Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-11-06
HURLBURT, the ABOLITION spy,
NARRATIVE OF HIS ESCAPE FROM RICHMOND
BEAUTIES OF The PASSPORT SYSTEM.

oAAO W $500
William Henry Hutlburt, who was arrested In The
South some time since as An Abolition spy, and va sub
stquen Iy released through come pnaccountable irha-
spce, 10 publishing in the N,v York Times q series Of
letters headed Fifteen hoaths at the South, in which
no infinitely details the resul. Of his observations In
Richmond and else waere. In the number OF October
so b, ho safes that 1! was on the l2ih Of August that
he made up hs mad to essay the execution Of . plan
Of escape from X chmoud, wbi,h bad been some
time befms conceived. Alter duly celebrating upon
the different routes suggested, 4; occurred to him that it
would be ussless for him to undertake to efSt bis ar.
fragments with any person not bent, Ike hins.l, upon
"~pustlpg the COntede,aoy forever behind him." Hsthen
proceeds as follows:
A. ksl / bit upon the right man. A young New
Yorker, 4 native Of Troy. resident in Richmond at the
breaking cut Of the war, had been compelled, hks many
Others In the South, TO en- o: the Confederate service
Fortunately for himself, he was detailed 10 special ser,
vice, not on the hsd, and, in the performance Of hs
duties, 30 won the regard OF bis officers as to secure for
hhmself 81 honorable discharge in Nay Of the present
year. Ihld made tliAequJ~ nt,nce . shors time previously,
tho a fellow prisoner whom he bad bsiriended, and I'm.
IN sJiAtely upon hs d s,harge he had come to ms vito q
proposition 10 join N ein an TO leave the country.
u N | nov s,uI for, aud found him as ready az ever 10
act. Il posison made IL easy for him to obtain al the
iuformat o which We needed, aud Representing that IL
vas his iLt.n'ionto welt Bilumore for the purpose Of
buyirg goods, he succeeded, Aiter tho exercise Of Q bit
tic tac: and the administration Of strong liquors 10 pro.
nor quantities, IN extracting from one Of tie Maryland
mansg RS Of the "undergFound line" Q systemltic &C
count Of the points 20 be made In passing from Rec
noud to the Potomac, with the names OF ceria'h Ee-
sons a, each Of these poin 8 from whom the ntosseary
fseTities could b, ob.Girst. tbs inioi nation my new
air brought 10 ms "Wednesday, August Is. The neit
question vas 10 secure a passport out OF the city, The
D ck,t gaardr hiving been recently removed nearer tie
0 " lines aud e j,ined 10 kceuec vgl nee.
Il vas, o. cou: ia, on; o. lha qu's lou for me- 20 Oh
tain a passport In my own p 'rsoo. Il might, indeed,
aud po6Sbly Eoali have bSsI granted to me, "a | had
lst reesiv j a general pis'pr ut TO travel Sou'hwM5s In
hs Oon.ederacy, but in teoei sin IL / should have been
required 10 sab crhs an OIL CATION OF sui; sui servics"
TO the Con cdsrl.e S.lteS viiol | wished . avoid. Ny
eonpanio' VII (, c~onsile,ed hmsels 10 have bsen treated
By tho COniedefates as pirates trea. the captive ssilors
90 whpm ttey on . lhn0aaoi Of a berth in lhe iorscls
lie or a dalce iIon toe var! arm, was lees illou'
uoon h3 heat, ard gII & directly TO the Pro'os. MAI
shsis office, o1!siuej, sihaui much difficulty. q pass
pernitiing him 20 travel 10 II mover county. A 8 roke
Of the pea tI'eads3 tdis permission 10 hs %'brother,"
and ali wis nov ready save the means OF tran,portA.
too.
then sen' my serV1n. 10 fld for m, 3 buggy and
horse sui able fer Q ua ~ riding, as ! intended TO Vis
4, the battle d Ids, AID might b. absent p,rhApi two
or thres day. AIS O'Clock on Friday mo ming, August
lON1, XII 70 JUS - NV AosaV' ~ aHN
slsckls aud mud be sAinsd vehicle Ia which two New
Yorkers ever ooGdssceudsd to ride inw up bBfors my
door. Eon my windows We perceived that lie advent
had cI d:ed scms dag co Of attention among q knot OF
B dt.more,n "ie.ectiyss," who lived IN O house nearly
ospotts, and Esre n the habit OF makiug the summer
NIGHT hideous With perpetual F~epetit!ons Of Ny Mary
aud" eung in a lausl'sble manner 70 the pathetic 90
conp .EiI ent OF a diseased Gccor lion.
We hag.rDs1, therefore, cue departure, slied billy
out, AID sI mining The reias ani harness With as much
gravity apd attention as II sc tad been on the poilt Of
tss ~ tho condition OF Fo.d Ismpe CT LEN SHGoU,
Lotled qni,tly away Up hrsaal s.ree', In what We be-
leVed 20 be the direction oil toe B ock, turnpike. Toe
day was favo,able-thAt Il, { was an ill-favored day,
suoh as Il not ncommon toward the middle and cad Of
Ausus.-l day OF c!oudcd sk!es. and chilly showers.
About three miles beyond the city limits, having pre-.
yiously pssed tho line OF FORTH d re6oubts guarde1 by
a few lauugers With hnces. We came upon the picket.
eisFi. Toe pick a guard was a tall, gooS-nsIured tel
lus, In q buiteraat lit, who sauniored slowly down TO.
wards US fsom HE seAt beneath Q tree on q SLOPE near
the road. lis only weaP'n was q large sword, Wtlch
could har lily hsse interior d with the prosecution OF our
ioufneT, had be bseu dissIi "a d with our pnspori. BIT
tSis was o. the case. He returned i, to rs nth the re-
marx, that 90 the enemy Wa NJ In Hanover county, We
nigh: 20 ahead for you kos" he added, In sconn
deutil manner, i'whsn 4 c2un rys invaded, We oantiet
p,ople 20 riding about In it, Uaguslly N sing eyr way
10 q small WOOL which ne found occupied BY q cavalry
camp, We came upon a sscsn | aud supsIauous picket on
striking Brooke Iurppik'. But IL was NOW raining vD
h rd, and the picket-suird, q 'cty soldier in neat I'M.
form, had no disp ,siaon 20 inspect Us ovsr-dos ly, Il
the expense Of sn newt ,ble Gucking.
SO, p,s. we glide" oucs more, aud fad ourselves
uoou the direct ~nigh-rosi TO Hanover Ja1o:oa. Asre
noared that point distant SONS twenty miles from Rich
noad, We came u2o1 a moving Column OF Longetree!s
corp, advancing 10 Join ths army Of Gen. Ire, aud pow
Ing is way ~painiplly with hesvly-loaied wagons and
j,ded hofs =, over roads that W,r1 halt canals with mud
and swamp water. Tne National army had occupied
this co N ~ 10 May aud Jaae, and tho traces OF its
prossncs wero eyery ahere visible II bits Of carefully.
laid plank aud corduroy, of which The Coniedefa'es nov
gladly awaited themsaiyes OF devsst,tion, save in the
nsz ne of trees aud al OCCASIONAL lapse in the line OF
worm fsrcss, We ssV no signs. A young hississippisn
Lientenlnt t1Ishrl y vel mounted, Joined ~ about
lac milss from the function, and, taking US Tor residents
Of the county, asked our pilosge to bis point OF destina'
ton, A, We had made no our minis 10 fellow the tsle'
R,aph lines, We readily off .rSd 10 SHOW him the way,
and carried him safely 10. The Junction" was sSarm
ing with troops aud couniy people, and IL ia not i'm
| probable that tho company OF our Lieutenant may have
saved US from some Disagree Sbls inquiries.
A. Hanover Junction We we're to nod . farmer VINO
| would ferry us over the North Anus River. A email boy
pui us upon the road to this farmers housc, and the
farm,r himself not only put W across the river In q deep
ba.teau, but upon our requesting bin TO take charge OF
our horse and buggy, ''uaal We shoud return from BAL
| timore," volunteered an introduction TO another farmer,
| who would sse ns smelly over the ford Of ths hattapony
| and set US on oar way 20 the river RsppAhannock.
This second farmer, In consideration OF Q sum 70 MIN
| 10 hapd paid, furnished Us with 9 comfortable nights
lodging, an excellent supper and bteahfast q Eooa horse
and wagon, and On Intelligent negro guido. We nus