xt7qz60bwc1s https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7qz60bwc1s/data/mets.xml Deedes, Henry. 1869  books b92-163-30117133 English W. Blackwood, : Edinburgh ; London : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Mississippi River Valley Description and travel. United States Description and travel. Sketches of the South and West, or, Ten months' residence in the United States / by Henry Deedes. text Sketches of the South and West, or, Ten months' residence in the United States / by Henry Deedes. 1869 2002 true xt7qz60bwc1s section xt7qz60bwc1s 


















     SKETCHES

        oF

THE SOUTH AND WEST

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        SKETCHE S


               OF


THE SOUTH AND WEST


               o P



TEN MONTHS' RESIDENCE IN THE
      UNITED STATES




           BY

     HENRY DEEDES



WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS
    EDINBURGH AND LONDON
         MDCCCLXIX



The Right of Trainsato    is reserred

 This page in the original text is blank.


 



              CONTENT S.







                  CHAPTER I.
                                           PAGE
VOYAGE-LOSS OF BAG-CUSTOM -HOUSE AT BOSTON -
SPRINGFIELD-TRENTON FALLS-NIAGARA-CURRENT-
BATH-SYSTEM  OF CHECKING LUGGAGE-ADAMS'S
EXPRESS,                 . .



                 CHAPTER II.

WOODBURN FARM-RAID ON MR ALEXANDER'S STABLES-
SYSTEM OF POOLS-TIME MADE BY FASTEST HORSES-
DEATH OF MR ALEXANDER,                   . 15


                 CHAPTER III.



FRANKFORT- SHAKERTOWN-NORTHERN JUSTICE-FIRE-
ARMS-CLIMATE-CEHICAGO,


                 CHAPTER IV.

JOURNEY SOUTH-MAMMOTH CAVES-MEMPHIS-SLEEPING
CARS-JACKSON-ANECDOTES OF THE WAR-STATE OF
THE COUNTRY, .



48



68

 



vi



CONTENTS.



                  CHAPTER V.

ONDITION OF NEGROES-FUTURE OF THE SOUTH-GENERAL
GRANT-GENERAL SHERMAN-VICKSBURG-STEAMER
RI S. LEE-NATCEEZ-LEVEES-ARRIVAL AT NEW OR-
LEANS-SAILING ON A RAILWAY-GEN'ERAL BEAURE-
GARD,     -95


                 CHAPTER VI.

HAVANNA CIGAR AND CIGARETTE MANUFACTORY-CHINESE
-HOUSES-MATANZAS--SUGAR-MILL-COFFEE PLANTA-
TION-CAVES OF BELLAMAR-SLAVERY,  .   .   - 114


                 CHAPTER VII.

NEW ORLEANS-STREET CARS-DETERIORATION OF PRO-
PERTY-SHELL-ROAD-MOBILE TO MONTGOMERY, .  - 131


                 CHAPTER VIII.

MONTGOMERY-QUARREL BETWEEN TWO NEGROES-STATE
BUILDINGS-THEATRE-ATLANTA-CHATANOOGA-NASH-
VILLE-KENTUCKY HAIL-STORM-NEGROES-DUEL DUR-
ING THE WAR-HOTEL CARS-DRAWING-ROOM CARS-
NEW YORK,    --142


                 CHAPTER IM



THROWS OUT A HINT OR TWO,



, 165


 

TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.




           CHAPTER I.

IN the autumn of 1867, finding myself dis-
established, but happily not altogether dis-
endowed-after thirty years' grind in official
life-and there being much to induce me to
make an extended tour in the United States,
where a number of my wife's relatives and
connections resided, our passage was taken
in the Cunard s.s. Cuba, to sail for Boston
on the 27th of September in that year.
  The voyage across the Atlantic was ac-
complished with about the amount of dis-
comfort and pleasure which is generally
experienced on such occasions, the elements
                    A

 

TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



and arrangements of the Cunard Company
in their several capacities influencing the
feelings of the passengers as opportunity
presented itself. The weather was gener-
-illy fine, and nothing occurred to render
the voyage remarkable, the only incident
worth recording being of a personal nature
-viz., the loss of a bag from the steamer
at Halifax containing all our stock of boots
and shoes. As, however, the loss was not
discovered until the vessel arrived at Boston,
it was no drawback to the pleasure of the
voyage. At Halifax we laid in a stock of
lobsters; and Captain Stone being an adept
at lobster-salad, the luxury was partaken of
freely by many of us, with what result, the
wind having risen considerably before night,
can more easily be imagined than is agreeable
to revert to. However, "all is well that ends
well." I am not sure that the above remark
is quite applicable in the present case; for
the end was not yet. The next notice in my
diary is " The Custom-house at Boston."
  As our stay in America was to embrace
winter and spring and summer, and it being



9

 

BOSTON CUSTOM-HOUSE.



autumn at the time we landed, our baggage
was rather extensive, but I hoped that a
large box of saddlery and racing parapher-
nalia, upon which I was prepared to pay any
duty that might be claimed-though hardly
anticipating an ad valorem duty of 35 per
cent in gold-would give our other effects a
fair chance of passing undisturbed. The offi-
cers were civil and obliging; and had it not
been that we were detained by the fruitless
search for my unlucky bag, we should have
got through the disagreeable operation very
happily. As it was, however, we narrowly
escaped a second examination, through the
official chalk-marks on our luggage getting
rubbed out. I was also subjected, with many
other gentlemen, to a strict personal search,
for what object I am ignorant, for I did not
hear of anything being discovered to warrant
this rigorous course. The process being at
last completed, we were glad enough to find
ourselves comfortably established at the Tre-
mont House. As, however, our visit was to
the west, our stay at Boston was not pro-
longed beyond the following day; and the



3

 

TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



only item of information that I gained in that
famous and enlightened city-allowed to be,
I believe, the first in America for learning
and civilisation-was, that one of the provi-
sions consequent on "compulsory education"
is, that the police have power to apprehend
and fine all children, within certain ages,
who may be met in the streets during the
hours in the day allotted by Act of State
Legislature to public education. How far
such a measure would meet the views of the
advocates for compulsory education here may
be a question; certainly, if the public are to
pay for the prospective advantages to accrue
to the population of the country by compul-
sory measures, it seems but reasonable that
they should reap the present advantage of
having the streets of the town freed, for some
hours in the day at least, from the " gamins"
who infest them.
   We are fairly on our travels, and Spring-
field, Massachusetts, is our first halting-place.
The great manufactory of arms for the United
States, the largest in the Union, is located
here. The town is well situated, and an



4

 
THE WOODS IN AUTUMN.



extensive view of the surrounding country
is to be obtained from the cupola of one of
the arsenal buildings. The streets are well
wooded, it being almost a universal custom
in the United States to plant trees on each
side of the streets, which, in the original
plans submitted to the States' Government
of the ground it is proposed to lay out as
the site of a future city, are always designed
of sufficient width to admit of this embellish-
ment; the houses and churches large, and
indicative of a flourishing population and
thriving trade. The breakfast at the Mas-
sasoit House must not be forgotten. The
house has a great reputation for it, and cer-
tainly in quality and quantity the viands
were not surpassed in any hotel at which
we stopped.
  There was nothing particular in the char-
acter of the scenery through which we
passed, beyond the extraordinary beauty,
the richness and diversity of the colouring,
of the foliage. The tints of the American
woods in autumn are so different from any-
thing we see in this country, that one can



5

 

TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



hardly take in their beauty without seeing
them. The brilliant crimson of the maple
and shumach-the dog-wood and the oaks
varying from a light red to a deep dark
crimson-the deep green of the fir-trees, and
the numerous yellow and russet colours of
the leaves, make up a most gorgeous picture.
It was in perfection here; later on and further
west the colours had suffered from the un-
usual drought that followed upon the heat
of summer.
  There is some very fine wild and broken
scenery just beyond Springfield, after which
nothing striking occurs till we reach the
bridge over the Hudson at Albany-a grand
improvement, as any one will acknowledge
who had before to leave the train and cross
in the ferry-boat to Albany.
  At Albany there was considerable con-
fusion in changing trains. Our luggage,
having been checked to this place from
Boston, had to be claimed, and was found
with difficulty only, the time being short,
and officials and porters few. From Albany
we vent to Utica, and thence to Trenton



6

 
TRENTON FALLS.



