The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-06-05
A REBEL MAIL ROUTE.

the readers of TIE TRIBUNE at some future
time.-ED.l
A REBEL MAIL ROUTE
Something Further About Wason the Port Tobacco
Go-Between.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
In your issue of Apriia2 "a Carleton" speaks
of the Confederate mail route across the Poto-
mac from Port Tobacco, Md to Matthias Point,
Va In the winter of 1862 the writer
was a member of the 74th New York volun-
teers (Sickles' Excelsior brigade) which was
doing picket and patrol duty in Southern
Maryland and from a letter written to my
father dated Camp Stanton, near Port Tobacco,
November s, 1861, quote as follows:
Our brigade are engaged in patrolling and
picketing along the Eastern Shore of the Potomac
IN Southern Maryland. we are now eneamped
to be one of the oldest towns in Maryland, and one
of the bitterest secesh places we have yet found.
Very few men here Union men, at least, dare
to say So When we march we are followed by
droves of slaves fleeing from their rebel masters,
who are bitter towards US for protecting them and
constantly lowering around our camp hunting
for them. We are under orders in all cases where
master proves they are his property and promises
to treat them well to release them. Wefound in the
old jail here several slaves and two white prison.
ers, who taken out and given into the hands
of the proper county officers TO remove to other
PRISONS for fear that our boys might take 1t upon
themselves to release them. Port Tobacco is nearly
opposite Matthias Point, Va, where the "secesh"
have a masked battery. They occasionally try
their guns on the Potomac iotilla, but with little
effect. This point has been q great place for the
exchange of contraband goods and mail between
the Maryland secesh " and the rebel army, and
our presence here is for the purpose of putting
stop to it, We went to Budds Ferry, few miles
from here. yesterday, where an election was going
on, in which the Union men were being intimidated
by armed Maryland rebels, who attempted to raise
seeesh" flag We were there just in time to
up the Stars and Stripes on their pole We stayed
nv MIC ardr efI NOR a
mad "secesh.n The most interesting incident OF
our sojourn here, in which was personally con-
oerned took place few days since, below town.
WAITING FOR WATSON.
Four members of my company and the writer
detailed for three days picket duty. Our post was
on the bluffs nearly opposite Matthias Point, on
large plantation said to be owned by man named
WATSON, who is now supposed to be in the rebel
army in Virginia Our post was about 800 yards from
| the plantation mansion in rear of which stood a
long line of negro cabins, which now only contain
ober de ribber visitin', - and only come home
after night (which proved true,) and as this looked
TO US very suspicious, we were more y1giiant than
we otherwise would have been. We had been in
structed to challenge any one passing through our
lines, black white and ascertain their business,
| and, not provided with passes or the coun-
/ tersgn to arrest and send them TO headquar-
| ters, and we made up our minds that that was
what we would do. Our first night passed quietly.
! The second night, near midnight, we distinctly
heard the rowing of boat in the river nearly half
1 mile away The noise seemed to come nearer and
!
heard il hauled up on the beach. We then listened
for the sound of footsteps and in twenty thirty
minutes heard the picket nearest the Watson man.
! sion challenge some one walked IN that airec-
ton, but could not distinctly for than
/ few yards, owing to the hazy atmosphere judged
from the sound, however. that somebody was
| running in the direction of the house, and could
| hear the sentry calling. Haiti haiti" t0ur or
ders were not to fire except in an extreme case
| on body of men crossing the Hnes.) followed
the direction OF the sound to the front gate of the
| fence surrounding the Watson mansion where /
saw a disappear IN the shrubbery, and on
emerging from 1t mount the porch fronting the
river. called on him to halt, but he did not heed
the order, and. unlocking the door, entered the
house. Thereupon ran around the house TO the
negro cabins. and walked into which had a
small fire in fireplace IN front of which two old
darkies sitting. When l appeared at the
b bav @ scared snd hsn ae se them to tell
| how he dressed and how he looked, at
the risk of being taken to camp if they refused,
| they begged 50 hard TO be let off that / left
| them and went around to the porch myself. With
the aid of dim light burning bureau, and by
pulling the blinds aside, was just able TO discern
| a undressing. There was big nav" lying
beside the lamp, and he was stripping himself at
double-quick l walked to the door and raped.
