The National tribune., 1888-05-10

been there but was seemingly as dumb and in |
different as an animal about everything but |
the whisky and coffee.
1--WE got some friends up in town there
that I'd like to send some word to- Can't you
go up there and see them for me?"
"Why, yes, I'll do anything can to oblige |
you; but I'll have to ask the Captain about
that, you know"
Then drew from my pocket letter or note,
sealed in an ordinary envelope, addressed TO
Capt. Wells, and conidentially whispered as
looked around me- as if afraid some of our OH
GERS would see or hear me:
"Pve a sweetheart up there, and between
you and me / would like to send her some word
explaining why am here. The fact is" con-
tinued, as the fellow reached his hand and
took my letter, " l only came into this Yankee
army for a chance to get to see her, and If L
thought wouldn't be sent South I'd go over
now"
The fellow was then so much softened by the
whisky that he tugged at my hand to g Come
right along; come on, old fellow" only got
away from him by proposing that he see his
officer about it first, and if they could give me
any assurance that I'd not be sent South, I'd go
over the next night was on duty.
Again assuring him that the letter contained
nothing that / should object to his officer see
ing he left me, ramming into his pocket the very
decoy document that Gen. Burnside's staff OIL
GER had suggested. had prepared the document
myself which was in the form Of q friendly
letter to Capt. Wells and family, detailing my
experience in the Old Capitol Prison, and ex-
planning that l had joined the army as the
only means to get back there; then, as if it
were an ordinary bit of news, added the de-
coy information to the body Of the note IN these
words:
81 have heard from my brother, who you
know is a telegraph operator at the War De-
partment, that Gen. Burnside has been ordered
to cross the river again; but next time 1t is to
I,y,, TI-o
that hope to soon be with you all once more"
etc.
When the rebel got back and had talked
a while, and had probably given the Captain
| swlg at the commissary, the Captain called
back to me to say, Thank you, old follow;
much Oblige to you, sir" Then, in an under
| tone, " Are you all alone?"
| Isignifed that was, when he said:
i know those ladies very well, and will see
! them myself tomorrow"
What could have been better for my purpose?
! 1t will be remembered there were two older sis
| ters, Miss Sue and Miss Mamie. / fattered
myself with the reflection that GenO was then
! too young for company-especially rebel COM
| pany, or any other kind but me.
In this mannerI was in every way as sue
| cessful In accomplishing Gen. Burnsides pur-
| pose as if had gone over personally; perhaps
more So as there would be no doubt in the
minds of the Wells family that / was sincere
|
me strongly to the rebel officers. If the letter
| had been intercepted it would have answered
| precisely the same purpose. l assert here posi-
! lively that the scheme was an entire success,
Notwithstanding my failure to go personally.
| The message was delivered to the Wells family
personally, and by them the contemplated move
| of Gen. Burnside below town was reported to
| the Confederate officers
While Gen. Grant was preparing for his
| Wilderness campaign l earned-in some way
| that I cannot now recollect-that Capt. Wells
| was prisoner in the Old Capitol
At the first opportunity / procured pass
from the Provost Marshal's Office in Washing
| ton, and calling at the Old Capitol, asked for
| Capt Wells. l was then in uniform, so that
| the outside attendants did not recognize in
their visitor former prisoner.
In little while the Captain was shown into
the room. At sight of him my heart ached.
| The poor old man seemed 70 have aged wonder
fully in the year since had last seen him. He
looked at me, but his eyes were not so good,
aud, seeing my uniform, he probably supposed
that l was one of the guard, and was about
turning to an attendant to ask who had called
to see him, when l spoke and reached for his
hand. Then his face frightened up as he
heartily shook hands, and the first words he
spoke, IN answer to some remark about our al
tered appearance as he looked at my uniform
were:
1--WE heard you were in Stoneman's cavalry"
Gen. Stoneman was then Chief of Cavalry,
and the Southern people, after their own man
ner usually named the troops after the com
mander. When I asked how he had heard
them, he looked up with that curious smile of
his, as he said significantly:
" We got word from certain good friend
of ours telling US about it,"
further conversation carried on in this
guarded way, as au officer sat in front of US and
heard every word that was exchanged.
When / asked the Captain about his accom-
modatiOns, and proposed sending him some
} fruit and eatables from the outside he warmly
} thanked me, adding, with the same peculiar
smile:
| You know about what we get here, sup
, pose?"
Atthis had tolaugh, so did the old Captain
the officer between US looking curiously from
one to the other to try and discover what the
| joke was that created such merrment.
: he told me then something of the dreadful
experiences of the family in Fredericksburg
during the bombardment and battles, declaring
! that he should take them away from there at
5 the first opportunity.
The interviews of visitors were limited to q
l certain number Of minutes, and when my time
9 was up / had to 90. @Biy time in Washington
l was also limited, and / have never had an op
t portunity to see the old Captain since.
In few days after the experience in nego
/
the Potomac did move and demonstration
was made precisely as / had indicated. But the
: history Of Gen. Burnside's famous
CK-IN-THE-MUD MARCH
: has already been so well told that / need only
= to add that this was his plan: If the weather haC
not changed or the dreadful Virginia mud hat
not prevented, Gen. Burnside would hay,
q crossed above the town, and might have beer
! successful then and redeemed himself.
! 4 Is fhat I I,oy,
/ been surprised and would have been compelled
+ to fight the Army Of the Potomac on equa
!. terms outside of Notifications, with Gen
4 Burnside for a leader Gen. Hooker afterwarl
: did precisely the same thing that Gen. Burn
T side is so mercessly criticized for attempting
: Hooker failed miscrably after he was over, am
when everything was in his grasp. Burnsid
/. would have managed it better in Hookers 20
= | sitiOn.
ITO be contiated.l