The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1885-09-17
A WAR REMlNlScENcE.
The Lady in Silk and JeweIs-A Thrilling Expe.
rence.

rience.
We heard a lady living in Marietta relate
an incident OF the late war which may not
be devoid of interest.
General Johnston's army had fallen back
to the entertainments in front of Kennesaw
Mountain, and the Federal forces closely
confronted him. The signal corps occu-
pied the summit of Kennesaw Mountain and
kept up constant communication with the
Confederate forces along the line Mariet-
Ia was garrisoned by company of Ten
nessee regiment under command of Cant.
st John, Lieutenant Kitchen and Lieuten-
ant Virgins. These officers had formed the
| acquaintance of number of our Marietta
ladies', and invited. a few of them to visit
kennesaw Mountain and watch the fighting
of the two armies stretched across fields and
hills and woods. Two wagon loads of la
dies, chaperoned by these officers. went up
to kennesaw one day and they had the OBJ
pOrtunity of witnessing brisk fight. The
booming cannon and the rafting musketry
kept time to their beating hearts. Three
dwellings, in the distance between the two
armies, were seen to be in blaze at once.
1t was grand sight to them. The signal
corps kept their flags waving, and every
movement of the Federal forces were care
FULLY watched through the telescopes and
faithfully communicated. During the visit,
there appeared among them handsomely
dressed lady robed in silk and decked in
jewels, which was in rare contrast then with
the Marietta ladies, who were costumed in
homespun. She was accompanied by a
led with the Marietta ladies', listened and
took part III conversations and read the sig
nal flag dispatches. Her rich costume and
actions excited the suspicion of the Confed-
crate officers who came to the conclusion
that she and her companion were Federal
spies, and they we're arrested, but their pa
perS on examination were found to be all
right and nothing could be done but turn
them loose and watch their actions. In the
meantime the Federal officers had through
their glasses discovered the ladies on top of
kennesaw and they had determined to give
them scare by turning their artillery fire
in that direction. The Confederate officers
had noticed the preparation and notified the
ladies that they must get ready to leave at
once, that the wagons were then in waiting
for the return trip They had no sooner
started to descend the grand old mountain
before the shells began to burst around them
Some would 60 over the mountain, others
would fall on the sides and others would
fail to reach it. The ladies were greatly
frightened and no concealment of their
fears needed to be made for they were in
great danger One shell fell very close to
one of the young ladies (who now lives in
Atlanta) and when it exploded it tore a log
all to pieces. During this brisk lombard
ment the lady in the silk dress and Jewels
quietly disappeared
When the Confederate army fell back and
Marietta was occupied by the Federal for
ces, some of these ladies who went on that
trip on that memorable day were visited by
smooth-faced young gentleman, in his suit
of blue and to their startling CONSERVATION
he revealed the fact that he was the lady
in the black silk dress and flashing jewels, "
on kennesaw Mountain when their visit was
so Opportune for his appearance. The lady
was in reality Federal spy and he was that
lady. He had a list OF the names of all the
ladies in that crowd and it seemed to afford
him good deal of pleasure to create the
sensation that he did for these ladies were
nervously apprehensive that he would have
them arrested But such an event did not
take place and these ladies now talk over
their thrilling experience with good deal
of interest to the young Americans" who
listen and ask questions innumerable.