The National tribune., 1888-01-26
NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON D. c. THURSDAY g.

| ing down on US, rs our camp seemed so poorly
| guarded. lie was fluent and agreeable talker,
and told me he was the Engineer Officer in
charge of the railroad construction, and finally
asked for drink of water. | gave him a dose
of something thatseemed to suit his taste much
better than water, and after many thanks he
wheeled his horse in the direction he came
from, bowed politely aud rode away.
While talking with him my suspicious be-
came somehow aroused, and | came near cover
ing him with my revolver at his head and de-
handing his surrender But then I thought
what q fool l would make of myself if l cap
tured one of our own officers in my own camp
inside our lines, with 100 men close at hand to
helpme and so desisted.
As he rode away, however, my suspicion was
reused anew by noticing that he kept his hand
carefully ON his revolver and kept looking
back at US. / called then for rifle but when
l got it he had galloped off across field, and
was too far away.
As soon as he was cut of sight one John
Lauard, man had hired in Harper's Ferry
as teamster came out OF his tent, where he had
been keeping close while the stranger was in
camp, aud said;
That's Col. Mosby.~ ran away from him
only 10 days ago."
He said he dared not let Mosby see him, fer
the latter would have surely shot him there,
no matter how many were around. I scolded
him for not taking his rifle and demanding his
surrender, for he would have had plenty of help
as soon as we knew who the daring intruder
was.
Away went Mosby to patch of woods half
mile away, and away | went to the cavalry
camp to report the two affairs and get a guard
and many were the regrets that had let Mosby
slip away easily, especially as there was 81 900
reward offered for his capture
On telling my story at the camp the cavalry
officers pooh-poohed the matter, saying they
had heard so many such stories Of MOsby's
presence at points when he was not within
hundred miles.
| doubted whether guard would be sent and
that night but few transfers slept in camp
until after the troops came. | took my bed off
up the hillside about 70 yards, in the brush,
as had no desire for further acquaintance with
Mosby.
However, some time after dark about 300
cavalry arrived under Mai. Davenport of Me
9Th Mich, 1 think, and by his direction L ac-
companied officers 10 post the pickets at the
best points while 100 were placed in ambush
near MiIler's house, and the rest remained in
camp as reserve.
Between IL and II o'clock pop! pop pop !
went some Of the carbines. Halt! Halt! rang
out through the midnight air, and away went
the Major with the reserve
In about an hour back they came with a
Lieutenant, two Sergeants three Corporals and
| 19 privates Of Mosby's command They were
gum as the ID, especially at me- and the
Lieutenant said that if Col Mosby had known
l would have served him such trick he would
have fixed ME the day before.
talked with Mrs Miller the next morning
about the affair." She said Mosby was at her
house about dark and told her what clever
follow the Yankee Wagonmaster was, and
! how | had treated him, and then said he in
| tended to gobble me up that night He told
| the girls that he would bring me up to the
| house to say good-by, as he intended to s. send
| him to Richmond to teach the niggers to break
| and drive mules"
| have never thought that Mrs Miller or her
| daughters were in completely with Mosby and
| his men, and think they were really Union
| sympathizers but old man Miller does not hold
the same place in my belief I think he was in
| cahoots with the gang.
| served with Uncle Sans mules to the end
| of the war, and though / never saw Mosby but
| that once, his men gave me several pretty close
| calls to 60 to Richmond to learn niggers to
| break mules" One time he cut out II pairs
/ Of good mules while an officer sat with cooked
revolver at my head, and got away with them.
| Another time they took my $3.50 watch aud
! chain, and rode away, after politely thanking
me. l would like to meet Col Mosby and talk
! this over with him,