The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-07-14
From the Union Banner
Moore the Scout.
BY @. g, MEAD.

Sigel, was scout or more than ordinary dar-
ing, who was always connected with some
deed of desperate valor. George P. Moore
originally private in the 1st Connecticut
Cavalry Volunteers--is the scout to whom
we refer. We will not call him hero, but
he was most certainly reckless dare devil,
and had not the most infntcssimal partical
of such an element as fear In his compost.
ton. His manner when in situations Of ex-
treme peril, never betrayed the slightest ex-
citemcnt or hesitancy. Calm, cool, and
collected he appeared under all circumstances
not particularly brilliant, but subtitle, Graf
ty and polite; full of ingenious artiice and
wiley as fox.
Moore was difficult man for an enemy to
capture. and dangerous prisoner to retain
when captured. He could outwit guards
and break jails almost at pleasure. Many a
time and Oft the COME 'erates have found
him like the 'Irishman's aea'-'somewhere
else when they looked where he was.'
When out on one of his solitary raids in
August 1862, he was so closely pressed by
Captain Harness with squad Of confederate
cavalry, that he was actually driven into
Madison Court House by his pursuers. He
was stranger in the town. and did not know
where to seek hiding place. But trusting
to chance, he abandoned his horse and en-
tered garden in the rear Of what proved to
be an hotel. He was seen, however, dark
as was the night, and they followed him.
He entered the hotel by back stairway, and
soon found himself in the bed chamber of
what proved to be man sleeping soun,lly,
as his loud snoring testified. A glance at
the sleeping mans clothes, in the dim rays
of the lamp, convinced him that he was a
rebel officer of no mean rank. Our scout
was not man to hesitate long under such
circumstances as now environed him, so he
threw off his own clothing ard put on that
Of the sleeping officer. He was just in the
act Of drawing on the heavy top boots of the
Confederate, when he heard the voices and
footsteps of his pu-suers in the hall below.
Hastily buckling the sleeper's sabre belt
about his waist and putting on his cap. he
stepped out Of the room the very instant a
parry of the rebels were rushing up stairs.
Assuming lorhly m,en, he strutted down
the stairs, loftily returning the defer.
entail salutes of the soldiers in passing. He
walked out upon the broad verandah of the
hotel. and Immediately before his eyes stood
number of horses, deserted by their ow.
rers in their haste to capture the Yankee
spy. Moore sprang into the saddle, and was
about to hasten away, when his attention
was drawn to the sound of loud and angry
conversation in the chamber he had so re-
Gently Quilted.
why, do you mean to doubt my word,
gentlemenl ro,red an angry voice. Il am
Col B.. of Jackson's staff, and if you con
time these indignities. 7 will have every
rascal Of you hung-I viii demme!'
Get up. you Yankee scoundrel and dress
YOURSELF roared another voice. 'Youse
can't fool soe with your Yankee tricks. A
spiendiferous looking Colonel you is--get mp,
I tell you =
what in the devils name do you take me
for p thundered the first voice again.
'Fora Yankee spyl Cuss your in,pudencc,
returned another your caught and can't
get away, you ouri blue belliad, wooden nut.
meg maker. There's the same hat. I'd
swear 20 that hat among million 7
Gentlemen! gentlemen said the first
voice In accents Of astonishment, .that Is not
my coat neither are those my pants, and
that old slouched wool hat. solemnly pro.
test have never seen before. There IS not
money enough in the whole confederacy to
induce me to wear such miserable apology
for hat, gentlemen, he continued persua-
sively, 1T is quite impossible for this to be
my bat. Please call on the landlord, and he
win clear me from the disgracaful imputation
Of wearing such superanuated hat.'
The scout had heard qnite enough, so he
spurred his horse down the deserted street,
and in ten minutes time he was out OF the
town and had forded the river without en-.
countering any opposition. He now followed
a narrow forest road in the direction Of
Craigersvile. As soon as he struck this
road he felt perfectly safe. for it led through
deep and dark forests of pine and hemlocks
and to a man like himself, who was Injured
to all kinds Of danger and awake to all ths
subtle articles of the enemy, capture unde,
the circumstances was almost impossible
st least 80 he thought. For severa! miles ht
rode rapidly and cautiously, passing ovel
high and rough hills, then again through
deep Wales, where the dense and mist like
dews dampeEed his long locks as they waved
ip the evening breeze, like the spray Of thu
ocean. At times the thick branches Of th.
trees were SO netted and interlaced overhead
as to exclude every particle of light from hi.
path leaving him in Siberian darkness. Al
such times his progress WAS Of necessity
slow. although his horse had but little appa
rent difficulty in following the lonely ant
unfrequented road.
1t was one Of those dark and sultry pass
es. when he was cropping alorg almost a
random, that voice suddenly broke th'
solemn stiffness Of the night with the omi
nous challenge, Who goes therey
Who could it be that challenged him OF
the dark forest road? He was aware tina
the rebels had no force nearer than Culpep
per Court House, with the exceptions of tn