, 1888-06-30
SPYING AT CORINTH.

"ACh AAI "5 DNSAN6h6 -
gard at Corinth, or, rather, daily APP
preaching the Confederate lines by a sys-
tenn of defenses, | was in the trenches
one afternoon when the captain of my
sent for me and ordered me to
report to the colonel. The colonel ordered
me to report at Gen. Halleck's head
quarters, and when 1 made my appear
ance the general said:
.fYou nave done some scoutingT"
Yes, SIR"
''Wil you go as a spy7"
"Where top
''Into Corinth. l want information
which only a spy can secure If you
come back you shall be well rewarded.
If you are detected you will be hung"
II will try it."
Very good. Return in an hour and
l will give you instructions. When can
you set outf'
"By midnight"
'sThat will do"
1 went away wondering how on earth
Gen. Halleck had ever heard of me, and
It was a month later before / ascertained
the facts. One afternoon 1 was ''show-
ing off, to a group of soldiers, and the
general and his chief engineer halted on
their round of inspection and became
spectators ~unbeknown to me. In my
palny days i could initiate any voice l
heard; / could put my face into almost
any shape; / could work my ears like n
horse, and could throw a hat off my head
by working my scalp. When 1 was only
"a years old l could make my face look
like that of a man of 20, and, as my face
was as beardless as a woman's, / could
dress In female attire and defy any one
to detect my by my voice or gait.
The main thing was to get into Cor
NTH. The general had no suggestions to
make on that point, and the work to be
done, when once inside, seemed easy
enough. The way into Corinth by the
south and west was still open, and milk,
vegetables, hay and other stuff were beng
received by every highway. When l set
out just before shutdown / had $500 in
gold In my pockets and n bundle of
clothing in my hand. At midnight,
when ] reached the point aimed at, n
bow backed old man of 70, lame, gray
haired and toothless, might nave been
seen sitting In a fence corner of a high
way to await the passage of time. / was
within seven miles of Corinth, and my
plan was to go in with some vehicle.
Within ten miles of me were two great
armies getting ready for q death grapple,
but just then the frogs croaked, the in
sects buzzed, and peace spread her man
tie as In a graveyard. Indeed, / was in
a browse when / heard the rattle OF
wheels, and was only on my feet when n
young man. driving a horse to an open
buggy. came along. He had six jugs of
milk In the vehicle, and was bound for
town.
"Hey, you'll" 1 called TO him. Cant
you give an old man a lift to town? My
boy has run off and jined the soldiers,
and l must see him and try and get him
back"
"fWho are your he asked.
Judge Lexington, of Guntown.
Started to come by rail, but the engine
I've got lost, l reckon"
II should say you hadl You amt
anywhere near the railroad"
'Reckon not. Pretty hard on the old
man, but I feel as if 1 must get the boy
back"
well, jump in. 1 suppose you've got
q pass5"
'tOh. yes"
he was q kind hearted, simple minded
young man, and had a pass, which en-
abled him to come and go at pleasure.
We had not gone above half a mile when
/ suddenly discovered" that / had lost
the important document which would
admit me into Corinth. He stopped his
horse while / searched anew, but the pa
per could not befound.
"And what will they do If ] don't nave
q pass2" / asked.
Take you before some of the gen.
erals, and they may lock you up. They
are mighty careful of late"
"And may not get to see my boyT'
perhaps not"
''took on" for about five minutes in
q pathetic strain, and when | saw that /
had enlisted his sympathies l said:
My young friend, 1 don't want to be
delayed. You must help me. When
we come TO the picket post am TO pass
as your father who has come to town TO
look around Even an hours delay may
take my boy away"
''Oh, but / wouldn't dare"
You'd dare a great deal for these" ]
said, as | put a couple of $40 gold pieces
into his hand.
''Why-yes-I-I feel sorry for you,
and want you to get in. / might ssy
you wa my father, butt
'Tl chance the rest"
don't think he expected any trouble,
for the matter did not seem to trouble
him any. When we drove up to the
first picket post he halted the horse and
wa fumbling for his pass, when one oil
the pickets said:
That's all right-drive on. Oh, but
who is that with your"