Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-12-05


rious cups and downs" Of that curious trade
called war, when all at. once something fl-
miliar in the voice of youpS officer CT the
Federal force, who was net far frcm him, ar
rested his attention: Looking at the officer
closely he recognized in him an old friend of
his who had formerly resided in Baltimore :;
and going Up to him the young Virginian
made himself known.
He was greeted with the utmost rlaastEre,
and the youths shook hands laughing like
boys at tie odd neeting.f If were novel
ist instead of al historian, my dear reader,
would here insert lengthy dialogue be-
tween the friends but net having been pres.
ent, L car cnl y give you 5he baye outline CT
W-'s adventure. From talir about oli
scenes, and things Of the past, the converse
ton glided to the: present, and the young
Elrglnlan's unluoSJ situation. Relying upon
their former friendship, the latter at once
broached the bject of his escape.
81 wish could help you," was the reply,
"but see no sort of chance of your getting
away, W."
II think 1 can get off in the dark"
''Perhaps; but crossing the river is the
difficulty. The bridge is picketed."
The young Virginian, nevertheless, deter
mined to make the attempt. From that mo-
mcnt he kept close watch on the move
mcnts of his captors Having eaten their
suPpers they now addressed themselves to
the task of countiEg, aesortiag and taking
down the NAMES. Of their prisoners The lat
ter were drawn up in a line near the fire. and
a Federal officer went along the Iiac, taking
down their names and regiments in his meni:
orandum boos. Lieutenant W vas iea!
the head of The line, and having given his
name and rcgimcnt-the Twelfth Virginia
eavaFry-Saw the officer pass on 1 have
called him Liewsnam ", but the young
nan was at that sinc a private; and at th5
announcement Of Els historic name the Fed
eral soldiers began TO laugh, one of them say-
ing ''The Old Doniniop must be hard up
when her aristocracy haze to go in the ranks
and wear such jacket as that! :" and he point
ed to W-'s old, disc6lored cavalry Jack ct.
The young man was, however, not thinking
Of the jokes of his oaptors; he was Watching
his opportunity to glide out of the line. 1t
soon came. The Federal soldiers were not
looking at him; the recording officer had
passed around the ira, the light of which
thus shonc for an Instant in his eyes, and
dazZed him i; and Lieutenant W saw his
opportunity. The spacs eutclde the freight
Hcs as gloomy as Eblis, AID in a moment he
hid stepped from his p!abs; and vas lost in
the darkness. He glided behind a tent, ran
a law steps, and. then pas sssadzto listen.
Had this movement been observed p
Would they go over and count again to yeri-
fy the record ? Then, one man would be
found missing he would be at once pursued,
recapt;red and rewarded for his attempt to
escape by painful or igqominious punishment.
He listened with all his ears held his breath
and soon found that he was not missed. The
officer did not suspect the ruse which had
been played upon him; and tic priso1 RS
were marched off under guard: Lic-:tenant
W aaw them disappear nth profound
satisfaction, and then all his energies werg
bent to She hard task of getting out Of fhe
Federal camp and crossing tae river. The
prospect looked sufficiently dispiriting. lie
was in the center of city of tcnts, where he
could not stir a step without attracting at
tcntion: and even if he succeeded in cscap-
ing the vigilance of the mer and the quarter
guard, the broad and deep current of the
Rappahanno2k lay still in his path-thc SIM
gle bridge }'cavily picketsd. The young
man did not lose heart TOR Il single moment,
however, and like good soldier determined
to "take the chances"
The first thing was to conccal his identity
: AA'NA-
lngly took of his gray jacket. and rolling it
up, put it und.r his arm. His pants we're
blue, and his hat was of an indefinite color,
which might hs either Confederate or Federal
In his bosom, Between his shirt and naked
breast, he concealed his spurs, which he had
unbuckled and hidden wherihe was captured
Having thus prepared hir1self, Lieutenant
w. walked boldly on, a.a lounged care
Iessly blythe fires. One oC The men asked
HIM what regiment he belonged to, as if they
observed something unfamiliar in his demea-
nor; but his ready reply, giaiag the name of
some Federal regiment, Entirely disarmcd
suspicion. Sc .IIuch cavalrJ lad taken part
IN the fight and it had been so much scat
tcred, that W----was set down for one Of
the many stragGlers; and walked by the fires,
and the quarterSIiard who stared -t but did
1ot challenge him, he gained the bank of the
Eappahannock.
He thus succeeded in his -2cond attempt;
hut obstacle No threatened to be more Sc
rlous. Tie river 5efore him vas broad. deep,
black and cold. The bridge n5ar by vas
guarded; he heard the sentinel p0cing to and
fro, and a second ut the further extremity.
What was to be Gone? Kill the&sentinel BY
suddenly attacking and seizing his weapon?
That, under other circumstances, might have
done; but there was the other sentinel, who
would at once give the alarm-thcn recap
ture and ''latter end worse than the frs"
This plan was thus out of the question But
one hope presented itself. The fugitive
could not swim the river, but ifbJ any means
he could climb uPito the floor of the bridge
inside ofthe sen:isel, he might perhaps,
crawl along withous Being discovered, .'fianE"
the sentinel beyond, and so get back to his
friends. YouRg, lshe and determined, Lea
tenant W speedily made reconnois-
sance of the abutmauts of the bridge to as
certain the possibility of executing his pro-
ject To his great satisfaction he discovered
pipe running from tank above to the wa
ter below-for this mas the Orange and Alez-
andria Railroad britge-and the rivets se>
curing the pipe to the masonry afforded hin,