The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-04-28
ADVENTURES OF A SCOUT.

A
Il out of the war, was in the employ Of
wholesale house in the East as an agent
to introducescertain articles to the attention
of Southern business men, and in this ca
pacity, travelled over large portion of
the Southern country. l canvassed Vir-
ginia, especially, as close as a missionary
would with his tracts and Bibles. In addi-
ton to travelling by rail, 1 took stage
routes, rode horseback, and sometimes
trudged along on foot; and when the re-
bellion broke out, thought myself well
acquainted with almost every gap, noun
tain, turnpike and cross-road in Northern
and Western Virginia.
The advent of civil war ruined my pros
poets as a commercial traveller in the South,
and one day in the fall of 1861, found my
selfin the hubbub and confusion Of Wash
ington, short of money, short of hope, and
lacking many of the other qualifications
necessary to make a man feel contented
with himself and the world was out of
a situation, and was in Washington to see
what chances there were that the great ex-
citement would bring me job. The
clerical force at the various departments Of
government had been augmented, mer-
chants had increased their force of clerks,
bookkeepers, were commanding their own
price, but somehow whole week slipped
away without my securing a situation.
One day, as 1 was wandering up Penn
sylvania Avenue, ran across an old friend
of mine from New York State, wearing the
eagles of colonel on his shoulders had
not seen him for two or three years, and the
meeting was a very pleasant one. After we
had discussed the subject Of food and drink
until neither wanted more, the colonel
showed his feet over the table in front,
squinted his eye at me, and bruskly re-
marked
"You are rather green, you are. A man
who can't make fortune out Of this excite
ment has no head on him."
"What can do P' responded. 81 am
not colonel, I don't want to be soldier,
and don't like the situation offered. Just
you show me the road to fortune, and see
how quick I'll travel it p
The colonel took several strong pulls at
his cigar, dove his hands deep into his
pockets, got his feet little higher, and
for two or three minutes was buried in
thought.
81 have it !" he suddenly yelled, drawing
down his legs and jumping from his chair.
81 know who has been looking for you for
whole week."
"Who?"
"General Mcclellan"
"What forP"
"See here, my innocent friend from the
suburbs, don't stop now to ask me idle
questions. The boats leaves for down river
in twenty minutes. If you have any bag
gage to get, get it right away You are
going down on the boat, and after we're
aboard, I'll tell you just what is to become
Of you"
He did tell me. He was aware of the fact
that had travelled extensively in Virginia
and he was going to make scout Of me.
A great part of the army was then strung
out along the Potomac, in line extending
clear down TO Tobacco Point, the river
separating the two forces which were ia
grapple with each other in many bloody
battle during after months and years. The
Confederates were in heavy force around
Leesburg, and opposite this point the
Union forces had been massed in consider
able strength. With a wide deep river
separating the two armies, there was little
show for a battle, and so the respective
forces were content to exchange occasional
shots, and to spend theirtime in drill and
practice for the movements which were to
come before the appearance Of winter.