MHe<! 
 
14 
 
 WAR sKiCl'< 
 
 iibout to present. Now was the oppor- 
 tunity presented to us for displaying 
 our bravery and bagging a red-skin. So 
 we charged with a yell and mighty flour- 
 ish, full into the apparently helpless In- 
 dian. He seemed wholly taken by sur- 
 prise at first but ^^uddeiily dashed off to 
 the left, to take refuge in the chaparel 
 on an adjacent creek. We pursued with 
 an ardor and eiitliusicism born only of 
 our youth and inexperience. We had 
 reached the edge of the tangled under- 
 growth, in our \\ild pursuit, when sud- 
 denlj^ it seemed that a dozen Indians 
 rose from und:^' every bush. We had, 
 v/itli our eyes open, rode into a complete 
 ambuscade, and the fleeing Indian Avas 
 only a decoy . But the bays were of the 
 ''blue steel" variety, and stood their 
 ground like veterans against such over- 
 whelming"^ odds. Seeing that inevitable 
 death w^as staring us in the face if we 
 remained, i began to call to them to get 
 out, jind, heeding the admonition, vie 
 made a desperate and determined dasli 
 for life and liberty. 
 
 Two Ijrave felloAVs were left dead on 
 the scene, and all the others, except my- 
 
15 
 
 self, more or less severely wounded; two 
 of v/hoiii died sliortly after the fight, 
 
 Next day I piloted a company of ran- 
 gers to the spot and found the two com- 
 rades of the previous day's encounter, 
 cold and stiff, with tile scalp-lock rudely 
 torn from their heads. 
 
 The peri(^dic visits of these Indians 
 were always an occasion of fear and per- 
 il, and their insinuating treachery was 
 proverbiaL I shall never forget their 
 blood-curdling yells in battle, and their 
 fiendish delight when we were forced to 
 run. 
 
 But I must leave this field of narra- 
 tion for the harrowing realities of a frat- 
 ricidal conflict, the ominous sounds of 
 which had been floating on the air for 
 some time, and the storm was about to 
 burst upon our heads with relentless 
 fury. 
 
tlH AFTER 11. 
 
 The season of quiet and peace had 
 passed, the dull roar at Fort Sumpter 
 proclaimed the story of internal strife, 
 and I, like many others, burned with a 
 desire to lend my assistance to Avhat I 
 believed to be the righteous cause of the 
 South, Consequently, in the spring of 
 1861, I joined a company of select young 
 men^, to serve in an independent capac- 
 ity as Confederate caA^alrv, under the 
 lea(U^rshi]) of tlie gallant Ca|)t. John 
 Posey. ^ 
 
 1 have fopgotten the date on whicli we 
 left liome; however, we reached Camp 
 Walker, in the northern part of Arkan- 
 sas, without any mishap or incident of 
 inq)ortance transpiring on the way. 
 
 f^i)ou after our arrival at Camj) Walker 
 news reached us tliat the Federal Cener- 
 al Lyons, with a large number of troo])s. 
 was marching toward us. We innnedi- 
 , atelv received orders from ( ien. Ben iVIc- 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 17 
 
 Hough, to advance and meet the en- 
 .y. We took up the line of march at 
 3e and after several day's hard travel- 
 ; over rough roads, reached Oak Hill, 
 Wilson's Creek, as it is called by most 
 iters; near Springfield, Missouri. Here 
 found the Confederates camped. In 
 s camp I got my first sight of that 
 untless, heroic Texan, General Ben 
 jCuUough . 
 
 On the following morning after our 
 ival. Gen. Lyons surprised us in our 
 nap. The result of this battle — ^one of 
 3 first of the great battles of the war- 
 too well known to need or admit of 
 y lengthy explanation, and besides, I 
 L not writing a history of tlie war. Let 
 )re capable pens assume that task, 
 [n this engagement my company lost 
 [y six men killed and fifteen wounded. 
 3 formed the advance in pursuit of 
 n, Seigel, who took command of the 
 deral troops at the death of General 
 ons. 
 
 We were pressing them rather close 
 i had several hard brushes, in one of 
 ich, Capt. Posey had three fingers 
 )t from his right hand. Our company 
 
18 
 
 ^uffi^^eA no other losa, either iii killed ot 
 Wounded. 
 
 After this fight we fell back to Arkan- 
 sas, and did picket and scout duty for 
 the main army until sometime in the 
 fall: when we disbanded, some of the 
 the boys joining the regular army, while 
 others, myself among the number^ went 
 home. 
 
 I arrived safely at my father's house 
 on Lees Creek, where I found my broth- 
 er Hemy preparing to move to Texas, 
 and I at once decided to go with him. 
 
 We started about the middle of Octo- 
 ber, 1861, and reached Uncle William 
 Black's, in Burnett county, near where 
 the town of Strickland now stands, 
 about the middle of November. We 
 rented a farm of uncle, about eight miles 
 west of Georgetown. Here we spent the 
 winter as pleasantly and quietly as 
 though war and war's alarm were abso- 
 lutely unheard of things. 
 
 With the Spring, hoAvever, came the 
 reports of the violent struggle going on 
 between the North and the South. The 
 tocsin had sounded in earnest and was 
 reverberating along the mountains and 
 
WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 19 
 
 hills of the far off Norths and along the 
 valleys and o'er the plains of the once 
 peaceful South, Its voice was calling to 
 Southern sons and appealing to Southern 
 chivalry, to speed to the defense of their 
 much-loved country. Feeling it our du- 
 ty to respond, we were-again sworn into 
 service; this time in Cupt. Dalyrimple's 
 company, which was composed of 112 
 brave and sturdy young men. 
 
 Williamson county furnished our com- 
 pany with four four-mule teams and two 
 two-horse teams and six wagons well 
 loaded with sugar, ~ flour, provisions, 
 tents and cooking utensils. Each man 
 • in the company was also given an ^'Ark- 
 ansas Toothpick'' — a short sabre, made 
 of the finest steel . 
 
 We chose our officers as follows: Daly- 
 rimple, Captain; A. J. Berry, first; D,M. 
 Sloan, second; Jas. Williams, third lieu- 
 tenants and Henry Hurschfield, orderly 
 sargeant. 
 
 We were soon on the move, and with 
 our chivalry on fire and our patriotism 
 thoroughly aroused, headed for military 
 headquarters at Dallas, Texas. We 
 reached this point without anything of 
 
20 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 interest tran spiring ^ expecting to join 
 CoL Darneirs regiment^ but to our sur- 
 prise, found eleven companies already 
 assembled, one more than Avas allowed 
 by military tactics. 
 
 At this juncture we were ordered to 
 Witts Mill, on the Trinity river, some 
 twelve miles from Dallas. We had been 
 in camp at this point about a week when 
 District Judge Ed Vontress, the man 
 who had sworn us into the Confederate 
 service, came into camp and joined our 
 company as a private. ' The next day 
 after his enlistment, Capt. Dalyrimple 
 called his men into line, made them a 
 speech and resigned his office in favor of 
 Judge Vontress, Avho was at once elected 
 without a dissenting vote. Soon after 
 this, ^orders were received to move to 
 Piano, Texas, ^ome twenty miles distant 
 w^here^we met Alajor Scott, who piloted 
 us out a few miles on Spring Creek, to a 
 camp of instruction. Here we found 
 Capt. Lemons and his company, from 
 Wise county, Texas. 
 
 During the two weeks of our stay here 
 the drear monotony of camp life was 
 broken by the pranks of the practical 
 
WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 21 
 
 joker; the Wierd, nielancholly or wild hi- 
 iariour chants of the singer, the terpsi- 
 chorean displays of the dancer and nu- 
 merous other forms of diversion. 
 
 An incident occurred while here, the 
 story of which will be related in the 
 next chapter; that came near ending in 
 a pitched battle between the companies 
 of Captains Vontress and Lemons. 
 
22 
 
 WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 CHAPTER IIL 
 
 The Wise county boys had in their 
 company a man who claimed to be a 
 very fine dancer. His comrades took 
 every occasion to eulogise his terpsicho- 
 rean ability, greatly to the disgust of the 
 Williamson county contingency, who 
 also boasted a fine dancer. Finally the 
 rivalry became so demonstrative that a 
 bet was made as to which company held 
 the champion artist. Two stakes were 
 driven in the ground about two 
 feet apart, and allowed to protrude ten 
 or twelve inches above terra firma. On 
 these two stakes was nailed a six inch 
 board of uncertain length, on which the 
 dancers were to give evidence of their 
 ability. 
 
 Ulistus A. D. Wethersby, of Vontress' 
 command was first called. He mounted 
 this peculiar pedestal and gave some 
 wonderful exhibitions of his art. The 
 Lemons company man was next called. 
 
WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 23 
 
 iSlowly he mounted theblock^ but after 
 iX few rather awkward steps he hung his 
 toe over the edge of the board and fell, 
 nearly breaking his neck, Cries of 
 "foul, foul; that's not fair/' and sundry 
 others of like import were heard on all 
 sides, from his friends. Disputations at 
 once arose, hard words passsd and some 
 were caressed in no gentle manner by the 
 closed fists of others, and, had it not 
 been for the interference of cool heads, 
 blood would doubtless have been spilled. 
 However, a truce was patched up and 
 the boys reminded that they were bear- 
 ing arms to destroy Yankees and not 
 each other. 
 
 Soon afterwards Maj. Scott ordered his 
 two companies to move, and after a few 
 days marching we reached Paris, Texas, 
 where we had to stop on account of sick- 
 ness in the command. We remained in 
 €amp here some four weeks, and when 
 the men were able to move the order was 
 given to march; our destination being a 
 thing unknown to most of us. When 
 this order was given, Capt. Lemons and 
 his men seemed to have gotten all the 
 war experience they wanted, and decid- 
 
24 
 
 WAB SKETCHES. 
 
 ed that they would go home. When in- 
 formed of this decision, Maj. Scott order- 
 ed Vontress^ men to fall into line in 
 double quick, and rushed us in between 
 Lemon ^s company and their wagons. 
 Nothing daunted by this, however, 
 Gapt, Lemons ordered his men to mount 
 their horses and fall into line, which was 
 quickly done. The command: ^ 'right 
 wheel, forward march," then rang out 
 from Lemons' lips, and he and his men 
 took their way toward home and safety, 
 leaving us in possession of their wagons, 
 tents and camp outfit in general. 
 
 Vontress' company, with the addi- 
 tional equipages surrendered by the dis- 
 satisfied company, was soon in motion 
 in the direction of ''the seat of war.'' 
 
 The tedium and monotony of the 
 march were often relieved by those irre- 
 pressably ludicrous incidents that some- 
 times occur when least expected, and are 
 worth all the more for this consideration. 
 Capt. Vontress had a peculiar mania for 
 saluting those who might happen to wish 
 us God speed, especially if the salutation 
 came from one of the softer sex. Very 
 often a lady would appear in the door- 
 
\VA K SKlCiH 'll K.s. 
 
 way and with tiiat uaiMU-s:- [)tn'ii]iar to 
 -hei* sex, wave her dainty kerchief at the 
 boys in grey, (hi seeing such demon- 
 strations of hiyalty and good will, Oapt. 
 Vontress woukl order tliree eheers to be 
 given. One day the Captain saw some- 
 thing white waving from a doorway, 
 ^onie (li stance from tlie road, and he at 
 once ordered the men to face into line 
 and give three cheers. This was done 
 with unusual alacrity, but when the or- 
 der came to move on , the men seemed 
 glued to theis places, while they contin- 
 ued to give vent to the Texas yell with 
 * aggravating persistency, Just about 
 this time ('apt. Vontress discovered that 
 the object of his detterential salutation 
 was a fi^nuik^ of exceeding ebony line, 
 and tliat the wind was waving her vvdiite 
 apron. It is needh-ss to add that such 
 uiHiecessary sahitations were not indulg- 
 ed in again. 
 
 We soon reached Boston Texas, where 
 a yoirng hidy a|>j)eared on the balcony of 
 a hotel, in front of which w^e had formed 
 in line. She made a soul-stirring, patri- 
 otic speech, after which she presented 
 tl\e command with a beautiful silken 
 
26 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 flag, dedicated to the Confederate cause* 
 With profuse thanks for the sacred em- 
 blem, we again took up the line of march 
 passing through Washington, Arkadel- 
 phia, Hot Springs and Benton; arriving 
 at Little Rock, the headquarters of Gen. 
 T. C. Hindman, who ordered us to cross 
 the Arkansas river, which feat was ac- 
 complished on a pontoon bridge. We 
 went into camp on the north bank of the 
 river, feeling c^uite grand with 113 men, 
 13 wagons and various other equipages. 
 
 Up to this time it had been easy sail- 
 ing with us; but alas! this easy time was 
 not to last long. We had been here but 
 a few days when Gen. Hindman sent 
 orders over for two of our wagons and 
 teams, which wer6 given up reluctantly; 
 and a short time afterward he took two 
 more, at the same time piling our tents 
 and camp outfit out on the ground. The 
 men would walk around the plunder ly- 
 ing there on the grass and in the mud 
 and roundly curse Gen. Hindman for 
 robbing us. The company felt like it 
 was broken up, with only nine wagons. 
 
 We were quite thankful when we re- 
 ceived orders to go to White River, near 
 
War sketches. 
 
 27 
 
 DuVaPs Bluff, as we entertained the 
 hope that perhaps it y/ould put a stop td 
 Gen. Hindman preying on us. In this, 
 however, we were sorely disappointed. 
 We camped the first night at Grand 
 Prairie, and here Hindman took five 
 more of our wagons and teams, leaving 
 us only four. At this outrageous treat- 
 ment the boys strenuously objected, and 
 strong threats were made of leaving the 
 command; in fact the officers found it no 
 easy task to keep the whole company 
 from going home. 
 
 When the company moved on next 
 morning, I was sent to the hospital, very 
 much against my will. I had remained 
 at this so-called sanitarium for a short 
 time only, when some one came to take 
 my horse. I felt that I could not possi- 
 bly part from my noble horse, so I said to 
 the man who came for him: 
 
 ^^Say, I must water him first." 
 
 ^'No," he replied, '^Iwill see that he 
 is watered.'' 
 
 • ^ ^ I will water him myself, ' ' I answered 
 ^■He is a mustang and will throw you.'' 
 By dint of much pursuasion -and some 
 ^^bluff," I prevailed on him to let me 
 
28 
 
 vi'atiM;* HIV ^>wti liorse. Tke w.ater w^-s in 
 ii ba;\ ou a-bout a quarter of mile off, 
 but when I arri ved at the place it looked 
 like it was boggy >^ whereupon I conclud- 
 ed to hunt a better place, so. that I could 
 let niy horse drink without getting him 
 into the bog. 
 
 I think J must have traveled two 
 miles without hnding a place to suitme> 
 By this time I had remembered that I 
 had not bid any of my comrades good- 
 bye^ so I decided to hunt them up and 
 tell them of the sights I saw in that 
 wonderful Confederate hospital — facts 
 that will not do to relate here. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 29 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 After traveling all day across Grand 
 Prairie, I called at the house of a farmer, 
 at the east edge of the prairie, where I 
 remained over night, prtrsuing my jour- 
 ny on the following morning. About 
 ten o'clock I struck the main road, which 
 I followed, and just as the sun was sink- 
 ing in the west, I reached my company 
 as they were pitching camps. All seem- 
 ed surprised at my sudden appearance 
 in their midst, and I was plied with in- 
 numerable questions as to why I had so 
 soon left the hospital. I then gave them 
 my experience in detail, and my com- 
 rades expressed wonder that I remained 
 as long as I did. 
 
 The captain soon came in and said I 
 had to go back to the hospital, that he 
 was going to take my horse and send me 
 back in an ambulance. This statement 
 served only to frighten me very badly, 
 and I sent my brother to tell the captian 
 
30 
 
 WAR BKETGKl^. 
 
 that 1 Would return by myself if he 
 would let me ride my horse, a request he 
 graciously granted. 
 
 Early next morning I took the road 
 leading in the direction of the hospital 
 and traveled about four or five miles. 
 I thought I had gone far enough in this 
 direction, so I left the main road and 
 traveled in a northerly course, through 
 the dense forest, without a road or 
 guide. On and on I went through this 
 dense wilderness, without any definite 
 point in view, my only object being to 
 escape the horrors of the hospital I had 
 so lately left. 
 
 I continued in this direction until late 
 in the evening, when I came to a good- 
 looking farm, with everything about it 
 in a prosperous condition. I called at 
 tli^ house and asked if I might stay all 
 night, which request was readily grant- 
 ed. Next morning I made a statement 
 of the facts in my case to the old gentle- 
 man, (his name was Harrison) who 
 agreed to keep me until I Avas able for 
 duty.* 
 
 I ;-ipent a month here as pleasantly as 
 
 *See Whe-i I Went Soldiering", 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 any I ever spent in my life; my health 
 vastly improved, and I was beginning to 
 regret the near approach of the time 
 when I should be compelled to leave this 
 hospitable home. One day a reconnoit- 
 ering scout of 150 men, stopped at the 
 house to get dinner and feed their 
 horses, and on inquiry I learned they 
 were on their return to the army at the 
 place where my company was camped. 
 So I bade a lingering farewell to Mr. 
 Harrison and his charming family, and 
 returned to camp with the soldiers. We 
 traveled about fifteen miles and camped 
 for the night, and next day. about the 
 middle of the afternoon, we reached the 
 command. 
 
 On looking around I found that Gen. 
 Hindman had taken all of our wagons 
 but one, and our camp equipments were 
 lying scattered about over camp, and 
 most of it looked like the ragged edge of 
 hard times. Our company had been 
 thrown in with that of Captain Morgan, 
 forming a squadron, and Major Dick 
 Morgan placed in command. 
 
 Early next morning after arriving in 
 €amp, the order came to saddle up -iil 
 
fall into lilie. Capt. Vontres$ then made 
 a stirring speech, telling us that Ave 
 were going to Clarendon^ on White riv- 
 er, to f5.ght the gun-boats. After he got 
 'through he came to me and asked me 
 when T had left the hospital. I told him 
 I had not been to the hospital since I 
 left camps, some time before; but had 
 spent the time much more pleasantty at 
 the home of a farmer. He then asked me 
 if 1 wanted to go into the fight, and I 
 told him it was my desire. 
 
 The command: ^ 'Right wheel, forward 
 march/' rang out on the still morning 
 air from the lips of Maj. Morgan, and 
 the column was soon in motion for the 
 appointed spot on the White river. We 
 had traveled some eight or ten miles 
 from the old camp when we formed a 
 junction with Gen. Joe Shelby's Missou- 
 ri troops. This additional force greatly 
 encouraged our boys, and- we felt almost 
 like we could Avhip Gen. Grant's whole 
 army. 
 
 The command camped that night 
 some four miles out from Clarendon, 
 which town is situated on the White riv- 
 er. All through the night, the coarse 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 33 
 
 dismal whistle of the gun-boats could be 
 heard up and down the river. We, 
 however, mamtained strict quiet, not 
 wishing to alarmthe enemy or aprise 
 them of our proximity, as we decided to 
 fall on them unawares. 
 
 For the first time 1 realized that I was 
 about to meet the enemy, and it made 
 me think of friends and loved ones at 
 home and that perhaps I would never 
 meet them again on this earth. 
 
 The order to move forward came early 
 on the following morning, and we cau- 
 tiously advanced to within half a mile 
 of the river, where Ave halted and dis- 
 mounted, leaving our horses in the rear 
 under strong guard. We then went qui- 
 etly forward until we reached the river 
 bank; and here, to my surprise, was our 
 six pieces of artillery. There was an old 
 slough that ran near the river, leaving a 
 narrow ridge, or back-bone, between that 
 and the river. It was behind this bank 
 that the artillery was placed, and a fur- 
 nace erected to heat the cannon balls to 
 throw into the passing vessels. The 
 river being narrow and the banks high, 
 iNve had ample protection from the shot 
 
WAB SKETCHES. 
 
 and sliell the boats from the fact that 
 the range was too short. 
 
 The cannon balls were soon hot and 
 all was m readiness for the expected at- 
 tack. We did not have to wait long 
 until we heard a boat coming from a 
 short distance below. The cannon were 
 run in position by hand and everything 
 made ready. Presently the boat came 
 slowly along, the port holes open, the 
 men laughing and talking, little dream- 
 mg that danger was near, and that soon 
 a oalliiip; fire would rake their vessel. 
 
 Suddenly our six guns turned loose 
 their char2:es of solid shot with a crash 
 that seemed to shake the earth. Then 
 came the whistle of distress, vsdiich was 
 answered both up and down the river, 
 but the answer sounded a great distance 
 away. 
 
 Some of the hot shot had penetrated 
 the port-holes and disabled the machin- 
 ery, the light combustibles inside Avere 
 set on fire and a veritable conflagration I 
 was imminent. The soldiers on board 
 being un^M stop the fire or man the 
 disabled . crambled hurriedly on 
 
 deck and iioi-^ced the white flag. Gen. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 35 
 
 Shelby ordered them to bring the boat 
 ashore, but he was mformed by the cap- 
 tarn that her disabled condition prevent- 
 ed su€h a move, but if the men would go 
 below he would throw out the cable so 
 that they could tie her to a tree. 
 
 About 100 of our boys ran down to 
 the bend, the boat was secured and the 
 blue-coats rushed out to escape from the 
 fire. During this time the fire had 
 spread, and the vessel was now VvTapped 
 in a sheet of flame. We immediately 
 sought the cover of the bank, and had 
 hardly secreted ourselves Y>^hen the mag- 
 azine of the burning boat exploded with 
 a crash like the thunders of ages de- 
 scending in one bolt. When the maga- 
 zine blew up such screeching as came 
 from the rescueing boats, I never heard 
 before; and we could tell from the sound 
 they were getting closer. 
 
 We were immediately ordered to our 
 horses, and, after reaching them, at once 
 fell into line. Looking up the river we 
 could see the blue-coats landing from 
 the transports by the thousands. Gen. 
 Shelby then rode along the line and told 
 the men that what had happened was 
 
36 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 but an introduction to what was coming. 
 We then advanced about three hundred 
 yards, while the artillery took a position 
 on an eminence in our rear. In v front 
 of us the ground was broken and uneven 
 affording an admirable stand for defense. 
 Here we waited for the approaching en- 
 emy. Presently they came in sight, and 
 Gen. Shelby rode along the line to en- 
 courage the men, telling them to keep 
 cool, reserve their fire, obey orders; and 
 a signal victory would be ours. 
 
 The Federals continued to advance in 
 a solid phalanx, notwithstanding our 
 artillery had kept up a hot, incessant 
 fire on them all the time. But when 
 they reached the broken ground immedi- 
 ately in our front, they became confused 
 in crossing it. At this juncture we were 
 ordered to charge. With a rush like an 
 irresistable cyclone we swept through 
 their broken and disordered lines, form- 
 ed and charging back to our old position 
 when our artillery renewed its galling, 
 destructive fire. The fight raged with 
 all that fury which characterizes deter- 
 mination on one side and bull-dog vim 
 on the other. J 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 37 
 
 The victory wonld undoubtedly have 
 been ours had not the enemy been heav- 
 ily reinforced. These fresh troops arriv- 
 ing just as they did, forced us to retire 
 and leave them in possession of the field. 
 
 Our loss in this engagement was ex- 
 tremely light. They took no prisoners, 
 and our wounded were carried from the 
 field. 
 
 We now fell back to our camps; and, 
 to our surprise, Gen. Hindman had 
 taken our last wagon. 
 
 I was utterly prostrated by the excite- 
 ment of the engagement, and was not 
 able to take care of my horse, much less 
 do camp, or any other duty. As soon 
 as I had got somewhat better, Capt. 
 Von tress came to me and told me that I 
 was not able to do duty as a soldier, 
 and that it was folly for me to attempt 
 such a thing; that he was going to have 
 me discharged from the service and sent 
 home, where I could be taken care of. 
 An ambulance then drove up and the 
 captain told me to get in. I did so, and 
 was driven to brigade headquarters, 
 where the doctors, after a thorough and 
 rigid examination, gave me a certificate 
 
38 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 of discharge. I went back to camp, 
 bundled \ip my traps, bade farewell to 
 my brother and comrades in arms, ex- 
 pecting to meet the most of them no 
 more on earth. 
 
 I then set out for Little Rock, which 
 place I reached on the third morning. 
 
WAB SKETCHES, 
 
 39 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Heachuntg Little Rock I hunted up 
 Gen. Hindman's headquarters and pre- 
 sented my discharge to him for his sig- 
 nature. After he had signed it I told 
 him that I wanted to go up to Van Bur- 
 en. He told me that he had given 
 orders to let nobody go north or up the 
 river, and he further informed me that 
 it was very dangerous for squads of men 
 to pass up the river, and one or two 
 men would meet certain death, and he 
 told me I must not attempt it. 
 
 I then went to the provost-martial and 
 asked him for a pass hack to my com- 
 • mand, but did not tell him that I had a 
 discharge. After quizzing me about 
 what command I belonged to, he gave 
 me a pass. 
 
 I then re-crossed the Arkansas river 
 on the pontoon bridge, and after getting 
 on the north side of the river, I took the 
 road leading up the river instead of 
 
40 
 
 WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 going in llie direction of my command/ 
 I had not gone far until I came in con- 
 tact with our picket) who told me they 
 had'strict orders to let nobody pass out 
 that way. I was afraid to show my pass 
 for I would have been put under guard 
 and sent to my command , so I showed 
 him my discharge J but could not prevail 
 on him to let me pass. I then went to 
 the picket camp and saw the captain in 
 command, told him my story and he 
 told me how to go so as to miss the pick-' 
 ets. I did this by making a circuit 
 around the picket, striking the road 
 leading to Van Buren. 
 
 I took this road feeling happy over my 
 success and the prospect of meeting the 
 loved ones at home. The land of my 
 nativity loomed up before me until 1 
 almost forgot my afflictions. I could 
 picture father, niother^ brothers and sis- 
 ters coming to meet me and welcome me 
 home. 
 
 It was on my second day's journey, 
 about 10 o'clock, a. m., that I felt wor- 
 ried and sleepy, and the sun was so 
 warm that I C(mcluded to take a little 
 rest, so I ascended a hill about 200 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 41 
 
 yards north of the road. Here I dis- 
 mounted and tied my horse to a tree, 
 unsaddled and made a bed of my blan- 
 ket and a pillow of my saddle. I was 
 soon in the land of dreams, and had 
 slept an hour or two whert I was awak- 
 ened by the sound of horses feet. 
 
 I looked and beheld a troop of 75 or 
 100 men going west. It occurred to my 
 mind that I could have company and 
 protection on the way, not dreaming that 
 this was not a Southern scout. 
 
 I hurriedly saddled up and struck out 
 intending to overtake them, and I think 
 I had traveled about half a mile, when 
 a woman standing in a yard, which I 
 was passing, asked me if I was a Con- 
 federate soldier. When I admitted the 
 imputation, she told me that the squad 
 of men that had just passed, was a band 
 of murderers and robbers who had been 
 committing depredations all over that 
 country. 
 
 Then, to help me to avoid coming in 
 contact with the band, she showed me a 
 way through her field and directed me 
 how to go to the home of Capt. Johnson, 
 an officer in the Confederate arm v. 
 
42 
 
 WAB SKETCHES. 
 
