Tennessee and Mississippi Campaigns 251 



and if the princes there had more sense than the rest he 

 must have been one of 'em, for he was the smartest negro 

 I ever saw." 



Col. Elliott, speaking of Simon after his death, said 

 he was the coolest, bravest, wisest rider he ever saw mount 

 a horse, in which opinion Uncle Berry fully concurs. 



Simon was an inimitable banjo player and improvised 

 his songs, making humorous hits at everybody; even 

 Gen. Jackson did not escape him. Indeed, no man was 

 his superior in repartee. 



On one occasion Col. Elliott and James Jackson, 

 with a view to a match race for $1,000 a side, a dash of 

 two miles, on Paddy Cary, against Colonel Stepp's mare, 

 consented to lend Simon to ride the mare. 



Col. Stepp not only gave Simon $100 in the race, 

 but stimulated his pride by saying they thought they 

 could win races without him, whereas he knew their 

 success was owing to Simon's riding. Somewhat offended 

 at the idea of being lent out, and by no means indifferent 

 to the money, Simon resolved to win the race if possible; 

 and nodding his head said, "I'll show 'em." The mare 

 had the speed of Paddy and took the track, and Simon, by 

 his consummate skill and by intimidating the other rider, 

 managed to run him far out on the turns while he rested 

 his mare for a brush on the stretches. 



On reaching the last turn Simon found the mare pretty 

 tired and Paddy, a game 4-miIer, locked with her, and he 

 boldly swung out so far as to leave Paddy in the fence 

 corner. The boy came up and attempted to pass on the 

 inside, but Simon headed him off and growled at him all 

 the way down the quarter stretch, beating him out by a 

 neck. 



Simon could come within a hair's breadth of foul riding 

 and yet escape the penalty. 



