Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-03-04

The service was entered into with q
knowledge of It's dangers, responsibilities
and reward, and it IS asserted without fear
Of successful contradiction that no. one Of
the military secret service officers Of the
United States during the late rebellion sur
rendered his secrets for the t~rCQuently ten
derod boon Of saving his life.
The United Stated government was
anxious in September, 1851, TO capture
Hilton Head, 5. c., and as the knowledge
as to the Confederate forces was very
| meagre, q secret service officer received
orders to proceed South and obtain the in
formation desired. 4 dispatch boat was
placed at his disposal and landed him in
the night, on the 18th Of October, five
miles south of Bay Point, at the entrance
Of Port Royal Sound. At 8 o'clock on the
morning OF the 18th. n poorly dressed
~Frenchmln, speaking his Own and no other
language, wSs captured by the scouts OF
Captain Screyeu's mounted gueTTillas, and
having satisfactorily explained his presence
in that vicinity was detailed to act rs cook
TO the squad. The first meal served by
the ignorant foreigner proved cOnCiusively
that he would potion the whole force II his
services were not instantly dispensed with,
and gs he seemed to be anxious and willing
TO pretoIm any service, Captain SCreven
promoted him 70 tine digniiied position Of
his body servant aud groom. The guerril-
las to which the F~renchmau was attached
were u7ed as Couryers and scouts, and often
entrusted with the carrying OF valuable
dispatches between the different parts Of
the Confederate forces gathered to defend
Hilton Head, 5 c.
CJp,a.uS creyeu was q very energetic SOL
d;trand generally kept his horse in motion,
giving bis servant a good opportunity to
receive an education as a stable boy, and
at the same time catch glimpscs Of the
material President Davis had on hand TO
defend this seaport.
On the Goth Of O .toher the gallant cap
tain and his faithful shadow, tie French
mpu, returned from Camp Lee, H1riee-
VILE, where = council OF war had been held
IN the afternoon. presided over by Admiral
Josiah TatHall OF the Confederate States
navy. l. was : p N. when the two arrived
at Camp Lookout, and after the horses had
been looked after the French groom inter
viewed the cook "a 70 the inner man. In
convcrsing in very broken English with
the Stl!yaTt negro, the Information was
gained that freedom from the bonds OF
slavery wu1ld not oaly he hailed with de
light, but q. the first chluCe given he would
attempt 10 throw of the calling yoke. He
Informed he FrcnChman that he was horn
in Beaufort, ) C., had lived in that vicinity
sine, and was thoroughly acquainted with
the .cighh9yho2i; that he had heard an
attack on Fort Hilton vas contemplated
by the Yankees, and If they did come MS
way the event wOuld be taken advantage
Of 10 gain his liberty. Replying to this
statement, the FreTChuan thought he
would also he pleased to drop his oCcup--
ton AM Join UGcic Suns army, bat that
10 would be dangerous 10 leave when fight
irG was in progress; that he under. TODD
that hundreds were sometimes killed, etc
add his broken E0g,jsh Wa 50 gracefully
ornamental wit gtsticulltiOus that the
sable ~l'~l,nsr was terrified az the idea that
q IN. lc might he fought, and be in "a POSI-
ton 20 stop q stray bullet. At last an n
greempnt was entered into TO the effect tAat
If th" groom saw an opportunity 20 iC.vs
that nigh the negro would pilot him to y
place a few miles above Hiltp0 Head,
whore = conveyance could be obtained in
winch they could join the Union fleet il
they cam" OF the colsl. At 10 O'Clock
that night the negro COOK was told to b.
ready AZ a moments notice to depart and
to provide him.e,! with = large hGversacE
filled with hIm sand wjche-, etc.
Midnight ca;uc and the tent Of the guer-
rilla chief was the scene Of a dangerous
action. The field bed OF the captain stood
IN the centre Of the room, and on a camp
chair alongside was deposited the wearing
apparel Of the sleeping warrior. 4 little
table with a loaded Colts revolver and a
sword and belt clrelessly thrown across il
stood within six inches Of the right hand
of the owner. In a corner stood an Is.
Critoire az which the rebel soldier gen rally
wrote his letters, which was this night the
repository Of the lists, maps, etc, brough'
before the council of war, which enabled
Il to Law down a plan to defeat the Union
army in case an attack took place. A copy
OF their delibcratjOn and the issued ordeT'
10 the different rebel commanders TO carry
out this desire would be Of great value TO
the Union cause, and the secret service Cti-
Ger who had sworn by his honor as Il sol
der to obey his instructions, regarding the
loss of his life If discovered IS a secondary
matter, uerved himself for the attempt 10
place these papers ia the hands of Uucle
Sans commanders.
4 baretOoted groom entered noiseles,ly
the tent and, inch hy inch, making his wav
to the camp-stool, distracted tronI The
pantalOJus of the sleeper a littlekey which
Trg immediately inserted into the loCk of
the eScritoire, allowing his nimble fingers
to gather the valuable papers wanted.
Locking the receptacle, tine key was re-
turned to lts former place, and the captain
had escaped instant death by his heav7
sleep. The foreigner carried in his lcls
hand q cooked revolver and would have
10 doubt used il if detected when at his
midnight exploit. The exit from the tent
~aS I-ldc rehabilitation and the negro
cooS was quickly called TO carry into tx.
ecutiou his psot!rced services = a guide.
l. was a very easy matter to dodge the few
sant.ies, AMI by dsybreak tie two fugjtiyes
were costly s,greted in an old tumble down
negro shanty ca the edge o! one Of the
rarlsroug bayous made by The river E.ji,to
Il looked 20 the FrCuchma1 "a if nature
Vas 5eg-eltiug the u~nSlvcry treatment Of
the Confederate captain, because it seemed
the s,uices OF the heavens were opened that
day it rained AZ if heraldiug the second