The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-01-05

did, while we stood back and watched him as he
walked them away from us He always came
back to us with broad grin on his face Lan-
yard yelled after him one day as they reached
the gate, and were still standing and talking
by the guard there:
Say, sentry, don't let that crazy man get
outside; but even this sort of banter did not
interrupt the steady flow Of talk between the
Colonel and our Maryland girls.
1t rained that evening-eold, misty, half rain
and half sleet-but the storm did not prevent
full attendance at the ball, which was held after
the Introductory addresses, with the everlast-
ing music of Dixie" and Maryland, My
Maryland"
MRS. PRESIDENT DAVIS WAS THERE
Though / had frequently seen her, she never
looked to my eyes other than a very ordinary
boarding-bous matronly lady. 1t is said that
in temperament and disposition she was to put
it in modern English, holy terror; but per-
haps should not write this way Of lady.
At certain stage in the proceedings we were
all "ushered into silence F" by the appearance
of our own "Capitola," to the slow music of
Maryland, My Maryland" 1t was a tableau,
in which our girl was representing Maryland
enslayed." She was attired in a somber mourn
ing garb with her head bowed, as if in great
sorrow and distress; she walked onto the stage,
and with a pathetic appeal, lifted towards
heaven as beautiful face as / have ever seen;
stretching out her barred arms, which were
shackled by chains. 1t was a beautiful and
striking picture, presented with great effect,
and I don't suppose there was person in the
vast crowd who did not feel ready to make a
desperate effort
TO RELEASE THE PRETTY MARYLAND GIRL
from those dreadful chains. Pm quite sure
should have done so if I'd had the opportunity,
and would have been glad to have picked Ma
ryland" up and carried her away from such
dreadful people; but we were not to be given
this privilege.
At the proper moment President Davis step
ped forward, and with wonderfully dramatic
effect, wrenched the chains from Maryland
and set her free, and Maryland" Mortified all
US battery boys by Immediately throwing her
arms around her rescuer.
"We three" came away from the show with
our heads in a whirl Lanyard was familiar
with all the best places to "get something"
and took US into a cosy, warm room, where
| there was good cheerful fire blazing. On one
side of the room was the bar, one of those old
fashioned high counters but you all know
what bar is like, so / won't attempt descrip-
tion Of such a place to old soldiers. On this
counter was a large china bowl filed with
mixture that / had never seen before, but was
told by the bartender that it was
VIRGINIA APPLEJACK.
You don't know what that is? No; I think
|
eoction is one of the lost arts. There were
baked apples floating on the surface. 1t had a
| pleasant odor and being assured by Lanyard
| that it was a sort of cooked cider that they
made in Virginia as temperance drink for
| those who were opposed to hard cider, in my
| unsuspecting innocence partook of mug full
| of the hot stuff. 1t was not hard to take, and
l took another just to keep from taking cold
! It settled my case, and as | dried out, the hot
room forced me outside to cool off; but didn't
lose my head after all, though my companions
| thought / did.
While it may very often become expedient
! for a spy in an enemy's county to drink social
| ly with those he seeks information from, it is
| always dangerous expedient, because of all
persons spy requires cool and level head.
| Although these Confederate soldiers had not
the slightest suspicion ofmy true character and
purposes, yet, if l had been made foolishly
| drunk by them, there is no telling what my
| loosened tongue might have done for me- My
! undertakings and surroundings in Richmond
were not exactly adapted to the production of
humorous or funny effects, but had lots of fun
| all the same, though | was not sent there for
| that purpose.
Ny opportunities for gaining information
and of communicating the same to the North,
| in safety, were about as fall and complete as
| it would have been possible to make them IN
der the extraordinary condition of things then
existing In Richmond, as well as between the
| two armies which were then lying between
Richmond and Washington. ] went about the
city in the garb of Confederate soldier, car
rying in my pocket the pass of the command
ing officer at Camp Lee which was furnished
me frequently through my Maryland Captains
influence.
Gen. Winder, who became afterwards notori-
GUS as the Proyost-Marshal of Richmond and
THE KEEPER OF LIBBY PRISON,
was Maryland man, and it SO happened that
he had known our Captain intimately while
the two lived together in Baltimore. This
was a most fortunate circumstance for nv
schemes, as the first Endorsement l had taken
to Gen. Winder from onr Captain was of a per-
sonal character. and through this circumstance
] became solid with Gen. Winder while | re-
nained in Richmond. 1t is well to bear this
fact in mind, as it viii explain TO a great extent
the somewhat extraordinary privilege that
Yankee spy was INDUCED in in Richmond
for so long time. / always recognized the
fact that l was in the direct service Of the Sec
retary of War, Gen. Simon Cameron. Though
had not been sent to Richmond by him on any
special instructions, it was understood that
enjoyed a rowing commission from the Secre-
taFy of War; my movements being left pretty
much to my own discretion.
found that by remaining in Richmond
could accomplish my purpose very much better
than by risking
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE;
beside this, 1 knew very well that, once lef
Richmond and the associations / had formed
there without satisfactory explanation
could not expect to return in safety.
was frequently tempted to go home, but
felt as if must accomplish something first.
had stayed away so long, and had accomplished
nothing Of Importance that ] began to feel tina
it would be degradation TO crawl back hom,
and have to explain where / had been anC
why. The bright smiles and winning ways 0
our " Capitola," too, was great inducement T.
remain.
did not go about Richmond as tramp or
pedler, as is the usual method of spies but in
stead, l personated a high-toned Maryland
youth, dressed myself in the gayest of gra,
uniform that my rank of Corporal permitted
7 ] rode good horse and in my capacity O
Company Clerk and Orderly to our lame Cap
9 tain enjoyed unusual facilities.
As our Captain 50 frequently visited the Wa
I Office, and / was nearly always taken alon
) with him, learned finally that the infuenc
i he controlled at headquarters was derived froI
some relationship with Mr..
JUDAH p BENJAMIN,
the rebel Secretary of War. Mr. Benjamin,
e will be remembered, was close friend Of Nj
Davis.
While was in Richmond there was gen
eral order published by the War Department
cpecifVinp q certaju number of davs duriu