The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-02-12


the early part Of 1868, when the Union
army was encariped at Falmouth and
picketing on the Rappahanock, the utmos,
tact and ingenuity were displayed by the
scouts and ,idettes in gaining Il knowledge
of contemplated movements ON the othor
side anl here, as at various other times,
the shrcwdness ofthe African camp attend
ants was very remarkable.
One circumstance in particular shows
how quick the race are in learning the art
of communicating by signals.
There "amc into the CnIon lines a negro
from u farm on the other side Of the river,
known by the name Of Dabney, who WAS
found 10 possess II remarkably clear know
ledge Of the topography of the whole re-
gion, and he was employc as cook and body
servant at headquarters. When he first
saw our system OF army telegraphs the
idea interested him intensely an he beg
gcd the operators to explain the signs to
him. They did SO, and found that he
could understand and remember the mean-
ing of the various movements as well rs
any of his brethren Of palcr hue.
Not long after, his wife, who had come
with him, expressed a great anxiety to be
allowed to 20 over 70 the other side as
servant 10 Il "secesh woman whom
General Hooker was about sending over
to her friends The request was q anted.
Dabney's wife went aero the Rippahan-
mock, and in few days was duly installed
rs laundress at the headquarters Of Il
prominent rebel General. Dabncy, her
husband, on the nsrth bank, was soon
found to be wonderfully well Informed as
to all the rebel plrnS. Within an hour
of the time that Il movement Of any kind
was projected, Or even discussed among
the rebel Generals, Hooker knew all abou,
it, lie knew which corps was moving,
in what direction, how long they had
been on the march, and in what force
and all this knowledge came through
Dabney, and his reports all turrcd out to
be true.
Yet Dabney was never absent, and new
er talked with the scouts, and seemed to
be always taken up with his duties u.
cook and groom about headquarters.
How he obtained his information re-
maincd for some tine a puzzle TO tie
Union officers. At length upon muc,l
solicitation he uniol led bis marvellous Sc
cret to one Of our officers.
Taking him TO point where clear
view could be obtained OF Fredericksburg,
he pointed out a little cabin in tie suburb.
near the river bank, and asked him if he
saw that clothes line with clothes hanging
on it to dry. 'Well," said he, ''ihai
clothes line tells me in half an hour just
what goes on at Lees headquarters. You
see my wife over there washes for the
for the officers, and cooks and waits
around, and as soon as she hears about
any movement or anything going on she
comes down and moves the clothes on that
line so can understand it in Il minute
That there gray shirt is Longstreet, and
when she takes it off it means he's gone
down about Richmond. The white shirt
means Hill, and when she moves it up to
the west end of the line Hills corps has
moved up the stream. That red one is
Sioncwall he's down on the right now,
AMI if he moves she will move that red
shirt"
One morning Dabney came in and re-
ported movement over there. ''l'ut," ;"
says he, "t d mt amount to anything.
They're just making believe"
An officer went out TO look at the
clothes line telegraph through his field
glass. There had been quito shifting
over there among the army tlannes.
A" But how do you know but there is
something in il r
''Do you see those two blankets pinned
together at the bottom :" asked Dabney,
Yes, bot what of it !" said the officer,
"Why, that's her way OF making a
fish trap and when she pins the clothes
together that way, it means that Lee is
only trying to draw us into his fish'trap."
A. long as the two armies lay watching
each other on opposite banks Of the stream
Dabney, with his clothes line telegraph,
continued to be one OF the promptest and
most reliable of Gen. Hooker's scopts. -
! Frank Ior;. 4sec01te.