The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-12-11
Maryland 'secesh' in times ike this

Maryland 'sccesh" in times ike this
Despite the frowning and puzzled express
sion OF the captains face, l proceeded to ex-
piain tfat my people wished me to continue
on at school,, and take college course, but
now that was sixteen years ld,-and big
tor my age, don't yeu think so, captain -
It seemed City. to waste four years before
making q staff In life SO | meant to try to
do something for myself; and at anv rate. /
intended to call on the Secretary of War to
see what he could do fer me, etc.. etc.
Every word OF this statement was literally
true; though 1t must be confessed my COR
geous Red W hite and Blue" neck tie. and
enormous silver plated Spread Eagle badge.
(worn on the lapel in accordance with the
fashion of gushing loyalty at that period)
were Calculated to make him put Slightly
erroneous construction upon it Fortunate
ly as he was beginning a gruff rejoinder
clangor of bells called him hastily to some
matter connected with the shin. and I has
tened to the rear, not anxious to hear his
further remarks, or-questions!
Yet, the unfinished interview left me
very uneasy; because, though unskilled In
reading countenances, felt the captain was
not satisfied, and would perhaps turn me
over to the police to give better account of
myself: 1t must be considered that a great
hubbub had been raised only a little more
than fortnight previous by the capture of
the steamer st Nicholas, of the Bay-Line.
The facts were as follows =
A GALLANT EXPLOIT.
Col. T. Thomas, of Baltimore. had been
secretly organizing battalion of Zouaves
for the Southern service. On the 1st of
July, party OF ten Or twelve poorly dressed
men took passage on the large side-wheel
steamer st Nicholas, which ran between
that city and Washington The men seemed
along the route. very lively French lady,
with her maid, also came on board When
the steamer reached Point Lookout, at the
mouth of the Potomac, number of other
countrymen took passage. Among them
was Lieut.. Alexander, and Capt Geo. n.
Hollins, a Nlrginian, who had resigned from
the Federal navy These men made sign
to the French lady, who thereupon slipped
her petticoats over her head, and stepped
out the redoubtable little Colonel Thomas,
with big pistol in each hand All the
countrymen hshed up pistols from their
boot tops, and the st. Nicholas became
Confederate prize She was headed for
Cone River, where Tennessee regiment
was to be taken on board, and several grand
exploits attempted. But the Tennessecans
were too tardy; SO the ship sailed up the
river, capturing three other vessels, with
quarter Of IA million dollars worth of proper
ty and - prisoners. all of which were
brought safely into fredericksburg I'm
fortunately this success rendered Col. Thorn
as SO rash that two weeks later he attempt
ed another project. and being betrayed was
found tucked away in the drawer Of an old
bureau, on the steamer Washington, while
she was sailing up the Bay He was chained
10 Il, r. EnctN NaEI
Naturally these occurrences kept the officers
of merchant vessels, plying the inland wa
ters, in suspicious condition for some time
thereafter, and [ had the benefit Of it, boy
though | was.
WOMAN IN THE CASE.
That the captain distrusted me, though
bewildered In a measure by my frank talk,
soon became apparent from his actions.
Repeatedly he slipped into the cabin on
some pretence, and shot many sharp glances
at me, cured up on a corner sofa. Stimulating
sleep Early next morning, the duty OF
keeping an eye over me was assigned to
quite pretty and sprightly young woman
who may have been the stewardess when the
steamer ran as Passenger packet though
she was a near relative OF the
captain. Unawares, l won her favorable
opinion by bring her chair when she came
on deck, and offering her a pictorial paper
which Todd had given me. Later, on seeing
that did not 60 to breakfast, she told me [
might get seas sick and when boyishly ex-
planned that | could only afford to pay for
four meals (sl.OO) during the trip, she
brought tray of breakfast, and told me to
90 into one of the State rooms to eat 1t.
Ere noon the kindness was well appreciated;
for the day was exceedingly blustry, and the
water near Point Lookout is almost always