Falls, the scenery of which has been loudly
praised. Much praise too it deserves, for in
fine summer or early autumn weather, with
pleasant companions, the rambles and cheery
influences of the place must be most agree-
able. The company were all dispersed, and
the principal hotel was shut up; but as the
only other hotel was full, a room was got
ready for us in the large hotel, though we
had to go to the smaller house for our meals,
c.
  There is nothing stupendous in the scen-
ery; but the variety in the formation of the
rocks causing the falls, the rapids, and the
still deep pools, with the overhanging woods,
and surrounding wild woodland scenery,
must, after or during the hot American
summer, be most enchanting. Besides, so-
ciety- at all times in America freed from
much of the constraint necessarily imposed
upon it by the older habits of civilisation on
the European continent-has a charm at all
American "springs" peculiar to itself, and
not to be despised. I should here state that
the term  "springs" in America answers to



7

 

TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



what with us would be understood as "water-
ing-places." We were unfortunate in the
weather, as it was very wet, but waterproofs
and leggings overcame those difficulties:
still the loss of the sunshine was a great
drawback to the beauty of the scenery.
  From Trenton Falls returning to Utica
we took the cars of the New York Central
Railway to Rochester, and thence to Niagara
Falls, passing by the immense salt-works at
Syracuse. Here acres of land are devoted
to evaporation-pans, and most of the salt
used in the United States is manufactured
in this locality.
  "Niagara" certainly grows upon the mind,
and time is required to take in its real mag-
nificence.
  When I visited the Falls in 1859 my stay
was very limited, and I went away with
the impression that there certainly was a
" power of water," which fell from a consider-
able height, but there was nothing else for it
to do. The Falls are so very faithfully repre-
sented in the numerous drawings, photo-
graphs, and engravings of them, which every



8

 
FALLS OF NIAGARA.



one has seen, that no room is left for sur-
prise to the visitor, or for description in a
journal. On a further inspection and longer
stay, however, combined with walks and
drives, and crossings to and from the oppo-
site side, the real magnificence of the scene
and stupendous power of the water cannot
fail to impress themselves on the beholder.
I must be excused if I add my testimony to
that of, I believe, many others, that though
the most magnificent coup ld'ceil of the Falls
is to be obtained from the Canada side of
the river, the American side bears the palm
in the number of points of interest within
easy reach; and if any of my readers should
find themselves in the neighbourhood of Nia-
gara, and be at all pressed for time, I should
strongly recommend them to make the Cata-
ract House or National Hotel their head-
quarters, but by no means to omit a visit
to the Canada side. The bright sunshine or
moonlight on the waters, and the brilliant
refractions in the mist, cannot be enjoyed
too long. To describe it is simply impos-
sible-its grandeur must be felt.



9

 

10     TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



  There is one thing connected with the
rapids, however, that generates more merely
human, if it may not be called sensuous,
delight. I mean the " Current Baths."
  A portion of the rapids is conducted by
a canal at the back of a row of square
bathing-rooms, into one of which the bather
descends by steps; a sluice is opened, and
in rushes Lake Erie on its way to Lake
Ontario; a grating would prevent the bather
from being carried off to the latter destina-
tion. Having made your way with the
assistance of the back-water to the head of
the bath, you there find a strong rope fixed,
to which, by the exertion of all your strength,
you can for a very few minutes hold on.
Of course you are instantly taken off your
feet, and only regain them by a sidelong
movement to the shallow part of the bath,
from which you approached the sluice.
  I hardly know how to describe the sensa-
tion. To say it resembled that caused by
a good drubbing would hardly express my
meaning, but it gave a most charming glow
through the whole frame. Like the Falls, it

 
THE BURNING SPRING.



