The National tribune., 1888-03-15

this sort of work before, and possessed beside
o general knowledge of the country, so 1t
was not q new or particularly difficult thing
for me to do: but I had to scour the woods
and by-paths like hunter after game all
that hot morning and until late in the after
noon. without any breakfast, lunch or dinner.
made Cor the railroad track beyond Han
over Court house. and ence on that line / kept
it ia sight except when could discover that
guard was stationed over some bridge or cross
ing which I had to avoid. It was late in the
afternoon when got into such mix of sol
0iers dust wagons, mules, horses, negroes, and
everything else that goes TO make up the rear
of an army. that / became submerged, as 1t
were i'm a regular swim of dust and confusion
Indeed the crowd and confusion and fuss gen
orally were so great that I was wholly lost IN IT,
and wandered about without anyone seeming
70 care or IN the least notice me.
could NOT make out exactly where was, and
] was almost afraid TO ask any questions lest 1t
should call attention to myself The clouds OF
dust bad so covered my good store-clothes thatl
might readily have passed for a man IN gray
] could make out in a general way, that was
on the rear or outskirts of the rebel army some
where near Richmond; that something was up
was evident. because everybody seemed TO be
going somew where, but not a soul that l could
talk 70 had any idea Of where that was
This is one Of the things
THAT AoS,yOT SPIES CENTRALLY;
they can scarcely ever tell from their COM
munlcatioa rilh the troops IN the field what
movements ar3 going on, much less cOHtem-
plated. Hcr-t0f9Fe my work had always been
confined 10 The real headquarters, or the source
Of information, like the Richmond War Depart
ment aud 8eauregard's telegraph headquarters
ct Manassas
Here I vas right in the rebel army, and to
save my soul I couldn't tell whether they were
Tetreating ward Richmond or advancing on
Washington aud Fredericksburg, though /
E6iTmished around at a lively rate all through
them.
twill BE remembered that Mcclellan was
banging awav down the Peninsula about this
time; but 1st exactly where he was ] did not
find ont, and seeing that il would be waste of
time 70 hang ca any longer To this part Of the
army, huu "a up the nearest railroad station,
where / found some refreshments IOr my cash,
and toward dark, when matters were seemingly
becoming settled down little among tue team
sters and mules. saw groap ot~oficers come
TO the station, leaving their horses IN care Of
some color-3 attendants Thinking this good
chance to-catch onto something attached my
self without Being obrTusive, hy hanging onto
their skirts. Is il were When 4 train Of cars
was IeaGr D run some place. l knew not
where 7 followed the crowd aboard as if
were one or the party, and had a right TO the
same faci...5cs That were granted them. When
the train of overloaded, jamued ears was
started & 3r't know were it WAS going aud
was afraid 20 confess my ignorance by asking
any questions. so kept mighty quiet.
Ii was ak 5ark when we ran into the yard
81 the nortl e-d Of Richmond, where soon
recognized s1I1e OF the once familiar landmarks
VAS N RICHMOND AGAIN,
but 7 di5a't care to stop long While I WAS
again wisAil the city limits, have never felt
like asserting that was actually IN Richmond
proper ca - g second trip; because, as mat
ter OF facr 7 ras not up town.
In the fr-t place, / didn't want TO rush into
the street ID The town 10 show myself to the
Baltimorr 4 sCotives, who knew were employ
ed by ireG. fiIBder, who was al that time the
Provost 1T4r>l.al, OF Military Governor, Of the
rebel caPita. do not remember his exact
title, bgt there is no doubt Of the fact that this
Gen. Wiader, with his gang Of Baltimore
roughs. was king. and had absolute, yes, des-
potic, autl gliiy over all visitors, strangers or
stragglerz ava strays who sLappeued into his
6rag-Eet arllt Richmond who could not prop
erly account for their presence. / knew all
this from late residence among them, dur
ing " Wllrl I had become personally acquainted
with q good many Of these men on the city
force, with ,rbCm I had talked about their
metho5s
felt the-e vas scarcely doubt but that my
escape fratl the Maryland battery had been
ny pfevions history looked up; and it's more
than likely too that these very same Rich
mond and 8]limore sharp detectives had been
censurcl t3r having permitted a SPY 10 live
among them -oose, for 50 long a time as / did.
This Is Why ] didn't particularly banker
after hUnt.ag Gp any old friends down there,
and acc9GEts 10r want of interest. as shown
in my faiiu-e TO revisit old haunts. Even Capt.
tola had n3 attraction FOR me then. While
oidn't knew where 10 Co. / understood pretty
vel where s0t 70 20 IN Richmond Realizing
from tLe sIy-T u sentries with guus who were
Cd duty ah5ac the depot yards that / must
make so.ag zl,d Of break to get out Of their
presence. II once assumed the usual air OF
indiEer-ucs la3 familiarity, and walked Oh
foll0winE tie crowd.
Iast iIa1i eff you can-the sensations ]
expeTlaDeas moment later, as / saw thai
ever bless-. one Of tue crowd ahead OF me wa.
being coI3felieI 20 pass between iile Of rebe
soldiers. g Glge they were halted by an officer
who Inspected their papers or passes or FeCog.
nized fTau tie faee and rank OF the officer.
that they Eerc entitled 10 egress. / am mol
going % elpt here An analysis Of the feel
ing that q over ne tbate Eening; it's beer
q long, loa- time now since il occurred, but
may be permitted 70 say, sincerely, that NY
heart beats wiidly at the very recollection, and
ny pen t.lasles now as I attempt 10 write d
It. proaa- : lelt pretty much as anyone doe
who first lats himself securely trapped, anC
realizes .aa- the end is an guomui0us death.
I've hea-- that people Ia this condition
slwayE soc heir lives their deeds and mis-
deeds pass . Assty review before them. Tha
may be 80 ia 1-gst cases hut it never has beer
my experieaee. and I've faced death seYera
times ] confess that the first and only thini
j thought about just then was an earnest long
ing Tor Eg3l chance to run. ] looked back 0
me, and al around, but there were walls on al
sides and 10 holes in them. except through th
gate, II which stood the officers AID his file @
the guard.
That 7 had 10 60 through this grist-mill sa'
a. once, a,a feeling for nay papers determine
% make ac most Of il, and Try by their al
snd chealil. it 0a my boyish Innocence to e
ont Of tie gilt place once more, and then ru
for ny .le
The cT1Ha Eas 50 great shat IL was quite slor
work II ZEN through. ] noticed in froH
Of nae in tle lls were probably q dozen otht
persons lu c.t-szls dress like myself / watcl
ed with Is ssDat but suppressed ezgerness
was ever sA9sga " culprit looking TO a iur
for q verde. the proceedings Of the officer vi
examined ~ pers Of those ahead who passe
through.
] noticed il one case that soldier in On
form, whose papers were not satisfactory. WI
ordered 70 cP out Of the line when a Sergezl
took bin ia charge. A gentleman ia citizen
clothes, who had no papers 10 show ap WI
halted temporarily until the officer consultt
il regard 10 as case with 2 rers0u la citizen