Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

THE FLOWERS COLLECTION 141 Thrilling Feats of Intrepid Forrest Mitchell Winning Brilliant Battles at Fearful Odds By DK. B. J. MASSEY. Writer: for “Che funny Soul H HE recent unveiling of a monument in the city of Houston, Texas, on March 17 last, the anniversary of St. Patrick’s day, to the memory of the brave Irish captain, Hick Dowling, and his heroes, was a befitting occasion. Captain Dowl ing's name is most sacred ly embalmed in history, and will be transmitted to future generations with embellished luster, as the able defender of Sabine Pass, off the coast of Texas on the Gulf of Mexico. A most interesting account is given in a recent number of The Sunny South, how, with forty men, he succeeded in captur ing a federal fleet with 3,000 soldiers aboard. " o the honor of General Bedford For- re • belongs the distinction of having ai iiieved on the western border of Geor gia a victory very much in keeping with that of the Irish captain, Dick Dowling, of Texas. From old man Josiah Davis, late of Cobb county, but now a resident of Atlanta, who is a double veteran, having faithfully followed the fortunes of General Winfield Scott through the Mexican war and during the sixties of the last century, an active participant in almost every battle fought by General N. B. Forrest, I gain the unpublished facts concerning the capture of Colonel Streight, of the Yankee army. Iteartng well up under the weight of years, long having passed the octogena rian milepost. Air. Davis is still well pre served and in fine 'physical vigor. I give what i-.c hud me to write down In August, 1888. the statement verbatim et^iteratum. Here are his words: “in the fall of 1863 Rosecrans was in At urs frees boro, Tenn. He ordered Gen- <. ai Si.-elgu: io sei. ct 2,500 of the best cavalrymen in the army and to go as expeditiously as.possible by way of Rome to Atlanta, Ga., taking Corinth, Miss., in his route. At this time General Forrest war fronting General Dodges’ army in tie Tennessee valley, near Gourtland, Ala. To counteract Streight's march, Forrest received orders to pursue Streight with utmost dispatch at all hazards. At this time Forrest had a trifle over sixty fuen, all told. Besides from long and continued marches the horses were all Juded, so much so there was scarcely a good horse in the whole bunch. At his starting point Forrest was at least 60 miles from Streight, a very rough country inter- Ifc'IAC , Lieutenant-General N. B. Forrest. vening. He left, however, within two hours after receiving his orders, at 10 o'clock a. m., encountering Streight’s command the next day at Days Gap, on the north end of Sand Afouniain, Ala. “Here was the bigiest light on all the way. Vile less on both sales was very heavy. During the engagement 1 saw bushes on both sides fail like hav under the scyJTie Made. In fact, they flew so thick at one time that it seemed that no one could possibly escape. This hot fight lasted af 'cast three hours. After cap turing two of our guns, Streight very abruptly ceased firing and left, Forrest In hot pursuit. This was about I 1 o’clock in the morning, but before night we caught up with Straight, recaptured our two guns, finding that Streight had s piked them with wood/ti pins. Night came on and, oh, how tired I was, and hungry, no words can toll! Hadn't had a thing to eal in forty-, >ght h, an. After n . poor old horse had finished his short ration of corn, I raked up the scattered grains and sifted the sand and dirt from them and ate them raw. Never in all my life did I taste such delicious food. The memory of that meal haunts me till this -day. "After resting a while, Forrest ap proached Streights’ camps, drew tip his men about 9 o’clock p. m. in the bright moonlight about 300 yards away, order ing us to use double shot and shell, and double charge of cannister, with orders to fight to the finish. After quite a fight, Forrest captured many man, a large supply of suttlers' goods, which, 1 tell you, came in a mighty good time. • ••• • •- o ••• • • for Forrest’s half starved and worse than half naked men. I tell you it was a regular feast. Leaving a sufficient body of men to guard the prisoners and bury the dead that had fallen on both sides, Forrest, with a small body of men, left in hot pursuit. After going about 6 miles, being very much harassed by Forrest, Streight. crossing a creek, burn ed a bridge. Here Forrest was greatly nonplussed. Passing a house, General Forrest inquired the way to the nearest bridge. Here a beautify'. sprightly mountain girl, a Aliss Sanson, came out and told General Forrest that the yankee general lvd captured her brother, and if he would allow her, she would go with him to tin- nearest bridge, show him the way and a shoi/.er route, upon the express terms that he should recap ture her brother and restore him to her. Gallant as he was, he said, 'Aliss. mount the horse behind me and before 12 o’clock your brother will be vours.’ ' Aliss Sanson at once got up behind the confederate general and piloted him to the bridge. Going this route, General Forrest gained very rapidly upon the fleeing yankees, and after fording the Coosa river, at a double quick speed, he soon caught up with Streight and had another light, with the usual consequence of routing the yankee general, and a few minutes before !2 o’clock Aliss San son had her brother restored to her. “Soon after this Forrest sent in, under flag of truce ,a demand for surrender. — !■ I—MM '' - (■■■■' i ■Him Emma Sanson. Streight refused. Within an hour, For rest sent in a second demand for sur render. To this Streight sent another refusal. After an hour or so a third flag of truce was sent in with a similar demand. Informing Streight, with no equivocal terms, that he had him in such predicament that he was obliged to surrender. In answer to this Colonel Strenght sent to General Forrest a mes sage to come to see him. Forrest went. They met under a big crab apple tree, had an interview, which lasted at least two hours. About this time, Forrest bad only about sixty men, and he had given special orders that each man should march around almost in sight of Streight’s army, and give command as though he was an officer commanding a squad of men, so as to make it ap pear that Forrest had at least two or three thousand men under his command, who were at that time attempting to surround Streight and his command, whilst Forrest and Streight were hold ing this meeting. "Streight’s 2.500 men had also been reduced to 1.650. Feeling that he was in the enemy’s land, pursued by an army of superior numbers, Streight surrender ed, the only condition being that the officers were to bo allowed to go out carrying their side arms. This was Sun day about 9 o’clock a. m.. 3 miles from Cedar Bluff, on the Rome road. After spending two or three hours in pleasant converse with each other. General Streight very pleasantly asked General Forrest to show him his army. When told that he had no army except the sixty men who were then guarding 1,650, Streight wept bitterly was incon solable, fearing that his commanding general, Rosecrans, and his good peo ple at home would never understand the circumstances under which ho surren dered 1,650 men in full equipment to Forrest’s ragged, half starved, half naked, broken down sixty men.’’ MITCHELL’S EEMAEEABLE FEAT. With the exception o£ what Private . -avis has told about the Sand Moun tain road, Forrest's capture of Streight has been written and rewritten on vari ous occasions. So have the praises of Dick Dowling and his men been sung and resung throughout Dixie land. Now, in this connection I am in pos session of a bit of history connected with a bravo band of Walton county, Geor gia, soldiers, sixty in number, known as company H, Captain Joshua AI. Alitehell commanding. Forty-second regiment Georgia infantry. Mitchell with his dar ing boys in gray on one occasion achieved a victory which, in my humble opinion, should take rank with either that of the cavalryman. Forrest, or the Irish cap tain, Dick Dowling. Dr. J. M. Mitchell. What T am saying has never boon in print before. S<> I feel it a great privi lege, as well as a pleasant duty, to give a sketch of this brave deed as detailed to me by one of the very few survivors of this Spartan band. Let there be "honor to whom honor Is due,” although it should come In at the eleventh hour. While Johnson’s army was near the Alabama line above Dalton at the foot of Rockyface mountain on the afternoon of the 24th of February, 1364, Captain AfitciieH received orders to detach his company for special picket service. TIis men were deployed some 12 feet apart, and for self-defense, directed each man to build for himself a roek pile. This pile must he breast high and fully 3 feet wide at the top. B\ dint of hard labor and by night this was successfully accomplished. About sunrise next morti- 1 g, the 25th, tl'-" yankee picket, fully 7o0 strong, advanced and Instantly at tacked the confederate forces. The attack was very severe, but Cap tain Mitchell and his sixty men were equal to the occasion. They made the defense equally as vigorous as the at tack. About this time the left wing of the confederate forces gave way. leav ing Captain Mitchell's small company unprotected in the field. But by firmly malntaining his position in a half hour he drove the enemy into th> ir pits. With in a few minutes the federal forces were reinforced by some seven or eight hun dred men. probably Wdsconsins, com manded by Lieutenant Colonel Dicken son. The assault was for three hours very severe, indeed. About this time company fl had exhausted its ammuni tion and fell back about 120 yards when Captain Alitehell met a full supply of cartridges. The men within a few minutes filled all their box*'S and formed a new line. Here Captain Alitehell was reinforced by a. few men from company F, same regiment. The line was a few yards behind tiie crest of a little ridge from the enemy. It stealthily hurried to the crest. The enemy began forming a. line on top of the ridge, but retreated from Captain Alitehell. who ordered Ills men "Ready,” "Aim,” and when ’he yankee officer commanded: “Right dress.’’ ’’Fire,” the volley was so deliberately aimed and deadly that it created wild commotion among the blue coats, and an entire rout soon followed. Captain Alitchell’s command kept up a hot pur suit, capturing the yankee commanding officer and twenty-five men. There were left on the field over forty yankees killed, besides quite a number wounded. Captain Mitchell himself was badly wounded, but notwithstanding this kept at the head of his force. His first lieu tenant. J. F. Williams, a brave young officer and two privates killed, were the only casualties to the brave boys in gray. When Lieutenant Colonel Dickenson tli" yank Mi. er, t, ! that hi eral hundred had been so utterly wiped up by only a handful of Walton county, Georgia, boys, he s iid to Captain Mitch ell: “My dear sir, 1 am ruined. Tills news of my sad disaster and ignominious defeat will be certain io rea Ji my homo in Wisconsin, and how can I. oh! how can I face my people at home in Wis consin, who have placed so much con fidence in me and my brave boys?” Of this noble band of Georgia boys who made the yankee colonel cry, there still live Captain Alitehell, who loves to tell by the hour of the Incidents and times that tried men's soul. Also, T. AI. Armstead, the present faithful tax collector of Fulton county, and Mr. Gresham, a successful merchant of So cial Circle. All along on the battle fields of Chiekamauga to the hills around At lanta. several of this noble squad “right ing fell,” yielding up their li-es h half of tne cause dearest to theli he..ns. The Hedgehogs Frown. (From The London Spectator.) A hedgehog curls itself by a fro vn— that is. by muscles like those which pro duce a frown—and It frowns severely or gently according to circumstances. If it is poked hard, it “sighs” itself tighter. If really hurt. It frowns into a tight ball. The prickles can be erected in a meas ure. though as they point all ways tin’s is not needed. They are as sharp as needles. We have often known one dog, a large black and white setter, which would deliberately bite a hedgehog till it killed it. But this dog was quite mad, and shared some of the anesthesia com mon to certain lunatics. 0 *.0 0... 0.•~0-+-0—0-~0-~0-*0——a—a—a-*-e-«-a- ^ Mystifying “Me 99 By Elliott Flower V, • a — «-«-a -a-1 ■ 0:.(S:.0:.0--0;.0:-0-.-0-*-0~0-*-0-~0**-0-*-»-~9-~*-»-*l~- 0 0-~ 0 0 • ;-0-»-0 0 0--0 0 0 — 6 •' .•-a-t-a-t-ai-a-t-eo-a—a * (Copyright, 1905.) ETER WELLS had fifty thousand dollars in adver tising contracts on his hands when the court de cided against him—that !s, Peter had legally bound himself to pay fifty thou sand dollars for certain space in certain publica tions within a certain time, and now he had nothing to advertise. Peter also had a partner—a si lent partner of the name of James Quinby. Peter’s partner was silent because he had money and did not wish to become too deeply involved in an enterprise that might possibly prove disastrous; also he had a business of his own that he did not wish to be come identified, even indirectly, with the new venture. If the latter ’ failed. It would In no way affect his standing or his credit. In .a word, he was willing to Invest a little money in a speculation, but he did not care to have the fact generally known. So, when Peter out lined his scheme, explaining that he had only half of the twenty-five thousand dollars needed. Quinby agreed to put up the other half and leave the management of affairs to Peter. That was where he was unwise. Peter was a young man with more enthusiasm than discretion. He knew that he had a good thing, so he went ahead with his plans and had everything in readiness when he learned that some one else had a prior claim to his good thing. It was plenty good enough, but a learned Judge said it wasn't Peter’s and tied Peter up with a temporary injunction, which was soon made permanent. "And the worst of It is,” remarked Peter, “that I had to pay that .advertis ing agency 10 per cent in cash when the contract was signed.” “That must have been close to two thousand dollars," said Quinby. "It was five thousand dollars,” said Peter, carelessly. "What!” cried Quinby. "Why, you only had twenty-five thousand dollars, and I supposed you would reserve at least five thousand for other expenses.” "Not at all, not at all." returnel Peter. "This little novelty that we In tended to turn out would cost a mere trifle, so I put it all in the advertising. It’s one of those tilings where the ad vertising is everything.” "But your contract represents twice your capital!” “Of course,” said Peter; "but I only had to pay 10 per cent down, and we’d have had money to throw to the birds by the time the capital was used up. I figured that we might have to make two more payments of live thousand dollars each before we