 Gapt. Johnson was at hom^ and wel* 
 corned me heartily, after satisfying him- 
 self that my discharge was all right. He 
 informed me that he would be at home 
 about a week^ and that* 1 must not leave 
 until he did so that he could pilot me 
 out of the neighborhood. I readily ac- 
 cepted his offer and spent the week quite 
 pleasantly^ excepting the fact that we 
 had to keep very close in the house, 
 or cane-brake. We might have had a 
 nicer tim<e if we could have had the lib- 
 erty of shooting game, but this we dare 
 not do. 
 
 It was with many regrets that 1 parted 
 from Capt. Johnson's family, especially 
 his pretty daughter. Their kindness will 
 never be forgotten. The captain and 
 myself left his home after dinner and 
 traveled about 20 miles, stopping for the 
 night with one of his friends. Next 
 morning I parted from Capt. Johnson, 
 never to meet him again. 
 
 I traveled on without being molested, 
 hearing of murders and robberies every 
 day, until after I had crossed Horsehead 
 creek, when I heaT<l a noise behind me, 
 and looking ])ae^^ ^ :bout a hundred 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 43 
 
 men who halted me and fired on me at 
 the same time. As my business engage- 
 ments would not admit of any stop at 
 that time, I did not halt but put spurs 
 to my horse and fled. I took to the 
 brush with the enemy close on my heels, 
 and we had a whipping race for about 
 two miles, when they stopped and I con- 
 gratulated myself on having won the 
 race. 
 
 I traveled on through the mountains, 
 keeping a westerly course, and had trav- 
 eled five or six miles when I heard the 
 baying of two hounds behind me. I 
 listened; they came nearer and nearer 
 and I was soon convinced that the 
 deadly blood hound was on my trail. 
 
 What must I do? What could I do? 
 My mind was soon made up that my 
 only chance was in flight, so I fled away 
 in a brisk gallop and kept it up for sev- 
 eral miles, until my horse was getting 
 fagged. Stopping and listening intently ' 
 I could still hear the hounds, but they 
 were a long way off* and, to rest my 
 horse, I rode on in a walk. 
 
 All at once the cry of the hounds 
 ceased, and I concluded that they had 
 
44 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 givea up the chase. This nale ne feel 
 comfortable again, so I traveled on leis- 
 urely for some time when, to my great 
 surprise, they opened fire on me from 
 my left and charged me at the same 
 time; men, dogs and all. I fled to the 
 north and we had another race for two 
 or three miles, they keeping up a con- 
 stant fire and the dogs in full cry. Here 
 they stopped and my horse slackened 
 his speed to take a breath. 
 
 Soon the dogs were on my trail again 
 and I kept a close watch and traveled 
 briskly, not wishing to be surprised 
 again, for the bullets whistled uncom- 
 fortably thick and close to my ears. On 
 reaching Frog Bayou, I took a road lead- 
 ing in the direction of Fayetteville. 
 
 Here they gave me another chase, 
 lasting perhaps a mile, when they slack- 
 ened their speed but still followed me. 
 Now leaving the road and following up 
 a canon, I ascended a high bluff on my 
 left, hitched my horse about 100 yards 
 away, crept up to the edge and looked 
 over the bluff. Here came a man with 
 the dogs about 50 yards ahead of the 
 main squad. I let them pass, but when 
 
I 
 
 WAR SKETCHES, 45 
 
 the squad came opposite to me, I raised 
 my gun, having previously inserted 18 
 buck-shot in each barrel, and let fly with 
 both barrels. I then threw down my 
 gun and ran for my horse, but the dogs 
 had beaten me there and were coming to 
 meet me. I shot both of them, mount- 
 ed my horse and flew from that spot like 
 the ^^old scratch'' was after me. 
 
 I then went over on Cedar Creek and 
 stayed all night at Uncle Billy Lester's, 
 reaching home the next day about nooii , 
 
 I- 
 
46 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 When I got home I found the people 
 divided, some for the North and some 
 for the south. This was in September, 
 1862. 
 
 Our family were strong Union people, 
 and my father was accused of being an 
 Abolitionist, and had it not been for the 
 interference of D. C. Williams, Sutton 
 F. Cottrell and others, of Van* Buren, 
 we would have suffered at the hands of 
 the Southern soldiers. As it was they 
 took a good many of our best horses for 
 the artillery, and foraged very heavily 
 on us. 
 
 At this time the Federals occupied 
 Fayette ville. Sometime in October they 
 made a raid into our neighborhood, but 
 did not come to our house. The first we 
 knew of their approach was from our 
 neighbors, who came rushing down the 
 road on a dead run; some in wagons with 
 such of their bedding and the like, as 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 47 
 
 they could get into the wagon easily, 
 while others were on horses. Some car- 
 ried feather beds and others bed clothes, 
 pillows etc. Here they went pell-mell 
 scared out of their wits, sometimes drop- 
 ping a pillow, blanket, quilt or perhaps 
 some wearing apparel; every now and 
 then dodging out into the brush and hid - 
 ing their burdens in a hollow log, tree 
 3r cliff. 
 
 It would have been an easy job to 
 ■.rail them by the things they lost. To 
 llustrate, I will tell how two partie. 
 iid. 
 
 My brother-in-law, John Vinsant, had 
 noved to Uncle Billy Shannon's plaee, 
 3n Cedar Creek, and had come back on 
 Lees Creek after a load of corn and his 
 chickens. He stayed over night at fath- 
 er's house and got me to go and aid him 
 n loading up, so he could start home 
 3arly. The fact is he was afraid to go by 
 limself. We loaded the wagon with 
 'orn; then went to the coop, caught 
 md tied all the chickens when we heard 
 I terrible noise, and here come men. 
 vomen and children on horse-back and 
 n wagons, running like they were scared 
 
48 
 
 WAR 5 SKETCHES. 
 
 to deatli. We asked several of them 
 wliat trouble was on their mind, before 
 v\^e could learn anything. At last a 
 woman told us that the Yankees were 
 back there just about a mile, and were 
 comin^ here/' 
 
 It was John Vinsant's time now to s:et 
 scared. He gathered up about a dozen 
 chickens, threw them in the \vagoa and 
 started his o:^en. I managed to get all 
 the chickens in the wagon by running 
 after him 50 or 75 yards. John was a 
 great hand to holla at his oxen, but this 
 time he drove off as silent as death. We 
 had not gone far until the chickens be- 
 gan to flutter, and every now and then 
 a chicken would flop out of the wagon, 
 but John did not have time to pick them 
 up, so the chickens were scattered, a 
 rooster here and a pullet there, for sev- 
 eral miles along the road. When John 
 got home he did not have a single chick- 
 en left. 
 
 Another man was hauling corn up the 
 Lees Greek mountain, and just as he got 
 to the foot of the mountain, the refugees 
 began to pass and told him the Yankees 
 were back there just a short distance. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 49 
 
 Then he took a scare and told one of his 
 boys to drive up fast, and for the other 
 to throw out corn; while he would go 
 home and tell their mother to get ready 
 to move to the woods. He had not gone 
 far until he concluded he could not af- 
 ford to lose a load of corn, so he called 
 back to the boy to stop throwing out 
 €orn. t)ther parties in passing told him 
 frightful stories of the Yankees, and he 
 again ordered the boy to throw out corn. 
 He had the boy stopping and throwing 
 out corn alternately, until the load of 
 corn was all out. 
 
 After leaving John Vinsant, 1 went 
 back home. All ah^ng the road I found 
 both bed and wearing clotlies, pillows 
 etc., that had been lost iiT^ the flight. 
 
 I then concluded to hunt^up the Yan- 
 kees and find out what they were doing. 
 I found them after sundown, at the Nat- 
 ural Dam on Mountain Fork, where they 
 had gone into camps near Net Fort's 
 house. I hitched my horse, slipped up 
 and took a peep at them. This satisfied 
 my curiosity, for it gave me the ''buck 
 ager,' ' so I mounted my horse and went 
 home. As soon as my father learned 
 
0(j WAR 8KET0HES.- ^ . 
 
 Mii-^. advised me to put the Arkansas 
 river between me and the. Yankees, that 
 if 1 stayed about home they would be 
 liable to burn him out. 
 
 I did not tarry long but started on my 
 way to Van Buren. Just as I was climb- 
 ing the steepest part of Lees Creek 
 mountain, men seemed to come i^p out 
 of the ground all around me, presented 
 their guns at me and asked who I was. 
 I answered that I w^as a soldier. Then 
 one of the men spoke up and said: He's 
 all right, I know him. I knew his voice 
 it was Harvey Low. Harvey then told 
 them he was sick and that I knew the 
 country as well as he did, so he was re- 
 leased as pilot and I was pressed in. By 
 this time I found out that these men 
 were * the advance of Gen. McDonald's 
 Missouri troops. I then piloted them to 
 the Yankee camp, but they w6re gone. 
 
 We then took the Evansville road, 
 and by the time we reached the top of 
 Boston mountain, the' chickens were 
 crowing for day. 
 
 The major asked me if 1 had ever 
 beared of a man by the name of Quan- 
 rrelL T ^-aid T liad. Then lie asked me 
 
WAR iSKETOHES. 
 
 5] 
 
 what I thought of him. I told him I 
 did not think he ctught to be hung or 
 shot, but tied to a stake and tortured to 
 death by a slow fire. He then said he 
 had orders to arrest Quantrell, and was 
 gathering all the evidence he could 
 against him, to be used in case he was 
 caught and brought to trial. 
 
 JBy this time it was daylight and we 
 had reached the north foot of Boston 
 mountain, and the major asked me who 
 I thought I had been riding wiih all 
 night. I said, a nice^ Confederate officer, 
 of course. He then said: what would 
 you think if I should tell you that you 
 had been riding all nightlong with the 
 fellow you wanted to burn? I thought 
 he was joking and said so. Several of 
 his men spoke up and said he was Major 
 Quantrell. 
 
 What do you think now?" said the 
 major. I replied that I thought he 
 would lie, and his men would swear to 
 it. He then told me to ask Gen, Mc- 
 Donald, which I did. His answer was: 
 ''Major Quantrell." 
 
 I felt that my time had come and soon 
 "ivauld end. I began to talk to the gen- 
 
52 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 erat about the Yankees and to tell him 
 all I knew about them and more too. 
 He did not listen long until he ordered 
 me to the advance. I did^not go, so he 
 ordered me again. Still I did not go. He 
 then threatened to send me to the front 
 under guard. This got a move on me 
 and I lit out in a brisk gallop. The idea 
 struck me that if the opportunity pres- 
 ented, I would give them the dodge, but 
 the advance was not far enough ahead 
 to give me a show to run, so I just push- 
 ed ahead as though nothhig had gone 
 wrong, though I felt sure that Q^iantrell 
 would have me shot or hung. On reach- 
 ing Quantreirs rear the men began to 
 tantalize nie and if one of them had 
 punclied me with his finger I would have 
 fallen from my horse; my legs were so 
 limber. 
 
 When Quantiigll saw me he knew from 
 my downcast appearance tliat I was sold 
 out, so he began talking about the tim- 
 ber, the soil and the product of the soil. 
 He continued the conversation quite 
 pleasantly until after Evansville was 
 passed. Here I told a great yarn to the 
 major^ complaining of l^eing sick and 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 53 
 
 wanting to go home. He consented to 
 my going and showed me the road to 
 take, but cautioned me to get out of 
 sight quick, for if Gen. McDonald saw 
 me he would send for me. 
 
 At this I put spurs to my horse and 
 fairly flew from there. As I left I could 
 almost feel the bullets in my back, I was 
 so sure they would shoot me in the back. 
 But they did not. 
 
54 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 1 traveled rather an easterly course for 
 several miles, so as to strike Boston 
 mountain east of Cove creek, for I was 
 afraid to 2:0 down Cove creek or west of 
 it because there were certain parties in 
 that region who had no o'ood feelino- for 
 me. I soon turned south, and taking a 
 path which lead across Boston. mountain, 
 I traveled on quietly until I reached the 
 going clown plst^ce on the south side, 
 when I looked to one side of the road and 
 oh horror! there about 75 yards from me 
 were nearly 50 men; some on horseback 
 and some dismounted. They fired on 
 me without saying a word and 1 did noc 
 v^ait to be told tu run. After about a 
 three liours chase. I ran into Quantrell's 
 camp on Cane liill. a little prouder to 
 o:et back to him than I was to leave him. 
 My horse Avas completely fagged, and if 
 ^ had not accidentally iV.und Quantrell, 
 .-ley would have eaught me ^«ure. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 55 
 
 Next morning I st arted for home again 
 and Quantrell sent a scout with me as 
 far as Natural Dam, which was within 
 four miles of home. 
 
 My relatives had been very uneasy 
 about me, as they had seen several peo- 
 ple from Van Buren and could not hear 
 of me. 
 
 Capt. Winn, a Missourian, arrived at 
 our house about this time and told such 
 scary tales that father and mother were 
 afraid for me to try to stay at home, 
 CajTt. Winn was trying to make his way 
 to Gen. McDonald's command and I con- 
 cluded to go with him. We started after 
 an early breakfast and reached the army 
 about noon. They were still camped on 
 €ane Hill, the place where I had left 
 them. Quantrell saw me and called me 
 his ^ ^burning young man.'' 
 
 Next morning, just as day was break- 
 ing and all were in bed, the roar of artil- 
 lery and the bursting of bombs in the 
 tops of the trees, aroused us and made 
 us realize that the Yankees were close to 
 us. In a few moments all was bustle 
 and confusion, and before I got my horse 
 saddled, Quantrell' s men were in line 
 
56 
 
 WAK 3 SKETCHES. 
 
 mouated and ready to meat the ena^ay. 
 I was in the act of mounting when Maj . 
 Quantrell rode up to me and said: 
 
 Well J my burning young man, do 
 you want to fight with us today?" 
 
 1 said ''yes/' and he dismounted and 
 said: ''Before you can fight with us I 
 will have to administer an oath to you." 
 This has since been styled the "Black 
 Oath/' 
 
 After taking the oath I mounted my 
 horse and fell into line with QuantrelPs 
 men. Capt. Winn had already fell into 
 line with tliem. 
 
 Shall I tell you, dear reader, what I 
 saw of the battle of Cane Hill? It pos- 
 sesses a perennial interest, yet it is so 
 familiar. 
 
 We were awakened by the roar of ar- 
 tillery, the ominous sounds of which 
 Avere unpleasant couriers of the day's 
 strife. Your toilet is not a heavy affair 
 on the eve of a battle. You have only 
 to put on your riding coat, buckle on 
 your belt, rub your eyes and you are 
 ready 5:^r the i^^ay 
 
 On th': !:>arti: -uctr morning, all around 
 us was bui^Tie and hurry. To the fences 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 57 
 
 and tree boughs were affixed the horses 
 of couriers and officers. Mounted men 
 constantly went and came. A sullen 
 gun, at intervals, mingled with the cla.t- 
 ter of sabres and the sound of horses' 
 hoofs. 
 
 There were only six regiments with 
 which to hold at bay the hungry hoards 
 opposing us~5,000 men against 12,000. 
 A regiment would form across the road, 
 meet the ontlaught of the advancing 
 army, fire and fall back in good order to 
 the rear. 
 
 We were soon drawn up in line ready 
 to cugag^^ the enemy. A t that moment 
 a long roar of musketry under the liil! 
 told that the battle was on. It steadily 
 increased in intensity, but did not recede 
 or approach — we were evidently holding 
 our ground. 
 
 Long rows of glittering bayonets were 
 soon seen hurrying to the attacking 
 point. Quantrelks band of 150 men, 
 tall, swarthy, cool and ^'spoiling for a 
 fight;" rode rapidly in the direction of 
 the firing. The roar of the guns was now 
 near at hand — incessant, obstinate, and 
 our lines were becoming demoralized by 
 
58 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 the raking fire of grape, sliell, canister 
 and musl^etry; and tlie triumpliant ene- 
 my was pressing forward with wild 
 cheers and exultant yells. 
 
 Here I first discovered in Quantrell 
 the supreme attributes of a military gen- 
 ius. He seemed to rise under pressure; 
 and grow cooler and more invincible, as 
 peril grew near. The air was full of 
 balls, and the whole scene was one glare 
 of musketry and cannon, and on all 
 sides were heard groans, cheers and 
 shouts of triumph or despair; but it was 
 impossible to discern upon his face any 
 traces of emotion. His movements were 
 as measured and calm as if on parade. 
 
 In three minutes now the shock must 
 come, I saw plainly; but Quantrell ap- 
 peared as indifferent as though perfectly 
 certain of the result. 
 
 We had been dismounted, our horses 
 sent to the rear, and w^e were secreted 
 behind trees, logs, rocks and everything 
 else that would afford shelter. The ene- 
 my b'"^ ' ' ^^"'^ a po^^ition on Cane Hill, 
 and y seemed to crown every 
 
 kniuL - ; ontinued to pour a-heavy 
 fire of small arms upon the Southern 
 
WAR SKETCHES 
 
 59 
 
 lines, and the only response was from 
 six pieces of artillery. These were under 
 the crest and engaged the Federal bat- 
 teries at close range. The fire jiow be- 
 came very heavy, with the enemy stead- 
 ily advancing. If we were flanked we 
 would have to either retreat or suffer 
 capture. 
 
 They were within sevent3^-five yards 
 of us when Quantrell exclaimed: 
 
 ^^Steady boys, steady. All's well.'' 
 
 A volley came fi^om the enemy as he 
 spoke. He ordered his men to fire. The 
 true aim of his clan told on the advanc- 
 ing troops, and the Federals broke and 
 retreated under cover of the high ground 
 in the rear. There they reformed, and, 
 under the influence of whisky and the 
 persuasion of their officers, charged our 
 position. Quantrell commanded his 
 men to reserve their fire, cautioned them 
 to coolness and said: 
 
 ''Aim for the face, boys. A man 
 wuth a slight wound in the face will not 
 trouble you any more today." 
 
 On they came like mad. A hand to 
 hand conflict was the result. Wild 
 cheers rose from the men. The roar 
 
60 
 
 WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 seemed redoubled and all the furies 
 seemed to be let loose. It was no longer 
 a battle but a perfect pandemonium. In 
 this wild turmoil men would raise on 
 their elbows to cheer, the blood would 
 spout from bosom or face, and with a 
 gurgle and groan, sink back on the 
 ground. Men never fought better, and 
 as soon as one after another fell, his 
 place was taken and they kept at their 
 work like veterans. 
 
 And of QuantrelPs men? In the 
 thickest of the fight, with peculiar smiles 
 playing over tlie bronzed and swarthy 
 faces, uttering either exultant diecrs or 
 words of encouragement, they presented 
 splendid pictures. The fire of the born 
 soldier fiamed in their regard, and their 
 martial spirits rode, as it were, upon the 
 wave of battle; rejoicing in the storm. 
 
 Six regiments were employed in stay- 
 ing the swarm of blue-coats that at first 
 threatened to engulf us. They were de- 
 ployed as follows: and for convenience 
 we will number them one, two, three, 
 four five airJ six. Each, within itself, 
 was uiadequate to withstand the 
 
 impetuous i islaughts of the enemy. 
 
WAK SKETCHKfci 
 
 61 
 
 Number one was formed in line of bat- 
 tle across the road, and after receiving 
 the charge of the Federal forces, would 
 retire to the rear of number six. Num- 
 ber two then received the next charge, 
 and likewise retired to the rear of num- 
 ber one. This consecutive forming and 
 retiring was kept up all day long, until 
 night put an end to the battle, and the 
 sable curtain of darkness was in pity 
 drawn over the field of carnage. 
 
 At about 10 o'clock, a.m., a ball 
 struck the gallant Winn, and he fell to 
 rise no more. Not a few will remember 
 his patriotic gallantry on that day, and 
 his zeal and bravery served as an impe- 
 tus to many on that memorable occasion. 
 
©HAPT^R VIII. 
 
 Our aroay Ml back to Van Buren and 
 I returned home, and remained there un- 
 til the battle of Prairie Grove was fought. 
 It was after night when I heard that 
 Gen. Hindman's army was moving 
 north, and knowing that the Yankees 
 were camped at, or near Prairie Grove, I 
 was satisfied that a battle was pending. 
 
 I made up my mind to start early the 
 • next morning, and when the sun was an 
 hour high, I struck the road our army 
 had traveled, on Cove Creek. By this 
 time I could distinctly hear the rattle of 
 musketry and the roar of cannon. I 
 fully realized that a terrible battle was 
 being fought. 
 
 I pushed ahead at a brisk gallop, and 
 by 10 o'clock arrived in full view of the 
 battle ground, looking from a high piece 
 of ground southward from Prairie Grove, 
 and oh! such a sight as met ^py gaze! 
 
 From my positi(i)n- I could see the ar- 
 
tillery on both sides, they being posted 
 on high ground. For a time the infantry 
 could not be seen on account of the 
 clouds of smoke hanging over the field. 
 Finally the wind blew the smoke away, 
 and I could distinctly see the position;] 
 of the infantry and cavalry on both 
 sides. 
 
 Presentl}' I dould see the Federals nd- 
 vancing in solid phalanx, to the place 
 where tlie Confederates were lyirig in 
 line, just over the turn of a ridge. They 
 advanced to within a short distance of 
 the Rebels and charged with a yell and 
 they seemed to mingle together. An iro 
 merise cloud of smoke now arose, fixnw. 
 . which lightning seemed to flash oo' - 
 santly. In a short time the Federal o 
 emerged from the smoke on a run, and 
 soon disappeared in the timber on the 
 creek. 
 
 The .smoke soon cleared awaj^ and I 
 could see the Rebels rallying, apparent];; 
 'for a charge. They soon began to ad~ 
 vance, and when within a short distance 
 of the timber I heard the ''rebel yell,''' 
 and they dashed in, disappearing from 
 si^ht. From the rattle of musketry, ^ 1 
 
64 
 
 WAR SKETCHES* 
 
 knew there was a terrible battle being 
 fought. It was soon over and the Kebels 
 came out of the timber in full retreat. 
 
 They fell back about a quarter of a 
 mile, and here they rallied and began 
 making breastworks of a fence, by laying 
 the outside corners down. By this time 
 I could see the blue-coats emerge from 
 the timber in solid phalanx. They ad- 
 vanced slowly and cautiously until they 
 were in a short distance of the Rebel 
 lines, when they charged with a yell. 
 
 Here another terrible conflict took 
 place, but it lasted only a short time 
 until the Federals were fleeing in all di- 
 rections. They did not stop at the creek 
 this time, but were rallied on the high 
 ground beyond. 
 
 I then descended the hill and went 
 over a part of the battle field where the 
 last fight took place. The dead and dy- 
 ing were lying in heaps all over the 
 ground. 
 
 Tongue cannot express the horrors of 
 that terrible carnage, so I prefer to pass 
 over the scene until eternity reveals it. 
 
 After the battle I returned home, 
 where I remained about a week. One 
 
WAR SKETCHEfe 
 
 6d 
 
 morning father told me he felt like there 
 was trouble in store for us, and said we 
 had better keep a sharp look out. So 
 we saddled our horses and tied them to 
 posts at the front gate. We then went 
 into the house to get our blankets, when 
 we heard a great noise, and here came 
 Oaloway Capp running for dear life and 
 out of breath. He could not talk for a 
 time, but as soon as he could get his 
 breath he told us to get away from there 
 for the malitia were coming to kill us 
 and, he continued: ''If they see me here 
 they will kill me too.'' Then he fled 
 for life. 
 
 He was barely out of sight when the 
 malitia came over the hill pell mell, at 
 the top of their horses' speed. We ran 
 to our horses and mounted, but I forgot 
 to untie my horse from the post. Father 
 had been more thoughtful and was now 
 riding away at full speed, while I was 
 fast to the post. 
 
 Here they came, shooting and yelling 
 like wild demons. What could I do? 
 ''Cut the rope," rang in my ears. It 
 seemed like it took an age to get my 
 knife out of my pocket and cut the rope. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 By this time the malitia were within 20 
 yards of me. Now, dear reader, such 
 running you have seldom seen. I out- 
 ran them' so badly on a mile race that 
 they gave it up as a bad job and let me 
 go. 
 
 Father had gone north while I fled 
 south, and on account of my being de- 
 hxecl, made his escape quite easily. 
 
 I ^-'laid out" that night in the forks of 
 a big log, which 1 filled with leaves and 
 trash. All night long the snow pattered 
 on the leaves, and in my imagination I 
 could hear the enemy talking. One 
 would say, "let's shoot him," another 
 would say. "let's hang him," and still 
 another would say, "no, let us burn him 
 at a stake . ' ' 
 
 By this time I could stand it no long- 
 er, so out I would pop from my nest 
 onlv to find it to be all imagination. 
 
 After rambling arormd for some time 
 in a vain effort to find the enemy, I 
 would crawl back into my nest almost 
 frozen, only to repeat this getting out, 
 ever and anon, through the whole night 
 long. ■ fter a wearisome night, which 
 seemed to me a week long, daylight ap- 
 
WAR SKETCHED 67 
 
 ^ €upied on the side of the mountam, 1 
 could see for some distance up and dowa 
 the valley^ but the enemy did not come 
 in sight, so about an hour by sun I ven- 
 tured home to get my breakfast and feed 
 my horse. 
 
 Father had not yet returned, and as 
 mother was very uneasy about him, I 
 set out in search of him. After riding 
 all over the countr}^ and searching hi the- 
 most likely places for him, it oecurred to 
 my mind that he might have gone to a 
 cliff of rock north of our field, known as 
 the ^ ^Buzzard Roost." . 
 
 On reaching this place I found he had 
 staid there the night before but had left. 
 I then turned toward home, expecting 
 to find him there. On the way home T 
 fell in with Dr. Sloan, of Evansville, 
 Ark., who was going to our house. 
 
 We got there just after dark, fed our 
 horses in a thicket and slept in some 
 bushes and weeds in the orchard. Wo 
 got up before daylight and slipped to the 
 house and got our breakfast. 
 
 After we had finished our breakfast, 
 we went out to our horses. Here he told 
 
^ WARiSKETCHES, 
 
 me that he had taken his two hoys (say 
 12 and 14 years of age) out south of Ft. 
 Smith and left them while he went back 
 home to get his money that he had bur- 
 ied. He said he had succeeded in get- 
 ting the money, and he wanted me to 
 take it and deliver it to the boys. 
 
 The doctor then took off a belt which 
 reached from his armpits to his hips, and 
 poured the gold coin from it on the 
 ground. I aided him in counting it. 
 The amount was $7,300. 
 
 He begged and plead with me to take 
 the money and convey it to his sons; say- 
 ing he was going to be killed and. would 
 never see his boys. I argued with him 
 that I, being a soldier, was liable to be 
 killed at any time; when he could pass 
 unmolested, from the fact that a doctor 
 is not considered as a belligerent in war. 
 Finding that he could not prevail on 
 me to take his money, he asked me to 
 pilot him out of danger, to which I 
 agreed. 
 
 We kept ourselves concealed all that 
 day, and after night we started on what 
 I considered the safest route. After 
 traveling about six miles, the doctor 
 
WAR SKETCHKh, 
 
 <^oiicladed he could make it alone, so I 
 bid him good-bye and turned back. 
 
