Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-07-19


When ths Fe 1eal army occupied Cul-
pepper Court House end the Confeder-
ate army lsy In Orange county, vir-
gina. General Lee desired certain in
formation which it seemed could be
best obtained hy IN individual scout.
and Str,ngfesiev was selected for the
service. Il was necessary that he
should penetrate the enemy's camps,
remaining concealed - long q possi-
ble, and return when be had collected
the desired information. His opera
hons were 10 be conducted mostly st
= Ne yiehed q he accompanied
by two men, one Oh whom, Faffish~ bv
name, bad his home in the immediate
vicinity Of the enemy's camps, and be-
ing intimately acquainted with all the
country, could accurately guide him
from place to place in the night As BY
daylight.
The expedition was undertaken on
foot, as the distance was not great and
concealment was Of prime importance.
The men were clad in their uniform as
scouts, not spies. The country was a
difficult one for the operations of a scout.
From the long and frequent occupation
by both the contending armies the land
had been almost entirely denuded of its
timber, and only here and there few
thin clusters oftrees remained standing.
One day had passed since they had en-
tered the enemy's lines, and with night
fall they commenced their wanderings
among the hostile camps, mainly with
the purpose of locating the different
corps, and Of ascertaining whether any
troops had been detached from the army
Of the Potomac. The night had been
nearly consumed in this way when,
reaching one of the clusters Of trees of
which have spoken. they laid them.
selves down to catch few moments
rest. A single blanket covered the three
men.
Treacherous. fatal sleep! Their ia
tigue was greater and the night was
further spent than they had supposed,
and the sun was shining bright in their
eyes, when a party of six Federal SOL
diers, with their muskets in their hands,
pulled away the blankets which COW
cred them. and saluted them with hu-
morous Good morning, Johnny Reb
wake up!'
String gfellow, lying upon his back, wss
the 6rst to arouse and comprehend the
situation. Knowing that an open at
tempt to seize his arms would draw upon
himself instant death, he feigned to be
only half awakened. and, much to the
amusement of his tormentors, turned
upon his side. muttering and grumbling
at being awakened, telling them to 90
away and let him alone. But by turn
ing upon his side he gave to himself an
opportunity Of placing his hand, unob-
served, upon the handle Of his pistol,
and in another second he sprang upon
his teet and opened ere. His compan-
ions joined in the attack, and for few
moments the firing was rapid and fatal.
The Federal soldiers stood their ground,
but at such close quarters the musket
was no match for the revolver. There
was no time to reload under the quick
eye Of ofStringfellow, and once di. i.charged
the muskets were useless. A few sec
onds terminated the encounter, IN which
Stringfellow found himself the sole sur
vivor of his party. Parrish was killed:
his other comrade had disappeared, he
knew not how: four Of the Federal SOL
diers lay dead at his feet, and the two
others, having thrown down their emp
ty guns, were running for their lives.
But though victor in this fight, perils
multiplied themselves around him. The
trees among which he stood were sur
rounded on every side by open fields
dotted thick with the enemy's tents,
some at distance, some close at hand.
Concealment was impossible, and he
must run for his life: but run in what
direction he might enemies would be
sure to intercept his course, for the ad-
jacent camps had been aroused by the
firing, and the soldiers who had escaped
would be sure to return with others to
avenge the death Of their comrades. AT
a distance Of few hundred yards lit
tie branch made its way through the
open fields towards the river. Its banks
were fringed with bushes, and while il
offered only an utterly forlorn hope,
Stringfellow turned toward it and ran.
He was seen by those who had already
started for his capture; seen to cross
the open field; seen to enter the brush
on the bank of the stream. And now
vindictive shouts announced that the
enemy felt secure Of their prey. But
net so! Entering the bed Of the stream,
a kind Providence guided him to the
spot where the waters had followed out
for him hiding place beneath the roots
of an old stump. Underneath this bank
and behind these roots he forced his
body, having hastily collected what
driitwood was within reach still further
to conceal his person; and there he lay.
half covered by the water and the mud,
and aw aited the result.
From every direction men were hur-
rymg 10 the spot with the perfect as
surance that the daring enemy would
soon be within their power. For long.
long hours did scores Of searcbers con-
tinue to examine every foot ofthe brush
that lined the stream. Many times did
hostile feet pass directly over String
fellows body, and once . man more in-
qusitise than others stopped. while
walking in The bed Of the stream. to
examine the very spot where be ley.
But the driftuood which be had skill
fully arranged for his eoncealment de-
eeived the man. and be passed on with
out making The discovery. Toward
slaernoou the search Was abandoned.
But not until the noi.e Of the camps wss