Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-08-28
A NEwsBOXM THE ARMY.

A NEWSBOY IN THE ARMY.
Captured By Rebels PieIzets and Confined
AAon5h in Libby Prison--Vghy Capt.
Whisky.
81 was about fifteen years old when I
went to the front with the Second Yer
mont regiment
So said Mr.. c. B. Aubury of Milwaukee
to q Globe correspondent.
GAS 8 SOLDIER" he was asked.
mo, L went out with Lieut.. Leach of
Company II as his servant. had three
brothers, Cornelius, William and Henry,
in the same regiment. We were with
the regiment at the first Bull Run. Lieut..
Leach was taken sick and went home on
a urloughs and went into the business
of supplying newspapers to the army"
''Was it profitable?''
eyes, quiteso; but there was a good
deal Of risk to it. I was afterwards ap-
pointed neWsbOy to the Wisconsin brig
ade, known as the Iron Brigade, and re-
NAMED with it until the close of the
war"
'You must have had some exciting ex-
periences?"
eyes, 1 did. I was captured and taken
to Richmond in November, 1862. when
army Of the Potomac moved from Win
chester, Va, to Fredericksburg, and I be-
ieve was the only newsbOy conin ed
in Libby prison during the war"
"When did that occur?"
"Well, the battle of Antietam had been
fought and cur division had been on the
march most of the time until November
IS, 1862, when Gen. Mcclellan reviewed
the army for the first time, and Burnside
took command. I remained with the
army until after the review, which took
place quite early in the morning near
WarrentOn, Va. 1t had showed some the
night before and the roads were not In
very good condition, but 1 saddled upand
started for Washington, 81 miles distant
I had anything but a cheerful prospect
before me, for the country was thinly
settled and secured, I was told, by Mos
by's guerrillas. L pushed ahead, how
ever, seeing but few people until 1 arriv-
ed in the vicinity of CentreVille, and
those I saw were mostly negroes. After
making about fifteen miles I stopped at
the house of a white man, who seemed
quite glad to see me. Our cook at brigade
headquarters, Tommy Moran, had pro-
vided me with
PLENTY OF COFFEE AND HARD-rACK,
And after I had Iunched and fed my
horse I handed my neWly-made friend a
| copy of the New York Herald. To my
surprise, he said: i cannot read, sab. 1
asked how far it was to Washington.
| Wall, sab, bout sight an a half, sab.
| Right smart away; if you ride sharp you
| can make it by dark 1 kept on and
| reached Washington about 8 o'clock in
| the evening. 1 put in an order for 1000
! New York HeraLdS, and, after good sup
per and bath, went to bed, for I want
! ed to make an early start the following
morning. I was up in good season and
made number of purchases for the boys,
/ e4o
! age stamps, ETC., not forgetting half a
| dozen bottles of old rye for Capt. Rem
ingtOn. Liquor was contraband, and so
/ l hid the latter under my papers, which
were strapped to the saddle both before
and behind, making quite heavy load
| for my old horse. By 9 o'clock every
thing was in readiness and L set out on
my return. Passing the necessary ex-
animation at Long bridge, 1 continued
and CentreVille, and was soon outside
the picket line of the Union army.
About dusk reached the mouse Of the
old white man with WhOm1 adlunched
the previous day, and concluded to pass
the night there. l gave my host drink
of whisky, after which we had a very
good supper and a chat. I took occasion
to explain to my entertainer In what
part Of the world Vermont was situated,
for he had never been out of Virginia
and had not heard of it before. 1 was
up by sunrise the following morning, and
after a breakfast Of corn-cake and sar-
dimes, washed down with some more OF
Tommy's coffee, and again set out. Lit
tie didI dream that the army was on the
move, and soon after noon, coming In
sight of New Baltimore, and suppOsing
I had reached our pickets, I drew up in
front of two cavalrymen outpOsts a cor
pOral and private.
"FWhere are you going at% asked the
corporal, and I produced my papers,
which were signed by Gen. Patrick, pro-
vost marshal Of the army of the Potomac
You ought to have heard Johnny Reb
laugh?
( THINK I'M IN THE WRONG PEW,
I said. Well, my boy, I guess you are,
he replied, and laughed again. See here,
I said, I've got some Yankee whisky
and I'll give you some if you want it.
You NAV be sure he wanted it, SO I rum
mayed under the pile of papers and
brought out one of Capt. RemingtOn's
bottles. Said I, Look here, if you'll Lei
me go, I'lI not stop until 1 get to Wash
ingtOn.' The corporal took the cork out
Of the bottle with the point of his sabre
and, handing it to me, said, Come, young
Yank, take a drink YOURSELF began
to wish was at home at Vermont, but
did as I was requested, and told them
that, now they knew what I was, they
had better let me git They looked al
each other and laughed, and concluded
that I was in for it.
"I guess you'll have to go to the real
with me- said the corporal.
"'All right said, it's as you say,
SUPPOSE and I accompanied him to the
rear, where I was turned over to the
Lieutenant in command of the reserve
picket post. It was poor fun, I tell you
: seeing the rebs reading the latest new