Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-12-14
Captain Duncan.
BY GEORGE WARD NICHOLS.


That quality called bravery, or cour-
age, has been so common. so almost
universal in our army through the
war, that its possession is no longer
regarded by the soldier as mark of
special merit. Captain Duncan, how
ever had peculiar traits of character
which distinguished him among host
of heroes. Call it daring, rashness,
indifference to danger, or what you
will, he had something that made him
a man of mark. | do not know that
I he was more elf-pOssessed than 9TH
I ers on the battle field In truth, I am
I inclined to believe that Duncan was
rather opposed to close proximity to
/ flying shots and hurting shells, and
that the line Of battle had no special
{ destinations for him. But if General
| Howard desired to know the position
/ Of the enemy, their numbers, their
movements if he wished to send an
/ important dispatch across the country
+ or through the enemy's lines, he Sc
lected, with perfect confidence, Cap
4 tain Duncan for the perilous duty.
Let US see what sort of a man the
/ Captain was, or Is for he Is alive
somewhere to-day, II a street t-aWnlng
has not fallen and crushed him if he
is not the victim Of that modern jug
gernaut, a New York omnibus 1; or If,
after surviving the shocks of war, he
has not succumbed to some of the
ordinary ills that flesh is heir to.
The Captain was attached to General
Howard. 5 headquarters, as command
ing the Generals escort, OF, rather, as
chief of scouts. He Is a man of small
stature, Wiry and muscular. His light
hair is cut close to a Well-shaped head
a full mustache lightly oyerhangs 9
sensitive, well-foFmed mouth his
dimpled chin Is nicely rounded; his
nose is full and finely shaped his
eyes are light blue, with a WOmanlJ
expression. The face is altogether &
frank and open one. but with no mark.
ed distinctions, nothing to really indi
cate the energy and daring, the eOur
age and cunning, which mark career
at once eventful and romantic.
Duncan's DISCUSSES were as various
as the characters he assumed. At one
time he was a cadet of the military
school originally at Marietta, bu
which might have been termed a trav
, cling academy, for 1t accommodates
its movements to the advance or on
; army. It was first at Atlanta, then a
o IUAEllEQ&EN4l1Gg
and its final resting place, / think
| was in the rebel army. At anOthe
time our hero appeared as a furlOughe'
soldier of Lees army. and again IN tn
= prim gray-and-red uniform of one o
the home guard an organization
which had a brief existence in differ
ent parts of the South. Then agal
he would roam over the country IN tn
motley dress of rags and dirt that dis
ti1guished Wheeler's cavalry. In al
8 these costumes and disguises he man
e aged to accomplish the objects OF hi
missions. He was frequently captuI
ed and although he was never a den
izen of any of the Infamous prisons {
the South, nor long In captivity at an
time, always teOntrivlng to escape, yt
his face, after a while, was readily rex
i. 0gnized as that Of the famous and feal
less Duncan, making each sueceedln
=. expedition more fraught with dangC
II to him than the last.
o. A volume might be devoted to tE
oS narration of his dangerous adventure
d One of these, of recent occurrence
rs will associate his name in history wit
the " Great March " of General She
M man. When the army arrived befOl
Savannah the necessity of openII
q communication with the sea, and u
q, establishment Of a base of supple
y, was of vital and Immediate impo
n, tance.
na If one viii think for moment
eG5s the needs of a city Of seventy thousaI
he inhabitants-Of the amount Of foC
ls he which the people, horses, mules, al
cattle require for daily consumption
= he viii understand how rapidly /
f. Z army of that magnitude, with tho
sands Of refugees hanging upon
skirts, would devour the food and sU
plies brought with them ProvisiO
n literal and instant provision, must
re, made, and that by communication wi
the Atlantic.
} The ooqRsry GROUND Savannah is