 On reaching home I found that the 
 enemy had been there looking for me. 
 Mother begged me to leave home, for 
 it was getting cold and she argued 
 thus: ''It is too cold for you to lay out, 
 and you will catch your death of cold, if 
 they don't kill you. ' ' 
 
70 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 I started at once for John Vinsant's^ 
 on Oedar Greek, and reached his'hj ne 
 about 10 o'clock at night. John told me 
 that father had been there and had been 
 quite sick, but had got better and gone 
 to Mrs. Vinsant's, on the Arkansas river 
 below Van Buren. I then went to Mrs. 
 Vinsant's where 1 found father able to be 
 up, but still quite feeble. 
 
 Father was so uneasy about mother 
 and the children that I started back" 
 home just after dark. I arrived at home 
 about two or three o'clock in the morn- 
 ing, and found the family terri bly scared 
 for the same parties who had reported 
 my father to the Confederate officers as 
 a Black Abolitionist, had deserted the 
 Confederate army and taken sides with 
 the North. They had formed themselves 
 into what they termed a "Malitia Com- 
 pany," and were now prowling over the 
 country, robbing helpless women and • 
 
WAR «KETOHEh, 
 
 71 
 
 iidroii, and kiiiiug old men and boys, 
 other told me that Dr. Bloan had not 
 ^ne but a short distance after leaving 
 3, when this malitia mob captured him 
 id took him to Widow Low's house, 
 d kept him there until they found out 
 had the small pox. They then put 
 m in an out-house and barred the 
 or so he could not get out. I think 
 is was sometime betweenDecember 15, 
 62. and January 1, 1863. 
 After they had penned the doctor up, 
 leavy snow fell and they would not 
 nture in to make him a fire, give him 
 3ite to eat or even a drink of water; 
 t satisfied their consciences by punch- 
 ^ the chinking out of a crack and put- 
 .g some victuals through the hole on a 
 ard to him. 
 
 Finally, one morning he failed to an- 
 er when they called him. Then they 
 ited a day or t v\^o before they unbarred 
 3 door. They found the doctor frozen 
 death. It seemed that he had crawl- 
 around on the floor, and not being 
 e to get up on the bed; perished with- 
 j anyone to speak a kind word or give 
 a something to relieve his suffering in 
 
WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 the agonies of death. 
 
 After hearing this , tale of suifering, 
 and of the inhumanity of these brutes 
 m human shape; I determined, if possi- 
 ble, to spoil their sport to some extent at 
 least. So I went to a pla.ce on a steep 
 inoantain side, on what is called a 
 bench. Here it- seemed that in time 
 there had been an upiieaval of earth. 
 There was a place sunk back next to the 
 ^nountain about 30 yards long and deep 
 enough to hide a dozen horses. 
 
 To this place I carried feed for my 
 horse, and after getting all ready, I left 
 my horse here and began to reconnoiter. 
 I kept well to ^ the mountain sides and 
 watched for the enemy. 
 
 Late in the afternoon 1 came near Croff 
 Rainwater's house, at the south end of 
 Long Mountain, and from my position 
 could see the house quite plainly. I did 
 not wait long until OrofF Rainwater and 
 eight or ten of his clan, came to his 
 house and put up their horses and fed 
 them. T then fell back and took a posi- 
 tion where I had a full view of John 
 Fain's house. 
 
 I could see about 20 or 30 men at this 
 
WAR SKETCHED, 
 
 73 
 
 place, and about sundown they mounted 
 their horses and rode off in the direction 
 of Rainwater's house. 
 
 I then went back to my old stand to 
 watch the Rainwater house, pretty soon 
 Fain's crowd rode up and dismounted. 
 Rainwater and his gang then saddled 
 their horses, and the whole squad struck 
 out with me after them, at a safe dis- 
 tance, however. 
 
 They first went to the house of San- 
 ford Rainwater. Here I got in the 
 <3himney corner and caught their plans. 
 They then visited Aunt Peggy Hill, 
 whose husband had been taken north as 
 a prisoner of war. Here they cut quite 
 a, swell and robbed the lady of bed- 
 clothes, etc. 
 
 They next visited Hannah Bowen and 
 Net Fort. At these houses I think they 
 took two or three horses in addition to 
 the household goods taken. They then 
 went to Andrew Morton's, and here they 
 were joined by Jess Morton, Bill Oliver 
 and Bill Harness. Then the mob visited 
 Widow Snider and did their dirty work. 
 
 Here they turned west, taking what 
 was then termed ^'the new cut road," 
 
74 
 
 WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 leading in thq, direction of father's house, 
 which was about three miles distant. I 
 was now perplexed, and not knowing 
 what else to do, kept following on. 
 
 When near our house they stopped 
 and parleyed a long time, then charged 
 the house makmg all the noise they 
 could. When they got there and found 
 no men at home, they cursed and abus- 
 ed mother and the children, father and 
 me, and said if they caught us they 
 would kill us. I could hear what they 
 said for I was close by in a corner of the 
 fence. It was now about two or three 
 o'clock in the morning, and after taking 
 a lot of clothing, etc., they left. 
 
 My brother, Marion, was now 16 years 
 of age and still at home. They threat- 
 ened to take him away with them, and 
 would I believe, had it not been for the 
 interference of Jess Morton. 
 
 After they had gone 1 induced Marion 
 to go with me, which he readily consent- 
 ed to do. So after he got his arms 
 ^ (which were then hid) rubbed them up 
 and loaded his old double barrel with a 
 double charge and buckled on his navy, 
 we set out. 
 
WAR SKETCHES 
 
 75 
 
 We found them at John Fain's, and 
 sUpped into the chimney corner to h'sten. 
 Such bragging about their booty^ and 
 how they intended to do in the future, 
 is simply unreasonable to tell. However, 
 they agreed to go and burn the dAvell- 
 ings of John Yinsant and Harvey Trow- 
 er. 
 
 This was enough for us. We set out 
 in the ^direction of Vinsant's, but before 
 getting there we came to a rivulet which 
 crossed the road, and there being heavy 
 timber enough to make it quite dark, we 
 decided this was the spot for us. 
 
 We soon heard them coming, and, se- 
 creting ourselves behind trees, awaited 
 their approach. The sound of horses 
 feet came nearer and nearer and thump- 
 a-thump went nay heart, and 1 could 
 hardly keep it out of my mouth, and 
 such shaking! I have concluded that it 
 was a case of ^^buck ager." 
 
 We let them pass, and just as the 
 hindmost men passed we stepped out in 
 the road, leveled our old shot guns just 
 above their horses' backs and turned 
 loose the contents of the four barrels at' 
 -once. Instead of the bitter oaths they 
 
76 - WAB SKETCHES. 
 
 had been uttering^ we could hear the cry 
 ^^Lord have mercy/^ and so on^ and it 
 was a sight the way they run. 
 
 I suppose they forgot to burn the 
 houses as they passed, but I had to ex* 
 cuse them as they were in a hurry. 
 
WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 77 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 We reached home just before daylight 
 and found mother badly scared and she 
 persuaded Marion to go to brother Henry 
 anJ join the regular army. Fie agreed 
 to go, so after asking mother to pack 
 Marion's clothes, we went bacic to my 
 hiding place. 
 
 We did not stay, here long, but set out 
 to reeonnoiterf* going onto Long Mount- 
 ain and watching Fam's and Rainwater's 
 houses alternately. We could see men 
 slipping in and out. at both these places. 
 They were not so bold as they had been. 
 
 Late in the afternoon we concluded to 
 go home and get something to eat and 
 Marion's clothes; so we went down Long 
 Mountain near the north end and cross- 
 ed Lees creek, striking the mountain on 
 the west side, just north of the Stone 
 farm. We went nearly to the top of the 
 mountain and then proceeded north. It 
 was now about sundown, and we pro- 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 oeeded cautiously for some distance^ 
 when suddenly Marion caught me by the 
 arm and pointed in front of us. Only 
 about 75 yards from us, on the edge of a 
 high bluff, sat one of these devils, with 
 his feet hanging off, watching ourhouse. 
 
 He seemed to be interested to that ex- 
 tent that he failed to see or hear us » 
 Here, dear reader, I tooi^ the ^buck ager' 
 again, but my trusty old gun did not, 
 and perhaps this fellow turned to an 
 angel as he sailed over the bluff. He 
 ought at least to have been in better 
 business than robbing, and I am inclined 
 to think he quit the busines^^ that day. 
 Here I made the third notch. 
 
 We then went to my den, which was 
 only about a half mile away, and taking- 
 my horse down the mountain, we tied 
 and fed him in a thicket and went 
 home. 
 
 After supper mother urged us to leave, 
 and I tell you it did not take much per- 
 suasion to get us to go. 
 
 We started early and went to John 
 Vinsant's and stopped for the night. 
 Next day we kept pretty close, staying 
 the se(M3nd night at Vinsant's. Next 
 
WAR SKETOtIh> 
 
 79 
 
 morning Marion went on his way to join 
 the army, where he could be with bro- 
 ther Henry; and I, having given my 
 horse to Marion, turned my course afoot 
 toward Lees creek. 
 
 Some may think it sti'ange that I did 
 not keep Marion with me. I did not 
 persuade, or even ask him to stay, for 
 the reason that he was liable to be killed 
 and rae blamed for it. 
 
 I slipped through the mountains cau- 
 tiously, reaching Long Mountain at noon 
 on the 25th of January, 1863. Here I 
 Avatched the Rainwater and Fain houses 
 alternately until the middle of the afte- 
 noon when I got awfully hungry, so I 
 took the line of march again for home, 
 but did not cross the creek this time for 
 fear I would see another angel; nor did 
 I go to my old hiding place but selected 
 a new place of observation, from which 
 I had a fair view of home and also up 
 and down the valley. 
 
 From this point I kept a close watch 
 out until dark, and not having seen any- 
 body astir except women and children, 
 I ventured home. Mother had not been 
 bothered since I left and thought the 
 
80 
 
 WAB SKKTCHES. 
 
 gang had gone to Fayetteville* Mowar 
 now urged me to go and see father and 
 get me a horse to ride. 
 
 After night I went to John Vinsant's, 
 and^ next mornmg I got him to let me 
 have a horse and go with me to his step- 
 mother^ Mrs. Vinsant. We reached 
 Mrs, Vinsant's about noon, finding all 
 well except father who was still feeble. 
 
 Late that evening Jim, Buck and Tom 
 Vinsant, George Foster and Jim Hill 
 drove up with tv,^o wagons, some negroes 
 and a lot of stock. They were taking 
 them south, out of danger and father 
 said I must go and take ours. 
 
 The Arkansas river was to cross, the 
 waters high, no ferry-boat and as cold 
 as — blazes. 
 
 We made a raft and floated most of the 
 things over and swam the stock across. 
 After a great deal of patience and hard 
 work, we got everything over safe on the 
 south side of the river 
 
 We then started south with two wag- 
 ons and teams, the wagons well loaded, 
 }]u<\ .i/^on_t 65 head of stock, mostly 
 : >nr s \ r^iMi:4^ horses and mules. I rode 
 I>ri' r\\- vol uia mare. Our comoanv 
 
81 
 
 consisted of the following persons: Jim,. 
 Buck and Tom Vinsant, George Foster, 
 Jim Hill, father and myself: also two 
 negro teamsters. John Vinsant went 
 back home. 
 
 The first night out it turned warmer 
 and began torain^ and it rained a slow, 
 drizzliiig rain for two or three days, but 
 ye tept traveling on ; bogging down and 
 , trying out. 
 
 We went as far south as Waldron, in* 
 sott county, Arkansas,; then turned 
 iown the .Fourche la Favre river. 
 . After going about 20 miles in this di- 
 -ction we called a halt late one evening 
 at^ a house, and got permission to stop 
 for the night, in fact the good people 
 turned over a room to us. 
 
 Presently in came two long, lank, lan- 
 tern-jawed, taller-faced fellows; dressed 
 in copersy pants, red russett shoes and 
 round-a-bouts. Each had on a coon- 
 skin cap, the tail of .the coon hanging 
 down their backs, and the skin of* the 
 coons head answering for a rim to the 
 cap. 
 
 These fellows kept coming in one or 
 two at a. time until there were about a ' 
 
82 
 
 WAR bKETOHEte, 
 
 dozen of theiii, all dressed alike, coon- 
 skin Gap and all. -By this time we had 
 become alarmed, so we all went out to 
 the lot as if to see aboat oar stock, and 
 while out we all uncapped our pistols, 
 picked powder in the tubes and put on 
 fresh caps. We then went back to the 
 house only to find the number of men 
 doubled, and quite as many women col- 
 lected at the house. We were very badly 
 scared now, but about this time a young 
 woman came to the door of our room 
 and said: 
 
 ''You his needent ter be askeerd, ca'se 
 we^uns is goin' to have a frolic.'' 
 
 And they did. In came a woman 
 dressed in home-made copersy, red rus- 
 sett shoes and trimmings. She held in 
 her hand an old clap-trap of a fiddle 
 with three strings and a bow with about 
 three horse hairs in it. She took a seat 
 in a corner and beg^n tuning. Presently 
 she struck out on a - tune called ^'Rye 
 Straw'' and cried out: 
 
 ''Qityer pardners," and this being 
 quickly done, she called -out: ''Every 
 xelior to his punchin." 
 
 That "frolic"™! cannot describe it. — 
 
WAK SKETCHES, 
 
 83 
 
 still makes me weary to think of it. 
 They soon asked us to take part with 
 them, which was accepted by some of 
 the boys, and the dance and ^Rye Straw' 
 was kept up until daylight. 
 
 I think this was about February 10, 
 or 12, 1863. Next morning we rented a 
 house and pasture, bought corn and 
 moved to our new quarters. We had not 
 been here long when Marion's mare got 
 crippled so ba,dly that she was unfit for 
 use, and this left me afoot again. 
 
 About this time Buck Vinsant and 
 Jim Hill left us to rejoin their command 
 which was in Louisiana at this time. 
 I AH went well until about February 25, 
 when to our surprise, John Vinsant rode 
 up on a pony little larger than a New- 
 foundland dog. He told a terrible story 
 of how" these robbers who called them- 
 selves ^'malitia," and the Pin Indians 
 were robbing women and children, and 
 how brutal they were. 
 
 Tom Vinsant and I determined to go 
 to the aid of our people, and we were 
 soon ready for the journey. Father did 
 not want me to go, for he said if I went 
 I would never see him again. Soon after 
 
84 
 
 WAK • BKETCHEfe. 
 
 breakfast we had John's dog pony pack- 
 ed and when all was ready to go father 
 began to cry and beg me not to leave 
 him. • Jim Vinsant assured him that he 
 would be taken care of, but this did not 
 satisfy him and he followed us half a 
 mile begging me not to go; but I told 
 him I must go and take ca]*e of mother 
 and the"" children. 
 
 He bid me good-bye and said; 'VMy 
 son J you will never see me again.'' I 
 thought he feared for my life/ having no 
 idea he was alluding to his own death. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 We traveled on all day and the shades 
 >i evennig were coming on when, foot- 
 sore and weary, we drove some distance 
 off^the road and camped in • a deep, 
 hollow. Next morning about 10 o'clock 
 we passed through the village of Jenny 
 l-md, and when we came in sight we 
 saw no less that 75 or 100 men. We 
 could not tell which side thoy belongecf 
 to. The boys proposed for us to run, but 
 I^said this would not do. So we went 
 ahead, passing through without speaking 
 to them or they to us, and on we went 
 unmolested. 
 
 We reached the Arkansas river about 
 ■sundown, and got Mr. Campbell to set 
 us across. On arriving at Mrs. Vinsant's 
 ■she told us that my mother had moved 
 to John Vinsanfs. i^ie also told me 
 that the malitia and Pin Indians went 
 to my mother's house and robbed her of 
 everything they could find, taking all 
 
86 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 tiia obtLiiag aiii baiolothes they could 
 get. They emptied eight feather 
 beds in the house and yard and took 
 the ticks. They went to where nother 
 had buried her kitchen an 1 table articles 
 dug them up and carried them away. 
 They killed all the fawls and hogs that 
 were fat enough to eat, t )ok the n to 
 iiain water's and had the n served up in 
 a style best known to themselves. 
 
 During the robbery one of these fel- 
 lows found a, piece of jeans belonging to 
 my mother, and she prevailed on him 
 to divide with her; so they cut it in two 
 pieces. .\Iother rolled up her part, and 
 to protect it, ^as holding it under her 
 right arin, when two of the villians came 
 up behind her and one of them took 
 hold of the roll and gave it a pull which 
 turned i^er partly around and the other 
 struck her over the right eye with his 
 pistol. kn'.)cking her senseless, cut- 
 ting a fearful gash. 
 
 /Vfter recovering from the blow, to 
 save what she could, mother had moved 
 from home to become a wanderer. 
 
 Next, moriuug John and I took the 
 Van Buren road af)ot. After walking 
 
WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 87 
 
 two or three miles we met Will Howell, 
 a lad of a boy, in front of a housa. Here 
 we stopped and Will was telling us the 
 news, when suddenly the house door 
 partly opened and then closed with a 
 loud noise that attracted our attention. 
 Every little bit the door would open 
 slightly, then close with a bang. This 
 jnade us uneasy, so we took a by-path 
 leading through the bottom. 
 
 We had traveled about a mile when 
 we heard a noise behind us. There be- 
 ing switch cane on all sides, it was an 
 easy matter for us to hide, which we did 
 at once. Here came 12 or 15 of the fel- 
 lows I had contended with on Lees creek 
 and who had helped to rob and abuse 
 my mother and sisters. 
 
 We gave them a salute which, I think, 
 converted two of them. Here I filed 
 notch number six on the barrel of my 
 pistol. 
 
 We then made our way through the 
 cane, and keeping shy of all roads, 
 reached home about the middle of the 
 afternoon. We stayed at home two 
 days arranging things and hiding trunks 
 etc., in a cave, east of Cedar creek, on a 
 
WAR HKKTOHKS* 
 
 steep inoiititaiii side. On the evening 
 of the second day Tom Vinsant arrived, 
 and next morning he and 1 set ont to 
 find Captain Beal and Frank Whitt^head 
 who, we learned , were in the neighbor- 
 hood. Tom had secured a horse hnt I 
 had to go afoot. 
 
 We went to the old man Whitehead, 
 about four or five miles distant. The 
 old man was palsied so that he had to be 
 wheeled about in a chair prepared for 
 that purpose. It took us some time to 
 convince the old man that we were all 
 right, but finally he told us to go out 
 back of the orchard and wait, and Iv,' 
 would see if the boys were in the 
 country. A.fter getting back of the or- 
 chard, a little girl passed out near us 
 and disappeared through the bru^^h. 
 
 As yet there were no leaves on the 
 timber, it being early in March, and tln^ 
 worst thickets seemed terribly t>]^-i-n 
 us. Finally someone gave a ketMi w 
 tie near us, then another on tln^ i'; 
 side. Then they wiiisthMl <m al! si-ir* ^ 
 but we could see nobody. The whistliii 
 came nearer and nearer, and soon ! saw 
 the side of n face pterin u' out from bo- 
 
WAR SKETCHES 89 
 
 hind a tree. I could stand it no longer, 
 so I called out to know who it was. In 
 reply he said: ''Eli Oliver. Who are 
 ijou?- 
 
 H 1 answered ''Bill Black and Tom Vin- 
 sant." "One of you come out and meet 
 me/' he said. I met him and then, at 
 a signal, 15 men came forward, and such 
 a hand-shaking as we did have! 
 
 "Get your horses,'' said Capt. Beal. 
 Tom got his horse and went with Rich 
 Oliver, and I, being afoot, went with the 
 others who piloted us to their rendez- 
 vous. 
 
 This rendezvous was some six or seven 
 miles southeast of Natural Dam on 
 Cedar creek. It was an almost impreg- 
 nable fortress of solid stone, back of 
 which was a cave of large dimensions, 
 which contained the bed-clothes, not 
 only of the boys, but many citizens had 
 brought their household effects there for 
 safety. 
 
 Besides these, it contained forage for 
 the horses; corn, oats and fodder; be- 
 sides bacon, lard, flour, meal and other 
 articles of food. 
 
 Soon after our arrival here, and after 
 
90 WAK SKETCHES^ 
 
 partaking of a hasty but hearty dinnei^, ff£ 
 we buckled on our arms and started on a^a 
 raid into Washington county, in search ,i 
 of Tom Wilhite and his band of rene- ^ 
 gades, who at this time was a veritable ' 
 terror to the Southern people, and (iidi:;8 
 not even hesitate to make his ostensiblfnil 
 friends victims of liis rapacious greed, if g 
 occasion demanded. 
 
 We left our rendezvous about 3, p.- m. 
 and after traveling all night, and learn- 
 ing with absolute certainty the exact ^ 
 location and disposition of the opposing , 
 forces, we quietly crawled up to within a / 
 short distance of their camp. Some 
 were sleeping, others chatting and r 
 smoking, and yet others playing cards. , 
 
 Just aftar daylight we made a furious 
 and determined attack, taking them 
 wholly by surprise. The wildest disor- 
 der ensued, and they ran in every direc- . 
 tiori like stampeded stock. We were 
 soon among them, dealing death from, 
 the ever ready six-shooter. I filed 
 notches number seven and eight on my 
 revolver. 
 
 This attack virtually broke up this 
 gang of terrors, they were so thoroughly 
 
WAB SKETCHED 
 
 Bcattered and frightened, and that, too, 
 in their fancied stronghold^ that they 
 were never again reorganized; although 
 it was attempted, as will soon be related. 
 
 We captured all their stock, and on 
 our return to camp, the horses were put 
 up and sold at auction, one of which I 
 bought, and was thus remounted. 
 
92 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER XIL 
 
 After resting for a day or two we con- 
 cluded to scoiit in the vicinity of Van 
 Buren and Ft. Smith. We were soon 
 on the way, and after passing Dripping 
 Sdrings we met Gapt. Mose Edwards, a 
 Cherokee, and his company. Captain 
 Edwards said he wanted us to go with 
 him on a raid against the Pin Indians, 
 and gave as his reason that either com- 
 pany alone would be unable to combat 
 them. To this we agreed, and changing 
 our course, we went into the Cherokee 
 Nation. 
 
 We moved cautiously and slowly until 
 within a short distance of their camp,. 
 when we charged them; killing 15 and 
 completely routing the balance. This 
 took place near the old Mission. Here I 
 filed notch number nine. We then fell 
 back to camp. 
 
 We soon heard that Tom Wilhite was 
 back in his old haunts trying to recruit 
 
WAR SKETCHES, 93 
 
 and gather his old company. We left 
 camp just after dark and traveled all 
 night reaching Andy Sharp's house just 
 before da3dight. FaiUng to get any in- 
 formation we went through the woods to 
 old man Wilhite's, stopping a short dis- 
 tance from the house to consult as to our 
 best course to proceed. 
 
 The boys had all dismounted and 
 were holding their horses when suddenly 
 Tom Wilhite rode out of the brush into 
 the rood, and before anyone had time to 
 think, Frank Whitehead whipped down 
 ihis old rifle and fired. At the crack of 
 the gun, Wilhite jumped over his hojse's 
 head, then ran and jumped the fence in- 
 to his father's field. About a dozen of 
 the boys ran after him, all scaling the 
 fence except Eli Oliver, who stopped and 
 laid his pistol on the fence and fired. 
 At the crack of the pistol Wilhite careen- 
 -ed to one side and slowed his pace. Bill 
 Sharp caught up with him by the time 
 he reached the middle of the field, and 
 ordered him to halt, drop his pistols 
 und throw up his hands. Wilhite stop- 
 ped, turned round and answered that he 
 was a gentleman, raising both hands a 
 
94 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 little. Sharp repeated his order and 
 Wilhite gave the same reply, so Sharp 
 told him if he did iiot drop his pistols he 
 would shoot him. Wilhite made the 
 same reply as before still slightly raising 
 his hand. Then Sharp shot him be- 
 tween the eyes. Thus ended this gang 
 of terrors. 
 
 On our return, by a misuaderstanding 
 we got separated, and about 14 of us 
 concluded to go back b}^ the way of Ev- 
 ans vilie. About 7 or 8 miles west of 
 Cane Hill we met Capt. Shannon, my 
 cousin, who told us that about 40 Pin 
 Indians and their squaws were robbing 
 houses about a mile from us. After some 
 parleying we concluded to break them 
 up in their business. 
 
 We approached the house cautiously 
 until within 100 yards of them. They 
 had not yet discovered us, being so busy 
 carrying out bacon and household goods 
 and tying them to their saddles. With 
 a yell we charged into their midst, shoot- 
 ing them right and left. They did not 
 show but little resistance, but mounted^ 
 their ponies and fled, cutting their booty 
 loose as they run. We pursuaded 13 of 
 
WAK SKETCHES, 
 
 95 
 
 them to quit robbing. Here I filed notch 
 number ten. After we had had things 
 our own way for about a mile these In- 
 dians turned the corner of a fence and 
 fell oif of their ponies like they had been 
 shot. They then poked their old squir- 
 rel rifles through the cracks of the fence 
 and began to pop at us. It was uoav ev- 
 ident that our time had come to ^^git up 
 and git;" and we got. 
 
 Most of our boys were riding mules 
 and they were nearly ^ ^fagged out." 
 When we saw that matters had taken 
 such a peculiar turn and so decidedly 
 ugainst us, too, we hastily concluded 
 that 
 
 *'He who tights and runs away, 
 IVfay live to tight another day,'' 
 
 and we endeavored to leave the late pur- 
 sued in the rear, as they became the 
 pursuers, Our mules concluded they 
 had gone far enough, and one after an- 
 other seemed to become imbued with the 
 idea that he would rather be captured 
 by Pin Indians than riden by retreating 
 rebels. 
 
 ' With the proverbial obstinacy of these 
 creatures, one after another would sud- 
 
96 
 
 WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 deuly stop, his rider would hastily slip 
 from the saddle and seek cover in the 
 dense undergrowth at the roadside. 
 
 The chase had lasted for perhaps a 
 mile when suddenly the horse Rich Oli- 
 ver was riding, . tumbled over pinning 
 Oliver down by a leg. I quickly wheel- 
 ed my horse so as to keep the Pins at 
 bay until the prisoner could extricate 
 himself from his perilous situation, when 
 the noble animal I bestrode rereived a 
 ball from the gun of a pursuer, and fell 
 dead in his tracks. Oliver, who had in 
 the meantime released himself, and I, 
 immediately took to our heels, and did 
 not stop under two miles. 
 
 We were some 25 miles from our ren- 
 dezvous, but wearily we made our way 
 thither on foot. That night and next 
 day we all succeeded in coming together 
 again at our den, and compared notes. 
 We found that every horse and mule had 
 been killed or captured except the one 
 rode by Capt. Shannon. 
 
 On aniving at our camp we found a 
 number of new recruits, among them 
 were Jim Vinsant and George Foster. 
 
 It will be remembered that my father 
 
WAE SKETCHES 
 
 97 
 
 had been left in the care of the two above 
 named ^ as his health was bad. They 
 reported that after I left he had very 
 much improved and that they had left 
 their effects in his care, and believed him 
 able to take care of himself, and that he 
 was on the road to permanent recovery. 
 
