The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-01

could be confirmed 1 would give the infor-
nation directly to himself, and no one else.
! expect. too, that / was indiscreet enough
to have taken this opportunity TO ventilate
nv own rather fresh opinions of Secretary
Stanton: because just then was smarting
under his seeming Indifference TO and ne
glect OF my services and claims / am sure
that nv letter contained some unnecessary
criticisms on Mr.. p H. Watson, Assistant
Secreiarv. Is well as the Secret Service Corps,
which was under his direction, and Maj
Eckert. Of The Telegraph Corps.
This letter was intended as a private COM
munica1i0n to my friend COvOde, and had
particularly cautioned him not 10 permit
certain War Department influences TO get
hold Of the rumors, As ] wanted to work II
out myself ] learned subsequently, to my
sorrOw, that this personal letter, containing
both the information and the criticism, was
sent TO the War Office at once as an inn
portant paper. Anybody VIII see that it was
not only a mistake of my own to have writ
ten in this way. but also of Mr.. Covode's 10
have shown il: but 1t was one of that states
mans privileges TO mix things mp. 1T
probably never occurred TO him-as / after
wards heard-that the principal effect Of the
" information would be to impress upon the
War Department officials the suspicion that
COvOde had employed me rs one of his agents
to play the spy" on OuT own officers and
the War Department officials, for the benefit
Of his Congressional Committee on the Con-
duct OF the War.
I was not very much bothered about the
consequences of such things at that time. l
was in love, which viii account for a good
many Of nay mistakes.
To 90 on with
THE STRAIGHT NARRATIVE.
When I went to my neBly-found home, at
Capt WeIls's house, the evening of the same
day on which / had written and mailed this
letter, I was received so kindly and courte-
ously into the house by the genial Captain
himself, that I began 10 feel that ] had been
guilty Of an awfully shabby trick IN having
reported even privately to Mr. Covode
private conversation with this staff officer IN
regard to mine host.
Indeed, was feeling 50 uncomfortable over
what seemed to have been an ungracious re-
turn for iayOrs received, that / took the first
opportunity to get out Of the Captains pres
ence, and in the seclusi0n Of my room that
night I inwardly resolved that l would, If
possible, attempt to modify my report by
another letter TO follow the first
The evening was spent IN the little parlor,
aE on the many previous occasions. / was
treated as one Of the family, and entertained
In the most agreeable manner by the accom-
plished ladies Of this happy household. Each
night We had music. OF course, Juanita. with
the guitar, accompanied by Geno, became one
feature of ali Others that was always so
charmingly attractive to me. The Captain
himself sung q number Of comic songs with
good effect, while the elder daughter, Miss
Sue, exeTted herself in a pleasant way to
create little fun for the company at my own
and GenOs expense. Col. Hoffman, Mr.. VIII
son and myself furnished the only audience,
while happy-faced, brisk little mother sup
piled the refreshments and made US all feel
al home.
This genera attempt at d description of
one evening must suffice for the many, many
happy days and evenings that spent in
Fredericksburg during the months Of Nc
DOwel's occupation of that country. As
have previously stated. could furnish the
material for romance based on wonderful
facts connected with nay different visits here
that would make large-sized book in itself
This is simply a blunt narrative of fact
This is an absolutely
TRUE LOVE" STORY,
incidents, realizing that I may be talking 10
some OF the survivors of McDowelrs army,
who may have been g thar or tharabouts," !"
who are readers Of The NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE.
The Col. Hoffman referred to above WIS
in command Of the regiment that had con-
tE0l OF the town at this time. The Colonel
having known the Wells family IN the
North, was glad Of the opportunity TO meet
them, and during his stay in town lived
with them IN the house. with Mr.. Wilson
and myself His regiment had been re-
cruited somewhere In the neighb0rheod Of
ElmiEa, N. Y
As soon as I could see the Colonel alone
took the opportunity to tell him the story
Of The Captains alleged completely IN the
Chesapeake Bay piracy. To my surprise
and qualification, he blurted out rather
ssvageiy: don't believe a word of II.
Why, I've known Frank Wells all my life.
NO one al home ever accused him Of any
such trsits Of character as this. Why." con
tinued the Colonel, with a show of disgust.
its impossible. He couldn't be a disloval
man; be comes Of Puritan stock, from away
hack. I've seen myself family tombstone
up IN Long Island which shows that his
ancestors were buried there as carly as 1871.
Why, boy, they came over in the May
flower
This seemed to settle il with Col Hoff-
Mani iHt lie added in an explanatory way
Suppose its one Of those UnionislsD sio-
ries. Every deg who has a grievance against
has nesgEb.T in war times runs 10 the near
est Provost Marshal 10 get the army On 10
his enemy. Wells came down here to run
his bssts CA The RappahauDock: that was
hle blss de tells me That he with a
majoIlig ii the citizens here, did not believe
there H0.ld be war OF that Virginia would
&c ont 81 Tie Union, and therefore he did
lot attempt 10 get away until II was too
isis. Ine CeDledeTates wouldn't let him tax
has boa's North. When our fellows got here
he ran has boats below town to prevent the
rebels banning them, as they did all the rest
and when tie gunb0ats came up the river
they allowed lot Of rough sailors to seize
ana conhscate his bOats. Their object was
prize money, and i is probably TO their IN
terest 70 create an impression that he was
disloyal iAat they may secure this money
I've told Frank he ought 10 resist this. bot
he Is mad about IT.; swears they are robber:
and thieves, and il is likely be and the girls
have given o1ense in TINS way to some o.
Cur Ollicers.'
I8E coLoSEL's DECIDED TALK