Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-06-07


! Il suppose you know who commands
them ?''
| 81 believe General Mcdowell does"
| You say you are originally from
| Knoxville. Can you give me the name
l OF any persons whom you know there?'
| st has been a good many years since
| I lived IN Knoxville, but I remem Der
some persons who were there when I
! left"
I gave the names of several men
| whom I knew resided in that city.
would they know you ?''
81 think so, though a residence of
| eight years in California has, no doubt,
changed me very much. If should
see them, I think I could make them
remember me-"
I had taken the name Of MUnson, be-
cause I had learned that several famiI-
| les of that name belonged in Knoxville
and the son Of a Judge MunsOn had
been in California, whom I could re-
present.
Davis rang a bell, q messenger ap-
| pearsd, and, taking a name, left the
room. I suspected at once his errand.
He was dispatched for somebody from
Knoxville, to indentify me, if my story
were true. The crisis in my affairs had
come. I concluded the game was up,
and my vocation gone. It was a mo-
ment of great anxiety, and nv
thoughts were intensely active with
the possibilities of escape from the
snare in which seemed to be caught.
Davis continued writing, and TOOmbs
closed has--o5=eEs- 4Eae-- messenger left
the door ajaF and, unObserved- drew
my chair nearly in front Of it, to gain
a view of the outer hall. In it. on a
small table, were blank cards on which
those who called to see the Confederate
President wrote their names, and sent
them by an orderly, before they were
admitted to an audience with him.
Soon the messenger, with a stranger, !
entered the hall. The latter wrote his
name and handed it to the orderly, who
came in where I was sitting. I raised
nv hand to take the card, and he stop
ped to give it to me, when glanced at
the name and made a motion to have it
laid on Davis table. The rebel Exec
utive did not observe this, and TOOm bs
was apparently asleep. The orderly
put the card before him, was directed
to admit the visitor, and retired. The
Knoxville man came in, and, turning
toward him with look of sudden rec
Ognition, I rose, grasped his hand and
exclaimed
''Why, how do you do, Brock ?''
TOOmbs raised himself up and nod
ded to Davis, who said
''Be seated, sir. Do you know this
man ?'
Brock was taken by surprise, but
not to appear ignorant before the Pres
ident, replied:
Eyes, / know him, but I can't call
his name uOw.0
'sAfy name is Munson, of Knoxville.
Don't you remember Judge MunsOn's
son who went to California ?''
"What, Sam NunsOn ?''
That's my name"
EOh, yes," said Brock, turning to Da-
Wis, ''nOw I remember him. Yes, I
know him very well.''
"Do you know his people there ?'
asked Davis.
81 know his father, Judge Iunson,
very we'll"
will do, sir, that will do" and Brock
walked out of the room.
TOOmbs then drew chair close to
Davis and they COnversed in whispers
for a few moments, when the guard es-
cOrted me to my quarters. L fancied
that had made some progress at this
interview.
The next morning brought Mr.. Brock to
my loft, evidently sent to satisfy himself
that I was Sam MunSOn. A delicate and
difficult task was before me, and the result
to my own mind very doubtful. Brock,
however, was tallzative, willing to carry on
the conversation, and evidently quite sure
that he was not mistaken in his man. l
knew something of the MunSOns, and local
tiles in Knoxville, and by the AID OF mag
inatfOn could fill any pauses in Brooks con-
veTsatiOn; eight years of absence eXcuSlng
questions, saying for lIlusJTaIlon, you
know SO-aud-SO.'' EOh, yes, - / responded,
4 EhOuun | had not the TeILlOLGSJ hllOWlGUB6 Ol
the person. Then Brock would refer 70
something very ludicrOus, and 1 would
burst into laughter, as though on the recol-
lection, while Brock greatly enjoying it,
would uncOnsciOusly tell the whole story, 50
that I could put in fitting remark here
and there, which seemed TO come naturally
from recollection. Brock went away salts
fed, and reported to Jeff Davis. Two days
later, a commissioned officer entered the
room with a parole, pledging myself not to
leave the city of Richmond without orders
from the Provost Marshal. I signed it and
NO roll cd FRI a
freedom Of the city, L continued my oo-
servatiOns.
morning, by a high board fence covered
with posters concerning regiments being
organized, and other military announce
mentS from which Cleaned additional IN
formation, a man came up and slapped me
s.HaIio, Bazeri What are you doing here2''
The name sounded strangely under the
circumstances. Twas startled, but looking
II guess YOU are mistaken, sir. Ny name
is MunSOn."
