Civil War Reminiscence
by Jessee G. Jones
Chapter 4 (written 1911-12, Knoxville, Texas)
I asked my friend at the house to excuse my early call for business was pressing and urgent I wanted a favor. Hunger had driven me to his house again, and a little food was badly needed whether it was cooked cold or raw mattered not and would alike be appreciated. "I am sorry that necefsity requires so much hast upon my part, for I have a great deal to tell you when I have the time and opportunity. There, there, you have plenty of food in that sack for which I thank you kindly, good bye." In a brisk walk I soon returned to Reuben and gave him a handfull of food and then let out at a lively gate for the thickets. "Reuben I feel happy and safe how do you feel?" "Oh! I feel happy too because I see you happy and think we both have grounds for rejoicing over our good luck." "It is true our job was no ordinary, one it was a credit to us to accomplish it so skillfully. A novis could not have done better. If Gen Oglesby did the evening of my arrest at the Fort call me a gump and gumpy this stigma has already preceeded me here and will be hard to down." When I was swimming the river it often echoed gump, gumpy. Take a view of the surrounding and see if nature ever produced more disireable place to hide in here we must eat, rest and sleep to recruit our jaded bodies.After which we can probe this thicket and acquaint ourselves with the strong holds for our defence. I will slip back to friend and see him. I did not have time when he issued the rashions. He is a worthy man and will do to trust through many of his neighbors are treacherous and must be avoided. You have lost so much sleep without nourishment, and fatigue without rest that quiet rest is what you need and must have and while I am off to see him do not worry with anxiety. Experience is a wonderful school and the lessons just learned is impressive and fruitfull for the better guidance of caution and vigilance. I will be gone two or three hours hoping to find you greatly refreshed on my return. "Friend is all quiet on the Patomic today? If so I will be relieved of a small part of my troubles. "So far as I know there is no cause for alarm through reports and rumer has it different, your troubles and escape with a comrade over at the Fort, is no known here and no doubt is greately exagerated. Yankees report they have you spotted and it is only a matter of time before they have you. It is also reported that you have had some recruits to your side. All sorts of prediction is rift nothing known deffinately. All is only speculation." "My friend you do me great favor by giving me any rumer for it is from them that I may make deductions, I seek no conflict with my enemy and would only by too glad to let him alone if he would let me. I will go south when the way is clear and if crowded I must neccessarly resist arrest through my chief aim is to act the good boy as far as circumstances will permit. Thanking you kindly for the interest you have manifested I must bid you good bye for the present and return to my comrade in the thickets." I found Reuben fast asleep snoaring at a frightful rate, shaking him remarked. "Good heavens Reuben wake up. I am glad to see you rest so well but with other men in the woods it is dangerous to snoar so loud. I expect Reuben that our friend learned a little news. It is quiet likely that we have some Confederates and some Yankee neighbors in this thicket. If I had any where else to go I would not mind it so bad. We have prior claim to them and a better right. We must try to see about it to morrow. If we should make entanglements with our Yankee Brothers before we get more amunition we would have only two shots each, half bluff and bullets, which works very well as long as it works at all, but is quiet risky.
We had better now proceed to carefully inspect this Thicket, it stands us in hand to know all about it after we go through it to the east end and back here to the west end we will know whether it is a trap or a protection." We shouldered our guns military style and boldly walked with defiance. Our seclusion was too complete for our tremer of fear. "Reuben isn't this charming to be surrounded by the bresh briars, hazel nuts and grape vines and tangle weeds. I feel like I could whip a dozen yankees in here if I had plenty of amunition. We have had so much good luck I am certain that our Creator is on the Confederate side of the question. We were enjoying a happy dish of enthusiasm when sudently come the authoritative demand, "Hault surrender, or we will blow your brains out." Right before us stood six Yankee Soldiehs with guns presented demanding immediate unconditional surrender repugnant as the demand was we had no other alternative only to acquiest with heavy hearts and gloomy forebodings. We were striving to realize what had happened to us whilst the yankees were exulting over their victory and merrily rejoicing over their wonderful triumpth.
"Boys are you good on double quick? eight or ten miles are
before us and requires a test of our speed." "We are not experts
in any drill manner but will do the best we can." One of the boys
in blue acted as our pilot and the procession moved out in the
direction of the Fort. The Yankee boys were mounted on good horses
and we confederate chaps had to trudge our way through the
entanglements of the thicket. The Yankees were hillarious and
jovial, ready to laugh at any discomfiture befalling us. The
excess of their merriment had proven the fore runner of disarter
and thoughts of it acted as a tonic to our frustrated nerves. The
pilot halted and warned his comrades that the surroundings wore a
shroud of mystery and should be investigated before further
progress. Three volunteers rode forward two remaind with us to see
to our good behavior. A few moments later we heard some sharpo
firing ahead of us. Our two Yankee gards looked mournfully sad
when they saw only three out the four returning at full speed. The
guards mounted their horses and left with them as their rear
guard. Reuben and I was not long alone when two confederates
dashed up with orders to remain.
Source:
Cheryl's Family Index | email to Cheryl Grubb
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