Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-01
A REBEL TRICK,
How Information Was Transmitted to
the Besieged at yIcksburS.

Correspondence ofthe Albany Evening Journal.
Noticing a few days since, in the obitu-
airy column of Southern paper, the follow
ing announcement, relieves me from an
obligation / voluntarily entered into before
the close Of the late war:
Died, at -, on the 18th inst, j
M, aged A years. The deceased was
long and favorably known as a steamboat
pilot, and throughout the rebellion firm
friend Of the Southernsca for which he
made many sacrifices and rendered valua-
bic services"
The promise gaVe NJ. was that would
not divulge what he then told me, but, his
death relieving me from that promise, I
nov offer it to the public through your
columns;
1t will be remembered that, among the
many reasons which operated to prevent
the fall of Nicksburg, Miss, when it was
first attacked by Gen. Sherman, and after
wards so laboriously besieged by General
Grant, was the certainty of the information
the enemy seemed to get. NOtwithstandI
ing every precaution was taken to prevent
spies from obtaining and transmitting in
On-nOtwithstanding the river was
closely watched to prevent the least mes
sage from being hoated down to Vicksburg-
nevertheless information, and that too of
the most positive nature daily reached the
enemy, to the great annoyance of the Off
GERS and men, who were slowly wearing
their lives away under an almost tropical
sun, and also to the modification of the
Commanding General.
1t is my object, briefly, TO show how that
information was transmitted. NJ. was at
that time an impressed pilot in the service
Of the Union army, having in charge one
of the transports lying below Young's
Point, on the west side of the Mississippi.
His plan for advising the enemy inside the
garrison of Nicksburg of what was taking
place or contemplated in the Union army
was simple and efective-so simple that it
easily evaded all attempts at detection.
During three or four hours of each day, NJ,
after gathering from the officers at head
quarters what information he desired-fOr
officers would talk-Would repair to farm
house down on the point, and with a large
mirror which he had previously taken
from the cabin of the steamer, amuse him
self by throwing the suns reflection up
and down the river, occasionally darting
the concentrated rays of May or June sun
into the eyes of some gull or loon, quietly
floating on the water, causing it to dive
down or fly up with a half frightened
shrek, and then turning it full upon the
enemy's works along the Vicksburg levee.
No one thought of suspicion-no one asked
him what he was doing-for the employ
ment wasso simple and apparently abstract
ed that none thought for a moment of at
tributing any other motive than mere idle
pastime
But this was his secret, previously agreed
upon between himself and Gen. Pember-
ton. Nicksburg is mainly upon a high
bluff; the lower part of the city during GER
tain hours of the day being entirely in the
shade. Commencing atthe upper end of the
city and within view, NJ had selected
thirteen houses behind and above these
To each one Of these houses letter of the
alphabet was given. From the window in
the farm-h house he threw the reflection first
upon one house, then upon another, an of
ticer of Pemberton's staff in the secret, at
the same time standing on the levee with
his back to NJ, and yet reading every word
easily and rapidly. And he not only gave
information of what was transpiring in the
! Union camp at Young's Point, but also
gathered from Northern newspapers i'm
portant news relative to the movements Of
! armies elsewhere, sendirg 1t across the
river in the same manner.
This plan was kept up until short time
before Gen. Grant made arrangements for
going below Vicksburg, crossing at Grand
Gull, and coming up in the rear. Just be-
fore that event NJ. was ordered to another
point, and consequently the enemy had no
light upon the subject Of that last move
which finally resulted in the capture ofthat
stronghold Of the Confederacy.
These facts I obtained from NJ. himself
while afterward an officer on board one
Of our transports with him, and l have
! every reason to believe, from experiments
made at the same place, that it was a
! Main l1nrarnishad talnn be related 10 me.