Page 78 - Arkansas Confederate Women

Hardships of the Wife of a Captain 71

I could hear the train going before we got there and, when we

got there every one was gone, but the one who had my horse,

and he was just starting. I rode up to him and said:

"That is my horse. What are you going to do with him?

I want m} horse.'

I was determined to follow him to Little Eock if he did not

give him up.

He eyed the young man with me for he had his gray uni-

form on. Once the fellow put his hand back on his gun, but he

Wedid not scare us. stood there quite a while. I kept telling

him to give up my horse, so at last he gave him to me, saying

to the young man : "She's got a brudder or brudder-in-law that

has put the devilment in her head."

That wase my husband's brother, Captain J. M. Vance, that

came with Steele's army. I went home with the horse and took

a little nephew and went to Little Eock. I rode the horse. We

did not overtake the wagon train until we got to the arsenal. I

got a pass to go South, went honje and got a little boy to go

with me.

finding monroe's regiment.

We started to find Monroe's regiment. I heard it was at

Arkadelphia. I rode that horse, for I was determined the Fed-

erals should not have him. We went a long way and heard the

regiment was at Princeton, so we went there. I inquired in the
town and they told me the regiment was camped at the edge of
town. After two or three days the news came that the Federals
were coming, and our boys hustled out. I told the boy that came

with me we would meet the Federals, but he must not tell them

which road our soldiers took.

Sure enough, we had not gone far until we met them. An
officer asked us how far we had come. I told him. He then asked
if any rebel troops were there. I told him "no." Then he wanted
to know when they left and what road they took. I told him I
did not know. He spoke very crossly, and said : "It is very
strange, Madam, you don't know." Then he turned to the boy

and spoke crossly to him, and he got scared and said they went

down the Camden road. 1 left the horse with mv husband and