Reminiscences of the Terry Rangers Page: 55
vii, 79 p. ; 26 cm.View a full description of this book.
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Blackburn Rejoins Confederates 55
will let you off for a week, will you report to me here at Pulaski
next Wednesday?" I promised I would if the Lord was willing.
He ordered his Adjutant General to give me and my two friends
passes so we could go home, and this was the last time I saw
General Starkweather, for before the next Wednesday came he
obtained a furlough for sixty days and went up to his home in
Ohio for a rest and recuperation. I hadn't promised to report
to anyone except General Starkweather at Pulaski, so when the
next Wednesday came I remained at home and didn't try to find
him. By the time he returned from home, General Forrest who
had taken Athens, Alabama, with about two thousand prisoners
was marching up the railroad towards Pulaski, taking all the
Yankee forces from stockades along the route and was now ready
to lay siege to or capture Pulaski; and Starkweather was kept too
busy to think of me. I knew he. had- returned, but as the time
for my reporting to him at Pulaski had long since passed and
no new date had been fixed for the report I simply didn't seek
to have another day set for our -meeting, and remained at home.
General Forrest after shelling Pulaski for a while didn't deem
it prudent to make an attack there on account of the strong fortifications;
then retired south and joined General Hood, now approaching
Tennessee with his whole army. As the Southern
army came in the State Federal forces in the southern portion
of the State retired before it and pretty soon Giles County was
under control of the Confederate soldiers and I was again in the
hands of my friends. I reported at once to General Hood, gave
him account of my history as a prisoner, showed him my parole
and asked him if he could arrange for my exchange so that I
might enter the service again. He replied that he had a camp
at Columbus, Georgia, where he made private exchanges of prisoners
with the qnemy, and he would furnish me with papers and
transportation to that point, which would enable me to get the
desired exchange. So he issued the necessary papers of instructionis
and orders for transportation on railway and for use of soup
stands for my benefit, and taking the papers I returned home to
make preparation. for my trip. I purchased a fine mare from
Dr. Gordon which he had bought to use in his profession, but
found he would be unable to keep her from the raiding cavalry
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Blackburn, J. K. P. Reminiscences of the Terry Rangers, book, 1919; [Austin, Texas]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth46826/m1/64/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .