The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-08-31
SPY'S THRILLING TALE.

Sdlu gu wv mum VI " ~
preaching the Confederate lines by n sys-
TEN of defenses, ! was in the trenches one
afternoon when the Captain of mycom-
pany sent for me and ordered me to re-
port to the Colonel. The Colonel ordered
me to report at General Halleck's head
quarters, and when | made my appear
ance the General said:
"You nave done some scouting?"
Eyes, sir"
"Will you go as n spy"
"Where top
Unto Corinth. | want information
which only Il spy can secure. If youcome
back you shall be rewarded. If you are
detected you will be hung
81 will try it,
VERY good. Return in an hour and
will give you instructions. When can
you set OUT?
'By midnight"
''That will do"
went away wondering how on earth
General Halleck had ever heard of me,
and it was Il month later before | ascer-
tanned the facts. One afternoon | was
"showing off, to II greupo of soldiers, and
the General and his chief engineer halted
on their round of inspection and became
spectators uilDcklibNH W ut. III my
palmy DAYS / could initiate any voice |
heard; | could put my face into almost
any shape; | could work my ears like n
horse, and throw a hat off my head by
working my scalp. When | was only
twenty-four years old | could make my
face look like that of IL man of seventy,
and, as my face was as beardless as a wo-
mans, l could dress in email attire and
defy any one to detect me by voice or gait.
The main thing was to get Corinth.
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 was being received by every high
way.
When | set out before shutdown | had
$500 in gold in my pockets and a bundle
OF clothing in my hand At midnight
when ! had reached the point aimed at, n
bow-backed old man of seventy, lame,
gray-haired and toothless, might have
been 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 i'll with some We
hicle. Within ten miles of me were two
great armies getting ready for a death
grapple, but just then the frogs croaked,
the insects buZzed, and peace spread her
mantle 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.
s'Hey, youi" | called to him. Cant
YOU give'an old man a lift to town? My
boy has run off and jined the soldiers, and
must see him and try to get him back"
"Who are your" he asked.
Judge Lexington of Guntown. Started
to come by rail, but the engine broke
down, and in trying to get ahead I've got
lost, | reckon"
81 should say you had You amt any
where near the railroad.
"Reckon not. Pretty hard on the old
man, but l feel as if I must get the boy
back
'Well jump in. I suppose you've got
a pass?'
''Oh, yes
He was a kind-hearted, simple-mindcd
young man, and had q pass which enabled
him to come and go at pleasure. We had
not gone above half n mile when | sud
denly discovered" that | had lost the inn
portant document which would admit me
into Corinth. He stopped his horse while
l searched anew, but the paper could not
be found.
"And what will they do if | don't have
a pass?n | asked.
Take you before some of the Generals,
and they may lock you up. They are
mighty careful of late"
"And l may not get to sec my boy?"
perhaps not"
'took on" for about five minutes in n
pathetic strain, and when | saw that | had
enlisted his sympathies, | said:
MY young friend, | don't want to be
delayed. You must help me. When we
come to the picket post l am to pass as
your father who has come down to own
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" l
said as | put a couple Of SO gold pieces
into his hand.
"Why-yes-i-I feel sorry for you, and
/ want you to get in. | might say you
WAS NY ldlitt3 Ut
"Ill chance the rest
| don't think he expected any trouble
for the matter Gid not seem To trouble
him any. When We drove up TO the first
picket post he halted the horse and was
fumbling for his pns-, when one of the
piekets said:
That's all 1~ight-driye on. Oh, but
who is that with youf'
''1'he old man. lie fit in the Mexican
war, and wants to ste how things look in
Corinth."
'4And if | was ten ye rs younger I'd
shoulder "A musket," | added.
Bully for YOU shouted the three or
four men III the post, and they were
laughing as we drove oI.
The inner picket did not stop us at all,
and we drove into town in the gray of
morning. Although the hour was early,
everybody was astir, aud the streets al
| most blocked with army vehicles.
During thc last half mile the young
man inspected me very closely, and when
l finally left linn lie did not seem alto
gether satisfied us to my identity. He
asked me several questions about Gun
town which | had to answer ut random,
and my account of how my SON" hadleft
home was not as clear as 1t might have
been.
My first move after losing sight of the
milkman was to 20 to n hotel. There |
boldly registered rs John William
Richardson, Mobile" and dropped a hint
to the clerk that | was furnishing eaure-
gard with supplies.
Al soon as went to my room L peeled