MORE FROM THE CD Ancestor Exchange Benson Fox: A Civil War Story William Kimbrell was in the Army [Co. I, 3rd Ark Cav (US)], during the Civil War. His family lived on Kimbrell Creek, Searcy Co., Ark. One day while serving in the Army he took the notion to take a leave of absence without permission from his Commanding Officer. He wanted to go home and see how his family was making out. So he sneaked away one night and made his way to Kimbrell Creek. His wife told him he had to be very careful and stay out of sight as the woods were working alive with outlaws, Jayhawkers and spies that would shoot him on sight. About a mile from his home was a cave on the Voss Mountain. This cave was several feet up in the face of a bluff. A tree stood by the bluff and its branches and leaves hid the cave's entrance from sight. The tree also furnished a stairway to the cave. William picked up his rifle, a blanket or two and made his way to the cave- - -climbed the tree to the cave and settled in for a prolonged unauthorized furlough. Aforehand he had it understood with his wife to bring him food and water about twice a week. Back in those days women wore hoop skirts. Some that were large enough to conceal a passel of young uns. His wife still had a milk cow that had escaped the Jayhawkers' raiding. This Ol' Cow roamed the hills a mile or so from the Kimbrell homestead in search of browse as there was no feed in the barn for her. Of course the Ol' Cow had to be drove up most every night to be milked. Sometime she would be up next to Voss Mountain, maybe next time she'd be down the creek a mile or more. Hunting the Ol' Cow gave William's wife a great opportunity to fetch William some grub. She placed the food under her hoop skirt and meandered off through the woods pretending to search for the old milk cow. She would leave the food at an agreed spot and William would pick it up after nightfall. Sometimes William would leave the cave in the darkness of night but he daren't show hisself during daylight. After the war was over he reunited with his wife and kids on Kimbrell Creek and lived to be an old man. He died at the age of 85 years. These 85 years were full of trials and hardships, but somehow he survived them all. BOOKS -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.10.3 - Release Date: 4/25/05

Thanks for posting this story! Does anyone happen to know the names of any relatives--the wife, for example? There was a William F. Kimball married to Providence Matilda Norman--he was also in the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry (Union). However, as far as I know, he was killed by bushwhackers during the Civil War. Just wondering if this is a related family. My ggg-grandfather Archibald Dodson Napier was also in the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry and he too was killed by bushwhackers, right after the war. Kathryn On 4/27/05 6:03 PM, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > MORE FROM THE CD Ancestor Exchange > Benson Fox: A Civil War Story > William Kimbrell was in the Army [Co. I, 3rd Ark Cav (US)], during the Civil > War. His family lived on Kimbrell Creek, Searcy Co., Ark. One day while > serving in the Army he took the notion to take a leave of absence without > permission from his Commanding Officer. He wanted to go home and see how > his family was making out. So he sneaked away one night and made his way to > Kimbrell Creek. His wife told him he had to be very careful and stay out of > sight as the woods were working alive with outlaws, Jayhawkers and spies > that would shoot him on sight. About a mile from his home was a cave on the > Voss Mountain. This cave was several feet up in the face of a bluff. A > tree stood by the bluff and its branches and leaves hid the cave's entrance > from sight. The tree also furnished a stairway to the cave. William picked > up his rifle, a blanket or two and made his way to the cave- - -climbed the > tree to the cave and settled in for a prolonged unauthorized furlough. > Aforehand he had it understood with his wife to bring him food and water > about twice a week. Back in those days women wore hoop skirts. Some that > were large enough to conceal a passel of young uns. > His wife still had a milk cow that had escaped the Jayhawkers' raiding. > This Ol' Cow roamed the hills a mile or so from the Kimbrell homestead in > search of browse as there was no feed in the barn for her. Of course the > Ol' Cow had to be drove up most every night to be milked. Sometime she > would be up next to Voss Mountain, maybe next time she'd be down the creek a > mile or more. > Hunting the Ol' Cow gave William's wife a great opportunity to fetch William > some grub. She placed the food under her hoop skirt and meandered off > through the woods pretending to search for the old milk cow. She would > leave the food at an agreed spot and William would pick it up after > nightfall. Sometimes William would leave the cave in the darkness of night > but he daren't show hisself during daylight. After the war was over he > reunited with his wife and kids on Kimbrell Creek and lived to be an old > man. He died at the age of 85 years. These 85 years were full of trials > and hardships, but somehow he survived them all. > BOOKS > >