North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-03-01
THE ROMANCE OF WAR,
From the Cleveland Leader, Feb, l3

! Marshals office here was interrupted and en-
livened, last Satu rday, by an incident which
had several novel and comical features and
which is based on mystery which the au-
| thorities have by no means fathomed, and
may not be able to fathom for some time to
come.
Application was made, Friday, to the San
itary Commission, here by two young women
seemingly not over nineteen years Of age, for
| transportation to Washington. In explana-
| tion of the unusual request, they stated that
they had been in the Union service as pri-
| Yates, two years, when, their sex being dis
covered, they were discharged.
As their money was all expended, they de.
sired transportation from this point to Wash.
ington. In the recital of their experience to
the ladies of the Commission, there was some
thing ether i'm the manner Of the matter of
the statement which excited their suspicious
and tho young women put off until the next
day. The Provost Marshal was Immediately
notified of the case, and the par ties were ar
rested Saturday afternoon, by his order
They gave their names as Charlotte Ander-
son and Emily Wood. 1t seems that suspi~
con was directed only to the former, but on
ly one or two of the authorities of the Pro-
Vost Marshal's office and Board Of Enrolment
entertained suspicion in her case, the ma ori-
ty being convinced, and claiming that that
crinolne, jaunty hat and feather, feminine
voice, figure and gait, and other palpable fe-
male attributes" could not possibly wrap
about and sustaiH any illusion. Nevertheless
an examination was ordered, and several re-
spectacle ladies were delegated to ascertain. if
Charlotte was Charlotte. Alas, poor Char
lotte How faded the flower and beauty of
thy presence ! For the commissioners" re-
turned sem!-hysterical report of strongly
reinforced suspicion Of latent manhood. To
set the seat of absolute certainty upon what
was now In all minds a settled, confident
opinion, the examining surgeon of the Board
of Enrolment was directed to examine the
prisoner-as he was now thought to be reb-
el spy-which feat was finally accomplished,
after two hours parIey, which exhausting
the resources of craftsmanship, palaver and
threats, ended in the use of sufficient
| amount of force to test the legality of the fair
| prisoners title to the name of Charlotte
The end justified the means, and the examin-
alton demonstrated that the prisoner was an
irrepressible young man. ....a
1t was ascertained that this twain had been
stopping at the Burnett House. An off GER
was sent there, who brought their baggage,
consisting of two satchels. In one of them
was found three suits of clothes, one citi-
zen's salt, another was military, bearing a
eutenant's insignia, and the third was female
apparel. The officers then proceeded to di-
vest him of his waterproof cloak, with hood.
alapaca dress, jaunty hat and feather, electra
of the drcuna of feminine attire, and invest
him in his military suit,and then they lodged
him in jail.
We may say here that the illusion was
complete, He had the voice, smooth face,
delecate neck and features, form and gait of
female, and counterfeted the charm of
presence of maid of sweet seventeen.
His accomplice, who seems still younger,
was taken by Commissioner Fitzpatrick to
his home and put under the eyes of his fami-
ly. She seems thoroughly innocent, from
first to last, and advised Charlotte again and
again, during the parley, TO allow them to
proceed with the examination that it was
hard to bear; but then she was in a tight
place, and her virtue would come bright out
of the fiery ordeal.
She afterward stated in explanation of her
being in company with Lottie Andelso as
she persisted in calling him, that the first
time she saw "hern was in this city, about
two weeks ago. They had been boarding
and lodging together the last few days. She
insisted that Lottie was Lottie, and not
Charlie at ALL If she was not innocent, if
she was acting that difficult role, it must be
owned she did it with consummate tact and
the utmost nonchalence
We learn that on Thursday night of last
week they went to the Burnett House and
engaged lodgings saying, when asked, that
they wanted no supper. They broke their
fast in the morning. and left their hand bas-
kets as pawns in the hands of the landlord,
while they should bring up their satchels
from the depot, When they returned, They
then engaged board for that day, and at
night, learning the price of the luxury of hav-
ing fire in their room, had one built. Their
bills were all paid, but by the bona tfde dam
sell
The rest of their baggage hand baskets and
portfolios, were taken possession of yesterday
by the officers. DR.. Beardsley says papers
were found from which they learn certain
facts relative to these parties former where
abouts and operations, and that information