Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1869 — Adventure of a Boston Man on a Mississippi Steamboat. [ARTICLE]

Adventure of a Boston Man on a Mississippi Steamboat.

At Helena, Ark.', the Boston man stopped and took anpffler float for Fort Pillow. On this bbat Was a mulatto man who had been an orderly sergeant iu the Federal army and was quite intelligent, and gave the Boston man a great deni of information about lhe battle of Fort HU'ison. lhe mate of the h >at abused all the men, and was pulling them about and cursing them in a most disgust ing manner. At last, from some neglect of duty or failure to comprehend his commands, the mate got exccedinglv angry with the mulatto, and, seizing a window sash filled with glass an eighth of an inch thick, raised it to strike the mulatto. The latter dodged the blow and ran up the gangway, and, backing into a corner near the Boston man, entreated the mate not to

strike him “wid dat glass.” The mate rushed at him like a demon, and with one stroke smashed' the sash and glass over the offending man’s bead, cutting huge gashes in his cheeks and forehead, and rendering him for a moment senseless The mate again lifted the remnant of the sash over his head for another blow, when the Boston man caught the sash from be hind, saying at the same time, coolly: “ Don’t you strike that man again.” “Who in the devil are you?” almost screamed the angry man. “No matter; don’t you strike" that man again.” “By I’ll shoot h—ll out of you, you said the mate, pullingout his revolver and shaking it in the face of the Boston man. “ You know, sir, that you dare not shoot me,” said the latter coolly, “so put up your revolver.” By this time a crowd had gathered around, and “shoot him,” “shoot him,” echotd on every side. The Boston man learned afterward that there was not a Northern man on the boat , -. “ Shoot him, by —or I will,” ex claimeda little short man on one side of the crowd. “ Let’s alj have a hack at him,” said an Other, and in ah instant MO- lees, than twelve pistols or revolvers were displayed. “He’s a cussed Yankee. I know his phiz. He’s down here preachin’ insurrec ' ion among the niggers. Shoot him, mate, or we will.’,’ “So ho, so ho,” sneered the Yankee, “things have changed since the war, somewhat, I guess Now, gentlemen, 1 see it takes twelve Southerners to shoot one unarmed Yankee.** This set them on fire, and one burley fellow cocked his revolver, saying, “ if thmate was a d—d coward, he was not afr-tai to shoot any% Yankee in the coun ust then a lady>4rflo was evidently of Northern birth, cantfr up to the crowd, and putting oux both of her index flng erS foward them, made an awfol scowl, and exclaimed : “Bb-Ainte, a-h-s-to' e on 7°®- Twelve stout men attack an unarmed man with revolvers! Shame, shame." _ All of the party, including the mate, began to look sheepish, and as the captain came rushing up to the spot, they slunk away. The mate, heweyer, muttered something about “ seqthg fiti k man” again. Tue lady had disappeared in the mean time, otherwise your. Boston man might have been induced to marry her on the spot When the excitement had somewhat abated, the captain asked the Boston man What was the matter. It was explained to him, together with the infor ration that a complaint would be lodged against the aeeailan's at tbe next landing. This information was com muiiicated doubtless to them, for, after supper, one came up to the Boston man and offered his hand, saying : ‘"St ranger, we’re kind o’ shamed o’ that ere affair a little while ago. C >me, home, let’s licker, and call ’em a draw game. What der yer say, old feller ?” “I don’t drink ” said the Yankee. “ Well, take suthin or other, and We’ll all take whisky. Come; tain’t more’n fair yer should ’cept a pollogy." “It’s just here, gentleman,” said the Yankee to the crowd now gathered around “I’ll accept the apology; but I warn ypU to understand'*.hereafter that when you attempt to bully a Yankee Jhat’s car ried bullets in his body for five years—which he received * thrashing you fellows out’—why, just recollect that you’ve ‘got hold of the wrong chicken.’ ” “ Let’s licker, lei’s licker; dqn’t stop to talk,” interrupted they. The treat passed around, and “ all went merry as a marriage bell.” — Cor. Boston Trave’ler.