The National tribune., 1884-08-28
an AMATEUR SPY.
A Turn of Duty in Discovering Nests
of Missouri Rebels.

for ST. Louis, at which point they renamed In |
camp, drilling for some two weeks, when they |
embarked for Bonneville Mo. After camping i
there for some two or three weeks they went |
to Syracuse, Otterville, Sedaia and other small
places in that portion of the State, remaining |
while in EACH | was thus enabled to become |
acquainted with the names and characteristics |
of many of the resident rebels and bushwhaek- /
ers, and the knowledge afterwards served me
good turn. In 1862, after participating in the |
battle of Pea Ridge, the skirmish at Neosho |
and several small raids and long marches, was |
placed on the sick list at Cassville, and about /
Aug. received short furlOugh, returning,
though still scarcely able to travel, about Sept
TO my regiment, then at Springfield, 1Io. At
that time the Union army occupied Rolla, Leb- |
anon, Springfield and number Of other points, |
whliesquads OF rebels were on the Little PIney, |
IL miles from Rolla, on the Springfield road,
and at Neosho. There were also some bush
whackers along the road between Lebanon and
Springfield, who occasionally diverted them
selves by robbing the mail and picking off
Union stragglers. On leaving the cars at Rolla
/ embarked early in the morning On Gov
ernment wagon train for Springfield, reaching
the Little Piney about noon, when the train
was attacked by the rebels, who, after fighting
for half an hour, retreated, leaving three or
four of their number dead on the field after
proceeding some two miles further the train
stopped for the night. Early next morning,
the weather being warm and pleasant, started
out ahead of the train, taking my carpet-saek
with me. / had not travelled far when
overtaken by man named Gray, who was
dressed in citizens clothes, and who was in
the employ of the Commissary Department.
Our conversation naturally turned upon
the subject of the war, and upon the nest Of
secesh between Lebanon and Springfield. Just
then the stage running between Rolla and
Springfield made its appearance. Its driver
hrion laffa ,a1 l,.,a
driven for number of years over the route,
and in whom the reb5 had great confidence
When he came up with us we made bargain
with him to take US to Springfield, there being
no other passengers in the stage.
We soon found that George, though profess
ing sympathy with the rebels, was at heart a
strong Unionist, and that the leader of the
bushwhackers between Lebanon and Spring
field was an old man named Tyndall. We pro-
posed going to Tyndalls (which was a station
for the stage) to stop over night, and though
we knew we were running a great risk, yet,
after taking George into our confidence, we
concluded to do so and rely upon him to help
us out of any scrape we might get into. The
day being hot the stage stopped at the Gascon-
ade River long enough to allow us TO take
swim, after which I put my blouse in the bot
| tom of my carpet-sack and rode in my shirt
sleeves till we were within about mile of
TyndalPs, when three rebels armed with guns
came out of the woods and followed the stage.
We arrived at our stopping place about sum
down, and Tyndall came out to the road to see
us. Immediately upon stopping began look
ing through the stage for my coat, and asking
George and Gray if they had seen it. Not find
ing it, | turned with wo-begone look and
said to Tyndall, % Good Lord stranger, I am
afraid to stop here tonight; / have lost my
coat where we went bathing in the Gasconade,
and if any of those cnssed Yankees find it with
my papers in the pockets they viii follow me
sure, and will stretch me up If they catch me-
He looked suspicously and said little in reply,
but followed George out to the barn with the
horses, and questioned him closely about US.
| George (being posted) told him that we got on
| the stage at the Little Piney; that from our
conversation he believed Gray to be connected
with the Quartermaster's Department of Col.
| Cofee's (rebel) command, then at Neosho and
/ that he believed me to be q Lieutenant IN the
| same command on leave of absence returning
! TO my regiment.
| AS the old man, Tyndall, returned from the
barn, the three rebels who had been following
| US halted at the gate, and he went out and
| talked awhile with them, when they left.
| Gray and myself meantime had brought out
| chairs and seated ourselves on the grass
! plat in front of the house. The old man came
to where we were sitting, aud Gray, without
appearing TO see him, said loud enough to be
| heard, Pope thinks himself a big man, but be-
/ fore he knows it StoneWall Jackson will scoop
him up bag and baggage" I replied, 4" Those
| Yankees think they have got US nearly
| whipped, but they haven't whipped one side of
US yet etc. We talked IN this strain awhile,
the old man cycling us suspiciously all the
time. At length he spoke up:
Where did you come from?"
From Bonneville" | replied, "I have just
been there on a furlough, and am on my way to
Neosho to join my regiment.
Which way did you Gomez"
"Through Lebanon"
"How did you pass the guard?"
Easy enough" replied |, slapping my knee
with my hand. Don't you see these blue pants
told them belonged to the Union army and
was ON my way to Springfield, and made the
fools believe it,"
Supper was then announced and very poor
supperit was, consisting of cOrnbread and bacon
and black coffee. After supper the conyersa
ton was resumed. asked the old man if tht
Feds bothered him any. He replied yes, they
had taken him to Springfield two or three times
and had made him take the oath of allegiance
| asked him if that troubled him much. HS
replied:
mo; have taken it half dozen times, and
don't care that for it," at the same time snap
ping his fingers.
He then asked my name, which I informed
him was Smith, and went on to inquire after
number of persons about Bonneville and Sedalia
| then In turn asked his name. "Tyndall," h
responded.
"Tyndall!" I exclaimed, in apparant sur
prise. Are you related to Capt. Alexande
Tyndall?"
Z" He was my son; he was killed at Pc;
Ridge"
Is it possible!" said !; but you are mis-
taken as to his having been killed, as / belong
to the same regiment and was in that fight
Your son was supposed to have been fatally
wounded and was left on the field awhile a
dead,-in fact was reported among the killed.
but after being removed was found still to be liv
iHg and is now at Neosho very slowly recover
ing, aud as soon as he is able to travel he vii
be given furlough to come home."
BY means of this deception | oyercame tn
old mans suspicious and he grew very con
fdential. 1t was after 10 o'clock before ha(
so gained his confidence that could ask hin
for the information / wished.
"There are number of young men in thi
vicinity" said /, 'who ought to be helping tn
} cause Why can't they be got into the army2
WELL" said he, "the Feds are on bot
sides of US, and if they started they might ge
, picked up"
Not at all; they could be taken across th
country four miles, to the road north of here
and from there follow the road to the Littl
: Piney leaving Lebanon on their left. From
there they could go along the south side of th
Usage River to Deerfeld, and thence south t
Neosho. At any rate, would like to see an
talk with them and tell them how to evade th
3 Yanks"
! found by further talk that there were be
ID ahc vtrI,Y n11 a,,