DIDN'T LIKE TO BE DISTURBED.
There was no answer, but out went the light, and
l could hear deer latch. raped again. No
answer. The next time raped with the butt OF
my rifle. and that raised great howl from inside
about the - Yankee soldiers disturbing peace
able people. He didn't intend TO be disturbed, and
If | had any business with him he would talk with
the door closed But had seen enough to satisfy
me that he WIS peaceable citizen, and told him
that it was all right and if he did not come out
would come in, even If the door had to come down.
BY this time two of my comrades had appeared on
the scene, and when Watson heard other voices he
consented TO partially open the door for parley.
He opened IL an inch two, and thrusting my
bayonet through the opening, managed to hold
it there, and the three OF forced the door open.
We then made him dress, and while one of us
guarded him the rest of US explored the house
which was richly furnished. In a bureau drawer
y.an In
big navy revolver, and between the feather and
straw bed beside which he stood found a
Sharpes rife, loaded In search up stairs we
also found In bundle the closet floor, auniform
complete TO the cap, and under bed In an adjoln-
ing room sword and set of epaulettes which he de-
clared was the property OF 81 Maryland militia COM
pany to which he had once belonged. The uniform
however, had the appearance OF having been re-
Gently worn. Everything we found confirmed us
IN the idea that he was spy or rebel recruiting
| officer The slaves all called him Massa Watson,
and told as the old ''gen'man" had been gone
" all de summer in Virginny." We secured all the
arms and the uniform and took them TO the post
10 be sent to headquarters, intending to leave him
in charge of one until morning and take him
in to camp also; but he assumed a very insulting
manner, and even dared US to take him away from
his house, and as he would not show any passes
from general headquarters, and could not give the
countersign, considered IL my duty TO hold him
until we could hear from camp. So, in spite d
his continual growl, we marched him out in the
frosty night, and made the darkies bring some
straw and fix him up place to lie down in. Well
| the next morning sent him under guard &c
camp with the and uniform we had found IT
the house. and that was the last we OF him. Ina
agine my SURPRISE however, when, on the day we
were relieved and marched into camp, / founC
myself under arrest by Captain H NJ. Allies, efieel
of the day; but was escorted to Captain John
Glass office. acting major in command OF the regi
ment, who, apon my explanation, released me. 81
that was under arrest about thirty minutes
learned afterwards that Watson had been taken OF
board u gunboat. and after being examined hat
, been released, as he showed passes from Washing
ton giving him the right TO pass through our lines
But every one here says he is a rebel spy, and
believe It,
JONES, THE MAIL AGENT.
, "Carleton" speaks of Mr.. Jones, who wa
: the Confederate mail agent. / remember tina
our regimental headquarters were in larg
! stone house that had been vacated during th
! summer of 81, ! .e we reached Port Tobacco
, and the negroe 10 were working the planta
, ton said it wa wned by Marsa Jones, wh'
! done gone ava when he heard dem Lincun
sogers comm" This was probably the Jene
: Carleton" refers to. / think the contrabant
7 and mail traffic was pretty efectually suppress
ed during the winter of 81 and 62, as we wer
constantly sending prisoners to Washington
4 A good many of them passed months in the Oil
4 Capitol prison, and regular stampede O
prominent Marylanderse took place immedi
ately before our advance. Some of the fin
= residences were hastily vacated and left il
charge of the slaves, who reported "massa gon
to Virginny." AS a general thing, however, on
troops were rot allowed to forage or in an
way modest or injure the property of thes
rebels. Later in the war there would hav