Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-09-27

III the early part Oh 1905, Wneu TIE
Union army was encamped at Fall
mouth and picketing the Rappahan.
ock, the utmost tact and ingenui.
ty was displayed by the scouts and
videttes in gaining q knowledge of
contemplated movements on the other
side; and here, as at various other
times, the shrewdness of the African
camp attendance was very remarkable.
shows how quick the race are In
learning the art of communicating by
signals.
There came into the Union lines a
negro, from farm ON the other side of
the river, known by the name of Dap
ney, who was found to possess re-
markably clear knowledge of the topo-
graphy of the whole region, and was
employed as cook and body servant at
headquarters. When ne first saw our
system of army telegraphs, the idea
interested him intensity, and he beg
ged the operators to explain the signs
to him. They did 30, and found that
he could understand and remember the
meaning of the various movements ms
well as any Of his brethren of a paler
hue.
Not long after, his wife, who had
came with him, expressed a great anxi-
ETY. to be allowed TO go over to the 9TH
er side as servant to q ''secesh woman" !"
whom General Hooker was about send
ing over to her friends. The request
was ganted. Dapney's wife went
across the Rappahannock, and in few
days was duly Installed as laundress at
the headquarters of prominent rebel
General. Dapney, her husband, on the
north bank, was soon found to be won-
derfully well informed as to all the rebel
plans. Within an hour OF the time that
a movement Of any kind was projected,
oreven discussed among council of war
Of the rebel Generals, Hooker knew all
about it. He knew which corps was
moving, or about to move, I'm what di-
rection, how long they had been on
the march, and In what force; and his
reports all turned out to be true.
Yet Dapney was never absent, and
never talked with scouts, and seemed
always taken up with his duties as
cook and groom about head quarters.
How he obtained his information re-
mained for some time q puzzle to the
Union officers. At length upon much
solicitation, he told his marvellous Be-
cret to one OF our officers.
Taking him to point where clear
view could be obtained Of Frederlcks-
burgh, he pointed out a little cabin in
the suburbs near the river bank, and
with clI thes OH 1t. "Well, said he,
"that clothes line tell me In half an
hour just what goes on at Lees head
quarters. You see my wife over there
washes for the officers, and cooks aud
waits around, and as soon as she hears
about any movement or any thing go-
ing on, that lone informs me about II
In minute. That there gray shirt Is
Longstreet, and when she takes It off
it means that he has gone down about
Richmond. That white skirt means
Hill, and whom she moves IL up to the
west end of the line Hills corps has
moved up the stream. That red one Is
Stonewall; when he moves she will
move that red shirt"
One morning Dapney came in and
reported move over there. But"
says he, "It don't amount TO anything.
They're just making believe.
An officer went out to look at the
line telegraph through his field
glass. There had been quite shifting
over there among the army fannels.
But how do you know but there is
I'm it?p
''Do you see those two blankets pin
ned together at the bottom ?' asked
Dapney.
Eyes but what Of that?h
"Why, that's her way making fish,
trap, and when she pins her clothes to-
gether that way, 1t means that Lee Is
trying to draw us into his fish trap"
AS long as the two armies lay watch.
ing each other on opposite sides of the
stream Dapney with his clothes
line telegraph, continued to be one of
the promptest and reliable Of General
Hooker's scouts.--Fra,k More's Anec-
10tcs.