Scout; born in
Kentucky about 1840.
When the
Civil War broke out he sided with the
National government, a stand which aroused the animosity of his neighbors, so that he was forced to flee to the woods.
While in concealment a party demanded that his father should make known his son's hiding-place.
This the father declined to do, and for the refusal he was shot dead by
Judge Cecil, one of the party.
In 1861
Sowards joined the
National army under
Gen. James A. Garfield, by whom he was made a scout.
Later, at the battle of
Middle Creek, while
Marshall was retreating,
Judge Cecil was taken prisoner.
Sowards charged him with the death of his father, to which
Cecil returned a scornful reply, and
Sowards shot him. Although a court-martial sentenced the young man to death,
Garfield secured for him only such guards as were friendly to the prisoner, and he was allowed to escape.
After this he attached himself to
Garfield's camp, gaining important information as to the movements of the enemy.
His scouting resulted in the success of the
Pound Gap expedition that freed
Kentucky from the presence of organized Confederate bands.
After this
Sowards disappeared, and it was supposed that he was killed about 1863 by Confederate guerillas.
