50 Southern Historical Society Papers.
wheels, I got over and up the very steep little hill on the east side. I learned that the young lady who piloted us to the ford was Miss Emma Sansom, and for her services on this occasion the General Assembly of Alabama at the session of 1864, by joint resolution, di- rected the Governor of the State to issue a patent to her of 160 acres of land, and also to have prepared, with a suitable inscription thereon, a gold medal, and present the same in the name of the State of Ala- bama to her. See Acts of 1864.
After crossing Black creek we passed on near by the town of Gadsden, and a few miles east of that place we had a few rounds with the raiders who it seems wanted to stop and feed, and rest a little at a beautiful grove on the way. It was here that Colonel Hathaway who commanded an Indiana regiment of Streight's com- mand, was mortally wounded and fell from his horse.
Farther on we came to a river over which was a burning bridge. The banks of this stream being very steep and the water being quite deep, we had to take out all the ammunition and packing from the chests, and have the cavalrymen carry them over on their horses. In crossing, our ammunition chests filled with water. The bank on the east side was so wet and slick and steep, that I had to hitch to the end of the prolong rope and all the men had to push at the wheels. As soon as the first piece had crossed and the water had run out of the chest, we packed the ammunition back. A courier came with orders "bring up the battery quick." Instructing Ser- geant R. H. Jackson to cross as quickly as possible and follow, I ordered the piece "forward, trot, march" easier said than done, for it was some time before we could get up a trot. But we hobbled along as best we could, the drivers spurring and whipping contin- ually. We passed a cross road, I think it was Cedar Bluff, and some distance east of there the road passed through a wooded section. I was riding a little in advance of the piece, when suddenly looking up, I saw General Forrest, Captain Pointer, and one or two other of our officers, and Colonel Streight and several of his officers sitting down on the north side of the road. I also saw some little distance in front a road full of Yankees. Captain Pointer got up and mo- tioned for me to halt, he then came up to me and said: "Colonel Streight objects to you coming up so close," and directed me to "drop back a piece." I asked him what was up, and if Streight was going to surrender. " He don't talk like it," said he, " but he cusses mightily " (or like a trooper). I had the piece to move back, I suppose some 150 yards, and come to an "action front" on the