 Tjris was good news to me and I felt 
 as if a great burden had been lifted from 
 me. The state of my father's health had. 
 all along been the one dark shadow that 
 had hung like a pall over me, but /-ow 
 that lie was reported so vastly improved 
 I felt as light hearted as though no 
 trouble could ever again cause the tear 
 of sorrow to rise to my eyes. But alas! 
 how deceptive are the human hearts! 
 How^ often the rivulets of consolation 
 that flow with such seeming healing, are 
 but precursory of the burning, blighting^ 
 sorrow that is to follow. Like the pearly 
 dew diNjp that froze on coming in contact 
 with tlie icel)erg, so did the pleasing 
 news of my father's good health congeal 
 when touched by the blasting act of 
 atrocity and crime, that was now related 
 jto me. 
 
 On the day of our fight with the Pin 
 
t iiiaii.^, >i;ii )f raobBr \aalitia, ac- 
 CO npaiiieil by a nuinber of the worse 
 Pill Indians, uiacle a sudea descent on 
 the peaceful home of my mother. 'My 
 brother-in-la v\^, Harvey Trower, captain 
 of a Oonfederat3 company; hearing of 
 the indignities to which a number of 
 families had been subjected, had come 
 home to see after the fa.nily. On the 
 morning following his arrival, the clatter 
 of horses^ hoofs rang out on the still air 
 and this band of Indians and malitia 
 were seen charging the house. 
 
 Trower made a hasty exit through the 
 rear door and started on a run across a 
 large field. He was soon espied and 
 pursued by the Pins. Seeing the impos- 
 sibility of escape, he stopped and started 
 l^ack to meet his pursuers, who at once 
 surrounded him, with fiendish cries of 
 savage delight which can be uttered 
 alone by them. Trower gave a masonic 
 signal which was responded to by one of 
 the Pins, who ordered the others to de- 
 sist from their murderous iiitentions. 
 
 They then returned to the house, but 
 the act of mercy just done did not com- 
 pensate for the hideous atrocities com- 
 
WAR SKETCH Ei=, 
 
 99 
 
 laittecl on the defenseless women of that 
 household, and the white men seemed to 
 vie with and even outstrip the Indians 
 in their acts of wickedness and diabol- 
 ism. 
 
 My eldest sister, Trower's wife, had a 
 quilt of which she was very proud. One 
 burly ru fian decided to possess the ar- 
 ticle, but my sister vigorously disputed 
 his right to take it. She resisted with 
 all her power and the fellow hadn't suf- 
 ficient strength to take it by brute force. 
 I Chagrined by his disappointment, he 
 ' seized a shot p:un and aimed both barrels 
 at the woma^i's breast; but some of the 
 gang standing near, struck the gun up 
 just as it exploded, saving her life. 
 However, the charge cut a lock of hair 
 from her head. 
 
 My younger sister had her rings on her 
 fingers and her ear-rings in her ears, 
 thinking this the safest place for these 
 valued trinkets. One of the gang, with 
 more savagery than manhood, clasped 
 her in his iron grasp, choked her to in- 
 sensibility and with his teeth stripped 
 the rings from her fingers. Then seizing 
 the ear-rings he tore them from their 
 
100 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 place in her ears* After glutting their 
 savage vengeance, and stripping the 
 house of all its belongings, they took 
 their departure. 
 
 Is it any wonder that the recital of this 
 story aroused in me all the hatred of 
 which 1 was possjessed? Do you censure 
 me for desiring to be revenged on the 
 perpetrators of these dastardly erinu-s? 
 Is it a wonder, then, that the slumbering 
 fires of sectional animosity had burst 
 forth with the fury of personal enmity? 
 Who can blame if I took a solemn oat^ 
 to never rest satisfied until these fiends 
 had received such punishment as the 
 blackness of their crimes^ so justly 
 merited. 
 
I 
 i 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 101 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 With a heavy heart I immediately 
 repaired to my mother's house, attended 
 by Captain Beal and his company. We 
 iecided that the best thing for the fam- 
 ily to do under the circumstances would 
 be to get out of the neighborhood at 
 once. We secured transportation, and 
 I accompauied mother on a southern ex- 
 odus; while the company returned to 
 camp . 
 
 On arriving at Van Buren I met Mr, 
 Jesse Turner, whom I had known from 
 childhood, and always regarded as my 
 friend; and asked permission to occupy 
 one of his numerous vacant houses for 
 the night. In gruff tones he told me he 
 did not allow such unprincipled scoun- 
 drels as I to occupy his houses. 
 
 This rebuke, stinging as it was, would 
 have passed unheeded by me, had I been 
 seeking shelter for myself alone, but it 
 was for ni}^ homeless mother and sisters 
 
101 WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 that I sought the comforts of a roof, and' 
 his unfriendly, inhuman repulse sent the 
 hot blood surging in fury through my 
 brain, and had it not been for the inter- 
 position and pleadings of my mother, 
 this unfeeling man would not be enjoy- 
 ing the comforts of life today. 
 
 Disappointed and discouraged we 
 crossed the river at Van Buren and soon 
 reached the east edge of Mazzard prairie, 
 in Sebastian county, at a point known 
 as the May place. 
 
 Here we found a' house occupied by a 
 German family, and took possession at 
 once by buying their right of occupancy. 
 
 After seeing them as comfortably situ- 
 ated as possible I set out on my return 
 to the rendezvous, and reached^ there 
 without any serious mishap occurring. 
 
 Next morning after my arrival in camp 
 the boys were thrown into a state of 
 wihlest excitement by the appearance of 
 a scout who reported a regiment of Fed- 
 erals not a half mile distant. Prepara- 
 tions were at once made for the defense 
 of our fortress, and in a few minutes the 
 enemy came in sight, They formed a 
 line of battle not 200 yards from us, and 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 102 
 
 after several curious and mysterious ma- 
 neuvers, left us as quietly as they had 
 come. We at once decided that ''Cave 
 Camp^' was no longer tenable^ and as 
 preparations were already in progress 
 for a raid against the enemy, it was de- 
 cided to permanently abandon the old 
 camp. 
 
 The malitia and Pin Indians had 
 tal^en a position at a stronghold on 
 Mountain Fork, and openly boasted that 
 they intended to hold that creek against 
 ail comers, and it was for the purpo33 of 
 driving these marauders out, that this 
 raid was contemplated. 
 
 We left ''Cave Camp" after nightfall 
 and took to the ridge which separates 
 Cove Creek and Mountain Fork; travel- 
 ing as silentl}^ as possible. We rea died 
 the Boston mountain, at the head of 
 Mountain Fork, before daylight; and 
 stopped a short while to rest our 
 weary horses. 
 
 Then came a chase of about seven 
 miles in length full of excitement. The 
 pass below, now strongly guarded, was 
 supposed to be the key to the upper por- 
 tion of the creek, If an attack was 
 
104 
 
 WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 madBj it was thought it would come from 
 the direction of oar old camp, therefore, 
 many of the gang had gone to their 
 homes, feeling perfectly secure. There- 
 fore when we charged down upon them 
 like an avalanche, dealing death and 
 destruction on every side, they were 
 taken wholly by surprise. It was a ver- 
 itable running fight. At every house 
 we found from one to six men, and the 
 deadly revolver did fearful execution. 
 
 Down the creek we went at breakneck 
 speed, making a mighty effort to reach 
 and surprise the guarded pass before 
 news of our presence could be borne to 
 them. We were successful. When we 
 dashed in among them they ran like 
 sheep, seemingly utterly demoralized. 
 
 We did not lose a man in this raid, 
 
 but the enemv lost 14 in killed and 
 t/ 
 
 about the same in prisoners, besides a ' 
 number wounded. I filed notches num- 
 ber eleven and twelve. 
 
 This raid effectualiv drove them from 
 «/ 
 
 this part of the country, and broke up 
 the gang for the time being. After hav- 
 ing done them all the mischief in our 
 power, we fell back to the vicinity of 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 Beaver Pond, near Cove City, and piteli- 
 edcamp. 
 
 Here we had a good long rest. Our 
 camp life at '^Camp Beaver Pond" was 
 not without incidents of a character to 
 afford amusement and diversion. The 
 peculiar witticisms, the ludicrous songs, 
 the grotesque, assumed fear of a few, 
 and the pleasant badinage of others; 
 kept the camp in a hilarious state at all 
 times. 
 
 Soon after taking up our camp here, it 
 was announced that a wedding was soon 
 to take place, and that the contracting 
 parties were Eh Ohver, of the company, 
 and Miss Med Snider, an estimable 
 young lady of the neighborhood. 
 
 Such was the interest in the coming 
 nuptials that Capt. Beal drew his men 
 in line and requested the attendance of 
 every one. It will be remembered that 
 I have already related that Jess Morton 
 and others of his gang were slyly staying 
 about his father's home, and the wed- 
 ding was to take place not more than 
 three miles from his house. I conceived 
 it to be a veritable deathtrap, as a dance 
 was to be given after the ceremony, and 
 
106 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 the boys would be given ove]* to revelry 
 instead of guarding against surprise. 
 
 Consequently I refused to go. Again 
 I was ordered to go, and again I refused. 
 I rode out of line and called on all who 
 did not intend going, to come with me. 
 one man, Tom.Vinsant, responded, and 
 we rode away. 
 
 To show how well my fears were 
 founded, I will relate the circumstances 
 which followed. The marriage was duly 
 solemnized, with the company in attend- 
 ance. '^Then there came a sound of 
 revelry by night" and the boys gave 
 themselves up to pleasure. Suddenly 
 the sharp crack of the rifle and the ping 
 ping of bullets were heard, and the en- 
 emy was among them. Taken wholly 
 by surprise, the boys were scattered, 
 leaving several dead and wounded. Not 
 a shot was fired in return . It was an 
 instance of utter route and demoraliza- 
 tion. Tom Vinsant and 1 were soundly 
 asleep in our bed at mother's home 
 when this occurred. 
 
 After remaining here quietly resting 
 for a few days we started on our return 
 to camp. When we reached Van Buren 
 
WAR SKETCHED. 
 
 we found Lieut. Crawford, of Jiiick 
 Brown's battalion, who told us they 
 intended to make a raid on Washington 
 and Benton counties, and wanted us to 
 pilot him through the country, to which 
 we agreed. 
 
 On our way, near Dripping Springs, 
 we met John Baker who accompanied 
 us. When we reached Sanford Rain- 
 water's, we stopped to forage and get 
 something to eat. Rainwater was put 
 under arrest to prevent his giving warn- 
 ing to the Pin Indians and malitia. I 
 went into the house and was standing 
 near the door when John Baker came in 
 and turned round to take a gun down 
 from over the front door, Mrs. Rain- 
 water came in at the back door with an 
 axe in her hands. When I looked again 
 she was in the act of strik ing Baker on 
 the head with the axe. I quickly knock- 
 ed the axe up with my gun and stopped 
 the force of the blow, but not enough to 
 prevent the axe from inflicting a serious 
 scalp wound, which extended from the 
 top of his head to his eyebrow. Baker 
 jumped otit at the door, pickid up his 
 gun and aimed to shoot the woman with 
 
108 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 both barrels. I knocked/ the gun up 
 just as he fired, thus savmg her life. 
 He then began to load his gun, and 
 swore he would kill Rainwater. I went 
 out into the yard where Rainwater was 
 under guard. Presently Baker came up 
 and told Rainwater that he had come to 
 kill him.* I told Baker that he should 
 not, that if he killed Rainwater I would 
 kill him.. About this time Baker fainted 
 and the doctor dressed his wound. 
 
 Tom Vinsant and I left them here 
 and returned to Camp Beaver Pond. 
 
WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 109 
 
 CiiAPTER XI V\ 
 
 The boys had nearly all retiijiiocl after 
 the disastrous flight froin the deadly 
 bullets of Jess Morton's gang on the 
 night of Eli Oliver's wedding, and were, 
 of course, burnin£>^ forreven^>'e. Accord- 
 ingly^ Rich and Eh Oliver and mj'self 
 planned a raid on the home of Morton, 
 which was some six or seven miles dis- 
 tant, believing we could capture him. 
 
 We set out at night on foot, reached 
 the vicinity of the house and ensconced 
 ourselves behind bushes on the hillside 
 just across the road, and something like 
 150 yards distant. Patiently we v/aited 
 for some one of the gang to make his 
 appearance. Morton had placed an old 
 negro woman on picket duty, to guard 
 against surprise. About daylight one 
 of the boys began to move about, and 
 was immediately discovered by the old 
 negress, who gave the alarm by giving 
 vent to a sharp yell. 
 
110 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 We charged the house, kiiownig by 
 this evidently preconcerted signal, that 
 Morton and perhaps others were in the 
 house. After surrounding the premises, 
 imagine our chagrin to see Morton flying 
 across the field at least 400 yards away. 
 
 It being impossible to overtake him, 
 we gave it up as an unsuccessful attempt 
 and returned to camp. 
 
 We at once reported to Gapt. Beal our 
 absence and its object, and it was imme- 
 diately decided to make a second raid, 
 with the Avhole company, on the second 
 night following our attempt. At the 
 designated time, the company set out on 
 foot. Arriving at the place we quietly 
 took positions along the same hill on 
 which the Olivers and I had liid- 
 den. At daylight word was passed along 
 that a man was seen in the house, and 
 the order was given to charge. 
 
 Down the hil] we went in a mad, wild 
 rush, hoping to capture the whole band 
 before they could escape. Again we 
 were doomed to disappointment, for the 
 house was empty. Just back of the 
 house, about 150 or 200 yards, Avas an 
 old slough, along the banks of which was 
 
IP WAK SKETCHES. Ill 
 
 a dense gro^vth of underbrush. Vvliile 
 we were biting our tongues in disap- 
 pointment, and consulting as to the best 
 manner to proceed now, we heard the 
 sound of horses hoofs, and turning in 
 the direction of the thicket, beheld Mor- 
 ton and four or five of his companions 
 riding away at breakneck speed. 
 
 Of course it was useless to follow, and 
 for. the second time he had slipped 
 through our fingers. 
 
 Some one now discovered the old ne- 
 gress, who had previously acted as pick- 
 et, slowly approaching the house from 
 the direction of a recently threshed strav/ 
 stack. She had turned the fence corner 
 and was nearly in our midst before she 
 discovered us. 
 
 With a scream of alarm she turned 
 and fled in the direction from which she 
 had come, hotly pursued by s'ome of the 
 boys. They drew their pistols and 
 threatened her with instant death if she 
 made an outcry. 
 
 The straw stack was then searched, 
 and cosily reposing in its amber depths 
 was found Morton's brother-in-law. Bill 
 Harness, and his wife. Harness was 
 
112 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 told that he might have the honor of ac- 
 companymg us to our camp. He, of 
 course^ reluctantly complied, and we 
 started on our return. 
 
 On the road^ Harness managed to 
 make his escape, but it was reported la- i 
 ter that he had been found somewhere ' 
 in the hills, looking at the limb of a tree 
 up a rope^ Whether this be true or not ' 
 I cannot say, but I never saw him after- 
 wards. 
 
 After the excitement that naturally 
 followed this raid, Capt. Beal decided it ' 
 best to break camp for a few days, so 
 that in the event of an attack on us, we 
 would be absent when the party reached 
 our camp. i 
 
 About this time the company under 
 command of Jake Yoes and Johnson was 
 creating havoc and consternation among k 
 the Southern families of Washington 
 county, therefore we determined to sur-l 
 prise them and demolish their organiza- 
 tion if possible. 
 
 Consequently, we broke camp early 
 next morning, and taking the VunBuren 
 and Fayetteville wire road, traveled at 
 an easy gait until we had crossed the 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 113 
 
 Boston mountain, and reached a place 
 sailed ^'Hog Eye/' Here we met a 
 w^oman on foot, crying and wringing her 
 bands. On being questioned, she told 
 IIS that on that very morning, Jake Yoes 
 md Ben Johnson ^s company had cap- 
 tured three paroled Confederate soldiers 
 md shot them to death, at no great dis- 
 tance from where we they were, and that 
 ihe had just come from where the bodies 
 ay. 
 
 We asked her to pilot us to the spot 
 md she readily complied, and we were 
 con where three stitfening corpses were 
 ying, with glassy eves turned up to the 
 
 A murmur of indignation ran through 
 his throng of rough, bearded men, at 
 his atrocious act. For command or in- 
 ependent company to kill defenseless 
 aroled soldiers, was an act of wicked- 
 . ess for which no punishment was too 
 .3vere. We dug a hole and rudely bur- 
 3d the unmourned dead, doubtless ho- 
 pes of many bloody fields. 
 [I During the interment, the woman had 
 itromised the assistance of her daughter 
 locating the camp of these men's mur- 
 
114 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 derers. We furnished her with a horse, 
 and she set out on her perilous journey. 
 About nightfall she returned and report- 
 ed the enemy encamped on a small hill, 
 * near a house about ten miles distant. 
 
 We at once started for their camp, 
 riding cautiously to prevent warning 
 them. We halted within a half mile of 
 their camp, and sent out a number of 
 scouts to report their exact location. 
 
 About daylight a courier came in and 
 announced that the enemy had already 
 begun to stir, and that they w^ere con- 
 gregating at the house for breakfast. 
 
 A small clump of trees and bushes 
 stood about 100 yards in front of the 
 house, and we rode up to this very slow- 
 
 ly- 
 
 The enemy, wholly unaware of danger 
 lurking near, were chatting, laughing, 
 joking, some eating, some washing for 
 breakfast while others were idly loitering 
 about the premises. 
 
 The house w^as situated in a yard of 
 good dimensions, back of which was a 
 plum orchard, and to the left of the or- 
 chard was a field. Surveying the situa- 
 tion for a moment; we charged at full 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 115 
 
 speed, uttering the unearthly ^'Kebel 
 Yell." Taken wholly by surprise, they 
 seemed rooted to the spot until we were 
 right among them dealing death on 
 every hand. It was then they sought 
 cover in the orchard, hotly pursued by 
 our boys. 
 
 Seeing a single individual diverge 
 to the left and start for the field, I put 
 spurs and followed him. Eli Oliver 
 rushed up to the fence on foot, leveled 
 his pistol at the fleeing figure and fired, 
 at the report the fugitive careened, but 
 kept on his headlong flight. My horse 
 had by this time taken the fence and I 
 was rushing upon the runner. I drew 
 my pistol and as its report rang out on 
 still morning air, he fell to the ground, 
 threw up his hands and asked to be 
 treated as a prisoner of war. ' I consent- 
 to his request just as Bill Sharp came 
 upon the scene. To the prisoner he said: 
 
 ''O, yes, Jake Yoes, I have you now 
 and I'm going to kill you." 
 
 r told him he should not harm the 
 prisoner, as I had promised him my pro- 
 tection. 
 
 '^I'll kill him or die," replied Sharp. 
 
116 
 
 •WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 « 
 
 *^You will surely die then/' I said* 
 ^^for I'll kill you the moment you at- 
 tempt to harm him/' 
 
 Sharp then desisted^ and Yoes was 
 carried to the place we were to rendez- 
 vous, by Eli Oliver. 
 
 The boys pursued the fleeing enemy 
 for several miles , completely demoraliz- 
 ing them. Some 8 or 10 of the enemy 
 were killed and a number wounded, 
 while we did not lose a man. 
 
 Our company returned to ^^Camp Bea- 
 ver Pond/' and I visited my mother at 
 the May place on Mazzard Prairie. 
 
 Here I found Gen. Cabel encamped 
 with his entire force of Confederates. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 117 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Just before my mother moved from 
 Lees Creek, she had secreted a pot of 
 gold in the well. After my retm^n home 
 she begged me to return and get the 
 money. 
 
 I went to Gen, Cabel and asked for a 
 scout to go with me. He gave me about 
 75 men, and we at once started on our 
 mission. 
 
 We arrived at the old home without 
 mishap, bailed the well as near dry as 
 we could, dropped a ladder down and I 
 descended into the well. The water was 
 then waist deep and I had to dive to get 
 the precious pot containing the gold. 
 
 At last, after much effort, I secured 
 the treasure and returned to mother 
 without any other adventure worthy of 
 record. 
 
 In the meantime Capt. Beal Jiad turn- 
 ed the prisoner, Jake Yoes, over to Gen. 
 Steele at Fort Smith, who sent him to 
 
llH 
 
 Little Rock J to Gen. Holmes. I then 
 went to Fort Smith where I met Eli and 
 Rich Oliver, Bill and Andy Sharp, John 
 and Abb Bealh Jack Shannon, Henry 
 Hood and two Ghoat brothers;^ the last 
 three mentioned being Cherokees. 
 
 They told us " that Gen. Ganoe had 
 gone to Cabin Creek, I. T., to attack the 
 Federals at *that place, and that they 
 were going to rejoin,. him near Fort Gib- 
 son. We soon made np our minds to go 
 wuth them. • V/e started at once, going 
 up the Arkansas river. 
 
 As we crossed Sallisaw creek the first 
 thing we knew, the pop of the old squir- 
 rel rifle and the whiz of bullets around 
 us, warned us that the Pin Indians were 
 close by. ^ ''^ 
 
 Well, we did not knock the bottom out 
 of the creek, but we made the water fly 
 terribly. Fortunately v/e made our es- 
 cape unharmed, but this put us on our 
 guard. 
 
 As we went down the Greenleaf 
 mountain we suddenly met 10 or 12 Pin 
 Indians. We made a dash at them, fir- 
 ing as we went. We killed tw^o the first 
 fire, I think we cliased them a mile, 
 
killliis: six in all. I filed notch number 
 
 thirteeii. 
 
 We then proceeded on our way, cross- 
 ing Grand river and traveling in a north 
 west direction, we struck the trail of 
 Gen. Ganoe near where the tovm of 
 Wagoner now stands, and overtook them 
 in camp near Vinita. 
 
 Next morning we moved on ancl struck 
 the enemy about 1 o'clock. They were 
 located on Big Cabin creek, and seemed 
 to think their position an iuipregnable 
 one. They were ensconsed, behind a, 
 breastwork of baled hay and logs, and 
 on our approach. ie out 
 
 to demolish us. 
 
 But we did not demolish, as they an- 
 ticipated. Instead, however, we met 
 their charge with a vim that took them 
 by surprise; as they evidently thought 
 lis only a stragling party. After repuls- 
 ing their charge, we rushed on them and 
 drove ourselves completely through the 
 enemy. We reformed between them 
 and their breastworks and recharged the 
 now demoralized cavalry, slaying with- 
 out mercy. Many threw down their 
 arms and asked for .quarter, while a few 
 
120 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 made good their escape. The reserve 
 force, seemg the demolition of the cav- 
 alry and realizing their inability to cope 
 with us J surrendered; only a few making 
 their escape. 
 
 For the two hours or more that this 
 battle raged, it was undoubtedly the 
 hottest of the war west of the Mississippi 
 river. 
 
 After gathering their supplies, wagons 
 and teams, we started south and after a 
 march of several days reached Honey 
 Springs in safety. 
 
 ^ Here our squad of six left Gen. Ganoe 
 and struck out for Arkansas, reaching 
 
 • the May place in safety. To my surprise 
 I found brother Marion at home. He 
 had been wounded and discharged from 
 
 .the Confederate service. Jim Vinsant, 
 Geo. Foster and Marion started next 
 morning after I arrived, to Fourche la 
 Favre to see about father, as they had 
 heard that he was sick. 
 
 Our squad left after dinner and went 
 north to the Arkansas river where the 
 hoj^ had an old fiat boat which we used 
 as a ferry boat, ferrying ourselves across 
 the river. After crossing the river we 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 121 
 
 traveled north so as to strike Cedar creek 
 thence up the creek and luckily we 
 found our boys camped about a mile 
 from our old Cave Camp. 
 
 Next morning about 10 o'clock a cour- 
 ier from Gen. Cabel (Old Tige) arrived 
 with orders for Capt. Beall and his com- 
 pany to report at once to him at Van 
 Buren. ^'But/' said the courier, '^I 
 left Gen. Cabel yesterday morning at 
 Fort Smith and have been hunting you 
 ever since. I know, ^^he added," that 
 Gen. Cabel left Van Buren this morning 
 taking the wire road for Fayetteville.^' 
 
 About the middle of the afternoon we 
 set out and foufid Gen. CabePs forces in 
 camp at the forks of the road, where 
 Cove City now stands. 
 
 Just after dark the orders came to sad- 
 dle up and fall into line. We jogged 
 along all night and just before daylight 
 our advance surrounded and captured 
 their pickets, and by daylight was in 
 full view of Fayette ville. 
 
 By the time we got within a mile and 
 a half of town, our men began to yell 
 and kept it up until the confines of the 
 town were reached. Alarmed by our 
 
122 
 
 VVAE SKETCHES. 
 
 continual yelling, the Federal forces 
 were enabled to go to headquarters and 
 draw arms and amunitions, and place 
 themselves in the most advantageous 
 places of defense. 
 
 We pushed up the hollow on the east 
 side of town, and planted our artillery 
 on the hill with two mounted companies 
 in the rear as support. The remainder 
 of the cavalry had b6en dismounted and 
 fought as infantry. Federal sharp-shoot- 
 ers had been placed on the hill, oblique- 
 ly to our right, and were quite annoying 
 at times. 
 
 Our heavy guns continued to play on 
 the Federal forces with unabating fury, 
 but from some unknowm cause General 
 Gabel conceived the idea that unless we 
 beat a hasty retreat, absolute annihila- 
 tion stared us in the face. 
 
 In accordance with this idea he rode 
 along the line and ordered a retreat. But 
 the men did not feel like making a retro- 
 grade movement when the prize seemed 
 in their grasp, and continued steadily to 
 advance. Gen. Cabel seemed to fly in a 
 rage; raved and swore at his men. tell- 
 ing them to retreat at once or they v/oulcL 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 123 
 
 be surrounded and killed or captured in 
 five minutes. As the orders grew so 
 emphatic the men began slowly and sul- 
 lenly to fall back. Crestfallen and dis- 
 pirited they reluctantly left the scene of 
 conflict and retired in the direction from 
 which they had come. 
 
 We had not retreated one hundred 
 yards when the enemy ceased to fire at 
 us, and we simply left them in possession 
 of what we could easily have taken. 
 
 Gen. Cabel retired to his old camp on 
 Mazzard Prairie. I again visited my 
 mother at the May place. My brother 
 had preceded me but a short time, and 
 was at home when I arrived. Soon af- 
 ter my arrival here, the saddest news of 
 my life was conveyed to me — the news 
 of my fathers death. 
 
 It will be remembered that he had 
 been left, in charge of our stock, on the 
 Fourche la Favre river, and this was the 
 first news I had received of him since 
 that which was brought to me at Cave 
 Camp. Marion and George Vinsant had 
 gone to see about the stock, and had re- 
 turned with a part of it. 
 
 Marion and I decided to go back and 
 
124 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 secure the remainder of our stock, and, 
 if possible, learn more of fathers death. 
 
 Without trouble we secured the stock, 
 and without even finding father's grave 
 or learning the slightest particular con- 
 cerning his death, we returned. 
 
 Learning of the presence on Lees 
 Creek of some parties who were partic- 
 ularly obnoxious to us, and who had 
 assisted in the dastardly outrage on my 
 mother when she was forced to leave her 
 home; Marion and I decided to make a 
 raid in that direction, and give them a 
 taste of our vengeance — teach them that 
 a son's filial regard for his mother, is not 
 blunted or impaired by the vicissitudes 
 of war. 
 
