Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1887 — An Incident of the War. [ARTICLE]

An Incident of the War.

Comrades, do you remember March 27th, 1861, when the bugles in the camps of the Union Army of the Cumberland, neat Nashville, Tenn., gave the command: Strike tents and march to Shiloh, a ten days hard marching? The peach trees were in full bloom and the roads dry and terribly dusty. About this time, while Gen. Buel was to reinforce Grant at the battle of Shiloh, Gen, <_). M. Mitchel took a cavalry com mand and moved south to Decatu’, Huntsville and Stevenson, Ala. While near Stevenson, the Tennessee river was the line between the Union and Rebel forces. About three miles southwest of Stevenson, as near as I can recollect, within the Union lines, lived a farmer who owned a farm across the river in the Rebel lines, and there was an order issued that any man caught talking across the river or lines, Jruust be arrested. One morning a Union Scout, who is now a resident of Rensselaer, heard this farmer talking to another across the river, and proceeded to arrest him. He was talking to the man who had charge of his farm and stock across the river. The farmer requested tho soldier to let him stop and tell his wife where he was going They went to the house and the wife and children came out, on learning that the husband and father was arrested and was to be taken to camp as a prisoner of war. After the farmer and his wife had talked a few minutes, they mounted their horses and rode off toward camp. The sorrow of the wife and children and grief of thp. man touched the heart of the soldier. He thought the man had done no crime against the Government and was not aware of the disobedience of Jorders. So tho feeling of sympathy caused the soldier !<? tell the farmer that if he would remember and not talk across the lines again, without proper permission, and say nothing about the matter, lie would let him return to his home. The farmer was thankful and returned to his home, but in a few days the soldier with a comrade, was captured by a squad of rebols and taken into a Rebel camp. This farmer happened to be near by and the soldier knew him and asked the officer, a Major rtf charge of them, if he would allow him to talk to that citizen, the Major said yes, and the soldier asked the farmer if he remembered meeting lum near the river afe.v days before The farmer said ho did and drew out amemoraiMlum book.J wrote something and handed it to the Major. The Major and prisoners took breakfast together and then the Major satd he would have to t ike them to Chattanooga, and asked them if it was necessary to have a guard to assist him to take them. They told him if he did they would not have to be on -their honor, to go and of course would rather he would do so, but the Major did not take a guard. They all rode liorseoackto Chattanooga alone. The soldier says many times they might have killed or disabled the Major and got away, but they would not betray the _ confidence of, even an enemy in war, " They were turned" over as prisoners of war, and the, farmer’s piece of paper was handed to their commander. They were sent to Atlanta, Mobile, Jackson, and to Vicksburg to be exchanged. The farmer’s little note • went every place with-them. True soldiers are not revengeful and they cultivate charity even tqward their enethies and fraternity to ail and loyalty t&their country. -- - A Veteran of 1861 to 1865.