Page 123 - Arkansas Confederate Women

106 Confederate Women of Arkansas

Things went on quite smoothly until one morning while I,
was sweeping the gallery, -a coarse, impudent soldier passed in

front of our gate and exposed himself indecently. Now I had
with me a little silver mounted pistol my husband had given
me when he left for the war, which I had only saved of all my

belongings, for a few weeks before some scoundrel had entered

our room at night and stolen from under my head a valuable set
of garnet and pearl jewelry with my watch and chain and all the

gold and silver that I possessed. Well, no sooner than the

fellow exposed himself than I snatched from my pocket my
pistol and fired two shots at him. He ran for his life and I

afterward heard through Mike Curliss, a noble young man,

whom we all liked, and called "copperhead," a soubriquet often

given by us to the more kindly and courteous federal soldiers,

that the fellow reported me as firing on him while he was

peaceably walking past the house. I never did learn what be-
came of him, for Capt. McCrary was ordered to vacate Benton
and rejoin Gen. Steele's army at Little Eock. The very next

day after he left a squad of Confederates rode into town:, but
before that the news came that the Confederates were marching

50,000 strong on to Benton from Camden or near that vicinity,
and of all the running, mounting horses, loading wagons, I
have ever seem that was the climax. Of course, we were all
tickled almost to death, but had to look on mum, as the report

proved false. However, only a few days elapsed before the en-
tire company left. I suspect they felt it was a prudent thing
to do. As I said, a scout of Confederates headed by Capt. Gus
Crawford, came galloping up to our house the next day after

the Federals left.

"Feds," as they were mostly called, in retaliation for Eebel.

After leisurely riding around to speak to and look at their

relatives, for each man had some there, some of the men who

took care of the horses in the outskirts, hidden by bushes and

trees, came galloping up to our back door and my mother and

sister Fannie and myself hurriedly gave them their breakfast,

for they had not eaten since the night before, while recounting
to them the dangers of the Federals at Benton. Mrs. Jane El-