must be felt to be appreciated; and I strongly
recommend every one who has an opportu-
nity to give this delicious natural lavatory a
trial. The force of the current can be regu-
lated for ladies, or even for children.
  Another of the curious phenomena of this
place is the " Burning Spring," on the
Canada side, about three miles from the
Falls. A jet of flame rises through a funnel,
and will pass through a cambric handker-
chief without burning it, though, if you hold
your hand in it for any length of time, it
feels hot. When the funnel is removed,
and a light applied to the water in the well
or cistern, about four feet below the surface
of the ground, the gas ignites, and flickers
on the surface as spirits burn when set on
fire, though, of course, not so freely as would
be the case with pure alcohol.
  From Niagara we went by Buffalo; but
having a vivid recollection of the discomfort
of the sleeping-cars on my previous visit to
this country, we settled to stop for the night
at Cleveland. Having, however, to change
trains at Buffalo, and the cars being behind



11

 

12     TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



their time there, we discovered on arriving
at our resting-place that no portion of our
luggage had been brought on from Buffalo;
so the comforts of the night's stay at Cleve-
land were not as great as we had anti-
cipated. Our luggage came on, however,
by the next train, and we found it ready
for our start for Cincinnati the following
morning.
  The system of " checking " baggage, uni-
versal in the United States, is certainly a
most convenient one, but I do not think it
could be entirely carried out on our English
railways. The distances between stations
in America being so much greater than in
Europe, and the access of the baggage-master
to the passenger, coupled with the fact that
the baggage-master inhabits the baggage-
van, and, with his assistant, has time to
arrange the luggage for distribution during
the journey, afford facilities which do not
occur on our shorter lines. The interior
of the baggage-van, instead of being the
chaos which the luggage-van on our lines
resembles, partakes more of the neatness and

 
AMERICAN RAILWAYS.



order of the post-office vans, all the trunks
being ranged in order, and immediately
accessible on arriving at the station to which
they are checked.
  There is another " institution " connected
with the railways in the United States; it
is the " Adam's Express " system. All par-
cels are sent by this company, who have
a distinct van on each train, and an agent
at nearly all the stations. I do not know
that the work is done any better than by
the railway company on our lines, but in
America this branch of the carrying trade is
worked by distinct machinery. Again, the
luggage allowed is regulated more by num-
ber than by weight, each passenger seldom
travelling with more than one trunk, the
size of that being immaterial.  The con-
ductor is constantly passing through the
cars, and will always send the baggage-
master when required. Some time before
reaching the terminus he always goes round
and collects the checks, giving others in
return as each passenger states the hotel or
destination to which he wishes his luggage



13

 

14     TEN MONTHS 1N AMERICA.



to be sent.  The system   could, however,
easily be adopted on all through-journeys,
especially where railroad and steamboat are
in connection, with great advantage to the
traveller, without causing additional expense
to the carrier, and with, I think, less trouble
and greater safety than even the present
system of registration of luggage on Con-
tinental lines.
  Stopping one night at Cincinnati, we
crossed the Ohio by the magnificent new
suspension-bridge, and  proceeded by the
Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati Rail-
way to our destination - Woodburn, the
farm of fNar Aitchison Alexander, in Ken-
tucky.


 

CHAPTER II.



HERE I must crave indulgence if I enter
somewhat in detail into subjects of a per-
sonal nature; but I will endeavour to de-
scrile with as little partiality and as much
accuracy as possible an establishment which
I firmly believe to be unequalled in its
extent, and the variety of subjects it em-
braces.
  Mr Alexander, who, though born in Ken-
tucky, had received his education in Eng-
land, and had taken his degree at Cambridge,
never took the oath of allegiance to the
American Government, or exercised the
privilege of " citizen," and held his property
in the State as an alien, under a special Act
of State Legislature. He purchased the chief
portion of the Woodburn farm estate from
his brother and sisters, to whom it had

 

16     TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



been left by his father, he himself succeed-
ing to the estates in Scotland of his uncle,
Sir William Alexander, late Chief Baron of
the Exchequer.  The Woodburn property
has since been extended nearly to the limits
of the military survey granted to Mr Alex-
ander's father, and now comprises somewhat
upwards of 3000 acres of the best land in
America.   Kentucky is known as "the
garden of the United States," and Woodford
county, in which this property is situated,
as " the asparagus-bed." This property, if
not of world-wide celebrity, is at least well
known to every breeder of stock, whether of
horses or cattle, in America, and the death
of the proprietor, which occurred during our
sojourn with him, was felt not only in Ken-
tucky, but throughout the United States,
to be a real and irreparable loss to the
country.
   The attention of Mir Alexander was origi-
nally devoted to the improvement of the
breed of cattle in his native State, and with
this view he imported from England several
thorough-bredshorthorns,iincluding a bull and

