The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1885-09-12
A REBEL SPY.
Desperate and Successful Rush for
Life.

zgg Now let me tell you that IN time {
Furry and excitement, like that whic
prccedes a battle, the life of a singl
man seems of no more value than tn
map Of q finger. There is no time t
4 waste in storytelling, and no disposi
Zion to sympathize with victims. l sa,
This in cold blood now, but once upol
sA time | felt that a drum-head court
martial was murder in the first degree
# You will remember that when Brag.
Evacuated Chattanooga he set a tra]
Tor Rosecrans. Rosecrans took tn
bait, and the battle of Chickamaug;
was the result. At the time l was
Scout at Bragg's headquarters, ant
while Rosecrans was strung out over
line of country forty miles long, eacl
corps isolated and inviting destruction
III our scouts were kept busy bringing
In news.
III l had been sending in reports from
4McCook s troops. Dressed as a Fedora.
Second Lieutenant | had mingled witt
various regiments without being sus.
Mpected. The Federal army was strain.
Ting every nerve to concentrate. and
Yin the great excitement and anxiety
Zone would scarcely have noticed what
Sort of a uniform his r%ight-hand COM
Trade wore. l gave Bragg a fair idea
of the strength of several divisions,
number of batteries, esprit du corps of
Athe rank and file, etc, and twelve hours
before the fight opened at Chicamauga
"a was ready to leave the blue coats and
return to the gray.
II | always found it easier to get into
the enemy's camp than to get out. 1t
was certainly so in this case. | had
marched all day with Sheridan's in
fantry. Several times during the day
/ had been asked the name of my regi-
ment and company. but had ready an
swers. l could name half a dozen diff
E~ferent regiments, and had a very reason
able excuse for being ahead or behind
my own.
n The men halted at noon to prepare
coffee, and as | passed a group of Of
fcers by the roadside they called out for
me to join them for the hasty meal. |
pretended not to have heard. and the
Invitation was renewed. | had no
alternative but to accept and make the
best of it. They were a jolly set, being
captains and Licutenants in the same
regiment, and it was evident they took
me for an officer in one of the other
Regiments in the brigade. The onver-
|sation related wholly to the coming
BATTLE, and | was acting my part as
well as could be expected, when l sud-
denly caught sight of a face which I'M
scettled me in a moment.
Il Opposite me was a Federal Captain
who had not spoken a word since |
joined the group. He not only had a
peculiar face, but there was a film over
Bis left eye which rendered it sightless,
while the other had a strange way of
glaring at me When l looked up /
telt that he had been scrutinizing me
rom the first moment. There was
eomething about which whispered of
evil to me, and l suddenly lost my ap-
Petite. l made a pretense of eat
llng, however, and was hoping to get
WAY from the group without being
Questioned, when the Captain leaned
Forward and, in a voice which rasped
and grated on the ear, inquired:
What regiment do you belong TOP"
1.-THE Fifth" replied.
"What Fifth"
"Illinois."
"Humph"
! answered him by chance, not know
Ing whether such a regiment was in
the corps or not. Did he know? What
did he mean by ''humphP"
None of the other officers seemed to
any interest in the case, but l
was not yet ready to go when the Cap
ain left the circle. Was he going to
consult some superior officer regarding
my arrestp The fear that he was
caused me to act at once. He was no
sooner out of sight than I hastily X
used myself and hurried down the
Dad. The troops were on the march
gain, and ] pushed along at a brisk
'ace and was soon mixed up with an
,ther brigades
When night came l must be with the
Idvance. 1t would be quite easy then
o evade the pickets and reach Confed-
rate territory. BY mid-afternoon 1
vas with the advance brigade, and had
lmost forgotten the circumstance of
be Captain with tho wicked look.
shen | suddenly found him at my Of
ow. He vas trudging along the same
$ myself, and AS much unnoticed.
You may believe that my heart gave ,
wild jump. Was / MISTAKEN l ;
oped and believed SO, but as / took a i
econd look there was no room to
oubt hat my first glance had identi-
cd the man. 1t was that Captain, |
ire enough. He did not seem TO see G
lie, but he moderated or increased his G
nee by mine. He did not look at me, t
Or did he open his mouth to utter a
|nglc word. He simply hung on like q
bloodhound, satisfied that l was his :
y
The helpless feeling that first over '
kme me soon gave way to one OF an Q
oyance and anger. Did he remember @
lep was satisfied that he did. Did
3 suspect me of being in disguised II
ot why did he follow mep Why y
Idn't he denounce me at oncep Why II
ldn't he interrogate or accuseP What v
as he waiting forp p
Hosr xfscr hour that silent, speech | 2