Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1867-03-22


In the early part Of 1888. -ben the Union
army vas eneAmped At Faimouth and pick
etirg the banks Of the R.ppah.nnoek. the
utmost tact and ingensity -ere displayed
BY the scouts and videt,es ia gaining
knosledge OF contemplated movements on
either side; and here. as Al varioa. other
times. the shre -dness Of the African camp
attendants "a. very remarkable.
One eIrcunstAnee in particular sho-. boz
qH'ok the race are in learning the art Of
communicating by signAl..
There came into the Union lines a negro
from farm on the ether SIDE Of the river.
kno-n y the name of Dabney. Who vas
kno-n 90 possess a remarkably clear knowl-
edge OF The topography oitbe ~hole region.
and be ~as employed as a cook and body
servant At headquarters. When he krst
sar our system Of army telegrapLs. the idea
Interested him intensely. and be begged
the operators to explain the signs 70 him.
They did 80. and found that BE- could un-
derstsnd and remember the movements
As ~e; a. any Of bis brethren Of q paler
hue.
Not long after. bis vile. who had come
WITH hin. expressed a great desire % be
allowed 20 80 over 20 ne other SIDE a.
sersant 70 a secesh ~Oman whom Gen.
uOOker was about sending over 20 her
friends. The request vas granted. Dab
nsy's wife sent across the R4PpahannOck.
and IN iew days vas daiy Installed a.
lAunlress At the b. sdquartsrs of proaai-
nent rebel general. DAbney. her husband
on the north bsnk. -as soon found 20 be
wonderfully eel informed a. 20 al the reb-
ei plans. WIthiih a hour OF the time tha;
movement q any kind ~as projected. or
even Diseased among tie rsbei generals.
Hooker kaew al about a. lie knew
which corps ~as moving. OF vas about 90
move. in What direction. ho- long they
bad been on the march. and in uhat force
and all this knowledge came through Dab
ney. aud kis reports ai-ays turned out to
be true
let Dabney vAs never absent. and new
er talked With the scouts. snd seemed to be
Al~ays taken uP With bis duties as cook
and groom about headquarters.
Hos be obtained n. information remain
81 for some time puzzle % The Uuiou Of
hcers. 81 lesgth. upon much solicitation.
be uniolded has marvellous secret to one Of
our officers.
Taking hin TO point ~Lere = clear
Vie- could be obtained Of Fre,Isricksburg.
be pointed ogt little cabin in the suburb.
near the Tiver bank. AMI askei him II lie
saw THAI olothes-line. With clothes hanging
on q 70 dry. WeH.- said be. That
ciothes-hne tells me In half an hour iust
What goes on At Lees heAdquErters You
sc. my vie. over there. she washes for
All the ofiCers. and cooks. and warts
around. and a. soon as she hears ANYTHING
she comes down and moves tbe clothes
on that lane 80 that can understand Il IN
a minute. That gray shirt j, Loagstreet.
And When she fakes u OF. it means be has
goae do~n about Richmlud. That White
shirt means IiHi add ~l.en she moves it
W to tbe vest end Of The line. HIS corps
has moved Up sfream. The red one is
StouswAli iie's dosn on ibe right no-.
and II be moves she ~in move the I'd
sLi.
One morning Dabney came iu and re-
ported a movement over there Bot
sad b.. % q don't amount % anything. they
are just making belcye-
an oHicer vert out 20 look a. the
eiothes-iine telegraph through his 6eld
glass. There bad BEEN quite a shifting
over There among tbe army haaneis. o bot
bov Do you snow but there - something IN
"a
d" DO YOU see those tvo blanket. pinned
together az lie bottomgr said Dabney
% lcs. bot shat Of ~ Sad the ofioer
o. WY. that's her vay 81 making 81.
trap and when be pins the cloties iogetb-
er mat way. it means that Lee l. only Try.
ing o. dra~ us into his fsh-trap~
A. bong a. the TO srmies lsy ~atching
each Other on opposite banks ithe stream.
Dabuey. -nh his clothes-line telegraph.
continued so bc one Of ths p-omptesi and
most reliable oi Geo. Hookcr's scosts.
lFnnk Moore's Anecdotes.