 

RACE-HORSES.



cow of the pure Duchess breed, some thor-
ough-bred Alderneys and Ayrshires, as well
as Southdown sheep, considerable herds and
flocks of which are still kept up in all their
purity of blood on the estate, and command
the best prices in the country. For the last
ten years, however, Mr Alexander's atten-
tion was chiefly turned to the breed of race-
horses.
  Having searched the States and many
of the English racin, - stables through, he
became the purchaser, for 15,000 dollars, of
Lexington, then the property of Mr Ten
Broeck, while in whose ownership he ran (on
the Mettarrie course, New Orleans) the longest
race (4 miles) in the shortest time of any
horse on record-viz., 4 miles in 7 minutes
193 seconds. After the race the horse became
totally blind, owing to having got at some
food shortly before the race, through the
culpability or negligence of the attendants.
He is still, however, though now eighteen
years old, used for stud purposes, and is the
sire of more and better race-horses than any
other in America. Lancaster, another horse
                     B



17

 

18     TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



of Mr Alexander's, last year at Lexington,
Kentucky, made 2 miles in 3 minutes 3.54
seconds; Norfolk, at Louisville, did his 3
miles in 5 minutes 271 seconds; and Me-
moza, at Lexington, his 1 mile in 1 minute
441 seconds. Lancaster and Norfolk were
both Lexington colts. I am not sure about
Memoza.
   At the expense of being charged with
partiality, I shall now endeavour to give
a sketch of this wonderful establishment.
  Woodburn farm is situated close to Spring
Station on the Louisville, Lexington, and
Cincinnati Railway. A " dirt" road leads
from the station into the Lexington and
Frankfort Pike, which bisects the property.
I should here explain that a "dirt" road
answers literally to its name, especially in
the winter, when sometimes there is no mis-
take about it being "real" dirt: no gravel
or metal of any kind is used in its forma-
tion. On the other hand, all macadamised
roads are called "pikes," whether there is
any toll-bar upon them or not.
  About a mile and a half from the station

 
WOODBURN FARM.



you enter the grounds at a handsome lodge,
and passing through woodland pastures
which can compare with the timber and
scenery of any park in England, you arrive
at a most unpretending, rambling old house,
having a wide verandah in front, shaded on
the southern and western sides by a grove
of fine locust-trees.  To the east a lawn,
which in England would be turned into a
croquet-ground, separates the house from a
grove of cedar-frees forming the entrance to
extensive gardens and shrubberies.  The
pastures all around are filled with colts and
yearlings and their dams, all thorough-bred
on this part of the farm.   The lots are
separated from one another by the snake-
fence-a post and rail, peculiar to America,
without nails, but very strong, each rail
resting on another at an angle, the top one
supported in the fork of two upright rails,
the whole some eight feet high.
  In each of the lots are wooden sheds, left
open for the shelter of the mares, which
numbered 109 at the time I was there.
About three-quarters of a mile off, still in



19

 

20     TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



the same park-like grounds, are situated the
stud-stables, containing Lexington, Asteroid,
Planet, and Australian. Asteroid was stolen
by, but recovered from, the guerillas at the
early part of the war; and towards the end
of it had a very narrow escape of being
taken again, as will be seen by the subjoined
letter from Mr Alexander, giving a full
account of a determined raid made on his
stables by the guerillas:

EXTRACT of a LETTER from ri. A. ALEXANDER, Esq.,
    giving an Account of a Raid on his Property at
    Woodburn, in Kentucky, on the Gth February
    1865.
  Matters had at length become so unsatisfactory, and
life and property so unsafe in my part of Kentucky,
that I have at last come to the determination of leav-
ing my place, taking with me such stock as is likely
to be stolen. I have been satisfied for some time that
neither life nor property were quite safe, but the vast
expense of so large a move as I should be obliged to
make deterred me from the undertaking, till absolutely
forced to make it. I believe you heard of the first
guerilla raid made upon me by five rascals, who took
a number of horses, who were pursued, and from whom
we took all but my race-horse Asteroid. I got a couple
of my neighbours, very resolute men, to go over into
the hills and get the horse, which was done with little