''Ain't your name Baker2"
'sDfdn7t you 90 to California in 1S5O7 p
No, sir. I have Ityed in California, but
''Why, didn't you 90 across the Isthmus
with me in April, 1880. when we had the
7.No, Sir. / guess you have mistaken the
man.
| Baker. Didn't you have brother there?'
| ''I had brother there, but he came home
| s'Weu, said he, turning away, "it's all
! right, 1 suppose; but never saw two men
| look SO much alike in my life :!
! In the meantime had obtained inform
| alton of military movements and plans,
/ learned where the enemy had stationed
/ troops. or We're building 1OTIlncaJlohs, anu
| what they were doing at the Tredegar works
/ I had obtained the knowledge for Which L
/ came, and was anxious to return North
! Through the influence of Hayes 1 got from
! the Provost Marshal q pass to visit Fred
| ericIlsburg, making an appointment to meet
. the former. which OF L 0ld not keep
] Arriving Ill Fredericksburg, I made three or
! tour Intellectual attempts to get into the
| country, and finally, by the aid of a negro,
crossed the RappahannOclS, one morning,
four miles below the city. To Ieacn Ine 70
| tOmac would tax all my powers to the Ut
most, but the case was desperate ana must
go forward. As, when entering upon my
/ Southern tour, it was Indispensable 70 sue
cess that should even among my IIlenuS
be iHc0g., so now must return with the pre-
clous eplstles N my pocket pocket LLIoC9H S{ J., - Gile
Confederate lines, on my own account, nav
ing only the chances of escape which any
wanderer at large might have.
My face was toward Washington, ana the
only question remaining was, whether the
F success in attempting to reach II WOulq
B | equal that of my journey toward Richmond.
The Potomac was the goal of my solitary
I ! travels through forest and over open fields
for on its northern banks lay the Union
= army, and once across its waters, I was safe
My appearance was that OF q common cit
| izen and I hoped to pass unnOticed any per
sons with whom a meeting was unaTold.
! able. Scarcely two miles were Travelled
, when bv the side Ofthe woods which Dor
dered the road, an officer and soldier OF
horseback appeared, and too near to give
l me time to seek concealment i'll the forest.
The officer reined up before me, and in
Quired: ''Have you got a pass, sir ~
- s'I4et me see it,
! With the prOmptneSs OF assurance l drew
! forth and handed him the pass from Rich
mOnd to Fredericksburg. If able to read,
y | hoped he might be satisfied with n glance a
/ the paper and let me proceed. He studied
it awhile, till his eye caught the wOr'
fredericksburg" he then said:
q don't think this will do, sir!''
'''Tis all right"
5 ''Weu, it may be- but you'll have to g
back with me to fredericksburg
= My lOcOmOtiOn had not been observed
Q and, with pitiful limp, 1 remarked that
= was hard for a lame man to be compelled t
- walk that distance; and if 1 attempted it
- must necessarily defer my journey till an
r other day. made painful effort to WALL
= and so far moved the compassion Of tn
officer that he offered to take the pass to tn
k commanding General, and leave me i
- charge of the soldier. When he was gone
after n little pleasant conversation, the da
, being warm, 1 proposed to my guard that W
10 go into she shade of the woods Tying m
Is horse to a small tree, he threw himself dow
g on the grass. Half an hour was spent i
2 pleasant chat, and the officer did not MAX