Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-09-02
Captured by a Woman.

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come out, and so matters stood until
Grant could send up Thomas with re-
Inducements and take the aggressive.
1t was during this period of inac-
tivity that / was sent into Nashville
to observe what the Union forces were
doing, and pick up such points as
might be of value to Gen. Hood.
While scouting is dangerous 'nuff, the
scout who turns spy doubles his risks
and dangers at once.
1t was left to me to decide what
character l should take, and twenty
four hours after my talk with the
Gineral | was in Nashville. / had
turned farmer, and 1 went in with
horse and buggy. l had corn to sell
the quarter-master, and the reason l
wasn't in the rebel army was because
of my being stiff in the left leg and
so nigh-sighted that my eyes were
good for nuthin' at all arter dark. l
had to do a leetle practicing to keep
my knee stiff and git natural limp
to my gait, and the nigh-sighted biz
ness had to be worked up and kept in
mind.
1t was well for me that l had
plausible story ready cooked for l was
at once taken before the Provost Mar
shall and questioned in the sharpest
manner. lived eighteen miles away
| had 400 bushels of corn to sell l
hadn't fit on either side; l voted agin
secession. This was my story, and
arter browbeating me fur spell l
was turned loose to find the quarter
master and make bargain with him.
The city was bilin' full of refugees,
and there was a heap of confusion
and excitement. 1t seemed as if one
might move about under such circum-
stances and not be suspected, but l
didn't want to take any chances. 1
was huntin' up stoppin' place when
l lit upon quiet street and had the
luck to hit house kept by a widow.
There were only five or six boarders,
and none of these belonged to the
army. There were two women, two
Yankee cotton buyers, a store clerk
or two and myself. Says the widow
to me as paid her three days board
in advance
"If any one should ask your bust
ness in town should 1 say that you
were speculator?" ?"
"No, marin. Jist remark to the
effect that am John Stetson, farmer,
and that I'm tryin' to sell forage to
the Yankees"
"You seem lame."
"Sartin, marin. This ere stiff
knee has wintered and summered with |
me for goin' on twelve years."
"And are your eyes weak p
Powerful, marm. l manage to
poke around fairly well by daylight,
but arter sundown I'm no good. l
kin see to get around, but that's all.
Weakness of the eyes is a great Attic
tion, marm."
1t was in the forenoon that l en-
gagged board with the widow, and I
was promptly at hand at dinner and
supper. The other boarders scarcely
gave me second look, each one ap-
parently satisfied with the first, but 1
must say that dinner was not yet over
when it struck me that the widow was
a mighty inquisitive woman for such
times as those. She wanted to know
all about my farm and family and
nayburs, and somehow it didn't seem
as if my answers exactly suited her.
l dismissed her from.
my mind with dinner, and durin' the.
afternoon was too busy to remember
low she had questioned me.
spent the day wandering about.
md taking notes and posting myself
is far as possible on the strength Of
he army and the sort of defenses be-
ng thrown up. I did not go out arter
supper, which meal was served by |
amplight, and at an early hour went
'ff to bed. The room given me had
been sort Of upstairs store room for
he house. A bit of carpet had been
aid on the floor and a bed put up,
md while things were tolerably clean
here was bare and lonesome look
o things. Howsumever, it was war
lines, and thousands would have
eckoned themselves we'll of to secure
ich quarters.
| had gone to my room early, not
because l was sleepy, but l wanted to
ook over my notes bit and rewrite
hem on thin paper and secret them
'here they could not be readily found }
case of my arrest. Naturallysuppo
ng myself safe from all eyes, let up q
n the limp which / had carefully stuck
D all day, and by the light Of very
oor lamp set abost my writing.
When this was finished / rolled the ?
aper into small wad apd placed it
a one of the buttons of my coat,