 

RAID ON WOODBURN.



cost, though at some risk, my friends paying the price
of a good hack for my horse which the rascals had
stolen; after this, I armed my men, and kept six armed
watchmen, besides the labourers who could be called
into service, making in all from eighteen to twenty
well-armed men, all collected.  My watchmen were
placed at three points to give the alarm; two at each
of the stables, my training-8tables and stallion-stables,
and two at my house.
  Just a month ago, between sunset and dark, in the
dusk of the evening, one of my men came in, and
announced that a number of soldiers were coming
down the lane. I ordered the house to be closed and
barred up (all the front part, at least), got out the arms,
and sent word to the men to be in readiness; by this
time, they came in two files into the kitchen-yard. I
went out to see who they were, and finding them clad
in Federal overcoats, presumed that they were Federal
soldiers. 'With my gun in my hand and a pistol in
my belt, I stepped into the door, and cried, " Halt!"
just as the column had gone half by me; they halted
and faced about at once, upon which I said, " What
will you have, gentlemen " One of them answered,
" We want provender for two hundred horses."  I
replied, " That is a pretty large order. I have pro-
vender in various places, but I have no place in which
to feed so many horses." Upon this there was a pause
for a brief space, and then another fellow said, " We
are out pressing horses." In reply I said, " Show your
order to press horses." Upon this, he and the whole
line drew their pistols, and he said, " This is our
order." I at once saw how the case stood, that they



21

 


22     TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



were guerillas, and that they had me in their power;
so, to make the best of a bad case, I said, "W Well, I
suppose, if you are bound to have the horses, there is
no necessity of a fight about it, but if you are disposed
to have a fight, I have some men here, and we will
give you the best fight we can." Upon this an old
man, Captain Viley, whom the rascals had as a
prisoner and guide, and who has always shown himself
my friend, spoke out, and said: "Alexander, for God's
sake let them have the horses; the Captain says he
will be satisfied if you will let him have two horses
without a fight or any trouble."  Determined to get
out of the scrape as well as I could, and seeing that
the scamps had every advantage of me, I said, " If that
be the case, the thing can be very easily arranged,"
and asked who was the captain. A fellow answered
that he was. I then asked him if this was the fact,
that, if I would give him two horses without a fight,
he would leave me and everything unmolested.   He
answered, "Yes ;" and I said in reply, "Then you
shall have them; and as I am a man of my word, and
consider that my word is as good as my bond, you may
consider the matter settled, so let us shake hands on
the bargain."  I stepped out of the door where I had
stood during this time, and passed through the first
rank, and shook hands with the fellow. Thinking
that the matter was arranged, I went back to the door,
when the fellow said, " March out your men, and
deliver up your arms." I answered, "1 We have made a
bargain, and I am to give you two horses. You shall
have the horses, but I will neither march out my men
nor give up my arms." He then said, " Well, deliver

 

RAID ON WOODBURN.



up your arms, anyhow." I replied: " Captain, I have
these arms for my own protection. You said that if
I would give you two horses without a contest, you
would be satisfied to leave everything unmolested. I
have agreed to let you have the horses, and I am going
to keep my arms, but I assure you that a gun shall not
be fired. However, to assure you that I am acting in
good faith, I will send my arms into the house." His
reply was, " Do so, then, and if a gun is fired, I will
burn up your whole place." I said to him that if a
gun should be fired it would be his fault. I then
went half-way up the long passage from the kitchen to
the dining-room, and handed my gun and pistol to
some of the servants who were there, telling them to
put them away. D. S. (who, with his family, have
been staying with me since the former raid) did the
same with his gun and pistol; but Nugent retained
his arms and concealed himself, I know not where.
  On returning to the kitchen door, the Captain of the
guerilla band said, "W Where are those horses! I am
in a hurry." I answered, "They are in the stable
there," pointing to the stable close to the house.
"Come, then," said he, " let us go to the stable," upon
which we all started for the stable. As we were going
off, I said, " This is rather bad walking" (as it had
been raining more or less for several days, and the
mud was about ankle-deep); one of the fellows good-
naturedly said, " Getup behind me."  To make a joke
of the matter, and to try to get upon as good terms
as possible with them, I said, " Well, put your foot
out of the stirrup, and I will do so." He took his
foot from the stirrup, and I mounted behind him, and



