Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-05-23
THE NEwsnoY PRISONER.
An Incident Of the war-iiow n Bur-
1tngton Lad Visited Libby.
BY "Dsc" Auseryl


Iington Lad Visited Libby.
by "Dec" Auseryl
Many OF our Burlington readers will remem-
Der the Aubrey family, which lived for many
years on.GoH St., now North Prospect street,
in this town. When the war broke out three
OF the boys, Cornelius William aud Henry
enlisted il the Sec md verm mt Regiment,
while Junger brOher,'a lad OF 10 or 10
years, went out with Lieut.. Leach, OF Com
pany Ii. OF that regiment, as his servant, to
look after his quarters. The lad was with
the regiment in this capacity, at the arst
Bull Run. Lieut.. Leach being taken sick,
and going home on furlough, young
Aubrey went into the business OF supplying
newspapers to the srmy-which was profit.
able occupation, though not without it's
risks; and subsequently he was appointed
newsboy to the Wisconsin brig ade, list
Brigade, LIST Division, 1st Army Corps
known as the Iron Brigade" With these
troops he remained till the close OF the war,
and returned to Wisconsin with them; and
he is now a resident Of Milwaukee, Wis.
Dir. Aubery has sent US the following
account OF how he was captured and taken
to Richmond, in November 1862, when the
Army OF the Potomac moved from Win
chester, Va, to Fredericksburg, which he
contributed to the Milwaukee Telegraph =
and he states that it is believed to be'thelony
case OF the capture aud confinement OF a
newsboy in Libby Prison, that occurred
during the war.
The Newsboy's story.
The battle OF Antletam had been fought
and our division had been on the march most
Of the time until the 18th o, November,
1862 at which time General Mcclellan
reviewed the army for the last time, and
Burnside took command. l remained with
the army until after the review which was
near Warrenton, Virginia. 1t having showed
some the night previous, the roads were not
very good, but sadded up and started Tor
Washington, 81 miles distant. The country
was soarsely settled and it made lonely
ride. The country, | was told, was secured
by Mosby's guerrilla. However, pushed
ahead and did not see many people until
arriving at or near Centerville, and they
mostly negroes. About midway there lived
, au old white man, who seemed quite glad 10
, see me. Tommy Moran, our cook at brigade
udN IlpNlutu Illt WIN bOOu-
, " quantity of coffee aud bareback, and |
, stopped at the old mans to feed, and lunch.
After lunchiDg and FEEDING my horse from
the nose bag, l hanied my newly-madt
friend the New York Herald, AMI to my
surprise he said 81 cannot read, sab "
inquired how far 1t was to Washington
, Wall, sab, about sight md a half, sab
Right smart way; you ride sharp you car
i. make it by dark Which l d', at p. m
That same night put my order VA for 1905
New York HerdLdS, and getting a gDo(
meal aud bath, retired and was up early il
the morning 10 make
Wy Rcturn Trip
After making few purchases for th
boys, such as stockings. buttons, needles
a postage stamps, etc, not forgetting one-ha
dozen bottles Of on Rye for Captain Rem
ington. Liquor being countrabaud it had Il
he hidd,n under the papers, which wer
strapped well to the saddle, half in front
halt behind the saddle, making a good loaC
' for my old horse. Nine O'clock N the morn
| ing Of the llth found NE re Idv TO returu
= After havil z passed The necessary examina
tion at LUug Bridge | Sus soon up pas
' Fort Albany ana cur old camp ground ot
Z Arlington Heights AID after passing Center
vi lie rs soon outside Of the picket line of
the Union army. Night, however, folnt
me hack Al my old friends, with whom
had luuchcd the DIV before. and after h,
took "a dr. k, sab" OF that 'whisE'y, sab,
we had g 'nd supper and after u little chit
, aud explaining to my old friend What par
. Of the world the State Of Vermont IVES he
had never heard OF it betre aud la lever
! been outside If Virginia, san, ! "eut to bee
: Tor The night, ant IN the morning OF the
l2.h, wa up aud ready at suUri'r for boon
and saddle, having had u breakfast Of corn
; cake and snrdlnps, with m r. OF Tommy
coff re- Ga the road nlall, ! was in hopes
Of soon being q The frout, ! tile thinking
that the army was on the move. Soon atttl
noon | came in SIGHT OF NV Baltimore, anc
there supposing was ia sllht of our pick
cts drew up to Two cavalrymcu outposts,
one corporal, the other private.
"whcre You Going a,r'
says Johnny Reb Producing my papers
which were signed by the Provo,t Marsha
OF the Army of tie Potomac Genera
2 Patrick, johnny Reb, laughed, and | said tc
him Il think am in the wrong pew.
"Well, my boy" he says, Il guess you
are" ''See here, ! have some Yankee
whiskey. and I'll give you some if you want
it." Down under the pile Of papers We 90
, and out comes one Of Captain Remingtons
bottles. "Now look here, If you will let me
get out OF here III lot stop until | get to
. Washington" The corporal drew his sabre
, aud used the point of it TO get the cork from
| the bottle, and after getting it out. handed
it to me and says: "Come young Yankee,
take drink Yourself" OF course did as
requested. Now you see what am, and
you had better let me git" began tO wish
WAS home In Vermont or Wisconsin, or
some other place. One looked at the other,
and began to think my chance was elm.
IL guess you will have to g. to the rear lh
me-" said the corporal. "AlI right, just as
you say, suppose" So to the rear we go,
and at the reserve picket post, which was
iu command of lieutenant, was turned
over to bin. 1t was poor fun to See the
, Jshnnies sitting aound reading the late st
news from my HeraMs.
|, The corporal informed his commanding
officer OF the whiskey, all OF which he ap-
proprated 10 his own use. The lieutenant,
after giving me Sl2 in confederate money
sent me in charge CT an officer 10 General
Stuarts headquarters. which were then al
Warrcnton l., The brick hotel The gem raj
and his staff were jus. preparing to saddle,
when we rode up.
"Hsre's n Yankee sews-boy
who has just come into the lines, sir, on the
pike road" Then came a general question
inc as to our army, and as to what was
doing outside the lines. After the question
ing General Stuart said to one of bis order
lies Take the young Green Mountain
bow I'D to the sergeant ami tell him to keep
his eve on him until morning. So he did.
slept with my newly made acquaiHtance,
the sergeant, that night, having saved my
saddle blanket and few packages Of papers
to sleep under My horse was cJntiscsted
by one of the men at Stuart's headquarters.
The next morning, in company with forty