The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-12-03
4 REMARKABLE SOLDIER.

One of the most remarkable private sol
diers on either side in the late war was a
young man named Tom Kelly private in
the Second Michigan infantry. The remark
able man began with his build. He had
arms a fun hand longer thar any man who
could be found He had no more backbone
than snake, and could almost tie himself en-
a knot lie could tell the date on a ssr
quarter held up twenty feet away, and Doe
could hear every word of a conversation in "a
common tone of voice across an ordinary
street. lie could run a half mile as fast as
any horse could gallop, and there was a
standing offer of SO to any man who could
hold him down. On bet of box Of sar-
dimes he once passed six sentuels within an
hour. on another occasion he entered the
coloncls tent, and brought away that officer
boots
When Toms remarkable qualifications
were discovered, he was detailed as a scout
and spy, and was changed from one depart
ment TO another. in the capacity Of spy. he
entered Richmond three times. He entered
Nicksburg and preached a sermon TO the
soldiers a week before the surrender. He
was in New Orleans FIVE DAYS before that
Il
believed that be could not be killed by an
enemy, and he governed his movements ac-
cordingIy.
While nnder the orders Of Gen. Hooker.
Kelly proved on several occasions that lie
could see further with the naked eve than
any officer could with a field glass. If he
could get place Of cOncealment within fifty
feet of a picket, he could catch the counter
sign. He visited Lookout Mountain, intend
ing to spike as many of the Confederate
guns as possible. His disguise was that OF
a farmer who had been driven from home by
the Union forces. The enemy somehow got
suspicious Of him, and he was placed in the
gEard-hOuse for the night There was a
sentinel at the door, and others near by
standing guard over guns and stores, but it
was all tine same 20 Kelly. With an old tin
plate for use as shovel and scoop he burr0w-
ed out at the back end Of the building, and
walked uD 10 two pieces of artillery and
spiked both before any alarm was raised
When the seutiueIs began firing at him, he
ran out of camp, but before he was clear OF
it he had been fired on fifty times.
Kelly was once captured when asleep by
Missouri gucrillas. When he opened his
eyes he was surrounded by five or six men
on foot and others i'm the saddle. tt was un-
der a tree in an open field, and he had been
tracked by a dog. ~ he rose up at their
command. he resorted 20 his wonderful skill
as gymnast Bydgdging and twisting and
jumping, he got out of the crowd, pulled a
man of his saddle. and would have escaped
had not the dog fastened TO bis leg. lie was
then put under guard in a l0g-house Will
only one room. Two sentinels sat at the
door with revolvers in their hand, and kent
watch at his every movement After an
hour OF Two Kelly approached as if to offer
them tobacco, and jumped clear over then
heads Ike dceT He had half mile o-
open field to cross, and he crossed it uudel
the fire of a score of muskets and rev0Iver
without being hit.
During his three years and half ia In,
service Kelly captured ffty-two C0ufcder
ates and turned them over as prisoners. lie
himself was captured and escaped fv,
times. As q SPY he entered more than thirty
Confederate camps and forts. lie was free
upon at least /, 900 times. and vet was uever
wounded He had said that he would nsve
die by the hand of an enemy and his proph
ecy came true. In the last wear of the war
while bringing a captured Confederat,
scout into camp, both were killed within
forty rods of the Union lines by bolt O.
lightning.