The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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A TEARFUL SCENE
By S. C. Turnbo
"The most pathetic scene I ever witnessed during the Civil War was at the battle of Pleasant Hill in Louisiana on the 9th of April, 1864." said Mr. W. F. Stone of near Protem, Missouri. "I entered the confederate service in Maries County, Missouri, and belonged to Captain Alex Trommels company in Colonel Steins old regiment in General M.M. Parsons brigade. During the engagement at Pleasant Hill we broke the enemies lines in front of our regiment and the federals retreated in disorder and we chased them into the town of Pleasant Hill. But as we had made only a narrow gap through the lines, the enemy come near flanking us and if we had not been handled by skillful officers who extricated us we no doubt would have been all killed or captured. While we were fighting in the town some 4 or 5 of us chased 2 or 3 federals into a dwelling house where the federals escaped into another room. We would have followed them but the moment we entered the first room in pursuit of the enemy we were chocked at the sight of a woman sitting in the house with an infant on her lap. The baby had been shot in the face and its cheeks, mouth and neck was red with blood. The poor mother was crying. I suppose the child was almost dead for it was not making any noise, but it was still alive. we halted immediately and watched the dying infant a moment then turned and hurried out on the street and rejoined our men and fell back to our original line. This was the last I ever seen or heard of the distracted mother and her dying infant.
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