Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-05-25
The Federal Chameleon.
AN INTERESTING SKETCH OF SCOUTING sTRATE

One evening, about an hour after the sur
had gone down, acouple Of stout men, dressed
in soiled rebel uniforms, each holding in his
hand good Austrian rifle, tapped at the dool
Of a small frame Building, near the CT
road, in Virginia, If, 5,., ,.;,,cn,,g ioif,7l,
The knock was answered by an old woman
gled masses of her gray uncombed and dis
sheveied hair 51. q An1f af! q 'H't5 p0
"And what do you want heah2" she ex
claimed, as her deep set eyes flashed on the
two men. ~ hav mt the smallest bit of d
johnny cake in the house, to offerye, for it was
Fa'No, no.. no, ;iatsrrhptsd one of tIe soldiers,
1--WE don't want anything to eat but we want
you to tell us and that in a qpick time, too,
whether o. not you have seen "a slight but
strong looking slip of aman 60 by here of
late" ~ .s.l .-'.,. s.e,q,7 .,.l, ... p,f4eaa,i
Dressed in blue and carrying double bar
| relied rifle" added the other. ,,o 4, a,ta,,iI ~
"Hcyl heyy' cried the hag, lifting her hands
and speaking in a sharp, angry voice, IF ye
hadn't interrupted me, reckon you'd heard
me speak Of him before now, as be was the
very man who came here and bought all my
cakes. 1t was about two hours ago, and"
(Which way did he go after he left you?"
inquired both men eagerly. 7hl Y5@ a.t
Before answer that question you must tell
me who he isl said the old woman, with the
curiosity natural to her sex. %. 80 aauyJaa
"He's q celebrated Union scout whom we
call the Federal Chameleon because he
changes his uniform so often Sometimes it
is blue, other times gray, and he has even been
seen wearing the disguise of an old farmer.
He has shot more of. our men than)is pleas
ant, and we have a rowing commission from
our Colonel to 60 on hunt after him, and
capture him if we can, either dead or alive
And now as we have replied to you,' contin-
ued the speaker little impatently, 1--WE de-
mand that you answer our question, and"
"Demand!' interrupted the hag in shrill,
piercing tones. ''ls that the proper way to
speak to a woman, an old woman at thatY' II
"Comc, come, answer us if you please"
cried the soldier in milder tone. II mean
no harm--it is only my way of speaking o
"Well, perhaps | may forgive and perhaps
not" said the old woman, shaking her head
"How far is your camp from hereY' "
What is that to you? What has that to
do" 'laH.r IT 70
oHNThere you go again with your cursed Incl
vility!' shrieked the hag fercely; 'but you
shall answer my question before you get a sin
gle word out of me. Now, then, how far is
your camp from here, and how many men
have you in and around it? intended to car
ry your fellows some corn cakes d dye sec and
l want to know the number of mouths that
have to cook for ~ y yoy ya ~
"Oh, in that ease" said the rebel, II do not
secanysreason hyrtsa,q''ldnt' s'ttisfy you--
Our camps, then, are abont five miles from
here, near the cross roads, and our number OF
men may be about hve thousand i,tl'g' nl
"a That VIII do, n cried the old woman with a
grin OF satlstaction--"yes, that will do. And
now you are sure that the man who came here
to buy supper is the one you are aiterf1 r
we are sure OF u, tor although we, have
never seen the man tace we know him by
ms double oarrelea rlhe, as NOBODY else IN the ne
Yankee army carries weapon OIL mat kind'
"Ay, ny, us the rlgnt one then, said the
hag., Alter ne haa lnlsned ana paid TOR his
meal, ne says to mo- FRIEND should like to to
putup here Tor the niglt II you haSe'.no OBJ
Jectlons but as did not Ike the idea OF
ACCOMMODATING AahKee any more than
eouldhelp, told nm there was no room for
him, as expected visitors before many hours
swell, then, says he, can you tell me OF
| place where can pass the night a little com.
fortably? 1ousee, ne added, looking toward
his bis doubled rife ~ don Ike TO camp
out, as it looks like ram, and this piece might
be hurt by IT. 1,.a know oltno place. ! an
swered, short OF four miles from here, in an
old barn which IS tight enough, think, to
keep off the RAIN. "Fouf miles is Q, pretty
long distance, said ne, "and as l have been
tramping about considerably to-day, don't
feel much like carrying this heavy load SO far
pointing to his knapsack as he spoker "tWill
you be kind enough to let it remain TIL morn,
iag| Wei, yes, SAID hesltating. a little, and
throwing significant glance at the well filled
lpocketbook in his hand. He understood the
look and gave me green back dollar. All
right, said ], and he then departed, saying he
would call for his luggage in the the morning, at,,
ter he Should wake from his sleep in the barr"
| '.Now, them. continued the woman, which
will yon do-go after him at once, or wait in
ambush for him tllmorning"'nh u "a NJ ,'9I'i
| The two soldiers drew back few PAGES and
held short consultation, after %hichtley ad-
vanced to theside of the woman.
1--WE will. go now,' said the one who had
spoken first; that is, if You can describe to us
the exact position Of the barn" ,la W.. J.g' q
~ don't think could describe it 50 that you
can find it in the dark, replied the bag, but
as | am willing to DO everything. in my power
for the Confederacy ! will go witfry youoto show
you the place. 40