Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-07-15

my oy ne booming OF cannon NY INV
thought was whether my note bad any
thing to do with it. 1t was = terrible
ight, and in the afternoon, when the streets
were filed Wit TROOPS, wagons, cannon
and the poor suffering wounded, and the
buildings were On FIRE all around rs, my
mother asked me, with tears IN her eyes, II
1 thought my note had anything to do
with the battle. I had thought of that oil
day, and I was overwhelmed. I hid my
face ia my hands and cried: 90! no,
mol / don't believe he got IT.
IL was the most terrible day OF all
NV experience. Houses about us were or
Ere, our own fence was burning, and shells
fell so near that mother and / went into
the cellar for safety. Finally the rumbilng
of battle grew fainter and fainter, until 1t
got so quiet I could noe endure 10 remain
in the cellar in Ignorance of the result
From the first floor ] could sse nothing,
nothing from the second floor, but from
the gsrret.window / cav the old American
flag coming IN the town. / dropped upon
nv knees. / soon learned whether my
note had 10 do with the battle. Hearing
sabr6s gathering against the steps, L
started to the front door and met two Union
officers already inside the house. One IN
trodueed himself rs Gen. Sheridan. He told
me that it was entirely from the informa-
ton / had sent him that he fought the
battle, and he thanked me earnestly, say
ing he would never forget my courage anu
patriotism. Twas 50 fearful OF suspicion
that / would hardly permit BIN to SPEAK
10 me. / knew that should the Southern
people discover the part i had in the battle
my life would net 10 worth mach and !
was afraid 10 have She general TAX 10 me.
I begged him not 10 speak OF it; mat my
life would be in dsneer when the Federal
troops went ayay General Sheridan re-
piled that the C~ouederstes would never
come again. He yrote his report ac my
desk. and ealled(in the morning to say
goodby before allowing Early to Fishers.
''He rode a besatiful black horse that
morning. Ihyeton quietly at Winches-
Ter. - she contuued, until 1867, and NJ
one suspeetedme They knew nothing Of
the matter uAtil tins watch arrived accom-
panied by letter from General Sheridan.
Then the DuioD people gathered around
me ia establishment. 1 remember an old
man tosk boti my hands in his and said:
WHY nv lstle girl, there was not n man
In ~. nlscsw who would have dared do such
A thing. Is much as / liked the Union
I would DIT have had the courage Most
of the community were wild with indigna-
ton, bupthe wal was over and they could
do me 70 injury; but they showed their
dislike or me in many ways. The boys
- 0,sk ok - ~, kha oAraaf
81 lad no conception of the service / had
doueintil / received this letter:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT
OF THE GULF, New ORLEANS,
January Z, 1857
My Dear Miss wright-You are proba-
by not aware of the service you rendered
the Union cause by the information you
sent me by the eolored man q few days
before the battlelof the 0pequon, on Sep
TENDER 10, 1854. 1t was on this informa-
ton the battle was fought and probably
won. The colored man gave the note
rolled up in tin foil 10 .he scout, who
awaited him at Wildwood. The colored
man had carried it in his mouth to that
point and delivered it to the scout, who
brought it to me.
"By this note, l became ware of the true
condition of affairs inside Of the enemy's
lines, and gave directions for the attack. /
will always remember this courageous and
patriotic action of yours with gratitude,
and beg you to accept the watch aud chain
l send You by Gen. /. w. Forsyth
as q memento of September 10Th, 1854"
This letter is put in n double frame, so as
to show the writing on both sides. In the
back of it is an Endorsement by Gen.
Grant, in his own hand, asking an appoint
for then Miss Wright to a position
in the Treasury Department. While in the
Treasury she met and married Mr.. Bonsal.