began paying en tirely out of our profits. I never ex pected to use more than fifteen thousand dollars of our capital this way, and per haps not so much.” "Then why didn't you make your con tract on that basis?” demanded Quinby. The 'benighted ignorance of Quinby seemed to make Peter weary, but lie was considerate enough to explain. "There are two reasons.” he said. "In the first place 1 could get better terms on a big contract; in the second, I wanted to be sure of exactly the same location in the various publications for a considera ble length of time. It is a theory of mine that an advertisement gathers force from constant repetition in precisely the same place. It is the regularity of the thing that counts, that gives an impression ot stability; if it goes jumping all over a paiper or a magazine, it isn’t half as ef fective. I planned for no big displays, but 1 did intend that the reading man or woman should run across the same thing in the same place continuously. Why, to make sure of this feature, I took an option on five thousand dollars more— that is, I have the privilege of con tinuing in the saint period as long as the first.’’ "Wonderful forestg.ht, wasn't it?” asked Quinby, sarcastically. “It seemed so at the time,” replied Peter. “How could i know that some body stole my idea beiim that a grumpy old judge would give him title to it?” “To tie yourself up like this before you knew exactly where you stood was a piece of insanity,” asserted Quinby; "but there’s no use discussing that now. How much are we going to lose?” “I don’t know.” admitted Peter. ‘T’ve been wondering if we couldn’t get some thing else to advertise.” "Nonsense!” retorted Quinby. "Y'ou’d better see what terms you can make with the agency people. When they un derstand the circumstances you may be able to get back some of the money you’ve put up.” "I’ll try it.” said Peter. So Peter went to the advertising agent and stated the case, but the agent seem ed to see complications ahead. “It’s a little out. of the ordinary.” he explained. "You wanted certain definite locations permanently, and we had tti contract for them particularly. I am very much afraid the publications will want to hold us, in which case we will have to hold you.’’ “With all the advertising you are han dling, you ought to be able to drop some thing else into those locations,” sug gested Peter. “We have to pay an extra rate for ‘placed’ advertising, so it is rather a difficult matter to fill this in.” said the advertising man. “We may be able to cancel some of the contracts, but you must bear in mind that this is like any other business transaction; you have bought certain things on time, and you have no right to expect to escape de livery because your own plans have not turned out right. Certain space in cer tain publications is yours, and it looks to me as if you would have to fill it. in fact, nothing but the generosity of the publishers can let you out. It would be generosity, too. for they would be sur rendering the cash value of the con tracts. The fact that they might put some other advertiser In your space cuts no figure, for it will have to be an adver tiser that they would have anyway. It’s like a present of so much money to you.” “That’s certainly reasonable," admitted Peter, sadly. "I hadn’t thought of it that way.” “The contracts are legal and they can be. collected by law." persisted the adver tising man. “No, they can’t,” put in Peter; "1 haven’t g°t the money.” “You forget that you gave me a signed statement of cash resources when you turned the business over to me,” said the advertising man. “I would not place such a line of advertising for an unknown man without it. I can make trouble for you on that.” "How much cash will you take to let me out?" asked Peter, desperately. The advertising man considered the matter thoughtfully. “The situation Is just this," he said at last. “I have contracted in your behalf for $50,000 worth of ‘placed’ advertising. Some of this I can cancel and some 1 can fill in with other advertisers, but there Is going to be a considerable loss. It is impossible to find people who want ‘placed’ advertising in just the public# tions and just the amounts you have chosen, especially as the time is mignty short. I really ought to have the ‘copy’ now. If the contracts were merely for a certain amount of advertising, to be taken at will within a given length of time, it would be different; but they call for a certain space in every issue. However, I want to be as reasonable as possible in justice to myself; so. If you will give me another five thousand to pay me for my trouble and cover the difference in rates, I will assume all the contracts and let you out.’’ “You go to the devil!” cried Peter. "Otherwise,” added the advertising man, provoked by this display of temper, "I shall hold you for every cent you’ve got, and your statement of resources will enable, me to make you dig up If you try to hide anything.” "You go to the devil!” repeated Peter. "I can sell the space myself at a smaller loss than that.” “As you please,” returned the advertis ing man. ”1 shall have to have the ‘copy’ in two days.” Peter was a man of uneven tempera ment, which means that enthusiasm and apathy alternated; he was either actively optimistic or languidly philosophical. He had been all energy at the inception of his great scheme, but he had become as in different as a fatalist when his hopes were destroyed. There would be a loss which e«uldnt be helped, so why fret about it? He had had a hazy sort of an idea that possibly something mlglit be done, birt. nothing definite. However, a clear loss of $10,000, in addition to tne court and other expenses, was enough to set even Peter to thinking. “That’s too much.” he muttered. “I tl-.cught he’d give me back something out of the first five thousand, instead of demanding another." So Peter was again thoroughly awak ened, and set about the task of dispos- ing of that advertising space with great energy. But he found lie had a difficult proposition on his hands. Big advertis ers already had their contracts made, and those who cared for “placed” ad vertising wanted more space than he had at his disposal. Then, too, some of them objected to his list of publica tions. In fact, he found that all the advertising m;wi had said was true; he had the worst possible arrangement fur his present purpose. He thought of proposing to the different publications to take the same value in advertising under a different and more favorable plan, but the job was too lug and tiie time too short. The space selected was even then waiting for his "copy” In many instances. There was no hopes of lo ad ing payment for it in the first issues, whatever lie might succeed in doing lat er, so this much, at least, would he a dead loss. This was in Peter’s mind as he sat in his office, discouraged, late in the af ternoon of the second day. He was roused by a messenger from the adver tising man. "Mr. Adams wants to know if you want your ‘ads' to go blanks,” said the boy. "What’s that?” demanded Peter. “You ain’t got any ‘copy’ in yet,” ex plained the boy, “an’ it’s got to be in pretty quick or you’ll be payin' fer blank spaces that won't do you no good.” “Well, by thunder! I’ll show people those spaces are mine, anyway.” ex claimed Peter, as lie reached for a sheet of paper and a pencil “I’m not going to be bluffed by Ad ams or any publisher that ever lived.” Then he wrote on tho paper: THIS SPACE BELONGS TO ;nii “Tell him to run that in them all," he instructed. In half an hour the boy was back. “Air. Adams wants to know if you're joking,” he said. “You tell Mr. Adams lie’s paid to put my ’ads’ in the papers and not to ask questions about them!” exclaimed Peter. "I know what I’m doing.” Adams, the advertising man, doubted this last assertion, but iie could only fol low instructions. Quinby doubted it. also, and the way the doubt was ex pressed made Peter so angry that he failed to make the confession and ex planation he had intended. Being put on the defensive, he stoutly maintained that he "had the thing fixed and would show them a thing or two before lie got through.” But he refuted to explain; In- couldn’t. “I know what I'm doing!” lie repeated. ’’Placing a line of advertising for some body c'se?” asked Quinby. “I suppose some people would think that a good way to start in to create comment.” "I can't talk of it yet,” said Peter, “and all you've got to do is to keep your mouth shut and look wise.” But that question gave Peter another idea. Instead of trying to sell the space at his disposal, he went in search of something to advertise. He offered to take up several artices and boom them, merely charging a commission in addi tion to the necessary expenses; but here he found himself in competition with advertising agents w r ho were better known. Even when he quoted rates that meant a small loss to himself, advertisers were not impressed. Meanwhile, Quinby’s spirit of criticism did not add to Peter's enjoyment of life. Quinby objected to being kept in the dark; he either wanted to know what was going on or he wanted the affair closed up with the least possible loss. But Peter had become obstinate and irascible He felt that he had made a mistake, but he would not admit it. The more in ■ sistent Quinby became, the more deter mined became Peter. They were lunching together one day, when a man at the next table opened his paper and remarked to a friend, “I wonder who Ale’ is?” "Give It up.” was the reply. “I've heard a dozen people asking that. AVno- ever lie is. he’s got a good thing when he gets ready to spring his advertise ment." Peter turned to Quinby. “Hear that?” he said. ”1 tell you T've got the thing fixed, and I know what I'm doing.” For at that moment a great idea came to Peter; the space that he controlled was becoming daily more valuable be cause of the mystery connected with it. It was not much in each publication, but ■ CONTINUED ON LAST PAGE. !i%