23

 

24     TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



thus we moved towards the stables. We had gone
only a few steps when the horse began to kick pretty
violently, upon which my friend said, " I reckon you
had better get down." I answered that I had no
objection, and so dismounted. A few steps brought us
to the stable near the house, where I had a pair
of thorough-bred mares, well broken to harness, a
thorough-bred horse I used as a saddle-horse, a very
fine animal, and some two or three others of less value.
There I told the Captain that we should find one of
the animals I proposed to give him. He inquired if
it was a good one. I said, " Yes, as good as could be
found." He then asked if I had not a horse called the
Bald horse, meaning a horse with white on his face.
I answered that I had several horses answering this
description. He said, " I mean a horse known as the
Bald horse." I saw at once that the rascal was well
informed as to my horse stock, and said I had such a
horse. He then said that he must have him. I stated
to him that this horse was a good trotting-horse, one
that was valuable to me, but of comparatively little
use to him, and that I had twenty horses that I could
give him better suited to his use. He replied that he
must have him. Again I urged that the horse was only
valuable as a trotter, and though valuable to me, and
one for which I could get a good price as a fast-trotting
horse, yet quite unsuited to his use. He at length
said, that if the horse was one that was valuable to me,
he was valuable to him, and that he must have him.
I then asked, if he took the horse I first proposed to
give him and this one, if he intended to take any of my
race-horses. He replied, that he must have tho of them.

 

RAID ON WOODBURN.



  Having ascertained that these rascals did not intend
complying with the agreement made with me as to the
horses they were going to take, I remembered a letter
of warning I had received, some two or three weeks
before, informing me that a band of guerillas would
make a raid on me, and, after taking many of my best
horses, intended taking me off, with the object of
getting a ransom from me for my release, and I deter-
mined to give them the slip, if possible. I said to the
Captain that the Bald horse was in my trotting-stable
on the opposite hill, pointing to the stable, and that
my man Hull had the key. He desired that Hull
should be sent for, upon which I volunteered to go for
him, which he permitted.  I went off to the brick
house, close at hand, where the men boarded, and
found Hull putting on his boots, which he had pulled
off on getting to the house from the stables. I said to
him that these men had asked for the Bald horse, and
so insisted on having him that I feared we would be
obliged to give him to them, but if he could give them
any other horse in his place he must do so; and then
started with him from the brick house. As he went
through the kitchen-yard he said, " I think Henry has
the key of that stable." I at once said I would look
up Henry, and leaving him went towards the kitchen
door. There I found four horses, two with riders on
them and two with empty saddles. I thought two of
the fellows had gone in for water, though, when I
passed into the kitchen, I did not see them. Those at
the door did not say anything to me as I passed by
them. I proceeded through the kitchen, up the long
passage to the dining-room, and, upon. getting to the



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26     TEN MONTHS IN AMERICA.



dining-room door, found two of the guerillas there-
one with his back to me and near the door, the other
opposite to me and nearer the outer door, which opens
into the porch towards the garden, which door I had
had barred up. The man nearest me had his pistol
cocked and presented at Mrs S., who, I think, had a
child in her arms, and who stood near the fireplace; at
the same time he ordered her to get the rest of the
arms, which order I heard as I entered. The other man,
farthest from me, and who faced me, had his arms full
of guns of all sorts, which he had got from the table
where S.'s and my arms had been put by the servants,
and from the corners of the room, where stood my
father's old rifle that he had brought from Virginia
with him when he came a settler to Kentucky, one of
my brother's, and some two or three of mine, of rarious
8oerts and 8ize8. He seemed quite loaded down with
guns.