Four of the few surviving members of the celebrated scouts organized by Capt. H. B. Shaw met in Nashville recently and made the following report:
We, the surviving fellow scouts, have met and from memory given to the Veteran a list of all who belonged to Shaw's Scouts:
H. B. Shaw, captain, known as "Capt. Coleman" was killed by a steamboat explosion on the Mississippi River after the war.
John Davis, once wounded, had a severe case of typhoid fever, and was honorably discharged. Was killed in the same explosion with Shaw.
Alf H. Douglas, captured twice; escaped once, and was recaptured by Gen. Forrest. Stayed to the end.
Thomas M. Joplin, wounded twice, captured once, and was stolen from Nashville by Miss Anne Patterson, now Mrs. Anne Hill, of Nashville.
Bill T. Robinson, captured twice, escaped once. Was in prison at the end.
Everard Patterson, wounded three times, captured, and escaped from the penitentiary after having been court-martialed and sentenced to be shot. Paroled at Kingston, Georgia.
Bill Roberts, captured once, escaped, and stayed to the end.
Billy Moore, captured twice, and escaped from the court martial while being tried at Pulaski. Came back and stayed to the end.
Joshua Brown, captured and sent to prison; never returned to us. Now lives in New York Citv.
Munford Street, captured once,.wounded, and sent prison. Never returned.
“Gup" Kibble, captured and never returned.
Tom Brown, captured, exchanged, and surrendered with Dick Taylor.
Alex Gregg, captured twice, wounded twice, and killed, but not in battle.
Sam Roberts, captured three times, escaped twice, court-martialed and sentenced to be shot; escaped from Clifton with a Yankee who was also sentenced to be shot. Dead.
Tom Hughes, badly wounded and discharged.
Dee Jobe, captured near Triune and murdered.
Dan Sneed, captured four times; escaped three times, twice in Indiana and once in Kentucky, by cutting holes in box-cars; was sent to prison the last time, where he stayed to the end of the war.
Sam Davis, captured and hanged at Pulaski.
Jack Coffee, captured three times, escaped twice; finally captured and killed.
John McIver, wounded twice badly; returned to duty and stayed to the end. Dead.
Bob Owens, wounded once; stayed to the end. Dead.
John Drane, wounded once; stayed to the end. Dead.
Pillow Humphreys, captured, exchanged, and stayed to the end. Dead.
"Kage" Everett, wounded twice, captured twice, and died in prison.
Dick Dillard, captured, and killed because he would tell nothing.
James T. Patterson, captured, returned to duty, and was honorably discharged on account of bad health. Dead.
Newt Vaughn, wounded badly; stayed to the end. Dead.
E. Grant, killed on his first day's duty.
Hans Carter, captured twice, recaptured once, went to prison and stayed there all during the war.
Jim Carter, captured and sent to prison. Never knew what became of him.
Hick Kelley, killed third day after entering service.
Josh Luck, captured twice; tried for his life at Franklin, Tenn., was defended by Gen. W. G. Brien, who saved him before a court martial; went to prison, returned to duty, and was killed near Nolensville. After being shot off his horse he killed two men.
Tom Gwinn, captured twice, exchanged once, went to prison. Don't know what became of him.
Charley Lippingwell, captured, and never returned to us.
Oscar Davis, too young to be in regular service, but was of great service to the scouts. So was Billy Woodruff, a mere boy, who would go on any hazardous errand into the Yankee lines.
Houston English, the negro boy who stole the papers which hung Sam Davis, deserves our highest esteem for what he did for us in saving us from capture. He went back and forth from Pulaski to Mr. English's, where we were all known. He saved the boys time and again.
Mr. Cunningham, we, the undersigned, do highly appreciate your efforts to raise a monument to Sam Davis, and will do all we can to help it financially. We have tried to furnish you a complete list of Coleman's Scouts.
Signed: Alf H. Douglas, E. M. Patterson, William
B. Robinson, Tom M. Joplin.
From: Confederate Veteran, Vol. VI, March, 1898
W. H. "Buck" Porch reports some unintentional omissions from the list of "Coleman" Scouts, commanded by Capt. H. B. Shaw, as published in the February Veteran. They are R. F. Cotton, George Hughes, and John Schute, besides his own name. He took an active part in nearly all the duties connected with that organization, and he was with Sam Davis the night before he was captured.