This Book and Balie Peyton ix 



care I have taken to avoid errors, which the duplication 

 of names and the mistakes of other writers make it al- 

 most impossible to escape. 



Whatever may be the demerits of the book I claim for 

 it the fruits of original investigation. No one of the six 

 stories I have written is in any sense a re-hash of any 

 other account in any publication similar to this. In col- 

 lecting material I have been rendered great assistance by 

 many persons in various sections of the Union, to all of 

 whom I express my deepest gratitude. Among this num- 

 ber are Capt. B. M. Hord, Maj. George B. Guild, Hon. 

 J. W. Byrns, Dr. John M. Bass, and Messrs. Percy 

 Kinnaird, John H. DeWitt, W. E. Beard, R. C. Brien, 

 Robert Dyas, M. L. Lewis, Clark Kirkman, Franc M. 

 Bath, John Donelson, and Calvert Brothers, photogra- 

 phers, all of Nashville; Dr. J. C. Baker, Col. J. B. Malone 

 and Mr. Harry Franklin, of Sumner County; Mr. Dun- 

 can Kenner Brent, of Baltimore; Mr. James P. Needham, 

 of Washington, D.C. ; and Messrs. H. M. Lydenberg and 

 V. E. Schaumburg of New York. Mr. C. R. Kilvington, 

 of Nashville, and Mr. B. A. Rowe of the Plimpton Press, 

 have been of valuable aid in advising as to the details of 

 manufacture. There is one other whose influence is most 

 manifest by what does not appear in the book; but for 

 fear that what remains of my inferior capabilities should 

 be accepted as the full measure of her judgment and 

 superior attainments it is perhaps best that I should not 

 call her name. 



Of Hon. Balie Peyton, whose pen and predilections for 

 the turf have given to this volume many interesting fea- 

 tures, it is appropriate that I should speak. The record 

 of his public services has been written in several books 

 and need not be followed here in detail. He was lawyer, 

 orator, diplomat, statesman, patriot, soldier, breeder and 



