A Laughable Affair

Montgomery Weekly Advertiser
March 30, 1864, p. 2, c. 4

A correspondent of the Southern Confederacy writing from Newport, Tenn., relates the following:

A laughable affair took place yesterday evening at Mr. Jack's not many miles from here, that was fun for the boys, but death to the officers engaged. During the evening quite a party of young ladies and officers of the Division met the aforesaid gentleman's, just outside the picket lines, for the purpose of having a social party and a good time generally; but alas! for the mutability of human affairs-they found out, (as the sequel will prove,) that

"Pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flower-its bloom is shed-
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white-then melts forever."

No sooner had they commenced to amuse themselves according to the bent of their inclinations-some to playing cards, others to courting slyly in corners upon easy sofas, while the balance of the party were all attention to the warbling sweetness of a fair Miss, who was doing up in appropriate style on the piano, "When this Cruel War is Over," their whole enjoyment was upset by a party of mad wags of the 8th Texas Cavalry.

Learning of the party, some fifteen or twenty of them not having a proper fear of military law before their eyes, and moved and instigated by the power of fun loving mischief, determined to give them a scare and have some fun at the expense of the officers.

Accordingly, they set out from camp, and reaching the road a quarter of a mile ahead of the house, they sent one of their number a hundred yards ahead, to personate a rebel, then putting spurs to their steeds, they dashed down the road after him, shooting and shouting, "Stop! you d----d rebel; stop!" The ruse had the desired effect. A servant heard them coming-rushed to the door, exclaiming: "The Yankees! The Yankees are coming!"

The officers had heard the firing, and no sooner the word Yankees escaped the negros' [sic] lips than they all made a frantic rush for the door, overturning in their "hot haste," music stands, card tables, chairs, sweethearts, and everything else that stood in the way of their exit, reaching which, they struck a bee line for the woods and camp, tumbling over ditches, and fences, and lastly the crowning fear, plunging in and swimming Pigeon River, leaving behind in their hurry, pistols, horses, overcoats and hats. Nor did they halt until they reached camp, where they found the second brigade of Colonel Dibrell's Division drawn up in battle array, having been alarmed by the firing, to whom they unfolded a terrible tale of raiders. The next morning the true story leaked out to the extreme mortification of those engaged, but to the edification of the Court.

Giles also writes of this event in chapter 11 of his book.