I SAVE THE LIFE OF AN ENEMY
After probably six weeks or nearly two months, getting acquainted with
nearly all the county officials and leading citizens of the town, I
found it a most charming community, and with few exceptions, Southern in
sentiment. One day Goalder came to me, stating that there was a position
open in a large dry goods establishment, the firm of Amberg & Company,
two Jew brothers. The oldest one seemed to be quite a gentleman, but the
younger, a black Radical, so stated by Goalder. We immediately went and
applied for the position and when asked the question if I knew anything
about dry goods, was able to state that I knew more about that business
than I did about groceries and was satisfied that I could meet their
every demand, referring them to Major Lauderdale. Goalder was present
and made his own statement, vouching for my integrity and ability. They
immediately employed me at a salary of $100.00 per month and I soon
ingratiated myself in their favor by close attention and ability to do
business, proving, as they expressed themselves to Lauderdale, the best
man they ever had.
After working two or three weeks, getting well acquainted with their
customers, especially those in the town, Mr. Roberts became the talk of
the town, especially the lady customers, and was favored with many
invitations to dinners and entertainments, which were always declined by
me, as I was unable to feel at home and enjoy other company. I spent my
time, principally, in my room, talking with Goalder and others, whose
acquaintance I had formed and when they left, re-reading letters from
home, of which I had a considerable batch and which I always carried in
the inside pocket of my coat.
It seems my reserve and refusal to attend functions created a little
suspicion, particularly so in the mind of young Amberg. One day, after
about three weeks’ service, while I was at work straightening out some
drawers containing silk goods, I had pulled off my coat, the day being
warm, and laid it on a stack of domestic on the outside of the counter.
Young Amberg slipped to my coat, took out my letters, the discovery of
which I made when I went to the coat. Here was a dilemma. I decided the
best thing to do was not to say anything about it, appear as though I
did not know the letters were missing and allow him to take his time to
read them. I went over to the warehouse to do some work, stayed about an
hour, which gave him ample time to read the letters, then returned for
my coat and found the letters replaced. After closing that night, I was
called into the office and found both of the Ambergs present. They told
me that business had got somewhat dull, they were paying me a large
salary, and they must save this expense and requested me to quit, saying
they would cheerfully pay me a month’s salary, if I quit at once. I told
them it was all right. When they paid me my salary we parted.
Here now my cherished hope to prepare a home for my family and begin
life anew again, had vanished and, in a moment of desperation, I decided
to go back to Texas and bring my family out from among them.
During my absence my wife, soon after I parted with her, had made a
visit to Centerville, Leon County, to a Dr. McLendon and his family, who
were old Alabama friends, and while there they made up a music class for
her and she continued to live there. With the object of immediately
returning to Texas, I went around in Hickman and bade adieu to all of my
kind friends and acquaintances, a few of whom were acquainted with my
condition and tried to persuade me against incurring such great risks
but, as stated, I felt desperate and had decided unless I could get my
family out from among them and be with them, I did not care to live any
longer.
I took passage on the first boat for New Orleans and paid my fare to the
mouth of Red River, where I expected to meet a boat for Shreveport.
On arrival at Memphis, Tennessee, the boat laid over for several hours,
delivering freight, during which time I hunted up General Forrest, who
was then in the commission business. The General soon recognized me and
after telling him my trouble, requested him to look out for a situation
for me, under an assumed name, while I went to Texas after my family,
which he cheerfully agreed to do.
While awaiting the Red River boat, a lieutenant who was the Bureau Agent
of a nearby parish arrived, also awaiting a Mississippi boat for New
Orleans. A few hours afterward an upper boat arrived to deliver some
freight for Red River. The lieutenant, being very fond of ardent
spirits, and there being no bar on the wharfboat, immediately went over
to the Mississippi boat where he imbibed a few drinks. After delivering
the freight the boat rang a bell to depart and the lieutenant ran down
to the lower deck to get back to our wharfboat. The Mississippi boat
already having cast off its bow line, was moving slowly apart from the
wharfboat when the lieutenant attempted to step across, and, losing his
headway, he became balanced between the two boats—with the boats moving
apart. Discovering his predicament, I jumped over to where he stood and
offered him my hand and pulled him over, thereby, no doubt, saving his
life. If he had lost his footing he would have dropped in and pulled me
in with him and both would have drowned as there is a strong underflow
at this point and nothing which falls in ever comes to the surface. I
did this under the impulse of the moment, at the risk of my own life,
and saved the life of a man who, had he known who I was, no doubt would
have been instrumental in having me captured.
On arrival at the mouth of the Red River, where with some other
passengers, we had to await a Shreveport boat from New Orleans, I met a
Mr. Black from Leon County, who had been over to Alabama after his
brother’s family, moving them to Texas and was expecting a couple of
mule teams at Grand Ecore, to haul them to Leon County. I confided my
secret to Black, who knew all about our case and insisted on my going
with him on his wagons, which I decided to do. At Grand Ecore we met his
wagons, which were so heavily laden with household goods and the family
of his brother, three or four little children, that I preferred to walk
behind the wagon, holding on to the same, to keep up with them.
We traveled the old San Antonio road in order to find good crossings at
the different rivers and when we reached Alto, Cherokee County, I took
stage for Rusk, where I had an old army friend, Judge Sam A. Wilson, the
only man I knew in the place.
On arrival at Rusk, meeting with my friend, Wilson, who was much
surprised to see me and particularly to learn of my troubles, I
requested him to get me the best horse that he could find about the
place, one that would do to ride in among the enemy. After studying a
while he said that he did not know of a good saddle horse in the place,
but thought that we could be accommodated at the livery stable, where I
was furnished what turned out to be an old plug. I parted with my friend
Wilson, he never expecting to see me again, and started for Centerville,
Leon County, assuming the name of R. F. Jones.
