The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-04-11
1T WAS A TIGHT SQUEEZE

I l9ta OF tie month received criers u
cross the river. penetrate his camp an,
pick up all possible information.
II was understood that he was sendin.
troops off west and | was particular,
charged to discover if there was any
foundation in the report.
left the cavalry outpost At ten O'Clock
one night, being on foot and wearing q
blue uniform throughout. There wa.
about a mile Of neutral ground between
the outposts, and when had crept down
the highway almost TO the Union vi
dettes took to the fields and Aanked
'em. knew every rod Of that country,
and passing the videttes was a matter o.
no trouble.
It was when I reached the first line OF
sentineIs that had to 20 keerful Il was
now midnight. and winter had set 10.
There was no snow, but the wind was
cold and the ground frozen. II 50 hap
pened that struck part Of French's
corps. Kuowing that Lee was going into
winter quarters, and knowing that a
strong picket was cut, the Sentinels were
not over watelifrI. erept up until To-
Gated two, and both were nlufile.l up
against the cold and thinking more o.
keeping warm than u looking for spies.
While was waiting for =. chance to
skuIk in, the two came together and
stood talking and this gin me the show
wanted riz up from the cold ground,
bore off little to The right, and entered
the gap without being seen. In ten min
utes more / was among the tents and
shanties.
must End place TO pass the night.
1t was too cold TO 20 prowling around,
saying nothing about the danger 10 BE-
incurred, l walked up one street and
down another, looking for place 10 stow
myself away, and by and By saw P sol
dier come out Of a tent aud % or rca-
soned tia; he was on gu1rl and came 30
his tent for some errand and was prob
ably right,
1t was half tent, half shanty with a
fireplace IN it. crept in at the door aud
found a fire going amt three men asleep
under the blankets. There was heap
OF wood at hand and the best / could 10
was TO stir up the fire and hover over it.
didn't mean to fall asleep; that :.
was bound and determined 10 keep
awake, but l had no sooner got fairly
warmed through than | went OF to the
Land o Nod and the next thing knew
it WAS daylight
None of the chaps under the blankets
were awake and slipped out without
disturbing EN-. Everything would have
been right 'eept for a man in a tent across
the street. He had come out for wood
and Wis standing there as l appe lred.
As both tents belonged to the same com
pany and as ali the men in each eompl-
ny knew each other, it was only natural
that I. perfect stranger, should attract
his attention Further, it was just as
natural that he should suspect me Of be-
ing a thief He was a sour-fseei, battle
worn chap and the mint looked ia his
eyes knew we should have 4 row.
Ah, caught you he growlel, as
faced him.
Al. what ." l ccolly asked.
Stcaii-sr gF corIrSc -
You are wroug went in there 10
git warm"
Who be yoi ?"
George Smith"
What regiment ~
sixth Maine
wasn't answering at random. I knew
that the Sixth Maine was in the fight at
Rappahannock Station about month
before, because | had talked with some
prisoners.
Where's your regiment p
~Thaes what I'm looking for re-
Piled, =" was taken by the reLs fifteen
days ago, and have just escaped and
come in
answered him 50 promptly, AMI told
snch a straight story, that-hs could have
no suspicious. and might have got away
but for an accident. He had brought ont
his coffee pot, and in moving away fell
over it. He Was aching for fuss with
somebody and that was a good excuse
He jumped for me without 4 worl-
returned his blow, and then we ciinched
and fought up and down the street
| was getting The best Of him, shen
we fell upon wrecked tent and began
TO draw crowd In FIVE minutes there
were fifty men around Us, and pretty
soon an officer comes up. separates u,
and asked
What Is this row about -
Il caught this fellow stealing" sung
ont my opponent
:. He lies -
Who are you - asks the officer.
@Private George smith, Of the sixth
Maine"
Where's your regiment
Don't knox sir. was captured by
the reb=, got away, and am looking FOR
my regiment.
When dill you come in?D
Las. night"
How did you pass all the outposts
and sentinels ?"
He had me there. had as good as
betrayed myself by that one answer.
~Tll see TO your casev' he srowled.
and he called the guar,i and bail me
off The guari house was Z log
stable, and a. soon as We reached it
was stripped and searched The next
move was to hunt up the Sixth Maine
and discover that did not belong to
that regiment was then taken 10 the
corps headquarters and questioned.
| changed my line Of defense, claiming
to De deserter from the I24lh New
York, who was voluntarily coming back
to his regiment, but the next day the
Colonel of that regiment came to look at
me and he pronounced me liar and an
impostor-
Next day. when court martial was
| had no defense to offer.
They tried me as a spy and while Moth
ing could be proved I was condemned
and sentenced to be shot. I was given to
understand that, but / reekoned that
some of the officers we're not satisfied