Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-07-08
tercepted, informing him at what point their

tercepted, informing him at what point their
instruments were stationed
The captain, selecting trusty aid by the
name of Hale, continuously followed Cmlds
to point some 250 miles beyond st. Louis
Creeping stealthily through tangled under
growth they lay and listened to the talk Of
Childs to whom the telegraph operator was
debating dispatches then being sent, from
Gen. Fremont at ST. Louis to Gen. Lane at
Leavenworth City, Kansas. Holdinga brief
council of war the two concluded to put an
end to these no less ingenious than scientific
operations upon the moment they both fired,
the first shot killing Jones, the operator in
stantly, and wounding Childs in the side.
Springing up Childs with an oath of recogni-
ton drew his bowie knife and made fearful
lunge at Carpenter. Hale threw himself be-
tween and received a ghastly wound in his
face laying open his face dagonally. Car
penter fired and Childs fell dead. Alone the
captain dragged the bodies to the river, took
possession of their letters, papers, &C., and
left their dishonored corpses to merited obliv-
ion meath its waters. Then securing the tele-
graphic apparatus, they followed up the com
municating wire some 2,200 feet to the tele-
graphic pole through which it had been CON
veyed lngeniously in a covered groove and
fastened to the main tiers. 1t was of fine
copper, neatly protected by silk Laden with
their prize they hailed the next down train and
reached ST. Louis to receive the .commenda-
ton of their general.
The Scouts were present at the battle of
Pittsburgh Landing, and, after many other
adventures in that section, they joined Ere
mont in the Mountain Department of Virgin
ia, to pursue their daring life. While scout
ing with eleven of his men in the vicinity of
Harrisonburg, he fell in with the quartermas
ter of Ashby's cavalry, who was purchasing
horses. The captain riding up told him, he
believed he was a Yankee.
The quartermaster Indignantly produced a
letter from Ashby, proving his identity.
'Well, says the captain, ''then we're all Dix
lie boys. You seem all right. Hows Jack
sOn?-and Ewel? Got Banks YETI" After
dining together at a house on the road the
scouts sold their horses to the quartermaster,
receiving $3.50 in confederate scrip. The
captain then proposed to give him a couple of
negroes, to drive the horses home, and, light
ing cigars, they rode on to get them. The
captain then led the way into the Union camp
at Franklin, deceiving him on the road in re-
gard to the pickets-and finally, apprising
the householder that he was a prisoner a
fact received by him with self-cursing enough
to have doomed all of Ashby's cavalry to per-
diton.
1t was upon this mans representations that
Gen. Fremont at once marched toward Win
chester to the relief of Gen. Banks. Since
then the scouts have mainly occupied them
selves with the bushwhackers, and during
Jackson's late retreat, they being in the ad-
vance, took over 100 prisoners. AT this time
two of his men, Bredon and Pendleton, were
captured at Strasburg while trying to get com
munication to Gen. Shields. They attempted
to escape from the guard-house at Port Re-
public by leaping from second story window.
Bredon alighted upon the neck and shoulders
OF rebel soldier, causing his instant death.
Their escape was prevented, and both Bredon
and Pendleton remain in the keeping of the
enemy. Capt, Carpenter paid a high tribute
to the bravery OF the late Col. Ashby, who,
though always leading his men in the advance
invariably took rear position in the retreat.
lie seemed to bear charmed life, and the
captain contesses to have tried many a shot at
the rebel chieftain
The last adventure of the captains though
purely personally, deserves record as a bit Of
romance, in the midst of the terrible realities
Of civil war. On Monday night, before leav-
ing Cumberland, a rebel female, whose entire
fancy had been captured by the fame and per-
son Of the daring officer, imagining that the
adieuX he was making portended an eternal
separation, seized pistol to blow out her
brains. The captain, in snatching the weapon
to prevent this act of desperation, received
the ball in his thigh, intiicting an ugly but not
Il dangerous wound.
The future destination of the ''Jessie Scouts
is uncertain, though their services will prob
ably be sought for by some of our command
ers. If not otherwise occupied. they will prob
ably reorganize and go to Mexico.