 Accordingly we set out on our mis- 
 sion. We found some of the parties we 
 were seeking, charged them pell mell and 
 I suppose, ran them out of the country. 
 Here each of usfiled an additional notch. 
 
 Seeing, gv^e had roused the combined 
 forces of Fin Indians and worse ^^bush 
 whackers." we concluded that safety lay 
 in an early retreat. 
 
 At Van Buren we met a scout of men 
 from Washington county, Harvey Low 
 
WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 125 
 
 acting as their captain. They prevailed 
 on me to go with them on their scout to 
 Cane Hill. 
 
 r So Marion returned to our home and 
 I followed the scout. 
 
126 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 We reached Sanford Rainwater's, on 
 Lees Creekj about dark. The captam 
 concluded to forage and get our suppers 
 at this house. So Rainwater was put 
 under arrest, and there being a previous 
 misun derstanding between Rainwater 
 and myself, I did not go into the house, 
 but stayed with the horses. 
 
 After a few moments, some one called, 
 to me to come and get something to eat. 
 I then want to the edge of the porch and 
 received a cup of milk and a dodger of 
 bread from one of the boys. 
 
 About this time Rainwater's daughter 
 Mary came out and told me that if I did 
 not leave immediately I would be kill- 
 ed. I asked her who would kill me, and 
 she said she would. When I laughed at 
 the idea, she came near me and said: 
 
 ^^You know I would not harm you, 
 but I heard my father tell my step- 
 mother that if he caught sight of you; he 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 127 
 
 intended to kill you, and he is carrying 
 a pistol for that purpose/' 
 
 Just at this time Rainwater made his 
 appearance and said: 
 
 ^^What are you doing here, Bill 
 Black?'' 
 
 ^'Attending to my own business," 
 I replied. 
 
 He then sprung at me and got hold on 
 the lapel of my coat, and began jerking 
 and bemeaning me, while I_ was trying 
 to swallow the remnants^ of my supper. 
 
 '^He shook me too hard and I dropped 
 my hunk of bread and ordered him to 
 
 'desist, which he did not do unti^ I drew 
 my pistol and struck him on the wrist. 
 
 I started for the gate, telling him to 
 not interfere with me, for if he did I 
 would shoot him. He said I was too 
 big a coward to shoot, and caught me by 
 the collar again almost jerking me off the 
 ground. 
 
 I At this time Mary and Mrs. Rainwa- 
 'ter came* between us, he still holding on. 
 1 then thrust my pistol between the two 
 women and fired twice, and Rainwater 
 fell to"" the ground. 
 
 At the sound of the shots everyone of 
 
128 
 
 WAE SKETCHES 
 
 oar men fled as if for their lives, leaving 
 me alone. I then left the house, but 
 before going 200 j^ards, I heard rapid 
 hoof strokes. I left the road and hid in 
 the thick brushwood that lined the road. 
 Along came a gang of Pin Indians and 
 malitia and passed me at full gallop. 
 
 I then mounted my horse made my 
 way to Manson HilPs farm, where I 
 found Mi\ Hill and family who had re- 
 turned to dig up their treasures and re- 
 move them to a place of safety. 
 
 On inquiring of them if they knew 
 anything of my late companions, I was 
 told that they had passed there at full 
 gallop almost scared to death. 
 
 After assisting the family in securing 
 their valuables, I crossed the river at 
 Van Buren and returned to my mother's 
 home on Mazzard prairie. ; 
 
 On arriving home I found everything 
 bustle and confusion. News had just 
 reached here that Gen. Blount, in com- 
 mand of a large force of Federal troaps, 
 was descending the Arkansas river, in-? 
 tent on making a sudden swoop on Gen. 
 CabePs command. 
 
 To get out of the way of this avalanche 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 129 
 
 f blue coats was our first consideration, 
 onsequently we loaded up our wagons 
 t once and struck out across the prairie 
 ur destination being Texas. 
 
 Blount came on and took Fort Smith, 
 ut we were safely on our way to the 
 )ne star state. Our journey was with- 
 ut incident, and we arrived in the vi- 
 init}^ of Ladonia late in the fall. 
 
 We secured a house from Mrs. Sade 
 lackson, and proceeded to make our- 
 elves as comfortable as possible under 
 he circumstances. 
 
 The nomadic disposition again took 
 vossession of me, and leaving mother 
 jid the children here, I, in company 
 vith Jim and Tom Vinsant and George 
 *^oster, whose families had been with us 
 •n the trip to Texas; returned to Arkan- 
 as. 
 
 We had no adventures worthy to be 
 ecorded on this trip, and reached Center 
 ^oint in Sevier county, in safety. Here 
 ve were snowbound and unable to pro- 
 ceed further for two weeks. We spent 
 he time in keeping up fires and doing 
 he chores. Capt. Applegate* visited 
 
 ^See When I Went Soldiering 
 
130 
 
 MB several times during o ur stay here, 
 and seemed quite at home in our soci- 
 ety. 
 
 At last, however, the snow blockade 
 broke sufficiently to allow us to proceed, 
 and we went at once to headquarters at 
 an old camp ground near Center Point. 
 Here we staid a week, occupying our 
 time principally in doing nothing. 
 
 Tired of this monotonous life, we 
 pushed on and joined Buck Brown's Ben- 
 ton county troops, who were camped at 
 the Factory Mills, on Little River. 
 
 Brown soon gave me command of a 
 squad of men and ordered us to recon- 
 noiter in the direction of Caddo Gap. 
 In company with Bill Boston and Alex 
 Gregory, I had a little spice thrown into 
 the trip. 
 
 We were leisurely riding along what 
 was known as Chaney trace, a long lane 
 on top of a ridge, with a creek on either 
 side of us. We had been unable to hear 
 the slightest news of the enemy, and 
 were not particularly on the look out. 
 Suddenly one of the boys saw a Federal 
 on the porch of a house some distance toJ 
 our left, and Boston said: 
 
WAR SKETCHES 
 
 131 
 
 ' 'Boys^ let's take a" pet back to camp 
 with us/^ ■■ 
 
 I readily agreed; but Gregory, who 
 was of a philosophic turn ofmind^ said: 
 
 ^'Hold OD, boys; you don't know how 
 many blue-coats may be there. Don't 
 be rash, let's ride up leisurely." 
 
 ^'No/' I replied, '^we'll charge the 
 house." 
 
 ^'Now, boys; I can go where either of 
 you can" answered Gregory, ''but f 
 won't unless you ride up leisurely." 
 
 To this we finally consented. We 
 turned up the short lane that led to the 
 house, and when we arrived at the fence 
 'I holloed. Instead of one Federal com- 
 ing out as I had supposed, eight blue- ^ 
 coats stepped off the porch and up in 
 front of us, Avith arms at present. Taken 
 by surprise at the turn affairs had taken , 
 I could only ask: ''Who are you?" 
 
 "Soldiers, and belong below," they 
 replied. "Who are you?" 
 
 "Soldiers from below," I answered. 
 
 We continued to talk for some time, 
 and finally telling them that our busi- 
 ness lay "rolling," we bid them an affec- 
 tionate(?) adieu, and left them as we had 
 
132 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 found them— in possession of the house. 
 
 On looking back we chanced to glance 
 across the field, and to our horror, the 
 woods seemed literally blue with the 
 enemy. I now cautioned my two com- 
 panions to obey my slightest instruction 
 and we proceeded on our way, constant- 
 ly watching over our shoulders to see 
 that we were not pursued. 
 
 On arriving near the next house, and 
 after thoroughly satisfying ourselves that 
 no men were about the premises, we 
 boldly charged, and then soundly berat- 
 ed the family for being in sympathy with 
 the rebels. We adopted this ruse to 
 tlirow chance pursuers off the track. The 
 inmates of the house, of course, denied 
 their Southern proclivities, but we ap- 
 peared not to believe their protestations 
 of fealty to the North. We left them 
 fully believing we were of the Federal 
 army. 
 
 Suddenly we heard a sound like dis- 
 tant thunder^ and stopped to listen. It 
 was the sound of horses hoofs, and we 
 were confident that at last a company of 
 cavalry was hot on our trail. We then 
 diverged to the roadside to await their 
 
WAR SKETCHES; 133 
 
 arrival, when we heard the dogs barking 
 at the house just passed. They had evi- 
 dently stopped to inquire for us, and as 
 they did not come on after us we con- 
 cluded the family had convinced them 
 of our loyalty and they had returned to 
 I the main command. 
 
 I We continued our way to our camp 
 and reported to Maj. Brown our discov- 
 eries, who on the .strength of our infor- 
 mation, concluded to surprise the Fed- 
 erals in their camp, and accordingly we 
 Avere soon on the road. 
 
 We arrived at the place where we had 
 seen the enemy, but they had gone. 
 
 Maj . Brown concluded to go through 
 Caddo Gap, and pass down the Cove of 
 the same name, hoping to strike the en- 
 emy at some point, where th^y would be 
 least expecting it. 
 
 While on the road I chanced to glance 
 into a yard, and sav/ a woman whom I 
 thought I knew. I accordingly dis- 
 mounted and entered the house, and the 
 woman proved Mrs. Margaret Winfrey, 
 wife of Capt. Winfrey, who was an offi- 
 cer in the Confederate army. She was 
 a lady I had long known, and I was 
 
134 
 
 WAR SK.I?rOHK^. 
 
 proud to meet her. On dismounting I 
 ■ ■;'edthat Maj\ Brown liad also dis- 
 dited and was following me into the 
 house. I introduced him to Mrs. Win- 
 frey ^ and they chatted very pleasantly 
 together. 
 
 Mrs. Winfrey informed me that her 
 sister^ Susan^ was also in the house but 
 was sick. This struck me in a soft place 
 as Susan and I were sweethearts, so I 
 hurriedly entered the room to console her 
 in her afflictions* 
 
 Maj. Brown and Mrs. Winfrey entered 
 as I was telling Susan of a remedy for 
 her complaint. I wrote a prescription 
 with the sang froid of a regular practi- 
 tioner^ and handed it to her. 
 
 Maj. Brown and I, having concluded 
 our informal call, hurried on after the 
 command. 
 
 That night, after w^e had gone into . 
 camp, Maj. Brown took me by the arm 
 and requested that I go with him. I 
 complied, and he took me and introduc- 
 ed me to all his officers as ^ ^Doctor 
 Black, a soubrequet that stuck to me 
 for quite a while. 
 
 After passing through Caddo Gap, we 
 
WAR SKETCHES 
 
 135 
 
 turned Avest and passed through "F.ke's 
 Hole, and on to the Factory Miiis, on 
 Little river. 
 
 Maj . Brown again sent me with a small 
 scout to reconnoiter. After passing Ark- 
 adelphia and Hot Springs, we came upon 
 Gen. Steele's command of Federal 
 troops. We retired to the roadside and 
 sought an eminence from which to count 
 the troops as they passed. i. 
 
136 
 
 WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 As the rear guard came almost abreast 
 of US, a sound saluted our ears like the 
 earth had suddenly burst asunder; like 
 the sky above us was sending forth vi- 
 cious discharges of lurid lightning. It 
 was Jo Shelby attacking and surprising 
 their rear. 
 
 Great was the consternation among 
 them at first, but they soon rallied and 
 the attacking force of cavahy retired, 
 but only to make another * vigorous on- 
 slaught as the column resumed its march. 
 
 This running fight was kept up until 
 the town of Ant wine was reached. We, 
 in the meantime, had ridden around the 
 Federals and were ascending the hill on 
 the west side of Antwine, when wo sud- 
 denly found ourselves confronted, bur- 
 rounded, hemmed in on all sides by 
 men. Great was our relief when wo 
 found the men were Maj. Brown's com- 
 manH. They had reached this place, 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 137 
 
 planted their heavy guns so as to com- 
 mand the town, and had them masked 
 so as to avoid discovery. 
 
 We fell in and awaited the approach 
 of the Federals. . Soon they entered the 
 town and scattered all over the place, 
 pillaging stores, private houses etc. 
 They seemed to fill the town, like bhick- 
 birds, hunting food and all other porta- 
 bles, whether valuable or not. 
 
 Suddenly, like an unlooked for erup- 
 tion of a mighty valcano, the masked 
 batteries concentrated their fire on the 
 pillaging troops. Grape, cannister, "sol- 
 id shot and shell, were mercilessly pour- 
 ed into the confused blue-coats, compel- 
 ing them to hurriedly retire to a hill 
 east of the town. Here they seemed to 
 hold a consultation, and, with the ex- 
 ception of a few sharp-shooters, not a 
 gun was fired on us. 
 
 They then marched down a creek, and 
 I followed with my scouts. 
 
 Some two miles from the town, the 
 enemy went into camp, and Maj. 
 Brown's command fell back some two 
 or three miles. I kept a watch on the 
 enemy all night. Maj.. Brown followed 
 
138 
 
 WAR ^K-KluHEB 
 
 after thein next day, and a desultory 
 kind of fighting was kept up until we 
 formed a junction with the main army 
 at Prairie du Han. Here we met the 
 main Federal army, and an artillery du- 
 el was the result. 
 
 Prairie du Han is a long strip of prai- 
 rie, about five or six hundred yards 
 wide. , The Federal forces held one sidq 
 while we were drawn up in line on the 
 other. The artilknw on both sides open- 
 ed up about sundown, and a veritable 
 duel was fought from then until about^ 
 10 o'clock. 
 
 At midnight Maj. Brown gave orders 
 to move, and we left the main command 
 and marched up the river in the direc- 
 tion of Fort Smitl-U ^ 
 
 Arriving in the vicinity of theFourchej 
 la Pavre, Maj. Brown ordered a d(Uach-| 
 ment to proctn^d ahead and destroy a 
 Federal outpost, supposed to be not fur 
 distant. 
 
 Accordingly 65 men, including Co]. 
 Hawthorne, CoL Jim King, who was in 
 command, Col. Faith and others; started 
 in the direction of where the Federals 
 
 wuTij su]:)pu,->ed to he t'lioampetk Willi ■ 
 
out urinocessary delay we proceeded on 
 our. journey, but on arriving at our des- 
 tination wo found the birds had flown; 
 and we decided to return empty banded. 
 However, just before we reached the 
 crossing of tlie Fort Smith and little 
 Hock road, we espied a uuml>er of F^'ed- 
 erals leisurely proceeding in the direc- 
 tion of Little Rock. 
 
 As w^e w^ere short of a munition , and 
 fearing a large force, we retired to a dry " 
 ditch in our I'ear. 
 
 We w:ere discovered at once, and a 
 steady advance w^as made on us. For- 
 tunately, however, our natural embank- 
 ment afforded us ample protection, and 
 their shots did no damage. 
 
 Only one man in our command was 
 provided with a long range gun, and he 
 ahine was ordered to fire on the ap= 
 p]\>aching enem}\ For perhaps an hour 
 they kept up the fusilade, an(f then re- 
 treated in the direction frv)m whence 
 they came. 
 
 We were immediately ordered to 
 charge, and we did so with a vengeance, 
 Witli the deadly six-shooter, we were 
 soon amoni:: them dealin^i death and de- 
 
140 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 struction o'n every hand. Now thorough- 
 ly terrified, tlie affrighted men seemed 
 unable to escape. 
 
 Dr. Fairchild was riding along in a 
 buggy, and did not seem to want to get 
 away. I passed by him on a dead run, 
 and after the chase was over, saw him 
 lying in his buggy, shot through the 
 head. 
 
 We were heartily sorry that anyone so 
 heartless could have a place in our com- 
 mand, and rigid steps were taken to fer- 
 ret out the perpetrator of the crime, for 
 we so considered it. The men were 
 drawn up in Ime and series of rigid 
 questions were put, but no one knew 
 anything about the matter. 
 
 Of the 36 soldiers who charged upon 
 us in the ravine, only three escaped to 
 tell the tale of destruction. 
 
 This w^as sent abroad through the col- 
 umns of the ultra-Northern press, as the 
 ''Fairchild Massacre/' and we were 
 soundly berated for our heartlessness in 
 thus ridding the Confederacy of a num- 
 ber of her most vicious enemies. 
 
 After we had rested for a few hours 
 we resumed our march up the river, 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 141 
 
 crossing at the mouth of Frog Bayou ^ 
 and going direct to Gave Camp, 
 
 Here Vinsant and I left the main bodv 
 which proceeded in the direction of 
 Washington county, while we remained 
 in the vicinity of the old rendezuous. 
 
 Finding none of the bojjs here, we 
 went to Cainp Beaver Pond, but met with 
 no better success in our search. Finally 
 however, we learned that Capt. Crouch, 
 with a small detachment of men, was 
 encamped on Gove creek, and we joined 
 him. 
 
 Soon after our arrival we captured a 
 blacksmith with his tools, and moved 
 tae whole outfit and put up the shop on 
 a branch, betv/een Frog Bayou and Mul- 
 berry creek, and prepared to have our 
 horses shod. We had put out pickets to 
 guard against surprise, and were busily 
 engaged in our task when the pickets 
 came rushing in, hotly pursued by some 
 ^ ^mountain boomers," as we termed the 
 Federal malitia. 
 
 On the east side of the branch was an 
 almost perpendicular bluff, six or eight 
 feet high, and up over this we went as 
 though it were level ground. So thor- 
 
142 
 
 WAR SKETCHES, 
 
 ougli had been our surprise , and so great 
 our fright, that we had not thought of 
 obstacles until after they were surmount- 
 ed. We ran some distance and then 
 slipped back to see what the enemy was 
 doing. 
 
 We found them busily engaged in 
 breaking our rudely constructed smithy 
 to pieces. We decided to give them a 
 taste of surprise, and after passing 
 around them, placed ourselves in wait- 
 ing. 
 
 Soon they came leisurely along, and 
 as we charged them it was their time to 
 run. Our boys chased them for some 
 distance and then proceeded to camp. 
 
 About this time we received orders to 
 assemble all troops possible at or near 
 Logtown, one mile north of Van Buren. 
 for a demonstration on that place. 
 
 Accordingly Capt. Crouch set out and 
 formed a junction w^ith the companies oi 
 Captains Wright, WhitBon, Head, Fitz- 
 williams and Inks. We then hovered 
 near Van Buren, making a demonstra- 
 tion as though we intended attacking a1 
 once. 
 
 Soon the Federal forces were seen hur 
 
WAR SKKTn UKr^ 
 
 143 
 
 rying from Fort Smith. The town was 
 soon full to overflowing with blue-coats, 
 and it appeared as if the garrison had 
 been depleted in order to send the rein- 
 forcements. 
 
 No sooner had the maneuver proven 
 successful, than we hurriedly crossed the 
 Arkansas river at the mouth of Lees 
 creek, and made a sudden descent on 
 Fort Smith, creating consternation and 
 making havoc generally. 
 
 Again the Federal troops were put in. 
 motion, this time to succor and prevent 
 Fort Smith from falling into the hands 
 of the rebels. We then recrossed the 
 river, and seeing that our maneuver was 
 not wholly without result, and that the 
 enemy was sufficiently stirred up; we 
 separated, Vinsant and I going up on 
 Frog Bayou with Gapt. Wright's com- 
 mand. 
 
 After we had rested a few days, sever- 
 al of the boys, including Jasper Peevy- 
 house. Jack Cotrell, Tom Vinsant, Geo. 
 Williams. Jim Vinsant and myself con- 
 cluded to make a reconnoisance in the 
 vicinity of Van Buren. Accordingly we 
 went to Mrs. Bi^own's, an aunt of the 
 
144 
 
 WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 Vinsant boys, and gathered what infor- 
 mation we could, which was of a meager 
 character. 
 
 We pitched our camp in what was 
 known as Pine Hollow, a dark and se- 
 cluded canon, near the mouth of Lees 
 creek. From this point we made fre- 
 quent sories on the neighboring Federal 
 outposts, and created no little uneasiness 
 by the uncertainty of our movements. 
 
 While here we learned of a small gang 
 of Feds, herding a drove of about 150 
 mules in the vicinity of Ft. Smith. W 
 decided that this prize was too valuabl 
 to let pass, so we set out to capture it. 
 
 As we emerged on a little prarie, al 
 most in sight of Fort Smith, we suddenly 
 came upon a number of Pin Indians. No 
 sooner did they sight us than they open- 
 ed fire on us. We soon put them to 
 flight, however, but were forced to aban- 
 don the prize. 
 
 We then returned to camp, and I con^,! 
 eluded to scout a little on my own hook. 
 I took through the woods toward Van 
 Buren, hunting squirrel. Soon I came 
 upon two Federal soldiers who were en- 
 j oying the same recreation. Togethe| 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 145 
 
 we sought the frisky rodent for a while ^ 
 when we got into an altercation and I 
 cut two more notches on my pistol. 
 
 I returned to camp and we went down 
 the ravine known as the Pennywait Mill 
 Hollow, struck Main street in Van Buren 
 about where the Crawford County Bank 
 uow stands and went in the direction of 
 Logtown where the Federal pickets were. ' 
 We rode to within fifty yards of them, 
 and turned ourselves loose among them 
 and had them scattered in every direc- 
 tion, before they discovered we were not 
 comrades, as they had supposed. 
 
146 
 
 WAE SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 LEAKisrmG that Capt. Wright's com 
 mand had come into the neighborhood, 
 we sought them out and joined them. 
 But as we had raised the ire of the ene- 
 my, and occasioned enough excitement 
 for a while, we concluded to retire; tha 
 is, seek other fields of action. 
 
 On our retreat we passed Olive 
 Springs, where we learned that abou 
 200 of the enemy were on our trail de 
 termined to wipe us out. We then hek 
 a council of war. There were but 16 oj 
 us and we could not fight them in th< 
 open field. What could we do? Resor 
 to stratagem, for that was our onl; 
 show. 
 
 On we went, crossing Frog Bayou a 
 the mouth of Cedar Greek, then dow. ^ 
 the road in the direction of Van Burei] 
 crossing Frog Bayou again at the Ro^, 
 ford. After passing this ford a few hujj| 
 dren yards there is a hill west of til 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 147 
 
 road^ which we thought would be a good 
 point for us to make a stand^ so we left 
 our horses west of the point and were 
 soon busily engaged in piling up stones 
 to be used as breastworks, and our fort 
 was soon ready for the fun. 
 
 We were not kept long in suspense for 
 an old Union lady came along the road, 
 and seeing us said: 
 
 •^What are you doing up there, boys? 
 You think you are mighty smart. You 
 had better go in and give up, for yoi* 
 will be whipped and have to give up 
 anyhow, and the first thing you know 
 you will all be killed, a foolin' around 
 this way. You aren't smart enough to 
 get our Union boys in a trap, and if you 
 don't watch our boys will come in behind 
 you and get all your horses." 
 
 By this time I had reached the road 
 in front of her, and took hold of her 
 horse's bridle and said: 
 
 ''Old lady, as you are acting the part 
 of a spy, I am forced to dismount you 
 so you cannot travel so fast and report 
 -" air you learn; so get down." 
 
 Capt. Winfrey said he thought if I 
 would let her keep her horse she would 
 
148 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 go home and not report us. She answer- 
 ed that she liked our boys and would 
 not do us any harm for-the world. 
 
 ^^Yes you would/' T replied^ ^'you 
 would have us murdered^ and I am go- 
 ing to dismount you.'' 
 
 Capt. Winfrey put in again and she 
 was allowed to keep her horse. She 
 turned back as if going home, but instead 
 she went to the enemy. 
 
 Not feeling safe here we fell back to 
 our horses and crossed Frog Bayou at a 
 deep ford almost east of our little fort. 
 
 On the east side of the creek was a 
 narrow strip of land between the creek 
 and a slough. Behind this bank we dis- 
 mounted and tied our horses, the bankj 
 being high enough to hide them. We 
 then waited for the enemy. 
 
 In a short time six of them appeared 
 on the bank of the creek. We supposed 
 this to be the advance, but they Icft.th 
 road and bore east, almost in the direc 
 tion of where we were hiding. We soo 
 noticed that they were looking in the di 
 rection of our fort and seemed to notic 
 nothing else. 
 
 We concluded that a trap was set fo 
 
WAR SKETCHES 
 
 149 
 
 US and that vv^e must beat it. ¥/e re- 
 mounted and recrossed the creek un-no- 
 ticed by them, they being about 250 
 yards distant. 
 
 The order was to cut them off from the 
 main bod}^, and catch them all. When 
 the order to charge was given, they 
 heard it and started in the direction of 
 Van Buren, but they soon changed their 
 course and fled in the directioiji, from 
 which they came. 
 
 Then began a race for dear life, each 
 urging his horse to the top of its speed, 
 trying to reach the ford first. 
 
 Our boys were armed Vvdth pistols only 
 while the other side was ¥/ell armed. 
 
 By the time we gotwdthin 75 yards of 
 them, Jess Morton recognized me and 
 began to curse me. He was armed with 
 a 16 shooting rifle and two 45 pistols, 
 and began firing at me. 
 
 I did not return the fire because 1 was 
 only armed with a 32 Remington pistol 
 and was holding my fire for close quar- 
 ters. At about 25 yards Morton sent a 
 bullet so close to my nose that it brought 
 the tears to my eyes. However, I rub- 
 bed the tears away, and as soon as I 
 
150 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 could sec, I pulled down on Morton, as I 
 supposed, but it proved to be another 
 fellow. Just as I pulled trigger, my 
 horse stumbled and I shot the horse" m 
 the shoulder and down he went, across 
 the road at the edge of the water. 
 
 Two other federal's horses fell over 
 the wounded horse into the water, thus 
 dismounting three of them, and I had to 
 check my horse to avoid the same fate. 
 
 There being two going out places on 
 the north side of the creek, one of the 
 Federals went to the lower going out 
 place, and Capt. Winfrey followed him. 
 The other two started for the upper go- 
 ing out place, so, pistol in hand, I head- 
 ed them off and turned them up stream, 
 
 I did not go far, however, until they 
 faced about and fired on me. I returned 
 the fire and down went one of them. I 
 then exchanged shots with the other and 
 dovvm he went, but they were soon on 
 their feet again and shooting time about 
 with me. Each of them received two 
 shots and sank down in the water. 
 
 I immediately wrenched the pistols 
 from the hands of one of the men, as I 
 had emptied my own. 
 
WAR SKETCirEr:^ 
 
 151 
 
 On looking around I discovered the 
 second one of the two drawing a bead oh 
 me. I threw rny pistol down on him, 
 but could not have had time to slioot be- 
 fore he would have got me. Suddenly 
 his pistols dropped from his hands and 
 they fell limp at his side, and 1 was 
 saved. 
 
 On looking up 1 saw Tom Vinsant on 
 the bank of the creek v/ith his smoking 
 gun in his hands, telling the tale of the 
 fortunate shot that saved my life. 
 
 The other boys were in hot pursuit of 
 the flying Feds, and I yelled at them to 
 stop as they were running into an am- 
 bush. I finally succeeded in getting 
 them halted, and on looking at the far- 
 ther end of the lane, we saw what I had 
 surmised— the Federals— who, chagrined 
 at our failing to fall into the trap, had 
 begun to move about and show them- 
 selves. 
 
 After the boys returned from their 
 chase we went to the place where we had 
 hidden behind the bank, and awaited 
 their coming, fully "expecting them to 
 charge us. 
 
 In about half an hour they came along 
 
152 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 but did not diverge to attack us. We 
 then left our retreat and camped that 
 night in the woods. 
 
