Page:A narrative of service with the Third Wisconsin Infantry.djvu/125
ADMINISTERING JUSTICE
the refugees from Chattanooga and other places in the rear of the army, who had lost their means of gaining a livelihood. We supported the refugees by forced levies of corn and bacon from the wealthy planters of the vicinity, while our mounted force soon disposed of the guerrillas, capturing a number and frightening the rest out of the county. We had a novel way of adminis tering justice. For instance, about two months after our arrival a number of these young offenders, whose parents lived in the vicinity and were sub stantial farmers, stole from a citizen mules valued at $400. The Colonel immediately assessed the amount on the fathers, and with the money thus collected paid for the mules. That was our pol icy all through to make the wealthy Confed erates pay for the damage done by their lawless colleagues. And this method had a good effect, for it soon put an end to the thievery.
Shortly after we arrived, our mounted men cap tured a Confederate officer named Boone, a grand son of the famous Daniel. On him was found a list of all the guerrillas in the county. When I ex amined him, he told me that he had been sent to
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