The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-07
For the Farmer and Me- /, All
The True Stor. of a Spy.
FAYETTEVILLE. y c..
April lu.


April H., 81.
/ Eddor 81 tie Tunes:
Some years ago there appeared ia the
/ Detroit FIRE. Press tmmuuicalion.
\ purpoIting 10 give au account OF the part
that Rebecca Wright took in the events
immediately $ preceding The attack of Gen
Sheridan on the armv of Gen. Early
around inchestcr, Va, in the fall oi
1854. This narrative was either copied
in the Philadelphia T,ates, " here | read
it, al the time of it, publication, OF there
was also an account OF the same affair 10
that Of the Press
Lately in the Times of April -, 1884,
the same subject is brought before the
public again, and while both articles
agree upon the main point, to Wit that
the Confederate disaster was brought
about By, and mainly attributable to, the
cunning, and to put it mildly. the lu,k Of
! fordhought, of Rebecca Wright, yet they
disagree widely in the circumstances, as
they occurred and the means which were
employed by the valuable female emissa-
ry OF Gen Sheridan; aud neither as |
believe are in accord with the actual facts
Of the case as they tralspired On that
memorable occasion.
The first account was that black man
appeared in some woodland near the
house, and by means of a signal whistle
brought the fair Retecca to him, and
gave her a communication from Gen
/ Sheridan which was contained in tin
/ foil wrapper, taken from the mouth of
the bearer that by means Of the same
device, the desired answer and informa
ton was conveyed to the Federal com
mander
The second account appearing in the
| Iimts Of the 18th of April, differs only In
the statement that the communication
was had by and through the medium of
negIo vendor of vegetables who was
passing in and out of the lines of the
cOntending force, and who was utilized
/ by Gen. Sheridan and Miss Wright for
the purposes In view; both accounts
agreeing upon the fact that the ''tin foil''
package conveyej In the carriers mouth,
was the manr er of carrying the note and
answer.
In the town of Fayetteville, \. c..
there resides a gentleman who formerly
lived in Winchester, and boarded in the
house Of Rachel Wright, the mother of
| Rebecca. This gentleman was on terms
of intimate friendship with the family
and lived with them up the time he re
moved to this place, during the war; I'm
mediateiy after the war he went to Win
chester on a visit and for the purpose Of
looking after his unfinished business in
terests there. On this visit lie boarded
with the Wright family, in the house
where they lived Eeiore, during and at
] : tIp,o0 ba E,o,,, I
/ the following statement. and give it sub
stantially, in his own words
Il had Oc :asion to go to Wine hester,
Va. (my oil hcmel on the 3rd Of July
! 1863, and, "a was my custom, took r Doms
at Mrs. Rachel Wright's house. This
home is iulted in the extreme northern
part of the town near the foot Of Fort
Hill, on Loudon street. Mrs. Wright
kept boarding house for a livelihood.
she was widow with two dang hters, all
of the Quaker faith of these daughters,
Rebecca was the eldest while there, the
incidents Of the war was the chief topic
of conversation, as they we're, everywhere
e'se at that time. The battle Of the 10Th
/ Of September 1864 was discussed, and
particularly the part Rebecca Wright
took in it, or rather preceding it. She
said that while the town was in possess
sion of the Confedcrates, with Gen
Early in command, on the night of the
] 7th Of September, 1861, the family was
aroused from sleep by some one knock
ing for admittance at the front door.
On opening the door. she YVES accosted
as she then supposed by a Confederate
soldier, wearing faded and ragged gray
uniform. and asked for shelter and food
representing that he was sick. and 9TH
erwise in a suffering condition. The
house was full, and all the beds occu-
pied by officers and sick soldiers, aud
there was no place for him. To this
/ the Confederate replied that he would
sleep on the bare floor, that what he
most needed at that time was shelter.
! Whereupon the sick Cent eicrdte soldter
was allowed to make himself as COM
/ Portable rs he could on the parlor toor
which was carpeted The next morn
inc he was called to breakfast at the
proper hour, when he excused himself
upon the ground that he was only pri-
vate soldier, stating that he would wait
until the officers finished their meal, as
/ his appearance was rather unpresent-
able.
After the first table. the parlor lodger
was again invited; this time he came.
and took seat with the family at the
table. she (Rcbecca) being one OF the
number. She al once thought she re-
cognized him as a soldier who had at
one time stopped at her mothers house,
as il was often the case that the Union
forces and the Confederates were in
charge Of the town at different intervals
of the same day; the continuous and
rapid change of scenes and faces was
well calculated to confuse her. She
thought she recognized him as a Union
officer. who at one time during Federal
occupation. had been an inmate Of her
mothers house; but this could not be
the one in her mind. for he was in the
gray and tattered uniform OF private
Confederate she was confused aud On
certain. After breakfast was over, and
while she was performing some domes-
tic duties in the parlor, the visitor ap-
preached her with a smile. and remark
| ed. You do not recognize me- She
}, answered that she did not. but that ht
resem bled a Federal officer she had
seen. but he had the wrong uniform on
to lie that one.'' The visitor replied.
You are correct. ! am your friend
Major -. of Gen. Sheridan's staff
| am sent by him to you for informa-
ton concerning the position, numbers.
&C.. of Early's army. Gen. Sheridan
: believes you to be Union sympathizer,
and he knows of your opportunities Of
obtaining valuable information, and
trusts that, by thus aiding him, you viii
show your devotion and loyalty to tho
Union cause.''
/ She then knew him. and readily con.
I sented to put him in possession of al
! the information it was in her power tC
E give. She was well acquainted with al
the roads nathS and bY-WaYs Mheri