 After we had laid down on our pallets 
 I overheard a conversation between two 
 of our boys, as follows: 
 
 First Soldier— What caused you to join 
 the ariny? 
 
 Second Soldier — You see/ I am a sin- 
 gle man and I love war, so I joined the 
 army. Now tell me wdiat caused you to 
 join the army? 
 
 First Soldier— Well, vou see, lam a 
 married man and I love peace, so I join- 
 ed the army. 
 
 The following day wo went to the 
 house of Bill Couch, some miles south 
 from where we had camped. 
 
 Here was a lane in the shape of an L 
 with a house at the corner of the lane. 
 We all remained on our horses except 
 Couch, vfho entered his house. While 
 w^e were waitiug for him to come out, 
 the Federals charged on us from the 
 eastern extremit}^ of the lane. We re- 
 treated to the northern end and there 
 made a stand. Here we held them at 
 bay until some of them, more thoughtfvil 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 153 
 
 ;han the others, began to lay down the 
 *ence to pass through the field. We 
 ihen retreated through an open spare 
 md made another stand. 
 
 About a quarter of a mile to our rear 
 /^as a deep gully, with only one cross- 
 ^ay — a narrow cow trail — and'we hast- 
 ened to this friendly shelter. A part of 
 IS formed near the gully to give the re- 
 nainder a chance to cross. 
 
 While retreating, Tom Fine's horse 
 ^an under a stooping dogwood tree and 
 le was knocked to the ground. Pete 
 nne and I kept up a hot fire on his pur- 
 iuors until he was enabled to remount 
 lis horse, cross the gully and escape. 
 
 While waiting for the advance to get 
 )ver, they charged us, and Jess Morton 
 ushed up and exclaimed: 
 ^^Oh, yes, Bill Black, G— d— you; 
 
 '11 get you this time." 
 I fired at him., killing his mule, and 
 
 ess concluded that ^'he who fights and 
 
 iins away, may live to fight another 
 
 ay/' and run away he did, in no very 
 
 cod order. 
 
 ' ■ After we had all succeeded in crossing 
 i.e gully, we hid behind trees and 
 
154 
 
 WAR SKETCilSS. 
 
 stumps, fully expecting to be charged 
 upon, as the enemy outnumbered us ful- 
 ly fifteen to one. Some of the boys, be- 
 coming frightened at the odds against us, 
 took to their heels after we formed at 
 the mouth of the lane, and did not stop 
 in their m.ad flight until tliey reached 
 the vicinity of Capt. Wright's, where 
 tiiey reported us all mercilessly slain. 
 
 Of course this proved a hoax, for we 
 v^ere very much alive, as subsequent 
 events proved. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 155 
 
 CPl AFTER XIX. 
 
 Am waiting a reasonable length of 
 tune xor tne expected attack, we left the 
 opo.^ana went to the neighborhood of 
 v^ap.. H'nght's, where we rested a few 
 
 ^ While here, Jim King, Andy Frazier, 
 i^iliaid James and two or three other 
 went at night across the mountain 
 [to the vicmjtyofFine Springs 
 . About daybreak next morning' we 
 Iheard finng m that direction, and 
 mounting our horses went hurriedly to 
 .he.ehefof the boys, but arrived too 
 
 1 Poor Jim King and Andy Frazier 
 :;y dead. Dillard James, like Israel 
 u.nam, of Revolutionary fame, escap- 
 d by leaping his horse down the moun- 
 a^ii side where it was so steep the Feds 
 id not dare to follow. 
 We gave chase to the slayers of our 
 ^nrrades, but they had too much the 
 
 for us to overtake and punish them 
 
156 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 On their way to Van Buren, however^ 
 they met two of our men, Farris and 
 Hite, who were returning to our camp, 
 and gave chase. Hite sent a shot into 
 the ranks of the approaching enemy and 
 had the satisfaction of seeing one of them 
 tumble from his horse, 
 
 0!i our return from the pursuit, we 
 s: :)3Ded and buried Kino; and Frazier, 
 A hole was dug, they were wrapped in 
 theh^ blankets, and without the strains 
 of ch'Lim or fife, were placed side by side 
 in this rude burial. So let tliem rest. 
 
 'Tls a fitting end—though rude the 
 couch and rough the men who made it— 
 tbit those two, w]]o had stood side by 
 side in the hottest fights, might now rest 
 sido by side in the quiet si umber of 
 death 
 
 After the burial we returned to Camp 
 Wright, wl^ere I learned from Cynthia 
 Lester, that a filly which I had placed in 
 her care, had been taken away by a man 
 named Surrat. 
 
 This news filled me with great indig- 
 tion, and 1 determined to make a raid 
 on the despoiler and try to recover my 
 })r -pi^'ty. Accordingly, 1 :::[ out accom- 
 
WAR SKETCHES 
 
 157 
 
 paiiied by John Covington^ Nel< Tiogler 
 and Sol Was^oiier, for the home of Sav- 
 rat. 
 
 We determined to play Federal soldier 
 on iiim, as we well knew that lie was in 
 the habit of visiting the garrison atl^or" 
 Smith. It was also known to us thctt 
 Ihe Federal artillery had Bonio miilos 
 running in the rr ■[Zijiii n-ar him: 
 lience our decision cl. p-^^O' -^oderal horse 
 hunters. 
 
 - We arrived at the old man's house 
 about nine o'clock at night, told him we 
 were looking for horses that had strayed 
 from the fort and had decided to sta}^ 
 with him till morning. 
 
 We dismounted and just as I put one 
 foot oyer the fence to enter the yard, the 
 light in the house went out and several 
 ^un muzzles made their appearance 
 "ihrough the cracks. He then told us that 
 le would kill the first man who crossed 
 ;he fence. 
 
 In vain we argued, threatened and 
 ead, and not caring to face those guns, 
 
 ve departed minus, of course, .my filly. 
 We repaired to the thick woods of the 
 
 >ottom, where we camped for the night. 
 
15S 
 
 WAR m 
 
 While sitting around .our camp-fire we 
 heard a noise^ and on looking up in a 
 huge cotton-wood tree, the head of a cub 
 bear was seen protruding from a hole. 
 
 immedi 11 was excitement and 
 
 we deter miiied to least on bear meat. 
 One of the boys went to Sanfbrd Foster's 
 aud br 1 an ax, and we proceeded 
 
 to 3. Finally the huge tree 
 
 camu u^uVv ii, and insi-b: -y^ [i we found an 
 old bear and three ci. :. : ^ ..a. of which 'we 
 killed. \¥e then proceeded to barbecue 
 the meat and have a feast. 
 
 While we were enjoying our bear meat 
 and living so hugely / we were joined by 
 Col. Jim King and about ten men, and 
 they enjoyed the hospitality of our camp 
 for the night. On the next day he per- 
 suaded us to join hiin in a raid. 
 
 The Federal forces had been heading 
 for Little Rock for sometime past, going 
 in small detachments-, large bodies, or 
 just as the notion took them, as they re- 
 garded the country as perfectly safe. 
 
 We had been on the lookout for these 
 straggling bodies of Federals, and con- 
 clu'i.^^-:' hj^^ve some fur ^''vf of the next' 
 
159 
 
 we selected a thicket and concealed our- 
 selves. Soon' 8. body of men was'descried 
 eoniin- ^ umber proved to be 
 
 about 2dUj wniie we numbered 26, all 
 told. Nothing daunted, however, by 
 the odds against- us, we determined to 
 have our fun. 
 
 Patiently waiting until the rear of the 
 column was abreast of us, we dashed out 
 and with ;/ells and shots were soon 
 among them. Taken by surprise, those 
 in the rear cro¥/ded those ahead, and 
 they, not knowing the size of our party, 
 fled down the road. We" followed, yell- 
 wildly and pouring a leaden hail in- 
 to their rear, until twenty-seven of them 
 had fired Ijieir last shot in suppressing 
 the rebellion. 
 
 Seeing the offi.cers plant themselves 
 .across the road ^nd rally their men..- we 
 concluded it was time for us to fly. 
 
 Just as we turned to go they received 
 the order to charge. As we had now 
 become the fugitives; we made good use 
 of our horse-flesh in getting away. When 
 we saw they were about to overtake us, 
 we, took to the brush hoping they would 
 not follow, but we were mistaken, for on 
 
160 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 they came like mad and every moment 
 seemed to lessen our chance of escape, 
 as our horses were nearly exhausted. 
 
 We decided to aba^ndon our animals 
 and take to a ruff* on foot, and were 
 within 150 yards of the spot when our 
 pursuers gave up the chase. 
 
 After this chase Sol Wagoner and I 
 become separated from the company and 
 concluded to look out for ourselves. Soon 
 after, however, Wagoner concluded to 
 go down to Mulberry to see his wife, and 
 I decided to make a raid on Van Buren 
 alone. ^ 
 
 I rode boldly into town and near the 
 Bostick hotel I met a Federal soldier on 
 horseback. I stopped to talk to him in 
 order to throw off suspicion, but could 
 see he was not satisfied with my appear- 
 ance, and began to ease his hand back 
 to his pistol. I got the drop on him 
 and forced him to drop his pistol, and 
 we rode out of town as though nothing 
 had happened. I lost him after I had 
 passed out of town a few miles, and filed 
 another notch on my pistol. 
 
 On my way to Camp Wright 1 met 
 my cousin, Jim Shannon, and we plan- 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 ned a raid on our own hook. We stop- 
 ped two or three hours in my mother's 
 pasture to let our horses graze, before 
 beginning the work of the night. Soon 
 aft3r night-fall we saddled our horses 
 and started. 
 
 Our mode of operation was this: One 
 of us would go quietly to a house,, and 
 after being given ample time to secrete 
 himself, the other would charge the 
 premises at full gallop, leading the 
 horse of the other and making as much 
 noise as possible. 
 
 The men in the hous-e would invaria- 
 bly flee from the back door, and the one 
 concealed would let fly the double char- 
 ged contents of his shot-gun into them. 
 
 Such running and screaming as were 
 heard on that occasion. Eight notches 
 were filed on our pistols as a result of 
 that night's raid. 
 
 After breakfast; at Frank Oliver's, we 
 went up Gove Creek, and when near the 
 old Barker place, we met Captains Shan- 
 non and Crouch, with their' companies. 
 
 Prior to our union with these compa- 
 nies, they had learned that an emigrant 
 train bound north, guarded by a compa- 
 
162 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 ny of cavalry, was on the main wire road 
 robbing Southern families as they went; 
 and we decided to put a stop to their 
 mischief. 
 
 We went down the I'oad and met their 
 ad vance near the Jack Oliver place. W(3 
 halted and ihey fell back to the main 
 command. They slowly advanced and 
 we as slowly fell back in front of them, 
 all the while warning them to cea^e 
 their robbing. About four miles from 
 where we met them, they camped for the 
 night and threw out their pickets. We 
 camped also and placed our pickets, or 
 rear guard, within 150 yards of theirs. 
 
 During this time not a gun had been 
 fired. On the following morning they 
 bagun their advance and we continued 
 to fall back, keeping our rear guard well 
 in sight of them. 
 
 Their ca;ptain, who was a pompous in- 
 dividual^ frequently rode up and chal- 
 enged us to battle; but we were not yet 
 ready. We reached the foot of the Bos- 
 ton m5untai....; f^^rmed ourselves in am- 
 bush anr ' heir coming. .Soon a 
 scout t they had taken a 
 road eek. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 1G3 
 
 We hurriedly left our ambush and 
 hastened to reach the other road^beforc 
 they should pass tiie point where we 
 meant to he in wait for them. 
 
 We reached this place— where the road 
 winds- up the steepest part -of tim 
 mountain, and ft)rms a 2- Along the 
 main stem. of this letter, an old tree had 
 fallen, some fifteen feet from the road, 
 forming a most perfect barricade, as well 
 as a splendiel hiding place. The road 
 ascended from a dark dismal hollow and 
 as we were placing ourselves in position 
 we' could plainly hear the advance of the 
 Federals as they struck the foot of the 
 hill. Eighty-four of us were secreted 
 behind that log, and waited, hardly dar- 
 ing to breathe, lest w^e be discovered hj 
 the advance, Vvdiich w^e meant to let 
 pass. Soon it came abreast of us, the 
 captain in their midst. One man was 
 holding to his horse's tail, kicking it and 
 saying: '^Go on; damn you; I wish you 
 were in hell." "Hush,'' said a com- 
 rade, ^^or you'll be there in five mmutes 
 for I'll bet them damned bush-v/hackers 
 are around here now." 
 
 This remark caused him to glance in 
 
164 WAR SKETCHES. j 
 
 the direction of the log, and he discov-' 
 ered us. He gave the alarm, but too 
 late. 84 guns belched forth their dead- 
 ly missies full in the faces of the dozen 
 men in front, and every man and horse 
 went down to rise no more. 
 
 From our cover we charged headlong 
 down the hillside full into the confused 
 company below. This sudden and un-' 
 looked for appearance threw them into 
 the wildest disorder/ and they broke pell 
 mell down thel'oad. 
 
 For over two-hundred yards we pur- 
 sued, using the deadly revolver with 
 telling effect. On our return we counted 
 37 men killed and a number wounded, 
 while v/e did not have a man even 
 scratched. 
 
 We returned to our horses, passing by 
 where the dead advance guard lay; every 
 particle of hair was cut from the mane 
 and tail of the captain's milk-white 
 horse, and carried off'-as souvenirs. The 
 captain had been hit by no less than a 
 dozen bullets. 
 
 V/e reached our horses, Vvdiich had 
 beei' br ched at the top of the mountain 
 aad ■ : dv'^ up the arms and ac- 
 
WAK SKETCHES. 165 
 
 coutrements, we sought a ca^iip for the 
 oight. 
 
 \¥e reached Cove Creek, mtending to 
 camp somewhere near Camp Beaver 
 Pond, vvdien we met Frank Oliver who 
 told us that a sutler's train, under heavy 
 guard, was passing down the road in the 
 direction of Van Buren. 
 
 ¥/ e all felt good over our recent suc- 
 cess, and we determined to capture the 
 sutler's train. 
 
167 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 We ascertained that the number of 
 men protecting the wagons amounted to 
 something like 250, but such odds were 
 scarcely ever thought of when such rich 
 ^ ^contraband'' goods as a sutler's train 
 were to be the result of the capture. 
 
 So without camping for rest or refresh- 
 ments we immediately took up the line 
 of march intending to fall on them some 
 where near the Widow Allen place on 
 Lees creek. We divided the forces at 
 our command, making 44 infantry, un- 
 der command of Capt. Shannon, and 44 
 cavalry under command of Capt. Crouch 
 1 was among the dismounted. We made 
 a wide detour around them intending to 
 come in on their advance while the cav- 
 alry fell on their rear. 1 
 
 The Widow Allen house was a strong 
 log house, and prior to this time we had 
 built a stout ^ ^staked and ridered" fenci 
 around the premises, and it was to thil 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 166 
 
 house we hurried. Just as we were en- 
 tering the house the advance guard came 
 in sight and immediately charged us. 
 
 Of the 44 all but Tom Vinsant, Capt. 
 Shannon and myself got safely into the 
 house, and seeing the impossibility of 
 our doing so, we took refuge behind a 
 huge ash-hopper which stood near the 
 north-west corner of the house. 
 ^ We succeeded in repulsing the charge 
 and they retired to where they had form- 
 ed for the first charge. They made the 
 second charge, seeming determined to 
 ride over the strong fence, forcing tl tir 
 horses sheer against the rails. From ev- 
 ery crack and crevicein the old log house 
 came a deadly stream of leaden hail 
 w^hich compelled the enemy to retreat the 
 second time. 
 
 To the three of us outside it was very 
 uncomfortable, and when we saw they 
 were going to attempt a flank movement, 
 it appeared as though we were certain of 
 death. Capt. Shannon then told Vin- 
 sant and myself that our only chance of 
 safety lay in our turning that flank, or at 
 least preventing its approach. This, to 
 me, was the most perilous undertaking 
 
168 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 of the wliole war, and i ielt my hair raise 
 oil my head several times as we dodged 
 from tree to tree^ the balls of the enemy 
 knocking the bark in our faces or whistl- 
 ing uncomfortably close to our ears. 
 
 We succeeded in checking and finally 
 driving back tne flanking party, while 
 those in the house repulsed the third 
 charge of the enemy's cavalry, . which 
 was the fiercest of the three. With wild 
 yells and cracking carbines they drove 
 their horses against the heavily ridered 
 fence, seemingly trying to ride over, but 
 the hot fire from the house drove them 
 in disorder to a thicket something like 
 150 yards from us, where the officers 
 attempted to rally the now thoroughly 
 demoralized men. 
 
 At this moment our cavalry charged 
 them from an unexpected quarter. The 
 enemy threw down their guns and fied, 
 hotly pursued by our boys. 
 
 It was a veritable slaughter from there 
 until, exhausted, the Southerners gave 
 up the chase. 
 
 While the fight was in progress the 
 train had stopped something like 1-4 of 
 a mile in the rear, but on the approach 
 
WAR SKETCHES 
 
 169 
 
 of our cavalry, the drivers sought safety 
 in flight, leaving the wagons and their 
 contents to the mercy of their captors. 
 
 After the chase was over we sumoied 
 up the damages to the Federals and 
 found that 81 of their number had paid 
 the penalty for their rashness, while our 
 loss amounted to not a man either killed 
 or wounded. 
 
 We took the wagons and started for 
 the mountains, and feasted hugely on 
 the eatable contents. On this occasion 
 I tasted my first oysters. I had eaten 
 but little foi' the past few days, and my 
 apetite was keen as the winter winds, so 
 when I chanced to get hold of a can of 
 the succulent bivalves, I hastily put the 
 contents out of sight, and thought them 
 the daintiest morsel I had ever tasted. 
 Since that time, however, my aversion 
 to this food has been pronounced, and I 
 can hardly bear the sight of them. 
 
 With the wagons we left the main 
 road and took to the woods, in order to 
 avoid pursuit, or, at least to delay it as 
 long as possible. Quite a lot of whiskey 
 was in the train load and the boys begun 
 to guzzle it down in a way that would 
 
 ■ 
 
170 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 make a toper jealous and an abstainer 
 heartsick. Soon the evidences of inebri- 
 ety began to show, and it was not long 
 until not a dozen sober men remained. 
 It seemed for awhile that every man in 
 the command was dead drunk, and grave 
 fears w^ere entertained lest the enemy 
 would suddenly surprise us while the 
 men were in this maudliii state, and ut- 
 terly annihilate us. Nothing would 
 have been easier. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 171 
 
 CHAPTER XXL 
 
 We remained in this mountain camp 
 for a few days, when Capt. Wright call- 
 ed for volunteers to accompany him to 
 his home. Peevyhouse, Jim Marlow, 
 Columbus Basham, Jack Goterell and 
 myself were the volunteers. 
 
 Our rendezvous was east of where 
 Chester now stands, some three or four 
 miles, in the mountain fastness of Frog 
 Bayou. We reached Capt. Wright's res- 
 idence without any adventure, where we 
 partook of a most excellent supper, in- 
 tending, as I thought, to return to the 
 s^icinity of our rendezvous that night. 
 Dapt. Wright decided, however, that we 
 ^ould spend the night at a house a mile 
 )r so distant from his home. I protested 
 igainst this arrangement, 1 felt inllj 
 convinced that we were '^running amuck 
 >f danger." Some external influence, I 
 :now not what, seemed to tell me that 
 rouble was in store for us, and I used 
 
172 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 my utmost endeavors to dissuade the 
 boys from what I considered a rash step. 
 My entreaties were met with good-na- 
 tured jibes and jeers, the boys calling 
 me ''granny/' '^coward/' *'baby" and 
 such other pet names. Finally I told 
 them I could go where they could, and 
 we set out for the place, as Wright seem- 
 ed determined, and I would not leave 
 him as we were bed-fellows. 
 
 Arriving at the place I hobbled my 
 mule some distance from the house, as 1 
 was determined the Federals should not 
 capture him. Peevyhouse, Basham, 
 Marlow and 'Coterell deposited them- 
 selves on the floor of the w^est room, 
 while Wright and I made our bed in the 
 hall, which ran north and south through 
 the house. After getting our bed ready 
 I pulled of my boots — a new pair of 
 cavalry boots, recently presented to me 
 by Martha Dyer who carried them from 
 Cassville, Mo., concealed under her 
 clothing- — and threw them away. My 
 presentiment of impending trouble had 
 not abated in the least, and I told 
 Wright I intended to save the boots 
 when the boomers killed us. At this, 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 173 
 
 Wriglit siezed and rolled mo around tlie 
 floor to his heart's content, as I was 
 moody and depressed, and did not have 
 energy enough to resent anything. 
 
 As th.e night advanced m}^ presenti- 
 ment grew to almost a certainty. I 
 would lie on my back for a time and 
 watch the sjuth approach, then turn on 
 my face and v/atch the north. As I lay 
 thus watching, I saw the dim outline 
 of a man, then another and still another, 
 until several had apparently risen out 
 of the 2:round. Thev seemed to be 
 peering into the house to ascertain our 
 exact number and location before attack- 
 ing us. I awoke Wright and informed 
 him that the enemy were surroundiiig 
 the house. He slipped into the room 
 and awoke the other boys and they came 
 out into the hall where I was and Mar- 
 ler, Basham and Capt. Wright formed" 
 on one, side of the hall while Pevehouse, 
 Coterell and myself formed on the other 
 side. While we three were consulting 
 as to the best method of escape, Wright, 
 Marler and Basham disappeared as mys- 
 teriously as though the ground had 
 opened and swallowed them. We three 
 
174 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 formed one behind the other, I in 
 lead, a revolver in each hand, our 
 termination being to simply force 
 way through the cordon of boomers thIF 
 surrounded us. We had scarcely star 
 ed when, on reaching the west corner < 
 the house, we saw it was hopejess to a 
 tempt to escape in that direction. 
 stopped and I stepped back bet wee 
 Peevy and Coterell, speaking first to on 
 and then to the other. 
 
 While standing thus, discussing th 
 best method of escape, Capt. Bealer oi 
 dered his men to fire, at the same tim 
 discharging his own weapon, the ba] 
 from which struck my upraised pistol 
 cutting a notch out of my thumb an* 
 knocking the pistol against my face v/itl 
 such force as to bruise it. For a tim 
 1 was staggered by the blow but sooji 
 recovered and we decided that our onbl 
 chance of escape lay in the opposite di 
 rection. 
 
 Accordingly we about faced and startl 
 ed in a south-easterly direction witi! 
 Peevyhouse in the lead, Coterell behinc 
 and I in the center. Capt. Bealer kep j 
 yelling at his men to ^'give them h— 1 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 175 
 
 boys; shoot -them down. Take hold of 
 them; don't let them get away/ ' and 
 such swearing I never heard before. At 
 times men had hold of me on each side, 
 endeavoring to pull me both ways, but 
 I managed to knock and shoot them off. 
 
 Suddenly Bealer sprang between Pee- 
 yj^house and I, shooting rapidly at Pee- 
 vyhouse and exclaiming: ''G— d d— n 
 you, I'll learn 3'ou—" the remainder of 
 his sentence being lost in the report of 
 his pistol. 
 
 All at once, with the growl of a tiger 
 at bay, Peev}' house whirled and with his 
 revolver within two feet of the captain's 
 breast, fired. Bealer, with an exclama- 
 tion of anguish and a cry for mercy on 
 his lips, fell backward with his head be- 
 tween my feet. I sprang backward to 
 to avoid his falling against me, and 
 struck Coterell: He had seen the man 
 fall and thought it was Peevyhouse, and 
 believing I was wounded, concluded it 
 was time to get away. Accordingly he 
 broke to run to his right when he came 
 in violent contact with one of the ene- 
 my, and both fell to the ground. His 
 opponent immediatdly sprang up, and I 
 
176 
 
 WAR t 
 
 TCKES. 
 
 coul d see the flash of the pistols as they 
 were fired at him as he lay prone upon 
 the ground. I thought him killed, so I 
 turned to look for Peevyhouse, but he 
 had vanished as though in thin air. I 
 could not see him. anywhere, and of 
 course thought him killed. 
 
 I now thought of m3'self and looked 
 for a place of exit from the seemingly 
 solid wall of Federals that encompassed 
 me. Near the eastern corner of the 
 fence was the only place that seemed tS 
 ^ afford the means of egress from the no\n 
 
 thoroughly uncomfortable position I oc-l 
 cupied, and to this part I slowly direct-l 
 ed my steps, hoping thus not to direct! 
 their attention to myself. 
 
 Just as I had reached the fence and 
 placed my hand on the top rail to leap 
 over, Shelton Chastain, who had been 
 concealed in the outside corner^ fired 
 point-blank in my face at a distance of 
 not over three or four feet. The flash of 
 the carbine and the close proximity of 
 the ball, completely blinded me for the 
 nonce and it was some minutes before I 
 could recover my equilibrium. I was 
 now thoroughly aroused and would have 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 177 
 
 dealt the fellow a death blow, but on 
 looking for him could not discover his 
 whereabouts. He had suddenly de- 
 camped. 
 
 1 then decided it was time to get away 
 and made an effort to do so, but, fortun- 
 ately for me, struck my foot against 
 some obstacle and fell to the ground just 
 in time to avoid a volley fired at me. 
 Another and still another was fired, and 
 for a time the bullets litte rally rained 
 over my prostrate body. 
 
 As soon as there was cessation of the 
 firing I arose and ran in the direction of 
 the branch, leaping over the high clay 
 bank, a volly of balls whistling uncom- 
 fortably close to my head. I crawled up 
 the branch to the heavy timber on the 
 ? hillside immediately in front of the 
 ^ house, where I sat down by a large tree. 
 1 . While sitting here debating in my 
 ' nind what course was best to pursue, I 
 ' leard a crashing through the brush be- 
 ' :ween me and the house like the sound 
 ^ 3f stampeded cattle, and a shower of 
 ' 3ullets was sent in its direction. The 
 ' )Yee against which I was sitting received 
 ^ I large share of the balls, and I decided 
 
178 
 
 WAK sketch::; 
 
 it a little too conspicuous^ so I managed 
 to worm myself to tU.e opposite of the. 
 tree and straitened alongside of its trunk 
 just as Jack Coterell came dashing by. 
 
 '•Hello, Jack; is that you?" I asked. 
 
 ''Why, my God, Bill; is it possible? 
 I thought you were killed/' he replied, 
 and he actually hugged me in the exhu- 
 berance of his joy. 
 
 We watched the enemy as they tied 
 their mortally wounded captain on a 
 horse, and prepared to leave. Soon they 
 were on the move, but were not 100 
 yards from the premises before Coterell 
 and I were on the ground looking for 
 Peevyhonse. 
 
 We persistently searched for him all 
 over the ground of the recent conflict, 
 even getting dowm on our knees and 
 looking through the tall grass for the 
 body, as we supposed him dead. 
 
 After a fruitless search of an hour or 
 two, we abandoned the task and left for 
 Gapt. Wright's house, where we found 
 the remainder of the boys, who thought 
 us killed or captured. 
 
 We waited patiently all day and night 
 for Peevyhouse to put in appearance, and 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 179 
 
 as lie failed to do so we were preparing 
 to make a thorough search for his body 
 On the morning of the second day, as we 
 were making final preparations to look 
 for him, I saw him slowly hobbling 
 through the orchard toward the house. 
 
