The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-11-01
A REBEL spy.
Il Enmetimes PAYS 70 Be a Mason.


%ibiy be pard0ned by many comrades at this
tate day for the humble part performed by your
correspondent in bringing about the escape Of
thespy.
One day in October, 1862, while Gen. James
3. Steedman was in command of the Second
Brigade, Third Division. Fourteenth Corps, as
We were passing through a little village IN
Kentucky at a creek COR very small branch of
a river soath of Lebanon and toward Eliza
BEETHOVEN. there was considerable anxiety and
excitement among the boys because of the
arrest Of a person said to be a spy at house
within our picket-lines. lie was placed under
a strong guard and taken along for many miles,
and as / marched from near Crab Orchard, KY,
10 GaIlatln Tenn, IN the ambulance, with my
right knee about as large as my head, the
day before the brigade arrived NJ Gallatin had
the opportunity Of my life to see and study
what / supposed 10 be a genuine spy. Weary,
worn and f00t-sOre. ne was allowed to ride IN
the back end Of the same ambulance that was
lur the guard walking along with shOtted guns,
under strict orders 10 q shoot him down II he
made any attempt to escape" The sick and
footsore soldiers were talking quite freely OF
the spy, who would be shot to death or hanged
as soon as we could get 10 camp where q
drumhead court martial could be convened, as
the evidence was all on one side and against
the prisoner, all the s0ldiery agreed, and the
only question IN any of their minds was the
manner or form Of death. Some thought he
should have some choice, ana, of course, would,
like any man brave enough to take the desper-
ate chances of spy, prefer TO be shot; others
were for hanging. AS no spy taken 10 our lines
was worthy of any ether death. For hours he
sat there listening to the conversation of the
boys, yet he uttered not a word TO anyone.
After travelling q long stretch without rest
about j o'clock p IL. there was halt called.
The spy seemed TO ioot me over from head to
M re I tho only fla who had mot
turca any opinion, adverse or otherwise, in his
case. lie eyed me very sharply, and finally
yentuIcd on giving the sign OF an Entered APP
prentice Mason. The only answer ] gave him
was a slight nod Of nay head, that he might
know that ! understood the sign. The boys
got cut 10 stTaighten up little. / thought i
would also h0bble around q little if l could OBJ
tain any help. The first words the spy uttered
were: Can [ assist your" and, placing his
left shoulder under my tight arm, helped me to
so about two or three rods from where the
officers We're, they being at the rear OF the ii
MINI. After a few prelimnaries he remarked F.:
a. You are the first Mason ! have been able to
find Do you know Gen. Steedman to be a
Mason 2"
YES" I answered; 81 have met him in
Lodge u. D. in his own old regiment (l4th
Ohio) and viii say a more kind, generous
hearted, chiVairOus man than Gen. James b.
Steedman / never met"
81 I am arrested" said he, "as q spy at the
instigation CT a personal enemy, and one who
is a member of John Morgan's command. My
property is at their mercy. My wife and
daughter are in England. ! am to be tried for
a crime of which | am innocent; and If tried
by drumhead court-martial viii surely be
condemned TO death. / have no means of PROV
ing my innocence here. Every days march
takes me farther from anyone by whom ! could
prove my LOYALTY. ] am now truly q stranger
in strange land and having the information
/ desire, l wish to secure an audience with
! Gen. Steedman. You are too lame TO walk
/ hence cannot go in person TO the General. Do
! you know Of any Mason you could send the
word by2"
Yes" replied. Then I turned and called
Dr.. J. l.. Arlington, who was at that time our
First Assistant Surgeon, and he stated substan-
TALLY the same 10 DR.. Arlington. who prom
ised that he would lay the matter before the
General.
From that time until we went into camp
that evening he would converse inteiigently
/ and even cheerlully, but never once referred
TO his being prisoner. When we parted that
night he gave me his hand, when the guard
ordered him TO come" 1t was the last l saw
Of him. de was evidently d gentleman OF
culture and more than ordinary intelligence.
heard OF him once more. My comrades had
to carry me TO and from my little fire. One
/ dug duUub a HGGh VI ~ AeyS dtlCI We Nclit
/ into camp at GaIlatin, five or six whom l could
name gathered near where I was compelled to
! sit two of this number members of my old
company, are now members of the craft, and
they were feeling badly disappointed because
that spy had got away.
1t was Precursor trick, and they knew
it. IL they Just knew who had helped him to
an interview or who was the cause Of his get
ting the matter before the General, they would
be tempted TO shoot him" etc.
They were good, loyal and true boys. loved
every one of them, if they did threaten me with
dire vengeance; but more than a quarter Of a
century has passed since then. Gen. Steedman
/ has been called from labor some years ago. !
know not if Dr. Arlington is living. The spy
may be and he may not; God only knows. !
/ would like to meet that spy.
This was my own secret. l kept it for q
/ years, and now want to meet some of those
4 boys who sWore vengeance on me unknowingly.
! Some Of them 1 have reason to believe have
gone to their last roll-call, but God bless all OF
! them; they were good boys
One moonlight night, about 8 or 10 o'clock
! Gen. Steedman summoned the spy TO his pres
enee. When brought up by the guard the General
! opened the tent-door, took the spy in and told
! the Sergeant TO take his men back to their
! place Of rendezvous, and when he wanted them
I he would call for them. The spy was seen to
/ enter the Generals tent, but never seen to
come Outlook 352, Bushnell, Ill.