The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-11-18
A SCOUTS ADVENTURE.
Tom Woods Narrow Escape from Cap
ture.


Tom Woods Narrow Escape from Cap
"Well. now, tell us, old friend, when
scouting inside of tho enemy's lines, did
anybody ever detect you as 4 Confederate
Never. But was mighty near being
caught up once, and the only way l es-
caped'was by being mistook for my broth.
er JIM"
Here tho smile on his face spread into
a broad grin, and the old man chuckled as
his mind went back to the serio. comical
adventure. Tom Wood, or "Uncle Tom.
N.Y." as lie was known in General Lees
camp, had never been with the army in
Flanders, but he had learned their hab.
its all the same and perhaps MS wick
ed hunter rs ever saouldcred a rifle.
"But I'll tell you about how I liked to
have been caught. 1t was late in Decem
ber, and it occurred to me that / would
take my Christmas frolic by making
little scout out 10 my home in Randolph
County. We were camped at the Warm
Springs. and had nothing to do in camp
and felt lonesome like. AS Christmas
drew on l got to thinking about my old
woman and the children Mt home; they
were away inside the lines Of the enemy,
and thought that Christmas would be
more like Christmas to them if could
Unexpectedly drop down among them.
So shouldcred my old gun and away /
went through Pocahontas and down into
Randolph. got along first-rate or my
way out; saw no Fedcrals; slipped
around their pickets; saw my family,
and after enjoying myself for season
started back
"Of course kept out the way OF all
the settlements and stuck to the noun
:ains stopped at nobody's house unless I
knew them TO be true-blue Southerners.
One night came to the Greenbrer, and
Just as dark came on heavy sleet set in.
l was cold, tired and hungry, and the on
ly house where could find shelter was
the house of old Billy johnson, whom |
knew to be the most ultra Union man in
all that region. l had no personal &C.
quaintanoe with him, and didn't think
that he had ever seen me, so concluded
to risk myself under his roof that night
any way. 1t was my purpose to give hin,
fictitious name, for felt pretty sure
that if he discovered that 1 was Tom
Wood, the rebel scout, / would not live
TO see daylight. Mastering up courage,
and helped along by the wet and cold, l
sought refuge under Johnson's roof, and
was Hospitality received. While sitting
by the fire warming myself, johnson iept
looking into my face very earnestly, when
all at once he arose from his seat, ap.
proaced, and standing directly in front
of me, says 'Ain't your name Wood p
Here was a poser, and l thought
was cauCht. I knew that if ne recog-
nized me that it would do no good TO lie
about it, and so owned up and said
that was my name. WELL said he.
this is Brother Jimmy Wood. amt it p
took me for Brother Jim, and seeing how
it was humored the mistake, though
Jim is blasted sight uglier man nor
me. But wasn't standing on looks
then; the circumstances didn't admit of
it; Well, really says he, Brother
Wood, I am glad to see you. amt seen
you since the camp meeting on the hill,
nigh on to twenty years ago. And he
took my hand and shook it like he was
glad to see me. But could hardly keep
from laughing in his face at being taken
for class leader. You see, Jim is
Methodist and leader in the church,
and so is johnson, and that's how he
called me Brother Wood And then
he sat Down and talked over old times
and the canp-mee,ing in the hills, and
as the old man was willing to do most of
the talking, was willing for him to do
it.
81 got along very we'll until we sot up
to supper, when johnson called on me
to say grace. had done many hard
days work had been on many long
scout; have been in some mighty hot
fights but tell you honestly, boys, the
hardest and hottest work ever done was
to get out that blessing in genteel way.
But this was TO time for finching, and
1 got through with it. Everything moved
smoothly until bedtime came around.
Brother Johnson put the Bible on the
stand, snuffed the candle and asked me
to lead in family worship. had brokeu
the ice by asking the blessing at the sup
per table, so read q chapter in the book,
and kneeling down offered up tho first
prayer of my life. BY jings, it was a
good one. l didn't forget to pray for
the restoration Of the Union and the de-
struction of its enemies. Maybe it was
answered. l had q good nights rest,
and when left in the morning felt
better than I ever did in my life. In
fact, boys, believe it does man good
to pray little once in while, even
| if be is force to do it. l mean to do more
of it hereafter. But that is the way |
escaped, by being mistook for my brother
jim"
And the grin broadoned again on the
old scouts face, and the chuckle sounded
louder and deeper as he mused on his nd
venturc.-Ihlddelphid Times.