Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-07-05
A HEROINE OF THE WAR.

Is lie-illtfc are uO utdu
SIR EdlUdrd BuIIceT Lltt2n.
A HEROINE OF THE WAR.
HOW A BRAVE QUAKER GIRL AIDED GEN
SHERIDAN AT CEDAR CREEK-REBEC
CA L. WRIGHT, IN THE FACE OF DAN
GER, SENDS NEWS OF THE ENEMY
POSITION WAY A NEGRO
CARRIED THE SIEsSAGE-THE GENER
AIS GIFT OF GOLD WATCH.
Washington Star.
A modest little Quaker woman in tn
redemption agency of the Treasury De
partment wears a gold watch on whicl
is inscribed: presented to Rebecca /
Wright, Sept. 10, 1867, by General Phil
H. Sheridan. A memento of Sept. 19
1864" The watch is attached to Ions
gold chain, fastened at the neck with /;
clasp representing horse shoe, a mill
tary gauntlet and stirrips. Hanging t.
a short end is a sword, key and a seal
The wearer of this is a lady of so, bu
she appears ten or fifteen years younger
Her manner is quiet, and her face ex
presses amiability and the gentler WON
anly qualities. There is nothing strong
minded or warlike about her bearing
nothing to suggest the wearing of mill
tary hOnOrs. Yet no soldier who follow.
ed Sheridan into Winchester September
10, 1864, did a greater service than die
this little woman on that occasion. II
was due to her that Winchester was cap
tured, and Sheridan always spoke with
pride of his ''little Quaker girl" She
was little more than a girl when he first
met her.
When Sheridan was lying before Win
chester in 1864 family of Quakers liv-
ed within the town, then held by rebel
forces. They were one of very few
Union families who remained in the
place during the war, and by the teach
ings of their faith they were loyal. Dur
ing the heat of the contest the father, an
old man, was made prisoner by the Con
federates, and died from confinement
and hardShipS. The mother, one daugh-
ter and little boy lived together, and
were much respected, Notwithstanding
their want of sympathy with war and re-
bellion.
The daughter was Rebecca Wright,
then about twenty-five years old, and
she it was who furnished Gen. Sheridan
with information concerning Gen. Ear
ly's forces, which led to the successful
battle of September 10. She has been
married since then, and is now Mrs. Bon
sal. A Star reporter called on her at
the Treasury the other day, and she told
him her story and showed him the
watch, which she seems to prize more as
a present from Gen. Sheridan than as a
tribute to her own service. She is a re-
fined and very intelligent woman, and
must have been a remarkably pretty girl
when she risked her life to serve the
cause of the Union. She had never seen
Gen. Sheridan at that time and knew
of him.
81 was engaged in some household
duties" she said, recounting her story to
the Star man. at was about noon on
the 10th of September, '64. 1 was in
terrupted by knock at the door, and
on opening it, 1 found an intelligent
looking colored man, who asked to see
Miss Wright. There were two Misses
Wright living in Winchester, and 1 ask
ed which he wanted. Miss Rebecca,'
he said; the other is in sympathy with
the rebels He would not say what he
wanted, but, after looking about careful
ly, asked to be allowed to speak with me
alone. 1 was impressed by his manner,
and took him into another room. He at
once closed the door, and 1 became
as my mother and were alone
in the house. But he Immediately said
he had a note from Gen. Sheridan, who
wanted me to give him all the informa-
ton l could concerning the rebel forces.
He took from his mouth little wad of
tinfoil, which proved to be letter from
Gen. Sheridan written on tissue paper
The colored man said he had carried it
all the way in his mouth, and had been
instructed to swallow it if moleSted by
Confederate picketS. He was engaged
in carrying provisions through the lines
for the use of the town, and General
Sheridan had secured his services in
this matter. l was taken by surprise
and did not know what to do. l did
not know how far l could trust the
man, fearing that there might be trick
to get me into trouble, and l told him
that knew nothing about the rebels
But the man spoke very intelligently
and gave such evidences of earnestness
that l concluded to trust him. While
he was talking / was tearing the tinfoil.
"'Don'tI dOn'tp he said. You will
need that to wrap the reply in"
"He said he would return at 3 3o'clock.
"AfteF his departure 1 read the note
It was written on very thin yellow tissue
paper, which was greatly wrinkled and
nussed from being folded so tightly"
Mrs. Bonsal showed the Star man the
etter put in small picture frame be-
lind glass for protection. 1t was writ |
en- in very fine hand, evidently by die
alton, and signed by the General The
heet was only little larger than ordi-
ioi hoOC pdpcls
1t read simply this:
SEPTEMBER Is, 1864.
81 learn from Major General Crook
hat you are loyal lady, and still love
he old flag.
"Can you inform me of the position
f Early's forces, the number of divis-
1ns in his army and the strength of all
r any of them, and his probable or re-
orted intentions? Have any troops ar
wed from Richmond, or are any more
Oming or reported to be coming? am,
cry respectfully, your obedient servant,
p. H. SHERIDAN,
'MajOr General Commanding.
"You can trust the bearer" J.