The National tribune., 1888-05-10
MORNING OF HIS ExECUTIoN.


In addition to two heavy flannel shirts and
drawers, we usually wore two complete suits
Of fatigue uniform, one right over the other.
The boots, of course, were large, and came
high. Over the leather we learned In very
cold weather to draw an old wOolen sock.
If the reader has never tried this, he will be
surprised to see how much warmth even an
additional cotton sock adds when drawn
over the outside of a boot. 1t is equal to
three pairs inside.
We also discovered that the placing of an
old newspaper between blankets increased
their warmth doubly without adding to the
weight.
1t viii be seen from this description, or
attempt at one, that Union cavalryman on
picket on a Winter night on the Rappahan-
mock resembled, as he sat on his horse, some
thing that has not yet been pictured In any
war book that have ever seen. Of course,
under all this bundle Of blankets and pom
chos he carried across his knee his carbine,
or perhaps il was "slungn
As a general thing, If the night was very
cold, the poor picket allowed his heavily
loaded feet to hang out of the stirrups, be-
cause 1t assisted the circulation and kept the
feet warmer than when resting in the stirrup.
Now, if l have described the surroundings
on both sides and my own personal appear
ance as I sat on my horse by an old tree on
the river bank, the reader can, in his own
mind, form picture of the scene that will
approximate the reality.
I had determined that should settle the
question that night Watching an opportU-
nifty, I called in voice that fear was some
what tremulous, Hello, Johnny !"
Not getting any reply, waited few mo-
ont
around the fire in the little grove. Pres
emily one tall fellow, with whiskeTs all over
his face, whom I took to be an officer, called
grufly TO one of the sleeping rebels as if
directing his attention to the picket-line.
There were afew words or grOWls in a sleepy
tone, and all became quiet. Fearing that
they would all go off to sleep again, called
out loudly,
"COME DOWN TO THE RIVER A MINUTE. u
At this the officer got up, stared into the
darkness over his fire as if the voice had
come from ghost in the tree-tops. Again
I called:
Come over minute; Iwant to give you
some dry coffee"
This stirred up the officer, whose pleased
smile 1 could see by the freight.
Hello! is that you, Yank?" Then, urg-
ing the sleeper to get out, the two had some
sharp words, which l didn't hear.
1t was only few moments till they both
strobe away from the freight in the direc-
tiOn of the river, though at the time was
so nervous that / thought it an hours delay,
Our officer was conveniently absent at the
time, and while knew that would not be
molested, except as feint, still felt that
for effect l must go quietly about this, and
this feeling served to make me act the part
nervously.
There was fatboat OF raft tied on the
other side. This little square, cofin-shaped
craft had been manufactured by some Geor-
/ gia soldiers. The sides were all straight W
and down and the bottom fat good
name for the thing is " a boy drowner;
| that's what they call them on the river
where I learned to swim. To navigate this
| concern a rope had been stretched over the
riyer and anchored under the water. This
is a fact; that rope was there permanently
! Just In such shape as l had proposed to lay
/ q cable. Our officers only knew in a genera
way Of It's existence from the fact that tht
little beat was drawn or ferried almost every
night by means Of it.
| When the two rebels that I had reused
from sleep had gotten close enough and be
! gan to tumble along the shore ice for tbt
boat, which was always kept on their side,
excited them to greater exertion by sayin|
in a whisper, intended to be confidential, bu
which was heard easily over the river: "Tv
got a canteen Of commissasy heTe win sci
OF trade"
Whisky has its uses. It enters into al
most every conspiracy in some shape o
other; IN this case it was only to be applied
as a sort of taffy. The officer called bacl
eagerly: "All right; we'u make some kin,
Of dicker."
The boat was scarcely safe for one an
wouldn't carry double without kicking oveI
Ii was built on the theory that the one passen
ger would part his hair in the middle and t
get an exact balance, the chaw" Of tobacc
could be shifted to that side Of the law that re
quired the weight. 1t would do we'll euoug
for plsything in the Summer time. but t
risk q bath in the middle Of Winters nigh
was not to be so lightly considered.
The officer insisted on the soldier comm
over. By way Of persuasion / heard him t.
! him that If he should get a little wet, the CON
missary that Yank had would warm him ~
That settled it.
He came over in less time than have take
to tell about it, jumped through the bushe
aud stood before me on the hard frozen grount
Nearly all the old soldiers Of the Army
7 the Potomac have been a party to these littl
exchange Of couTtesies on the outposts, an
viii understand better than I can explain iu
/ how the thing was done. For those who hay
: not seen the reality, l would suggest a pictur
! The scene is, Of course, on the Rappahannock
the background shows the nights below FREQ
ericksburg covered with snow The chara
ters in real life are the rebel soldier and b
boat. He stood by me wrapped in a dirty bu
! ternUt blanket in that style Of drapery thi
/ only rebel soldier or an Apache Indian ca
adapt himself to.
E have already described my bundled-up a.
= pearsnce topped of with a pOncho We wei
I meeting at that lonely spot in the middle Of
/ Winter night, ostcnsibly to trade coffee an
whisky for tobacco; but in fact it was, vii
Il. nc, meeting for the purpose Of Matching OF
q conspiracy important in one sense, if su
? cessful, as was that Of Benedict Arnold an
Major Andres meeting. was there foI pu
s pose, with the indirect knowledge and comscI
a Of the eCommsnder-in-Chiefof Of the United Stat
: armies.
r ] preferred very much to talk with the of
Ger; he would have the authority to grant n
the privileges ] wanted 10 negotiate for befo
] should surrender my liberty.
The man in front OF me was middle-age
= unshaVen, ugly-looking specimen of Geo