Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-04-16
a Confederate Spy.

When Gen. Early made his great raid
on Washington | was scouting between
his advance and the city, and was cap
tured within the city limits twenty-four
hours before his battle-ilags appeared in
sight. | was dressed in citizens clothes,
pretended to be deaf and dumb. and
claimed to have been driven ont of Rich
mond. becanse had written threatening
letters to jefferson Davis.
had been inside the Notifications for
half day, and was slowly walking out,
when couple Of young men, both ot
whom were considerably the worse for
liquor, halted me and wanted to fight,
had pencil and block of paper with
ME, and | wrote:
81 am deaf and dumb
That made no difference with them.
Indeed, they declared that it would be Il
novel idea to lick deaf and dumb man,
and one of them gave me a cuff on the
ear.
In those days | weighed 100 pounds
and had the muscle of Il prize fighter. l
tried to get away from them without
further trouble, but when they seemed
determined to have row | gave them
all they wanted, and wasn't many min
utes about it. A crowd of soldiers and
civilians collected, and the provost
guard came up, and the result was as
had anticipated. | was arrested and
carried off to a guard-house. One OF
the Young men, who afterward turned
out to be related to member of the cab
ibet, followed me to the office of the
provost marshal and charged me with
being spy. No one seemed to enter
tain doubt that Il was deaf and dumb,
as | claimed, and my examination was
carried on in writing. was asked my
name, age, when born and hundred
other questions, and then searched.
They found nothing OH me of crimi-
mating nature, and | reasoned that l
would be detained until after the ex-
citement had passed and then turned
loose.
After being detained three days an Of
flcer entered my quarters one morning
and said to me-:
"Well, dummy, you can pack up and
get out"
The minute | heard his step outside
was on my guard, but he spoke in such
a natural tone that came near giving
myself away. On three different occa-
sions during the war played the part
of deaf and dumb man, and | tell you
it takes all the nerve and presence Of
mind man can call up. | sat facing
the door, and while | heard his words,
| made no movement. He came closer
TO me and said:
"Come, pack up your traps, you are
to be turned loose"
| looked him straight in the eyes with
out winking, and after a bit look of
chagrn stole over his face and he mo-
toned for me to follow him. He took
me to the provost marshal's office, and
| was ushered into private room
where the marshal and three or four
other officials were seated. On the way
to the office, as We crossed wide street
the officer suddenly exclaimed:
There's a runaway norse-look
OUT"
If HADN'T been expecting some such
thing on his part ! must have betrayed
myself. As gave no sign, continuing
Oh with my head down, | heard him
growliug:
"rhey think they've 90 sucker, bur
they'll find out their miStake"'
| entered the Office, knowing that
every trick would be resor'ed to TO break
Inc down, aud my nerves were braced
as If to charge battery of artillery. |
was left standing by the door for mo-
ment, when one of the officials looked
up quietly and said:
Take seat, sir, and well attend to
you in a moment"
made no move, but looked around
the room in stupid sort of way. was
looking out Of the window on to roof
when the same official said
"You may come forward and take
this chair"
l stood like stone, and he rose up,
came over to me, and led me to chair
at the table. When / was seated one OF
the others remarked:
"Write your name, age and last place
of residence on a slip of paper"
That was trick number three, and it
failed as the others had done. By and
by the marshal wrote on slip of paper:
"Who are you, and where from?"
| wrote in reply: 81 am Charles
Jones, of Richmond"
but you are Union man z! sug-
gested one of the officers aloud.
saw his lips move, but he got no
sign from me. The examination con-
tinued in this manner for full hour,
the men using every artifice TO trap me,
but they failed to score single point. l
knew they would reserve the sharpest
trick to the last, and was therefore
nerved up for it. AT length the mar
shal pushed back in his chair, pointed
his finger at my breast and angrily ex-
claimed:
"Where did that Confederate button
come from?"
1t was another failure. Then he
turned to his companions and said:
"Gentlemen, it's no use. The man is
certainly deaf and dumb and id