 I immediately ran to him to assist 
 him. Soon after his arrival he gave com- 
 pletely down, and could not walk a step. 
 The indomitable spirit that had sustain- 
 ed him for the past 36 hours gave way 
 and he was utterly helpless. 
 
180 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 We carried him to the big spring, on 
 the point of the mountain between Capt. 
 Wright's home and the Frog Bayou. 
 
 Here he lay for three weeks while we 
 applied wet bandages to his painful 
 wounds. After comfortably arranging 
 him at the spring, we learned the history 
 of his adventures on that night for the 
 first time. 
 
 When Bealer sprang in between he 
 and I, and he felt the sting of the bul- 
 lets, he fell, after shooting his antago- 
 nist, suffering intense agony from the 
 painful wounds in his limbs. His right 
 leg was paralyzed by the shot and he 
 was to move only as he lifted the limb 
 with his hand. As soon as the shooting 
 had somewhat abated, he succeeded in 
 crawling to the branch where he remain- 
 ed until the enemy had gone, when he 
 managed to crawl to a ledge of rock over- 
 looking the branch, where he concealed 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 himself until near morning. He had 
 drawn himself up over the overhanging 
 ledge and ensconsed himself in a nest of 
 tangled grapevines when he heard the 
 sound of two men approaching on foot, 
 apparently to the very spot where he lay 
 concealed. 
 
 Cocking both his weapons he remain- 
 ed perfectly quiet^ intending if discover- 
 ed to sell out as dearly as possible. The 
 t\yo passed within two feet of him, hov/- 
 ever, without discovering him. Fearing 
 hcAvould be found if he remained there 
 he succeeded in reaching a dense copse, 
 where he concealed himself during the 
 day. 
 
 When the night again descended, he 
 slowly and painfully made his way to 
 the hill, and commenced his excruciating 
 journey of a mile and a half to Captain 
 Wright's house. Every step was fraught 
 with deepest agony, the painful wounds 
 receiving no attention during all this 
 time except the rude bandages the suf- 
 ferer could make from tearing his shirt 
 in pieces. 
 
 Only by exerting all his determination 
 and will power, had he been enabled to 
 
182 
 
 VVAK SKETCHES. 
 
 move. All the long and weary nighti 
 was occupied in the journey, and just as 
 the morning sun kissed the hill tops with 
 her first rays, he came to the creek in 
 sight of Gapt. Wright's house. Sore,^ 
 tired and thirsty, he lay down and took 
 a long draught of the clear, sweet waterj 
 Seeing the men gathered around the 
 house, he. mistook them for the federals,; 
 and decided to walk boldly up and sell 
 out as dearly as possible. 
 
 When he found they were friends in^ 
 stead of enemies, his courage, which had 
 hitherto borne him up, gave way, and he 
 was completely helpless. ^ 
 
 However, we brought him around al. 
 right, and in three weeks he was in the 
 saddle, ready for the performance of any 
 task as trying as the one through whicl: 
 he had just passed. 
 
 About this time vv-e learned of th( 
 p]'esence in Van Buren of a number o; 
 Federal artillery horses, and we deter: 
 mined to deprive the eiiernyof tb.esevai 
 liable adiuncts to tlie service. 
 
 Accordingly vfe moved in the dire 
 of that place, and camrKn] in Pine Ho 
 low, some four miles fv'^jiri tov;n. 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 183 
 
 The Federal camp was on college hill, 
 just east of the ferry, and the horses were 
 tied to a chain-row. Several of us went 
 into town that night to get the horses. 
 
 The boys in blue were tripping the 
 light fantastic toe to the dulcet strains of 
 some sv/eet toned instrument, and some 
 of the boys in gray went in and joined 
 them in their festivities. I was placed 
 at the door to watch and give v/arning 
 should suspicion be aroused. Borne of 
 the boys went out to v/here the horses 
 were hitehed~—the guard was interested 
 in the terpsichorean display Vsdthin, and 
 did not think of danger lurldng near — 
 and would untie the first and tie it to 
 the tail of the second, and this to the 
 tail of the third, and this to the fourth, 
 and so on until the whole string, save 
 one left for me, were ready to move. 
 
 At a signal the captors began to as- 
 cend the hill north of where the federals 
 were camped. I left my post as watcher 
 and took the remaining horse, a large 
 iron gray, and placed myself as rear 
 guard. Soon the loss of the horses was 
 discovered, and then there was hurrying 
 to and fro. The enemy began what 
 
1^4: WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 promised to be a hot .pursuit. BuUets 
 began flying around us thick and fast, 
 and my position as rear guard was any- 
 thing but pleasant. I never lay closer 
 to an animal in my life than I did to that 
 big grav of the Federal artillery. I was 
 placed in that peculiar attitude in which 
 my only alternative was to go ahead, and 
 I felt each moment as if the next I woulJ 
 
 feel a ball'in my back. 
 
 However, I escaped injury, and att_ 
 pursuing us a short distance the enem 
 gave up the chase and returned to towi 
 and doubtless to the dance, while - 
 went on to camp with our horses. 
 
 As was customary the horses wej 
 put up and sold to the highest bidd.' 
 and I bought the big gray that I h 
 ridden on the night of the capture, 
 afterwards gave the horse to a lady w 
 was refugeeing south. I had also honf 
 a mule at the same sale, and I dispo 
 of him in the same manner, and at 
 same time. 
 
 Fu: some time past my wardrobe^ 
 saown siOTs of decay, in fact was i 
 x-nowbio dilapidated condition, an 
 r.!olnlv evident that T wouldhf 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 185 
 
 secure more clothing. Cyntha Lester 
 proposed to make the garments for me if 
 I would get the material. Accordingly, 
 I went to Van Buren for the purpose of 
 securing the stuff. I rode boldly into 
 town and up to the back door of Heard 
 and Vinsant's building, which joined the 
 Hinkle building, After tying my horse, 
 I entered the store. A woman who 
 knew me well, and had nursed me whea' 
 I was a little child, but who was ultra - 
 Northern now, was trading at the coun- 
 ter. 
 
 On seeing me she immediately ceased 
 ler purchasing and began to tremble. I 
 saw that suspicion might be ^aroused, as 
 die merchant was first glancing at the 
 luaking woman and then at are, so, to 
 livert attention as much as possible, 1 
 )egan to call for the goods I wanted, at 
 he same time covertly watching the evi- 
 l-ently hostile female. 
 
 She soon walked Qut of the house, and 
 n the direction of the provost marshal's 
 )ffice, which was in a little red brick im- 
 aediately in front of the court house. 
 
 I stepped to the door and as soon as I 
 aw her enter his office I knew her er- 
 
186 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 rand. She meant to report my presence 
 in the town. Matters began to assume, 
 a somewhat squally aspect, but I was! 
 determined not to run until compelled^ 
 to do so. So 1 cjuietly paid for my pur- 
 chases, tied the package to my saddle, 
 mounted and rode around the Hinklej 
 building into main street and stopped 
 for a few moments and watched in the 
 direction of the provost marshal's office.- 
 Seeing no one appToaching, I took up 
 the hollow in the dn'ection of the old 
 mill, passing several Federal soldiers on- 
 my route, crossing the branch just to the 
 right of where the widow Houck nowi 
 lives, taking a trail up the mountain 
 that put me m the main road just east, 
 of the Rose, place, on top of the hill over-^ 
 looking the town. 
 
 I rode to the bluff west of the Kosej 
 place and stopped, as I had a curiosity 
 to know what would be the outcome of 
 the woman's report. Soon I saw sol-, 
 diers enter the store in which I had trad-; 
 ed. They remained for some time and; 
 then returned to the marshal's office 
 without their prisoner, of course. I af- 
 terward learned that they arrested the 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 187 
 
 merchant and incarcerated him in prison 
 for some time for trading with me. 
 
 Being satisfied that the soldiers whom 
 I had passed would report the direction 
 I had taken, I turned my horse's head 
 and rode to Mrs. Brown's near Pine Hol- 
 low. Here I found Mrs. Nancy Moore, 
 an ardent and fearless Southern woman. 
 To her I unfolded my plans for the cap- 
 ture of Col. Bowen, and secured from 
 her a promise to act as my courier with 
 , a message to Gen. Thayer, then in com- 
 mand at Fort Smith. I knew her part 
 of the matter would be faithfully and 
 fearlessly kept, so fearing the proximity 
 of searching parties of Federals, 1 turned 
 my horse in the direction of Frog Bayou 
 and hastily rode to Capt. Wright's. 
 
 I delivered the goods to Cynthia Les- 
 thr, and she promised to have them 
 ready for me soon. I then returned to 
 Camp Wright. 
 
188 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII, 
 
 At this time our command consisted 
 of Maiiin's, Wright's and Whitson's 
 companies, Captain Wright in command. 
 About 3 o'clocl^ one afternoon I called 
 for volunteers to go to Van Buren and 
 capture Col. Tom Bo wen, who was in 
 command of the U. S. forces at that 
 place. My object in capturing Col. Bow- 
 en was to hold him as an exchange for 
 John Norwood and others who were at 
 that time under sentence of death at Ft, 
 Smith; also to better the condition, if pos- 
 sible, of the Southern women and chil- 
 dren in that section of the country, who 
 were being robbed, mistreated and im- 
 prisoned upon misrepresentations of de- 
 signing parties in order to get a chance 
 to steal what they had. 
 
 Ten men volunteered to go with me. 
 We set out late in the afternoon, going 
 by way of Oliver Springs, then struck 
 south through the woods until we reach- 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 189 
 
 ed a point just northeast of Van Buren, 
 and from 1-4 to 1-2 a mile northeast of 
 Dr. Thurston's plabe, in some timber oh 
 the hillside. By this thne it was 10 
 o'clock at night. Here we held a council 
 of war. It was decided to raid the town 
 on foot that night, and find out what 
 we could. I called for volunteers to 
 guard the horses, but as all failed to re- 
 spond we all went to town. 
 
 On reaching town we went to some of 
 our friends and learned that Col. Bowen 
 had gone to Fort Smith in answer to a 
 summons from Gen. Thayer. We did 
 not go there to be beat, so we concluded 
 to see the sights. It was so interesting 
 that we stayed until the crowing of the 
 chickens admonished us that the bullet 
 fever, which raged at times in that place 
 might overtake us if we tarried there too 
 long. The bo3^s found stray horses with 
 U.S. halters on, and selected 17 of the 
 best looking, also a supply of pistols, and 
 mounting, retreated in good order, reach- 
 . ing our rendezvous at daybreak. 
 
 We then held another council of war 
 -and decided to send our surplus stock to 
 the command and await developments. 
 
190 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 I detailed three men for this purpose, then 
 we partook of a hearty meal of cold vict- 
 uals given us by our friends in town. 1 
 then detailed a*man to go to the highest 
 point of the mountain northeast of town 
 and watch for Col. Bo wen, as this posi- 
 tion commanded a fair view of the ferry 
 where Bowen must cross the river, when 
 lie could be easily distinguished, as he 
 rode a black horse. 
 
 I then took one man and went down 
 on the roadside with bridles strapped on 
 our shoulders and as Union soldiers 
 came along we enquired for stray horses, 
 representing that we had lost ours. Soon 
 two came along together, and when we 
 got them off their guard held them up 
 and took them out to the other boys, 
 then went back to the road and held up 
 four more and took them in. Going back 
 again to the road the first man that came 
 along was Esq. Stephenson, of Flat Rock 
 Creek, whom we escorted to the bush and 
 introduced him to the boys, one of whom 
 exchanged his old slouch hat for the 
 'Squire's fine beaver, which Stephenson 
 kept as a memento. 
 
 One of our prisonere was an old man 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 191 
 
 Lbout 75 years old, and yet he wore the 
 )lue. I approached hin and said: 
 
 ''Old man, are you a U. S. soldier? 
 iTou look rather old." His answer was: 
 
 ^'Yes, by G— d. '^ 
 
 I then asked him why he enlisted at 
 inch old age. He said: 
 
 ''To kill such d d rebels as you/^ 
 
 it the same time putting on a vicious 
 ook and gritting his teeth. 
 
 About this time our picket came in 
 ind reported that Col. Bowen had cross- 
 )d the river and was at Dr. Thurston's. 
 L detailed four men to take the priso ners 
 :o the command, which was to meet us 
 )n the mountain west of (then) Uncle 
 Billy Howard place above Capt. Winfry 
 )n Frog Bayou. There being but four 
 )f us left, as follows: John Covington, 
 ^else Tingler, Sol Wagoner and myself. 
 Ne mounted our horses and slowly rode 
 lown the hill until we reached the open 
 ield. This field had laid out until bush- 
 is from 4 to 6 or 8 feet high had grown 
 ip. In front of us and to the right and 
 3ft could be seen U. S. soldiers by the 
 gore under the shade of these bushes, 
 >me playing i^ ards, some playing mum- 
 
192 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 ble-peg and some asleep, regardless of 
 war or war^s alarm. 
 
 The situation was not only critical but 
 dangerous. Could we even entertain a 
 hope of succeeding when it was evident 
 that we must pass through this mob be- 
 fore success could crown our efforts. What 
 must we do? We had gone too far to turn 
 back, so we concluded to succeed or die 
 in the attempt. So we rode on slowly 
 through the field and soon began to pass 
 blue coats on either side of us. 
 
 Xow was the critical time with us, for 
 we knew that our safety depended on our 
 ability to deceive our enemies ^ so we be- 
 gan singing, whistling and knocking each 
 other's hats off, to the deli<2:ht of the 
 boys in blue. We kept this up until we 
 reached a point some distance west of 
 Dr. Thurston's residence. Then we an- 
 gled to our left, bearing south until we 
 struck the road loading from town, out 
 by Dr. Thurston's place, which we soon 
 reached. Instead of stopping in front of 
 the house, we went to the rear, and here 
 we found Col. Bowen's fine black horse 
 saddled and tied: and to our surpri-e saw 
 out in the ed2:e' of the orcliard 15 or 20 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 193 
 
 U. S. soldiers with their side arms on, 
 carrying apples and making cider. But 
 they did not seem to notice us, so we felt 
 pretty safe and turned our attention to 
 the object of our search. 
 
 On the back porch I met Col. Bowen's 
 adjutant, to whom I spoke as polite as I 
 knew how. and enquired for Col. Bo wen. 
 I was told that he was in the house, but 
 had forbidden the admisiion of anyone. 
 I then rode up to the porch and said: 
 '^I have a message for him," The adju- 
 tant said: ''I will deliver it." I told him 
 it vras a verbal one and must be delivered 
 in person to Col. Bo wen. 
 
 He shook his head, stepped up, lai 1 
 his arm an my horse's neck and said: 
 
 "My friend, I cannot let you in." 
 
 Just at this time I caught him by the 
 shoulder and gave him a whirl which 
 forced him about, and before he could 
 recover I was on the porch and had him 
 covered with my rifle. By this time my 
 boys had dismounted and were on the 
 porch. 1 then demanded to know where 
 -the Colonel was, and he pointed to a 
 narrow passway w^hich seemed to be be- 
 tween the main buildiug and a small 
 
194 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 room on one end of the porch, and said: 
 'Svhen you get m there turn to the left/' 
 which I did, leaving him and the boys 
 on the porch. When I reached the door 
 I saw the Col. and Miss Maggie Thurston 
 sitting close together, he having his left 
 arm around her Avaist. 
 
 I saluted the Col. and he asked what 
 I would have. I told him lo consider 
 himself a prisoner,, vv hich seemed to sur- 
 prise him very much: Ho said: 
 
 ''By Yvhat authority do you demand 
 my surrender?'' 
 
 i replied: ''By the autliority vested 
 in me by the Confederate States of 
 .Vrnerica.'' 
 
 He then surrendered, and after search- 
 ing him for arms ordered him to marcli 
 ahead of me out to where the boys were, 
 the adjutant having escaped. I held 
 him by the shoulder with my right hand 
 with Miss Mas:2:ie followino^ close on mv 
 heels. Just as we got out of the passage 
 he jerked loose from me and tried to 
 make a break for liberty, but I gave him 
 a punch in the side with my rifle whicli 
 brought him to time. 1 then ordered all 
 to mount, and put the Col. on my horse 
 
WAE SKETCH] ;s. 
 
 195 
 
 fjiist then Miss Maggie made a break for 
 iiiiii and I had to prevent her from hold- 
 ing him back. I again ordered him to 
 amount, which he did. ■ Miss Mao;o;ie,see- 
 ling that slie Avas defeated, with prospects 
 |Oi losing her lover, - made a leap into 
 |the air— it seemed to me -i feet high- 
 fend iell to the gronnd in a faint as if she 
 ,^was dead. 
 
 I After nli being mounUd we fell into 
 fline. \ i w>mld not do to sheer around 
 Jthohc feliows making cider for they 
 hvouUl at once open lire on ns; sol order- 
 |ed a diaic: and we flew at them. All 
 ^^mbnt thr^'C. who threw up their hands 
 and (>eirged tor quarter „ I ordered them 
 |disarmcd wliich was (juickly done. Then 
 lour tliree boys conducted the prisoners a 
 Ishort distance to where there were some 
 ;^addled horses tied, where they mounted 
 the prisoners and off we went pell mell 
 through the orchard and.„over the fence, 
 ^t breakneck speed. 
 
 Just on the outskirts we struck the 
 road leading to Fayette ville. Up this 
 ^oad v/e almost flew, each man with his 
 pistol drawn, until the first rocky point 
 kvas reached, wlien I ii*ave a short whis- 
 
196 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 tie when our rear man and his prisoner 
 left the road, and then another until 
 myself and the Col. Avere left alone. On 
 and on we sped, leaving the soldiers and 
 town, now in a state of confusion— beat- 
 ing of drums, rallying of men to arms — 
 far behind. 
 
 After traveling this way for several 
 miles the Col. and myself left the road, 
 traveling slowly through the woods, over 
 the mountains, crossing Frog Bayou un- 
 til we finally reached our companions, 
 who were anxiously waiting us. 
 
 I introduced Col. Bowen to Captain 
 Wright and turned him over. I found 
 all the boys had reached camp safe with 
 their horses, prisoners and booty. After 
 we had been in camp a short time Col. 
 Bowen came to me and said Wright had 
 agreed to parole him providing he would 
 do all in his power to have John Norwood 
 and his companions set at liberty . I 
 went toCapt. Wright and protested, tell- 
 ino; him that we had risked our lives to 
 save those boys, and if he turned Bowen 
 loose they would be executed; but he 
 seemed to think not, so after considera- 
 ble parleying, it was left to a vote, and 
 
r 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 197 
 
 ]apt. Wright gained his point. Col. 
 
 Bowen was paroled and all the prisoners 
 turned loose. 
 
 Bowen got ready to return and invit- 
 ed me to go with him part of the way, to 
 which 1 agreed. When we got to the 
 Maxey place (now Rudy) I thought I 
 had gone far enough, so we parted, the 
 Col. going ahead after hoisting a white 
 flao\ bv tviuo' his handkercheif to a stick 
 he rode in a sweeping gallop down the 
 road toward Van Buren. 
 
 As Mrs, Gorman lived at the Maxey 
 house, I concluded to call on them, so I 
 left my horse at the front gate. Mrs. 
 Gorman met me at the door and said: 
 
 ''Save 3^ourself by flight, for it has not 
 been but a short time since a squad of 
 blue coats were here hunting for Colonel 
 Bowen.'- 
 
 I got to my horse in double quick and 
 just as I got opposite Capt. Winfry's 
 house, I heard a noise, and on looking 
 up, I saw 25 U. S. soldiers formed in 
 line across the road about 75 yards from 
 ine, coming very slow, doubtless to steal 
 a march on me. What must I do? I 
 risked it, like Paddy did his soul, and 
 
198 
 
 halted them at the top of my voice* 
 They stopped and enqui red who I was. 
 I replied^ ^*a soldier/' Then one of 
 them asked how many there were of us. 
 1 said ''one.^^ 
 
 ''Throw down your arms/^ they said. ' 
 ^^All right// said I, at wliich the}^ low- 
 ered their gims. This was my time, so I 
 leveled ray gun, fired and fled. I turn- 
 ed to the right, going west down Capt. 
 Winfry^s fence, aiming to cross Frog 
 Bayou at the mouth of Cedar creek. I 
 soon found that I could not cross here as 
 they had cut me olF,'by going around on 
 the north side of the premises. 
 
 Finding myself cut off from the mouth 
 of Cedar creek, I put spurs to my horse 
 and went full speed pell mell over the 
 bank into Frog Bayou, where I suppose 
 the water is 25 feet deep. On that occa- 
 sion it seemed to me that I went under 
 50 feet. My horse came up swimming, 
 and soon we were on terra firma. I thejrj 
 threw down the fence and rode into the 
 field, it being in corn. 
 
 I concealed myself in the corn and 
 watched them. I could hear the officer 
 in command ordering his men to advance 
 
I WAR SKETCHES. 199 
 
 and show no quarters, but shoot him 
 down on sight. 
 
 As they started I started too, throw- 
 ing down the fence and going to the west 
 side of the field. Here I climbed the 
 mountain, leading my horse. There was 
 good grass at the top of the mountain, 
 so I pulled the bridle off my horse to let 
 him graze while I watched those fellows 
 down below, in their vaLi effort to fiuvl 
 me. From here I could look down on 
 iny pursuers and laugh to think how 
 badly they were going to be fooled. No 
 doubt they thought they had me in a 
 trap from which I could not escape; but 
 when they closed in on me — 1 was not 
 there. 
 
 Col. Bowen, true to his promise, did 
 all he could to save the lives of the boys 
 for whom we had risked so much; but 
 they were barberously executed at Fort 
 Smith by order of Geu. Thayer, com- 
 mander of that post. The execution of 
 these young men shows the unholy ways 
 of the late war. John Norwood, the eld- 
 est of the ten, was but 19 years of age, 
 the others being from 16 to 18, and be- 
 longed to the best families of Washing- 
 
200 
 
 WAB SKETCHES. 
 
 ton county. Their homes had been de- 
 vastated by the invaders when they took 
 up arms and fought with the 'rest. Bra- 
 ver boys never Hved, Surrounded in a 
 log house by 200 Federal troops, they 
 fought desperately, inflicting much loss 
 on their enemies, finally surrendering on 
 promise of being treated as prisoners of 
 war, which promise was broken by Gen. 
 Thayer. 
 
 I have been through many hard and 
 bloody scenes, where many gallant com- 
 rades were haunched into eternity, but 
 nothing ever aflected me as the death of 
 these companions of my boyhood; so 
 brave, so true^ so full of hope and prom- 
 ise; killed like dogs by the authorized 
 agent of a so-called Christian govern- 
 ment. And this is war, of which I want 
 to see- and hear no more. O, would tliat 
 all might hail the day of Universal Peace 
 proclaimed by One whom many profess, 
 but few^ follow: ^^Peace on earth, good 
 will to men.'^ 
 
r 
 
 WAR S -v^iOHES. 
 
 201 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 I RODE in a roundabout way up Frog 
 Bayou to where John Stewart now lives. 
 Here I got breakfast and followed on 
 after the enemy and learned they were 
 intending to surprise our boys in camp. 
 
 This I determined should not be done, 
 so when they turned up the main fork of 
 the creek, 1 hurriedly rode around them 
 reached the camp and informed the boys 
 of the proximity of the enemy. The 
 company was soon in full gallop in the 
 direction the Feds were coming. 
 
 A suitable place being found we form- 
 ed an ambush, and it was not long until 
 the unsuspecting Yanks rode into it. 
 Like the furies turned loose, we sailed 
 into them, and so demoralized were they 
 that they hardly knew what had hap- 
 pened. However, they sought safety in 
 flight, and did not lessen their pace until 
 safe within the confines of Van Buren. 
 \ Soon after this Joe Neely told me that 
 
202 
 
 vVAR SKETCHES. 
 
 Marlow's and Whitson's companies were 
 going to have a sale of captured stock, 
 and we decided to buy a number of 
 horses and take them to Texas. We went 
 to the sale, bought the horses and begun 
 the journey Texas ward; but disagreed 
 about the division, and I sold out to him 
 and returned to Camp Wright, only to 
 find the company gone. I then went to 
 Gove Creek, intending to join Captain 
 Crouch. s command, but met Col Marrow 
 Tom Mays, Patton Inks, Harvey Low 
 and a man named Simpson, and we de- 
 cided to try our luck in Van Buren. 
 
 We jH'cordingly set out and camped in 
 Pine Hollow. Leaving' our horses tied 
 in the woods about three miles from 
 town, we went in on foot. After ap- 
 pointinjA' a time and place to meet, we 
 proceeded to take in the town, and, inci- 
 dentally, quite a supply of arms, amu- 
 mtion and clothing. Marrow Avas first 
 to reach the appointed rendezvous. 
 
 Wliile waiting for us to come, a Fed- 
 eral soldier came walking by. Marrow 
 spoke to him, thinking it one of us, and 
 betrayed himself. The Federal ^Svent 
 for his gun,'' but Marrow drew first and 
 
WAR Slii^iCHES. 
 
 203 
 
 the Federal was compelled to lift his 
 hands. Marrow then disarmed him and 
 kept him until we all came up. We then 
 took our prisoner to Pine Hollow, and, 
 giving him his arms told him to go back 
 to Van Buren. He refused to go, giving 
 as a reason that if he Avent back thus, he 
 would be subject to court-martial, and 
 he begged us to rob him. So we took 
 his arms, hat, coat and boots, and sent a 
 letter to Col. Bowen. 
 ° We then went to Capt. Crouch's camp 
 and found the company on the eve of 
 moving into Washington county, in re- 
 sponse to a call from Col. Brooks, to as- 
 semble all troops possible in the vicinity 
 of Fayetteville, for an attack on that 
 place. We joined Col. Brooks' command 
 and made a furious assault, forcing the 
 enemy to retire into their trenches. We 
 held the town for a long time but could 
 not dislodge them from their trenches, as 
 we could not get artillery. . 
 
 Col. Brooks then detailed me with a 
 squad of 12 men, to go so nth of the Bos- 
 ton mountain and intercept any couriers 
 from Fort Smith, who might attempt to 
 reach the beleaguered forces. 
 
204 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 At Beaver Pond Hill we stopped and 
 cut the telegraph wire for a mile or more 
 and with the wire so obtained, we con- 
 structed a fence on each side of the road 
 about 300 yards long. At about the cen- 
 ter of this lane we placed a fence of 
 doubled wire across the road. At the 
 opening I placed six men, who were to 
 open fire on the couriers when they 
 reached the opening. At the fence 
 across the road I placed the remainder, 
 who were to fall on the demoralized 
 couriers as soon as they should strike the 
 wire across the road. 
 
 About 10 o'clock at night, some eight 
 or ten Federals came riding in the direc- 
 tion of Fayette ville. Those placed at 
 the opening poured the contents of their 
 guns into their ranks. Like rats in a 
 trap, they made a run up the road, run- 
 ning full into the wire. Here the con- 
 cealed men poured another volley into 
 them. Horses and men lay in one con- 
 fused, bleeding heap. The shrieks of 
 the dying and wounded were fearful to 
 hear. It was the bloodiest spectacle, for 
 the few engaged, I ever saw. 
 
