San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-15
Beauregard's Pretty Spy.

Gen. Beauregard, whose headquar-
tiers are in the New York hotel, still
preserves many of the characteristics
that made him pet in the confederacy
during the war. His strong French
face is furrowed by scarcely "a wrinkle,
and despite his 90 years of age he is as
1.-the, active and muscular as an
athlete of 20. His manners, though
quiet, are remarkably graceful, and
there are few men in public life who
are more easy of approach. He is,
withal, a great favOrite of the fair sex,
and it is said that some of the best
secret service done while he was in
command was performed by ladies,
especially when social diplomacy was
the chief weapon TO be employed.
One of these was sent from Virginia
to Washington in 1862, to obtain il
possible the roster of McClellan's army
and such other information as might in
dictate the plans of the general with
reference to an advance on Centerville.
She was amply provided with means.
and ably performed the mission. When
she returned it was by the way of the
Potomac, opposite, Dumfres, Va, an
outpost under the command of Gen.
Chen coloneD Wade Hampton, with
his own Hampton legion. That
gallant soldier at once forwarded the
fair spy to Beauregard whose head
quarters were at Centerville. Her
baggage consisted only of pet Skye
terrier and small gripsack. On
arriving she was ushered into tue
presence of the general, and with true
womanly volubility proceeded to enter
tain him with a description of her
adventures and their result Beaure-
gard allowed the lingual freshet to flow
on naturally supposing that when she
got tired she would produce the dis
patches. But the little woman
tongue was hung in the middle and
wagged at both ends, and. moreover,
she was too pretty to be silenced
abruptly. Finally, the general, I'M
able to restrain his anxiety any longer,
said: Mrs. NJ, where are your
papers?" why, general, I've been
trying to tell you the news already.
Don't you see it wouldn't have been
safe to bring important papers on my
person. and so | familiarized myself
with their contents. This fact is that
have been suspected and searched
already, so that its lucky I've a good
memory" Beauregard, now unable to
conceal his chagrin, frankly told the
lady he was grievOusly disappointed,
having waited for the dispatches for a
long time and could place but little re-
lance on a memory of so many figures
I'D L.
had proved of little use. She listened
to his seedlings with a demure air,
and when he had finished looked at
him with a mischievous twinkle in her
eye, and called to her dog: Here,
Floy!" The Skye-terrier jumped in her
lap. General, have you knife
about you?" The knife was produced.
Then she turned the animal over on
his back, and to the amazement of
Beauregard deliberately proceed to rip
him open. In less time than it takes
TO tell it she held in one hand the
precious papers and in the other the
skin of her Skye TERROR, while pranc-
ing about the floor was a diminutiye
black and tan pup, Oyerjoyed at his
relief from an extra cuticle. This
shrewd woman had sewed her dis
patches between the two skins in a
manner that defcd detection, and
under the very noses Of tie federal
videttes had carried some of the
most important information trans
mitted during the war. 1t is needless to
say that Beauregard was delighted, and
il was but a little while after this incl
dent that MpCipIlan advanced IN Gem
terville, only to find deserted camps,
batteries of Quaker guns" and the
confederate army falling back tOgard
Richmond and Yorktown. Between
the dog aud pretty woman the general
had got the rip" Is it a wonder that
he is a devOtee of the fair scxP