Rockdale Messenger, Thur., 4 July 1901 Death - Nacogdoches, June 26 - The death of "Long John" Williams, briefly chronicled from Rockdale a few days ago in The News, was read with sad reflections; for, while he was only a private, he was as well known in the brigade to which he belonged during the Civil War as if he had been a regimental officer, and his notoriety enviable. He was one of the original Sibley’s Cavalry Brigade that went to Santa Fe, NM fought the battles of Val Verde and Glorieta and in Louisiana the battles of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill and many others. He was not only noted for his long light hair, which gave him the name of "Long Haired John Williams," and for his being tall, lithe and slender, 6-feet 3-inches, hence called "Long John Williams," but also for his get there, his infallible success under all difficulties. His fellow soldiers always expected him to win the race, be ahead in the chase, escape danger and come through first. An instance illustrative of his character and characteristics was the big picket skirmish and famous 10 mile race in which about 30 of our men were run down and captured east of Vermillionville, now called Lafayette, LA. Seventeen of Co. H, to which Williams belonged, was on picket duty 12 miles east of Vermillionville under Captain Linn. The enemy were at New Iberia. Captain Alexander with his entire Co. H was sent to relive Linn and just after reaching the picket camp the enemy’s cavalry suddenly dashed in among ours, yelling, shooting and slashing with sabers. Friend and foe became mixed up in the confusion and our pickets retreated, at times going at full speed and occasionally halting and firing back at the pursuing troops. This a running fight on horseback upon the open prairie was kept up for 10 miles. Besides the heavy loss in prisoners, there were several Confederates killed and wounded. When Williams realized the danger as the race proceeded he struck off to himself, galloping across the prairie, and three Federal cavalrymen pursued him, firing at him as he ran. Two of them soon dropped back and one kept on. Williams had saved back two or three loads of his revolver, and as soon as the two pursuers were gone he gave his horse a sudden check, being a cowboy horseman, and the other cavalryman darted ahead. Williams shouted at him, "By---, one man can’t run me -- surrender!" at the same time firing at him and dashing on after him. Mr. Yankee, as we called him, rolled off his horse quickly and dropping his gun said, "Don’t shoot any more!" Of course Williams took him along. The two soon met a Confederate officer who knew the prisoner and told Williams to treat him kindly and said the prisoner had once had him a prisoner and treated him well. I think the prisoner’s name was Virgil or Vernon, and he was from Indiana. He was a genial, jolly good fellow. -- J. E. Mayfield in "Galveston News" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lynna Kay Shuffield P. O. Box 16604 Houston, Texas 77222 telephone: 713/692-4511 e-mail: friday@argohouston.com ---My webpages--- 'Our Loose Ends' Genealogy Column by Lynna Kay Shuffield http://www.geocities.com/lks_friday/COLUMN-001.htm 'My Loose Ends' Family Tree Database by Lynna Kay Shuffield http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi? db=friday Note above URL wraps around onto the next line, cut & paste it onto the end of the first line in the 'location box' on your browser. 'Milam County War Dead Project' http://www.geocities.com/lks_friday/ County Coordinator for the Milam County TXGenWeb http://www.geocities.com/milamco/ County Coordinator for the San Jacinto County TXGenWeb http://www.geocities.com/lks_friday/SANJAC-01.htm TX-CEMETERY-PRESERVATION http://www.geocities.com/lks_friday/CEMETERY-001.htm