Arriving within four or five miles of Centerville about noon, I decided
to stop at a house and go into the town at night. For this purpose, I
called for dinner and told the landlord I was looking around for a
location in Texas, that I was from North Carolina and from what I had
seen of Texas, was favorably impressed with it. After dinner, discussing
several localities I had passed through, he asked how I liked his place.
I told him I thought he had a good place. He then offered to sell to me
and also a tanyard he had on sale; although I had never seen a tanyard,
I looked it all over carefully and his entire place, leaving the
impression with him that I meant business and consumed the balance of
the evening in that way. After supper I told him I believed that I would
go on to Centerville and stay all night and that I might be back again
and try to drive a bargain for his place, unless I found something that
suited me better. By way of excuse, my leaving so late, I told him I had
heard of a particular friend, who had lately moved to Centerville, with
whom I wanted to spend the night.
I now started for Centerville, where I arrived about nine o’clock at
night. The night was very dark and I stopped to inquire where Dr.
McLendon lived, expecting to find my wife at his house. At Dr.
McLendon’s home I was informed that he was at a doctor’s office up in
town, and directions given where I could find him. I concluded best to
see him first before asking for my wife at the house.
On entering the doctor’s room I found four gentlemen talking, but did
not know Dr. McLendon, having never seen him before, nor had he ever
seen me. I asked for Dr. McLendon; he spoke and said he was the man. I
then told him that I was camped on a certain creek, some several miles
from town, and had a very sick child, that I wanted him to go and see at
once. He said all right and started out of the room with me. When we got
to the gate he said, “You will have to go with me up to the house, for
my horse.” I told him all right and walked by the side of him, leading
my horse by the bridle. He soon asked me, “What seems to be the matter
with your child, sir?” I answered, “Nothing, I hope, Doctor. I haven’t
seen my child in ten months and have come after it and my wife; tell me
where I can find them. My name is Graber.” He jumped like he was shot
and said, “For God’s sake get on that horse and leave here quick. You
are certainly not up with the excitement.” “Well,” said I, “if there is
any extraordinary excitement here, I am not.” He said, “Your family are
not in town tonight; they are about seventeen miles from here, on a
visit to her sister, who is at Dr. Baldwin’s. They are visiting there,
refugees from yellow fever.” He says, “Let’s get out in the brush where
nobody will see us and we will talk matters over.” We then walked to the
edge of the town and sat down on the ground in the brush, out of
hearing, when he detailed the situation, saying that Tom Thorn, my
partner, had been ranging around there for two or three weeks, annoying
Capt. Bradford, in command of the garrison, which was camped near town.
Tom had registered at the hotel, “T. J. Thorn and friend,” taking a meal
there. Then, one night at roll call, he and his friend had fired into
the camp and finally he had sent Captain Bradford a challenge, that he
would fight him and any ten of his men at any time and place he might
designate and signed the challenge “Thos. J. Thorn and friend.”
Captain Bradford naturally concluded that this “friend” was Graber and
knowing his and his family’s friendship for my wife, concluded that Dr.
McLendon knew Graber’s whereabouts and showed him a big roll of money
that morning, claiming it was four thousand dollars, saying, “Dr.
McLendon, here is a reward offered for Thorn and Graber. You know where
Graber is; here is your money.” Dr. McLendon was a practicing surgeon
for these troops, as they had no regular army surgeon. I told Dr.
McLendon I had come after my wife and baby and intended to take them out
or die in the attempt, even if the whole Federal army of Texas was there
to guard them. He furthermore stated that Captain Bradford had issued an
order to the sheriff of the county to arrest Thorn and Graber by the
next Monday morning, or be removed from office as an impediment to
reconstruction.
I now had Dr. McLendon to give me directions to reach the place where my
wife was visiting, which he did, however saying that it would be
impossible for me to find the way there, on account of the darkness of
the night. Nevertheless I started out and soon got lost, and when I
finally gave up the effort, I found myself only three-quarters of a mile
from town. I was tired, suffering with a great headache and called at a
house, where I was permitted to stay for the night and, after breakfast
next morning, getting fresh directions to Dr. Baldwin’s house, where my
wife’s sister was stopping, I immediately proceeded there.
After discussing the situation with my friends, as well as my wife, we
decided best to have them get up a hack and a confidential driver, by
the next morning, which they succeeded in doing and we started on the
main road, leading into the San Antonio road, following that every day,
stopping at houses at night and finally reached Rusk, Cherokee County,
without an accident or any trouble. Judge Wilson was again surprised at
my success in bringing my family out, as he never had expected to see me
again. I then told him, “Now, for a good stopping place,” and after
considering all families in the town, where we might get board and none
having any extra room, said, “The only place I know of, that has room is
at my old daddy-in-law’s, Judge M. D. Priest, who is the meanest old
Radical in the State of Texas, but he has a most excellent family, who
will do all they can for your wife and child and make you feel at home.
We will make a confidant of him and he will never betray you.” I said,
“Judge, you know what you are doing; anything you say will be
satisfactory to me.” We then proceeded to Judge Priest’s house, where I
was introduced in the name of Jones and was kindly received and made to
feel at home. Really we could not have found a more desirable place. We
had excellent rooms and good board, just on the outskirts of the town.
Rusk, at that time, was a very small place, about three or four hundred
inhabitants, but it was the county seat of Cherokee County. We sent back
our driver with his hack and team and he never betrayed us.
Civil Record