Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-29
From the Leavenworth Bulletin,
A Fiendtsh Plot.
how AN INDIANA LIEUTENANT LOST HIS LIFE
STRANGE ISFATUATIoN - TREAcHERY OF A
SOUTHERN BEAUrY-A SAD TALE OF THE
WAR

Immediately after the battle of Fort Wayne,
the army fell back within four miles of Benton
vle for forage While in this camp we were
visited by scores of rebel ladies, one OF them IA
dashng, black eyed. dazzling beauty, with that
easy wanton grace which so soon overcomes the
uususpecting youth. To this lady, Lieut. Master
son. of the ID Indiana battery. showed every at
iention, escorting er through the various camps:
explaining to her the wonderful Affairs in an army
how we '.live, move and have our being" and
many other little things which beguile these love
pastimes. This was on the LIST day of Novem
her, in Benton county, Arkansas. about ten
O'Clock in the forenoon. This angelic being
for she appeared as such, as there was not word
or an action which even indicated that she was
non of the most vrtuous, honest, upright la
dies in all the land. ana perfect paragon of her
sex-with that careless, thoughtess, vet fascinat
ing manner of expressing her desire, invited
Lieut.. Masterson to come to her hOuse-abOut n
mile from camp-that afternoon, That after
noon he went, accompanied by two brother Off
GERS.
The young lady was cat home" with her
uncle and aunt After an hour or so, having
drank abundantly of sweet cider and eaten ex
tensively of large, fine apples, Tomphna--for
that is her given maine, the last name is withheld
Tor certain purposeS-sittng close to the Lieuicn
ant, whispered him to send his friends back TO
camp and remain with her until teal Gan article
10y the way, not TO he found in this country He
intimated to his friends that he desired 70 be
alone aud they, not wishing to interfere with any
arrangement he might have made advantageous
to the service. mounted their horses and rode
back to camp. The uncle and aunt were in
another apartment; the Lieutenant and Tom
phina were alone What passed during the
three -iourths of an hour Immediately following
is now known only to Tomphina; in her breast
it may ever remain secret. All that is known
is that she went TO the window on the side of
the house. and raising it, said 10 her aunt. who
happened to be passing in the yard, 'How pleas
antly the sun Shines thought | would let its
genial rays into the room, they make everything
look so cheerful" her aunt had scarcely passed
into the other part of the house when twelve men
rode up to the window which had just been
raised. and directly in front of which the Lieu
tenant was standing and fred two shots at him
They Immediately burSted into the room, seized
him, and carried him off ON horse to mill one
half mile from the house
Whether the Lieutenant was wounded in the
affair is not known; but horse with side saddle
upon it was brought by the bushvhackers, and
Tomphina mounted upon it before Masterson
was carried out of the house, and rode away with
the guerrilla band. The Lieutenant's horse, with
his pistols in the holsters was fastened on the op-
posite side of the house, and taken along.
The plan was well laid aud we'll played to get
what they termed one of the "Fed officers :"
The guerrilas were hid near the house in the
brush, and at Tomphina's sign.l-raising the
Understandable the house. and led the cap
tive. charmed and shared by loves wes, into
captivity. They took secluded road through
the woods to the mill
The next morning, under Tomphina's pillow,
was found the following note. | copy from the
original in her own hand writing:
"MY DEAR UNCLE AND Aunt: | have sue
ceeded Ny beauty. which YOU have al says told
me not worth fig in life. has to-day accom-
plished much the patriot General in our
glorious Coniederacy. am content to offer my
beauty virtue. even life itself. upon my country's
altar. Nv bleeding country demands the sacri-
fce-wlingly / obey,
II cannot visit your house again until this war
closes, which, pray God may be soon; but when
it does stop, hope to come and receive the bless
ings of you both on the head of
Your ToMPHINA."
As the Lieutenant did not return that evening,
q search was Instituted the next day. but it only
disclosed the facts above enumerated. No clue
as to the disposition of him could be obtained
Camp was moved fifteen miles farther next day
No tldings Camp again moved twenty two
miles due south of the scene, and twenty DAYS
after the occurrence a man came into camp and
said body had washed ashore in the mill pond
four days after this affair, and that an old man
and his little boy had buried it. A party was
sent out, disintered the body. which not
swollen or decayed. and found that it was the
body of Lieutenant Mastersonl A Minnie ball had
pierced through his heart, and pistol ball just
above the right temple. He had in his pocket
book six hundred and seventy five dollars when
he lett camp. United States currency All Of
his money and most of his clothing was taken off.
The names of some of the guerrillas we're ob
tanned, but none of them have been caught.
Lieutenant Masterson WAS privatein the Eng
lsh army in the Crimea, where piece of she'll
took most OF the flesh off his right arm. He de-
serted them, and three months after joined the
% Indiana battery He was elected First
Lieutenant, and served with fathfulness and
ability until the day of his death. He has been
buried with military bonors. and now sleeps his
last sleep upon a little knoll besde the gentle
stream which generously covered the deep dam
nation OF his taking off " PHlLos.