Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-04

most important and dangerous prisoners
should be removed to place deeper within
the lines of the Confederacy, where their
condition was likely to be infinitely worse
than in Richmond, and the Bengough
women were among those marked for remov-
al. Mrs. Surgeon McCandless, of Morgan
town, w. Va, was not included in the list, but
strange to say, Mrs McCaffrey has never
heard of Mrs McCandless butonce since they
separated in Castle Thunder. Major Alex
ander visited the Bengough women again,
but he did not bring his violin with him
this time, and they put their heads together
to devise q way to avert the calamity.
Finally an idea struck Alexander and he
said General Winder, called Hog Win
| der by the prisoners, gives feast tonight
and he'll get beastly drunk before it is over.
Now if we can give him the list while in
this condition he'll sign it without reading
and we can get you put on another list,
for there is to be clearance of prison
ers whom it is considered safe to send
north" The scheme worked perfectly, and
Mrs. Bengough succeeded still further.
Having taken an interest in q man whose
name was on the prescribed list to be sent to
| the interior, she persuaded Major Alex
ander, while his hand was in, to write q
dead mans name on the list instead of the
other. Twas big risk to run, but the
ruse won and the live mans name was put
on the exchange list. There wasn't much
sleep in Castle Thunder that night.
Southern Specimen Also.
But all the heroines in Castle Thunder
were not Yankees. There were two Southern
girls there whose lovers had gotten into
trouble on account of counterfeiting Con-
federate currency. The girls were detained
to testify. One of them did give away her
beau. and he was promptly hanged. Lottie
Gilmore, the girl who sang "The Moon
Behind the HILL" was made of sterner
stuff, and refused. Mrs. Bengough lent
Miss Gilmore dress to wear when taken
out to attend the trial, and supported her in
her resolve to save her lovers life. The
authorities could not convict him.
There is much in this portion Of Mrs. Nc
Cafrey's narrative that is interesting, show
ing how prisoners communicated with each
other under difficulties and how the slaves
worked mutely to serve Yankee prisoners,
but 'twould require book to tell it.
The Bengough women received frequent
visits from people of note, among others
Belle Boyd, of rebel-spy fame. Belle was
dressed in mans apparel and was introduced
as Lieutenant Harry, but though her sex was
not suspected, Mrs. Bengough was not ia
vorably impressed with Belle, who was try
ing to worm secrets out of the prisoners.
Belle chewed tobacco, smoked, drank and
swore in her character impersonations. She
also loved to play cards.
There was a Colonel Dunham, of some
Massachusetts, regiment, in whom Mrs.
Bengough took much interest. He was in
prison on the opposite side of the street
and his ghastly white face seemed never
absent from a small square hole in his door.
Mrs. Bengough sent him a note one day,
having hired colored postman for dollar
to establish route. The old-time panto-
mime was used, and the darkey, watching
his opportunity, rolled the note in his shirt
sleeve. 1t was written on one of the fly
leaves of "Don Quixote." The Colonel had
no stationery OF any kind, and could not
write much of letter until Mrs. Bengough
sent him fly leaf. She doesn't know his
fate.
The Majors History.
On the morning of their departure Major
Alexander told them he had been ordered
to go on active duty; he had been put in
charge of the prison on account of having
had his leg broken. but the Confederacy
was no longer able to do without anyone
who could give an order or fire a gun.
Major Alexander belonged to a prominent
family in Alexandria, and since the war
the remnants of the family have beer en-
gagged trying to recover property there con-
fscated by the Government The Major had
been educated at the Naval Academy at
Annapolis, and when the war broke out run
a cargo of ammunition into a rebel
port instead of turning it over to his Uncle
Samuel. He was captured and imprisoned
for it in Fort Lafayette, and broke his leg
by jumping from a window in an attempt to
escape, but finally found means to get into
the Confederate lines and was entrusted with
the command of Castle Thunder.
The morning they left Richmond for home
the Major bid them goodby, and told Mrs.
Bengough that if he came out of the army
alive he would come to PIttsburg to see her.
He then gave her breastpin, pocket knife,
his photograph and letter to be delivered
to a man in Baltimore. She was instructed
how to find the man, given description of
hin, and told to give him the letter and ask
no questions, but to follow the instructions
he would give her and all would be we'll.
She was to remain at the place designated
until she found man answering the de-
scriptlon in the middle store of block on
a certain street. She went to the place des-
the store, asking no questions, and finally
when about to despair she noticed man
answering the description in every respect,
seated on a chair on the edge of the pave.
ment in front of the store. He was evil
IDENTIFY Hebrew. She delivered the letter
and the man took it, read it attentively,
changed color several times, but made no
comment. He finally wrote a brief eplstle
and handed it to her without comment save
to direct her to present it at a certain place.
She did so, and at the place was given
transportation to Pittsburg, with her COM
panion. They stopped for refreshments at
places indicated in the letter of instruction
and nowhere could they prevail on anyone
to take money for services rendered. The
connection between Major Alexander and
the Baltimore Hebrew has never been ex-
planned, for though Alexander was, in gen.
eral, communicative, he could never be in
duced to open his lips on this subject.
A Lover In Trouble.
Once again settled in Pittsburg Mrs. Ben
cough took up her composing stick and
soon was in trouble, being asked to set type
for 35c per thousand ems, while men were
paid 45c, and this was the cause of her Sc
curing work at Haven's, under McEwen.
He also quelled strike against her in the
Typographical Union, when some members
had black-balled her on account of sex. She
demanded the regular wages, and Mr. Nc
Even demanded that objectors should show
cause, other than that she was woman, for
her discharge, and finally sense of JUS
tice and gallantry prevailed. She was
given S1S week, and did table work and
every other kind of work that was required,
saved her money and bought property.
One morning she was sitting in the base
ment kitchen of her residence, when her
sister said: "a man was here to see you yes
terday, and asked where you were" She
did not suspect whom her visitor might be,
but the next day he walked into Hav-
ems place and found her, two years after
they had parted in Richmond. He was
shoddy, careworn, terribly used up and
penniless, but Mrs. Bengough recognized
him at sight. Alexander told her he had
been included in the sentence against
Wirz, but had managed to escape. Mrs.
Bengough decided promptly that he should
be saved, as she felt that be had done the
hest he nould for tho rrieonara in Castle