 •'And down in the vale where the poppies grew. 
 Were redder stains than the poppies knew.'^ 
 
WAK sriiil'CHES. 
 
 205 
 
 We took the captured dispatches and 
 turned to Fayetteville and turned 
 em over to CoL Brooks. On our arri- 
 1 at Fayetteville, Gen. Price, on his 
 5t retreat from Missouri, came in sight, 
 stead of attacking, as we expected, he 
 issed by and continued his southern 
 arch. We joined him and went as far 
 Cove creek, where Capt. Crouch's 
 mmand stopped. 
 
 I concluded to join Capt. Wright and 
 irried over for that purpose, but found 
 s command had gone south. This left 
 e alone, so I concluded to shape my 
 jstiny for Texas. I set out in that di- 
 ction and fell in with Capt. Mose Ed- 
 ards' company, composed of Indians 
 id whites, and a tough crowd withal. 
 Arriving at a point some distance 
 om Jenny Lind, I decided to abandon 
 y companions and endeavor to reach 
 Bxas alone. 
 
 With the company was Henry Hood, 
 Cherokee, and his wife. When I an- 
 :)unced my intention of leaving them 
 le declared she was going with "Capt. 
 lack,'' and called on all who wanted to 
 '>llow Capt. Black, to fall in line with 
 
206 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 her. More than half the company n 
 sponded. 
 
 Not wanting to be bothered by this d< 
 tatchment of men, I decided not to goto" 
 Texas. However, the notion came^upon 
 me again to go, so ^Haking the house'' 
 on the company, I started my horse in 
 the direction of the lone star state, riding 
 all night. Along toward morning I was 
 halted by some pickets, which proved to 
 be the outposts of my brother-in-law's 
 company. I remained with them three 
 or four days and finally reached Texas, 
 in the vicinity of Ladonia, safely. 
 
 This practically ends the war with me. 
 For some time after this I was s omewhat 
 of a nomadic person, but the deafening 
 din of war having given away to the 
 plowman's song, and ravage and devas- 
 tation to peace and prosperity. When 
 the noble son of the South returned to 
 his wasted home, with nothing, perhaps, 
 but a blackened chimney standing as a 
 grim sentinel, where once stood a cosy 
 cottage or stately mansion; and with 
 nothing but the brawn of muscle and the 
 love of native land, endeavored to build 
 upon the blackened ruins a habitation 
 
WAR Slr^lCHES. 
 
 207 
 
 for himself and family, and to retrieve 
 the fortunes the war had so ruthlessly 
 swept away, I, too, returned to peace- 
 ful pursuits, free from the corroding 
 care of war and the excitement incident 
 thereto. 
 
 Bright winged peace, with her benev- 
 olent smile, has long hovered over our 
 land, and I have since lived in the en- 
 joyment of peace and prosperity. My 
 only hope is that the tocsin of W(ar, with 
 all its harrowing concomitants, may nev- 
 er sound in this fair land again, and that 
 the scenes through which I have passed 
 may nevermore be witnessed by mankind. 
 
 THE END. 
 
W. p. Black,— 1894, 
 
 Not far ahead we all shall camp^ 
 Beyond lifers battle lines, [front, 
 ' With comrade true who marched in 
 And rest beneath the pines. 
 
 The reveille, the call to arms, 
 For us no more shall sound, 
 
 Nor thundering arms disturb our sleep^ 
 Who bivouac under ground. 
 
 Let silent stars stand sentinel. 
 
 No foe invades our grave, 
 The Captain of salvation comes 
 
 To furlough home the brave. 
 
W. J. WATTS. 
 
 President of the Cherokee Indiari 
 Citizenship Association. 
 
 W, J. Watts was born in the year 1840 
 His father was Malichi Watts, who was 
 of Cherokee descent, and his mother Su- 
 san Toler, a white woman. When 13 
 years of age he moved with his parents 
 to Arkansas, near Clarksville, where he 
 worked on the farm until the breaking 
 
 / 
 
210 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 out of the war, when he volunteered m 
 Co. C, First Arkansas Mounted Rifles. 
 
 He was in the battles of Oak Hill and 
 Pea Ridge, after which he was transfer- 
 red east of the Mississippi river, and was 
 in the battle ^of Corinth, shortly after 
 which he was transferred to Knoxville, 
 and served under (jren. Kirby Smith in 
 his raid into Kentucky, which was al- 
 most a continuous battle, the chief en- 
 gagement being at Richmond, where the 
 Federals with superior numbers attempt- 
 ed to capture the command and the Con- 
 federates gained a complete victory. 
 
 In November 1862 he was transferred 
 to the army of Tennessee, and sent to 
 relieve Yicksburg. His command was or- 
 dered to MufFersboro, where he engaged 
 i ::iat celebrated battle. His next gen- 
 eral engagement was at the bloody battle 
 of Chickamauga. 
 
 In the spring of 1864 he was transfer- 
 red to Mobile and from thence to Flori- 
 da. About this time he was dismissed 
 on furlough, but instead of going home 
 he joined Gen. Price's command, and 
 was all through the great raid which re- 
 sulted in driving the Federal forces out 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 211 
 
 of Arkansas. In Oct. 1864 Capt. James 
 Earwood organized a company at Clarks- 
 ville, Ark., and Mr. Watts was elected 
 as First Lieutenant. A few days later 
 the command was fired upon from am- 
 bush, instantly killing Capt. Earwood 
 and Lieut. Davis. Mr. Watts command- 
 ed his company to charge the enemy, 
 which they did and put them to flight. 
 
 On the 6th of February 1865 while at 
 dinner in a house near Clarksville, Ark., 
 with three of his comrades, they were 
 surrounded by about six times their 
 number of Federals, who ordered him to 
 surrender. But by a well laid plan all 
 escaped capture and wounds except Mr. 
 Watts, who was seriously wounded. 
 
 This wound laid him up for about 3 
 months. Then his comrades took him 
 to the south side of the river, where he 
 with %hree of his comrades resolved to go 
 to South Arkansas. 
 
 In Scott county a Federal scout com- 
 manded by Captv Wash Dixon heard of 
 them and determined to capture or kill 
 them. Secreting themselves by the road 
 side; when ]VIr. Watts and his three com- 
 rades approached, Dixon ordered him to 
 
212 
 
 WAK SKETCHES, 
 
 surrender, Each party being ready to 
 fire, Mr. W. called to Mr. Dixon and told 
 him he would prefer death rather than 
 surrender^ and asked Mr. Dixon to ride 
 out in front and meet him, which he did 
 and seeing the determination of Mr. W. 
 and his men, that they were well armed 
 and that to fire on them would only tend 
 to lose some of his men; give Mr. Watts 
 his hand and pledged his word that his 
 men would not fire. They passed, rais- 
 ing their hats to each other, and since 
 that time have been warm friends. 
 
 He returned home in December 1865, 
 laid down his arms and l^ecame once 
 more a peaceable citizen. 
 
 In 1866 he was married to Miss Kittie 
 Blackard, among the handsomest and 
 most estimable ladies of ClarksviUe^ Ai'k- 
 where he resided until 1871, when he re- 
 moved to the Cherokee Nation, arid set- 
 tled on the Arkansas rivar, where he 
 opened up a large farm. 
 
 In 1877 he engaged in the mercantile 
 business at Cottonwood, where he re- 
 mained until 1888, when he removed to 
 the site now occupied by the town of 
 Muldrow, he having the honor of naming 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 213 
 
 the place, which he did after Col. H. L. 
 Muldrow, ex-congressman from Miss. 
 
 While not a regular attorney Mr. Watts 
 is well versed in law, while on questions 
 relating to Indian treaties, there are none 
 better versed. He has much irregular 
 practice in law, people of all classes com- 
 ing to him for advice, which is given to 
 all unable to pay gratuitously. 
 
 Since 1874 he has been in al nost con- 
 stant litigation with the Cher >kee au- 
 thorities over the question of citizenship 
 v^^hich lias attracted much attention, not 
 only in this Territory but at Washington 
 where lie has defended his case before 
 the Interior Department, where his 
 rights as a Cherokee citizen has been rec- 
 ognized, together with the Watts family. 
 
 The litigation growing out of the citi- 
 2:enship question resulted in the forma- 
 tion of the Cherokee Citizenship Associa- 
 tion, of which Mr. Watts is the leading 
 spirit. 
 
 As a man and citizen Mr. Watts stands 
 liigh with all classes. He is among the 
 leading spirits in all matters of public 
 enterprise — schools, churches and public 
 improvements. ''Uncle Jeff/' as he is 
 
SKETCHES. 
 
 commonly called by people of all ages, 
 is a leading member of the Methodist 
 church, and is respected as a Christian 
 by all classes, his religion being of the 
 practical and not the Pharaseical sort. 
 
 He is a Mason and Odd Fellow, high 
 in the degrees and commands the esteem 
 and respect of his brethren. The Mod- 
 ded partner of his youth— a liandsome 
 and estimable lady— still sluires his joys 
 and sorrows, being the mother of seven 
 children, four livina;, Jesse, Charles, 
 Noah and Faiinie, tlie former beini^' mar- 
 rip-! and ihe hitter five years oki. 
 
 It is said by those who know liiin best 
 that he is seldom out of humor. He is 
 permanently located at Muldrow, I. T., 
 where he has erected a handsome resi- 
 dence. His time is entirely devoted to 
 his office, which is daily crowded by 
 those seeking information. 
 
 j\lr. Watts Avas one of the first men of 
 this Territor}^ to advocate the allotment 
 of lands in severalty, and has for a num- 
 ber of years advised the Cherokee peo- 
 ple to prepare for American citizenship, 
 which was surely coming. For this he 
 was severel}^ censured, but he spoke his 
 
215 
 
 honest sentiments regardless of fear or 
 favor, and today he is recognized as one 
 of the leading advocates of the cliange 
 from Territorial to State government. 
 
 Being associated in business with Mr. 
 VV'atts for about four years, we know the 
 man pretty well, and have ever found 
 him honest, kind, courteous and oblig- 
 ing, every day alike, and what we have 
 herein v ritten in his praise is bnt a par- 
 tial tribute to the man, as those who 
 know him best can testify. 
 
216 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 CAPT. MOSE EDWARDS, 
 
 A Half Breed Cherokee Indian 
 and Confederate. 
 
 J e was born in Tennessee about 1833 
 and was brought west by his parents and 
 lived on Lees creek in the Cherokee Na- 
 tion, until the breaking out of the late 
 civil w^ar, when he made up a company 
 and wa>s elected captain. He then took 
 his company and joined Col. Adair's 
 regiment in Gen » Stanwatie's brigade of 
 I'lierokee Confederates* 
 
 In 1862 he resigned the office of cap- 
 tain and joined Capt. Dick Fields' com-" 
 pany as a private. In the early part of 
 1863 he was commissioned to raise a 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 217 
 
 company on the Cherokee line. He was 
 very active and soon raised a company 
 of Indians and whites, and was elected 
 as captain, in which capacity he served 
 until the close of the war. 
 
 During this time he and his company 
 did a great deal of hard service. His 
 and Capt. Wright^ s companies routed 
 the Pin Indians at the old Dwight Mis- 
 sion. He joined Gen. Ganoe and was 
 at the Cabin Creek fight, and took a very 
 active part. He led the advance in the 
 Gum Spring fight, near Ft. Smith, Ark. 
 Here he showed great bravery, charging 
 into the midst of the enemy, shooting to 
 the i'ight and left, at the same time or- 
 dering the Federals to surrender, when 
 a great many of them threw down their 
 guns and surrendered. 
 
 Since the war the writer has known 
 but little of Capt. Edwards. I have 
 been told that he was killed near Log- 
 town, Ark., Christmas eve, 1880. 
 
218 
 
 WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 MARY A, JOHNSON. 
 
 The Celebrated Confederate Spy 
 under Gen, Forest. 
 
 " subject of this sketch was bom in 
 :1 county, Middle Tennessee; in 
 1826 removed with he r parents to West 
 Tennessee. They were among the first 
 settlers of that section, therefore she was 
 raised amid the scenes of rural life. She 
 early evinced a desire for an education 
 and availed herself of every opportunity 
 being assisted by her father. 
 
 There were no schools in the neigh- 
 borhood; no modern advantages or im- 
 provements, no fine churches or edifices 
 of any kind, no railroads, no telegraph 
 lines. Women had no sewing machines 
 or cooking stoves. 
 
 Perhaps some young persons ask how 
 did people live in those days. The an- 
 
WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 219 
 
 swer comes: Much better than they do 
 now. Friendship was true and abound- 
 ing, religion was pure and practical, pat- 
 riotism was pure, all hands were employ- 
 ed in honest labor and we had no train 
 robbers or tramps. We lived at home 
 and were happy. Old Hickory Jackson 
 was our president, Davy Crockett was 
 our near neighbor, and the bear hunt, 
 the deer dvivd and tho f jx chase consti- 
 tuted our amusement. 
 
 Hei- fathc]', Norton Oakes, being a man 
 of more than ordinary ability, ^vas soon 
 caUed on to serve his fellow mm, wlucli 
 he did in every grade of office irom ca};- 
 tain of nialitia to high sheriff. 
 
 With a large family of children and a 
 sickly mother, her duties were arduous; 
 but she possessed a stout constitution 
 and strong bent of mind, pursuing her 
 studies at midnight hours. 
 
 She kept posted in all the measures of 
 congress, watched with interest the grow- 
 ing measures of the abolition party, from 
 the Missouri compromise to John Brown 
 raid, and being convinced that all unity 
 between the South and North was at 
 an end, she loyally contended for South- 
 
220 
 
 TAR SKETCHES. 
 
 em rights, and on the election of Abra- 
 ham Lincoln to the office of President of 
 the un -United States, became a strong- 
 advocate for secession. 
 
 She was married in Nov. 1845 to John 
 Johnson, with whom she lived happily 
 until 1858, when death elo3cd his career 
 and she was left to fight the battles of 
 life alone. She was adequate to the task. 
 For a number of years slie taught in the 
 piibhc schools, carried on her farm and 
 scliooled her children and prospered. 
 
 ^Vhen the war broke out it found hei' 
 a widow witli six children, five <:nv\s and 
 one boy 4 years old. She was engaged 
 in school at Liberty Churcli, in Obion 
 county, wlien the tirst call for voluntoi^rs 
 was ma^de and several of lur scholars vol- 
 unteered, among them her youngost 
 bi'other, Jesse H. Oakes, about iSyera's 
 of age. 
 
 AH the Souther]! States had seceeded. 
 except Kentucky, which declared her- 
 self neutral, and after the occupation of 
 Faducha by the Federals, the (x^nfeder- 
 ate forces took possession of Columbus. 
 These nuovemonts was ^non followed l)y 
 the battle of Belmont. ( 'hcalham and 
 
Pillow soon evacuated Columbus and fell 
 back south, leaving our borders exposed 
 to the ravages of the enemy. Then our 
 troubles began. They ravaged and made 
 desolate many homes, taking prisoner 
 our old gray headed fathers, forcing them 
 to wear chains with heavy balls attached. 
 Some died in this situation. To make 
 matters worse, there were in our midst a 
 class of people devoid of patriotism and 
 noted for dishonesty and cowardice, who 
 formed in detatchments and made raids 
 in our midst, stealing horses and robbing 
 the people under Federal protection. 
 
 During all this time the subject of this 
 sketch was actively engaged in equip- 
 ping and helping Southern soldiers 
 through the lines. Having an almost 
 perfect knowledge of the country, and 
 being full of resources, the night was not 
 too dark nor the snow too deep to pre- 
 vent her from piloting rebel soldiers or 
 carrying dispatches, while Federals were 
 thick all around her. She often met up 
 with the Federal scouts, but they seemed 
 never to suspect her. On one occasion 
 she encountered a Wisconsin regiment, 
 composed of (jrermans, Swec^e^, Italians 
 
222 
 
 l^AH SKETCHES. 
 
 and negroes. The Colonel and Captains 
 were Americans, who called for their 
 dinner, and while it was preparing and 
 the troops were robbing the place, the 
 following conversation took place be- 
 tween her and Capt. Skinner: 
 
 ''Madame, have you a husband?'' 
 
 ''No sir/' "Any sons?" "One, four 
 years old." 
 
 "Madame, you area good Union lady 
 are you not?" '^No sir." "You cer- 
 tainly aint a d d rebel." "No sir, 
 
 but I am a living one." "Don't you 
 know that you are in our power?" ^'I 
 do not consider that I am. You have 
 no power over the women of the South." 
 
 *'But you are a rebel." "Yes, and 
 not only a rebel but a secesh too." 
 
 Then he began to vilifv the South and 
 became so enra2:ed that her mother was 
 scared and begged the soldiers not to kill 
 her. The captain continued: 
 
 "Have you any brothers?" "Y^es sir." 
 "Where are they?" "In the rebel army 
 where they should be." "Whose com- 
 mand are they in?" "Cheatham's." 
 
 "Well they are our meat. Old Cheat 
 is the scoundrel we are after, and we are 
 
WAll SKETCHES. 
 
 223 
 
 going to kill or capture tbe last d d 
 one of them." ''Why sn% I have kin- 
 folks enough with Cheatham to make a 
 regiment, and when you meet them you 
 will get the worst whipping that men 
 ever got." ''No indeed, no get whip- 
 ped, but 1 expect to capture some of 
 your people and hang them as high as 
 Haman." "So did Haman expect to 
 hang Mordecai." 
 
 "Well, you can expect to hear of them 
 all being killed." "Sir, I expect to hear 
 of you on the retreat, trying to get* back 
 to Abraham's bosom. And now, sir, I 
 am out of patience with you. You 
 might talk till doomsday, but I would 
 still be the same — Kebel all over." 
 
 Herg his countenance changed and he 
 broke out in a hearty laugh, and giving 
 her the address of his wife, requested her 
 to write and tell her of their wordy bat- 
 tle. He promised that if any of her rel- 
 atives fell into his hands, he would treat 
 them well, and rode away wishing her 
 good luck. 
 
 And pretty soon Old Bedford Forest 
 got after them and almost annihilated 
 that regiment. 
 
22-1 TAR SKETnirs. 
 
 Tht) further south the Confederates 
 were, the worse times became. The peo- 
 ple were ah*eady robbed of everything, 
 and were in a suffering condition. There 
 were only a few old men left in tlie land 
 and they were not able to work, so she 
 with others, dug up tlieir old looms and 
 spinning wheels and made cloth to clothe 
 their families. They cleared up fields 
 rolled h>gs, tended crops and harvested 
 Avith their own hands. 
 
 People had no cofT^e and no sugar on- 
 ly such as they made from the sugar ma- 
 ple. Salt was the great need, and she 
 went to Hickman, Ky., paid f 10.00 for 
 a barrel of salt, and in great danger to 
 herself, brought it home. 
 
 Mrs. Johnson had been stripped of her 
 supplies by the enemy. Three times had 
 they taken the last horse and the last 
 morsel of meat from her little children, 
 and she exults today that they never 
 suffered with hunger. These depriva- 
 tions were of secondary moment with 
 her. The success of the Confederate 
 arms engrossed her mind, and to that 
 end she worked and suffered. 
 
 In the meantime Gen. Forest sent a 
 
WAR st<:etches. 
 
 225 
 
 company under Capt. John Thomas, for 
 our protection, and if possible to cap- 
 ture the band of thieves that raided our 
 settlement. But the country was so ov- 
 errun by the enemy that Thomas' men 
 had to secrete themselves for the most 
 part, and could only make dashes out 
 and in. 
 
 At this crisis she was commissioned as 
 special scout for Forest's forces, and at 
 once entered on her duties, scouring the 
 country in all directions. She visited 
 the Federal posts at Union City, Tenn., 
 Columbus and Hickman, Ky., narrowly 
 observing their movements, numbers 
 and situation, without being suspected. 
 
 Her greatest desire was to apprehend 
 the thieving gang, but it seemed impos- 
 sible to locate them in time to dispatch 
 Thomas. One evening she received in- 
 telligence thnt Pat Dickson, their chief, 
 was in. The weather was very cold and 
 a deep snow was on the ground. She 
 concluded to spy around a little, and in 
 passing a house she saw his horse hitch- 
 ed to the gate — a fine animal which he 
 had taken a few days before. She could 
 hear him talking in the house and she 
 
226 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 thought it too good a chance to let slip. 
 She found the horse nobly rigged, with 1 
 fine new cavalry saddle and bridle, two 
 holsters and fine revolvers, a pair of sad- 
 dle bags containing clothing etc, and a 
 splendid overcoat. 
 
 She hastily loosed the horse and es- 
 caped with him, and succeeded in put- 
 ting that horse and equippage in the 
 hands of a Rebel soldier and sending 
 him to Forest ^s command. 
 
 Manv other acts and occurrences we 
 might speak of, had we time and oppor- 
 tunity. Let it suffice to add, however, 
 that she continued active until the end 
 of the war, suffered all the pain of the 
 surrender, but was consoled by the 
 thought that the Confederates in surren- 
 dering their arms, did not surrender 
 their principles. 
 
 She has many friends of whom she 
 would love to speak, but space forbids. 
 
 She left Tennessee in 1869, and locat- 
 ed in Johnson county, Arkansas, and 
 thence to the Indian Territory. Her 
 home is at Muldrow, 1. T., where she 
 has resided for the last four years, being 
 engaged in teaching. 
 
WAR SKETCHES* 
 
 227 
 
 JAMES BOYS NO, 2. 
 
 We had two bright young boys with 
 us during the closing days of the war, one 
 of whom is still living and the older one 
 has gone to his eternal home. These 
 boys tried to keep out of the army as they 
 were the sole support of their mother and 
 sisters, but as both armies had raided the 
 country taking everything they could 
 find, they feared that dear old mother 
 would soon come to want. 
 
 Finding it impossible to remain at 
 home, they come to our camps on Lees 
 creek and was with us in many a hot 
 skirmish. They were with the company 
 when Col. Bo wen was captured, in the 
 Lees creek battle, when we captured the 
 ' suttlers train, the Cabin Creek battle and 
 the Hay fight. 
 
 One of these boys, William, and Clark 
 Jqhnson were the two leaders in the 
 
228 
 
 WAR SKETCHEB, 
 
 Cabin Creek fight. They were first on 
 the breastworks and came near losing 
 their lives, bnt fortunately, just as they 
 ascended the breastworks the Federals 
 hoisted the white flag. 
 
 They were sometimes called bush- 
 whackers/' but they were often the vic- 
 tims of being bush- whacked, as I 
 call to mind a few instances in wh 
 they were ambushed. Once on C 
 creek when they lost 7 out of 12 men. 
 
 On Frog Bayou, August 12, 1864, 
 they rode into the Federals where they 
 were nursing Capt. Bealer and others 
 who had been mortally wounded the 
 night before. Here they had several 
 ^ horses and 7 men wounded, but no one 
 killed. On the morning of Aug. 11, '64, 
 while one of these boys was going to the 
 house of Mrs. Couch, in company with 
 Capt. Whitson and two of the Fine boys, 
 in search of something to eat, they were 
 fired on by about 100 Federals, killing 3 
 of their horses and inflicting wounds on 
 each of the four men, but none of them 
 proved fatal as they were well attended 
 to, and lived on one meal every 2 or 3 
 days. I have often thought that the ex- 
 
WAK SKETCHES. 
 
 229 
 
 treme light diet we were accustomed to 
 saved the life of many a poor soldier. 
 
 Andy Frazier, a schoolmate of William 
 James, who had fallen in the ranks of 
 Gen. Hindman, and Jim King, always 
 worshipped the mother of the Jameses. 
 And right here 1 want to say a few 
 words about this noble lady. Her hus- 
 band, who by the way, was first cousin 
 to the Rev. Robert James, father of the 
 noted James Boys of Missouri, and to- 
 gether these two Robert Jameses jour- 
 neyed to California in '49, in quest of 
 gold. They were lost on Feather river 
 in California and never returned. 
 
 So this mother was left in Crawford 
 county, Ark., with 5 little children to 
 raise, unaided and alone, save the assist- 
 ance rendered by John M. James, who 
 went to California in 1853. 
 
 She scuffled and worked and prayed, 
 worrying over her lost husband for seven 
 years, when she married a second hus- 
 band, and he was taken away by the 
 hand of an assassin, in mistake for an- 
 other man. However, the mistake made 
 her a widow and left her with orphans. 
 
 It makes the tears come to my old 
 
230 
 
 'vVAR SKETCHES. 
 
 eyes to look into the bitter cup of this 
 good woman, who has long since gone to 
 heaven. And the question here arises: 
 ^^Is life worth the living?'^ 
 
 While in camp Dillard James invited 
 Frazier and King to accompany him to 
 see his mother. So they ventured near 
 his mother's house^ but feared to go in, 
 as the old step-father was ill and being 
 waited on by the neighbors, and the 
 house was watched by the enenw. So 
 deciding to wait for daylight, they turn- 
 ed their horses in a field, spread their 
 blankets and lay down for a few hours 
 rest. At daybreak they arose and went 
 for their horses. Dillard's horse being 
 hobbled, he was soon mounted and 
 plril( (! to help catch one of the other 
 liorecs. Ai tlris moment he discovered 
 tliat they were surrounded by a company 
 of Federals. He stood a moment watch- 
 ing King and the enemy swap bullets, 
 aiiJ >ocing that he had but one cliance 
 f.)r ]iis]i?o, ho put spurs to the fine ani- 
 mal vvhicli hehiad captured from tlie Fed- 
 erals, 1cn}ed an 8. ra il fence and made 
 rlirht tiiroii2:h the lines, men shootinG; at 
 him oveiyjump. 3h'^i gun, ^Vinclioster 
 
WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 231 
 
 and six-shooter balls whistled uiicoai- 
 fortably close as he ran, occasionally 
 playing pack at them with his six-shoot- 
 er, to check their mad career. 
 
 They swent pell mell for half a mile 
 when they encountered a steep precipice 
 about 100 yards from top to bottom, and 
 at an angle of at least 45 degrees. He 
 descended, could neither turn to the 
 right nor the left as he was hemmed in, 
 so down he went, sliding and slipping, 
 the enemy standing on top, pouring hot 
 shot at him. He soon reached the little 
 creek at the bottom, which was about 20 
 feet wide and very deep. Now came the 
 tug of war. It was death to stop and 
 dangerous to leap, but there was no time 
 to be lost, and his Avas one of the best 
 and most willing horses in the land, so 
 he drew up the reins and the noble ani- 
 mal sprang over the w^ater, reaching the 
 opposite side in safety. 
 
 Once down the mountain and over the 
 stream, Dillard was almost out of reach 
 of the enemy, but they hastily made for 
 a gap in the mountain and followed him 
 getting an occasional shot. After about 
 a mile tliey gave up the chase. 
 
232 
 
 WAR SKETCHES. 
 
 Those left behind had succeeded in 
 killing King, while poor Frazier, a lame 
 man, having nothing to fight with, had 
 surrendered. The shooting was heard 
 by the mother and sisters, who, accom- 
 panied by two other ladies, ran to the i 
 scene and plead for mercy, but with no j 
 avail. They poked their pistols in his 
 race and fired, — and there was another 
 widow and two orphans. 
 
 The most remarkable feature of this 
 little, but bloodthirsty battle; was the 
 fact that more than a year after the close 
 of the war, the hoofprints that horse 
 made in the mountain side, was plain 
 and visible to the eye.