Walkin' Slow and Singing 'Em Ol' Sad Songs
by
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“Sounds like several horses a comin’. There they are–five is all. They’re Union soldiers all right. Their horses look to be in purty good shape. There’s one officer, the rest of ‘em are regulars,” Moses said.
Rufus whispered, “They haven’t seen us. Hear ‘em talkin’ and laughin’? Maybe we can surprise ‘em. Boy, their coats look warm! What do you thank, Moses?”
“Yeah, we can surprise ‘em,” Moses whispered. “Wait ‘til they git right on us and jump ‘em, drag ‘em off their horses, take ever’ thang they got? We can tie ‘em to a tree, gag ‘em and leave ‘em. We can’t shoot ‘em, somebody might hear the reports of the rifles.” Moses was slowly caressing his musket, his trigger-finger itching.
“They’d freeze to death,” Rufus spoke in a whispered tone, looking Moses in the eyes. “Damn, Moses, you are a mean son-of-a-bitch!”
“Yeah, well, I learned well from them Union bastards,” he said.
“Too damn well,” Jerome said somberly while wringing his hands. “Freezin’ to death is a slow, terrible way to die, Moses.”
“Hogwash, I jist want to fleece ‘em, dead or alive,” Moses replied. “Would you rather shoot ‘em out right and take their stuff? Would that ease your conscience? What’s the cock-eyed difference?”
“Well,” Jerome whispered, “You’re right, we can’t shoot ‘em. But, whatever we do, they may fire their muskets or create a lot of racket.
Rufus said, “Maybe they will jist pass us by, if we stay hid. But, if they see us, they’ll start shootin’. What are we gonna do, Moses?”
“Okay, we’ll wait ‘em out,” Moses said. “It would be better if we split up and caught ‘em in a crossfire and ambushed ‘em. But, they’ll see us if we make a move now. Humm, this rock is big and warm; glad we are on the south side of it. Hell, we’re on the South side of ever thang, ain’t we!”
“We’re gonna keep it that way too,” Rufus said.
They sat and waited a right smart while, until they heard the horses’ hooves moving along the trail near them. “Take a quick peek,” Rufus said to Jerome. Moses risked one eye, also, on the other side of the rock.
Jerome whispered, “Wonder what they’re doin’ out here alone like that? There ain’t enough of ‘em to do much.”
“
“We can pick ‘em off, as long as we stay behind this rock,” Rufus said. “They won’t have a ide’ how many there are of us.”
“We’ll take three the first round, one from each side of this rock and I’ll go over the top, stay low, and don’t miss. The officer is mine. Rufus, you take the lead man and Jerome, take the rear mount. The time is now!” Moses whispered. “Ready, set, fire!”
Three Yankees dropped from their horses, yelling and moaning, gasping and convulsing in pain. The other two equestrians were high-tailing it for all they were worth. The three riderless horses soon stopped and stood blowing steam, their nostrils flared and sucked air.
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About the Book
“Walkin’ Slow” is not about plumed hats, elegant, graceful generals and gentlemen with extensive education, bowing and curtseying to each other. It is not about great ballroom waltzes, fabulous gowns and elaborate dining halls with all manners of wonderful foods. It is not about “Glory and Excellence”. It is about real, down to earth, hard fighting and hard working people with common sense – no theatrics. They enjoyed square dancing, fiddles, banjos, and seldom had enough food to keep that old demon called, “Hunger” away from their tables. They didn’t apologize for their dirty work clothes, brogans, and their small dirt farms. They took pride in their freedom, beliefs, rights, and honor – always honor! Their desire for state rights and freedom drove young Moses A. Haralson and his cousin, Rufus Haralson, of Atkins, Arkansas, into the War Between the States. Their state was being invaded from the north and they felt sure they would have to fight or surrender all they held dear to the Union. Any genuine person who had any honor, or guts at all would fight – never surrender, and fight they did! Moses and Rufus volunteered together to fight for the Confederate States. Providing their own horses and rifles they were assigned to the Second Arkansas Mounted Rifles, Co. B. Under Colonel James McIntosh. Their first taste of battle was near Springfield, Missouri. Thereafter, they fought through Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia. Moses was seriously wounded in the Battle of Chickamauga. He was later captured in Mississippi and sent to a POW camp. Rufus continued in battle through Georgia, South and North Carolina. Moses was released from prison in Alabama two months after Lee surrendered. He made his was home desperate, destroyed and starved. He found the homefolks safe – but, desperate and starving. Ten years of reconstruction was no better than the war had been: destruction, theft, and battles. Moses participated wholeheartedly!
About the Author
Jo Wallace was born in
Wallace has traveled and lived in most of
In 1959, she worked at
Wallace and her husband, Charles, live in a log-home in the woods at Atkins. She says, “Like an old elephant, I’ve returned to my birthplace to die.”