Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-04-18


peace, the mortgage slowly ate up the
farm, and near tie close Of the war he
had to remove from his river. side resi-
dence to an old place called Huckleber-
ry. about two mil,s and half inland.
Mr.. Jones was released in March,
1862, by ageneral jail delivery ordered
by Congress under the belief that the
prisons were full Of innocent men. He
took an oath that he woulG not COM
municate with the enemy again, and
was Informed of the penalty of break
ing it. He returned to his house on
the river bluff, and soon an armed
patrol and steam vessels were main
tanned on the river, and the Federal
officers boasted that they had spy on
every farm. One Of the fine old man.
sions on the river, Hooe's house, which
! had been the almost immemorial ferry
house, was set on fire by the Federal
tlotilla End burnt for having given
har borage to one of Grlmes's boat
parties.
/ Crimes again Communicated with
Jones. and asked him to 90 into an
undertaking to carry the Confederate
mail from Canada and United States
to Richmond. Jones replied that the
risk was too great. and that his duty
to his children required him to stay
home. although his heart was in the
| Confederate cause, and he would give
it anv assistance possible. Upon this,
the Confederate signal officer, Major
William Norris. who had been a Mary
land man and is still alive. held an
interview with Jones, and asked him
to make charge of the rebel communi
cations. stating that hey were Of the
utn ost consequence to the management
Of Il e Confederate cause and its inter
course with the outer world. the Fed
eral blockade now being well main
tanned and every portion of the border
closely watched. while the broad Po-
tomac River and the pine covered hills
Of lower Maryland offered almost
sure crossing place. Finally Jones
said that if he were given "bsolute
control not only over the ferry, 5ut
over al gents to he retained in Mary
land. the names Of none # whom he
should he called upon ever to mention
he would undertake the work. He
said to IA Confederate agent: 1T is
usel SIS to oexpect me to maintain boat
service with YOU. You must keep the
boat on the Virginia side. cross to my
beach. and bring and take tie mail
there. so that cannot e suspected"
He then indicated post office in the
hollow OF an an old tree which grew
near the foot f his bluff.
/ His pr, vlous observations on the
river had shown him that toward even
ing. when the sun had fallen below
the Virginia wo DIS. there was certain
gravness on the surface on the water,
increased by the shadows of the high
bluffs. which nearly erased the mark Of
boat floating on the Potomac. The
pickets that were now maintained along
the bluffs were not set till toward
night. Therefore it was arranged that
the Virginia boat should come in just
before the pickets were set, and its
navigator noiselessly take out the
mail from the old tree and deposite
the Virginia packet, and then, with
scarcely word whispered or a
sign given, slip back again to his Nir-
ginia cove. Generally the boat as
hauled ashore in Virginia out of the
observation Of the patrol gun boats
and their launches. and sometimes it
was kept west of Grimes's house, but
sometimes back of Upper Machodoc
Greek, which is six miles due south of
Pope's Greek, only about twelve miles
from Port Royal.
When the rebel mail had been left
in the stump, Jones. obtained it, either
in person or by one of his faithful
slaves. 1t is singular fact that not
only were women the best co operative
agents in this spy system, but the
slaves, whose int rests might be con
sidered as opposed to Southern
triumph, frequently adhered to their
masters from discipline or affection.
Jones had slave named Henry Wood
land, still alive, who not only pulled
! in his boat to Virginia during the
early months of the war, but, imitat-
ing the habits of his master, was dis
Greet down to the time Booth escaped,
while probably suspecting, if he did
not know, all that was going on. He
and his master seldom informed each
other upon anything. and did not need
even to exchange glances, so well did
they know each others ways. The
negro Was nearly duplicate of his
master in methods, went about his
work without speech, and asked no
; questions. Two other negroes, named
John Swan and George Murray, pull
ed oars in Jones's boats in the early
, part of the war; One Of these, it is
\ \ believed turned spy upon his master
!. and finally ran away, but was sent
: back to Jones by the commandant OF
the camp, received a flogging, and
i some time afterward deserted to yes
sci in the river.
(ro RE coNrlNuED.)