Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-03-26
STORIES OF THE WAR.
Incidents Of the Secret service
By oliver Ellsworth wood, Author of
"The West Point Scrapbook," Etc.


Icy oliver Ellsworth wood, Author of
"The West Point scrapbook," Etc.
written for the Free Press from entirely orgi-
nal sources.
Shortly after the battle Of Fredericks
burg, my regiment was relieved from duty
with the army of the Potomac, and order
eel to Baltimore as Provost Guard of the
city.
During the early months of 1868, my
position in the Provost Marshal's office
gave me many opportunities of observing
the peculiar phases of the Secret Service
AZ II then existed.
The office was located in the old Gil
mour house on Battle Monument Square,
and was the scene of many Il queer inter
view
Daily a large crowd of people of both
sexes and of all conditions would congre-
gate there, some desiring passes to visit
Fort Mclienry others anxious to go
South through the lines, and many others
came under surveillance, to answer-if
they could-questions relative to conceal
ell arms, medical supplies, stores ready for
shipment. or bags OF mall which had been
secretly prepared for transmission South
and of which information had reached the
Provost Marshal through the watchful-
ness of agents of the secret service.
One of these agents was man of my
own regiment, manned Hunter, whose
ready wit and keen insight into human
nature specially adapted him to the call
ing of detective. He was brave as lion
and possessed Il calm disposition that
nothing ever disturbed he was always
cool and collected, and moreover had II
marvellous faculty for transformation
that few could ever hope to equal
At this time Barnum's hotel was a great
resort for svmpathizers of the Southern
Confederacy, ana II was determined that
an effort should he made to break 1t up.
Hunter was accordingly sent for, and
after II protracted interview with the Pro
vust Marshal he left the Office.
Two weeks passed before | saw him
again, when he told me the story of his
experience.
The night after he had received his in
structons he appeared at Barnum : hotel
thoroughly disguised, and registered I'M
der the name of wyatt Lacy of Rich
mOnd, Va"
He was very lavish with his money
(Which had been supplied him from the
secret service fund.-, and in Il very few
! days had made many friends, to whom he
slngly, and at various times, impaired the
| fact that he was shortly to return to Rich
mond. and would be glad to take any let
| tiers or packages that he could carry on
| his person. In about IA week he had acCu
INFLATED all he could take care of, and
making a package of them, he deposited
them in the hotel safe, telling the clerk he
would call for the package the next day,
as he was to return to Richmond the fol-
| lowing night.
That night he had an interview with
the Provost Marshal at the Eutaw House,
and within half an hour Il patrol of one
officer and twenty men appeared at Bar
NUNS hotel inquiring for Mr.. Lacy of
| Richmond p Strange to say, he could
| not be found. CONSERVATION appeared on
the face of the clerk, as he was ordered to
hand over the package deposited by MIR.
! Iacy' in the safe
| Argument was ont of the question the
clerk complied the guard was left III the
| hotel with orders To allow no one to leave,
| and the package was taken to the Provost
| Marshal's office and examined.
The result was an increased attendance
at the Office the next morning, and good
| ~ number of citizens were sent to join
! their friends in the CUnfederacy at Rich
mond within "A hours.
| The propriety of closing Barnum 5 hotel
|
using it as Il hospital, but ii was decided
| to allow ii To remain open and the guard
was Withdrawn, although it was kept UNI
der official scrutiny during the remainder
of my stay III Baltimore.
| Some months later Information was re-
ceived from Col. Baker. the head of the
secret service in Washington, that there
was certain person from the South then
in Philadelphia, evidently an agent of the
Confederacy, who was purchasing large
quantities of clothing, boots, shoes and
| medicines, for use in the Southern army
and that vessel would probably be fitted
out there to run the blockade with these
supplies. The Provost Marshal AT Balti
more was directed to send suitable detect
ives to Philadelphia to ferret out the bust
ness, and TO use such funds as were neces
sary to complete the undertaking.
Among the detectives then on duty il
Baltimore We're two brothers namet
Moore, cool, deliberate fellows, equal t,
any emergency and fearless to the last de
| gree.
Tom" the elder brother, had former lN
been sailor, and was tolerably familiar
with the various harbOrs up and down tn,
coast.
Jim" the younger brother had re
ceived fair education, and, prior to thu
breaking out of the war, had been EN-
ployed i'll commission house in New
York.
delicate mission of ferreting out TIT
scheme to run the blockade.
1t WAS indeed u delicate mission. Tn
name OF the suspected agent was un
known, and only the barest possible de
scription of him had been given. 1t wa
like looking for a needle in the hay NOW
; but the two brothers were equal to tn
task.
They laid their plans before leaving Bal
timore, and then proceeded to Philadel
phia to carry them out. On their srriva
Tom" and his brother parted company
the former, going down into the lowe
quarter of the city, frequented by seafar
ing men, and taking up his abode at
sailors clearinghouse, remained quietl
there, daily scanning the lists of mari
time arrivals and departures, and givinl
the impression that he was on the lookou
for job aS mate on coasting vessel.
In the meantime, Jim" frequented tn
various hotels and boarding houses, os
ten sibly as an insurance agent but il
reality engaged in looking for the mysteli
Gus stranger. Several DAYS passed with