The Portland daily press., 1889-09-09
had was on INV wau to nalton altar new

that was on my way to Dalton after new
stock. Twas arrested after entering the gap,
and the arrest came about through corpo-
raj in battery of artillery, who at first con-
tended that he recognized me as deserter
named William Ridges. -,
| in build and look but as soon as the corpo,,
raj had a close look at me he acknowleugeu
| his mistake. This occurred just before dark,
| and the captain of the battery, VINO was IN
| mand of some Georgia State troops. was
| NOT SUSPECTED of being q Federal spy, bnt
| having been arrested on charge, and being
| fonnd without pass, it was quite proper to
| make a further investigation.
There were several officers in the generals
tent when was taken in and reported on,
and the facts in my case had no sooner been
announced than one OF them, who was sur
geon in Hoods command held a whispered
consultation with the general, and sus-
peeted plot TO test me. Ny suspicious
were soon. proved correct The escort had
retired and left me standing in front of the
entrance-inside, of course, but lust where |
was In ire way OF anyone coming or going,
Inc whispered consultation lasted about five
minutes, and then the general casually re-
marked to me:
Take seat and l will hear you,"
Inc surgeon was looking me full in the
lace, and had made the slightest movement
he must have detected it.
Sit DOWN. commanded the general, in a
louder voice.
l was looking at his sword hanging on the
tent pole, and l did not turn my eyes until
he wheeled around in his chair and beck
oned to me to approach. handed him nv
tablet and pencil, and he inquired why had
not a pass and where l wanted to CO. l ex-
planned about the pass as before. and told
him wanted to go to Dalton or Rome and
secure more goods. The general would ha We
been quite satisfied in five minutes, but the
surgeon was keen reader of human nature,
ana ne was convinced that was in disguise.
heard him whisper his suspicious to the
others, and their lack of belief made him all
tne more determined to expose me. | had no
lear OF any of the test, but | realized that it
would take all my nerve and tact to hold out
against the surgeon. Some of the tests he
at once put to me may seem trifleS to the
reader until he can put himself in the posi-
ton | occupied. He rose up suddenly,
crossed over to me, and slapping me on the
shoulder, exclaimed:
LET me see your t0ngue!'
had my teeth hard shut or my jaws would
have opened at the command.
''Stralghten upp was the next command.
| L was bumped over, and the words went
| through me like bullet. did not move,
| however.
Take your foot off that sashr shouted
| the surgeon; but l looked from him to the
general and showed my wonder.
OoniCs uVMy uub yOu 10 DtdtSuf lduBucu
one of the officers; and as the others had
some remark to make, the surgeon was net
tied. He looked at me fiXedly for long
half minute, and then he said to his COM
rades
81 wouldn't give it up yet, General. Please
hold on to him until we are certain of him
one way or the other"
"Oh, certainly; but think you have made
mistake this time. A deaf and dumb per-
son always has an expression not to be coun-
forfeited. He has told pretty straight
story"
That is true; but L want to study him a
little more. He claims to have lost his pass.
want to ask him more details. What was
the date?'
He turned quickly and put this question to
me, and had l not been looking ahead for it,
or something of the kind, my mouth would
have got away with me. His failure pro-
yoked another laugh, and wrote ON the
tablet:
"What does the officer say? Does he
believe am deSetter?'
HE says you are deceiving u.s."
Il have it hard enough now, without
being looked upon with ridicule of sus-
picion," wrote, and the general nodded his
head to me and said to the surgeon:
Il wont keep him longer than noon TO-
morrow. The poor cuss has hard row to
hoe, and l don't want to discourage him"
| The guard was called, and | was removed
| to-the guard house. which was a low structure
and quite comfortable. 1t held prisoner,
| and l had no doubt that he had been placed
there for a purpose. AS soon as the door
| was shut behind me, .he came forward and
| took my hand and said: 'Ah! and they
have got you, too! Both of us must die to-
| getherp' signed that | was deaf mute,
but he replied:
Come, no nonsense with me. | know
you, and you will soon know me. l have
seen you at Sherman's headquarters dozen
times. | am Jack Ross, a Union spy. was
arrested here week ago, and tomorrow l
am to be hung"
He trapped himself right on the start, as l
had never been at Sherman's headquarters
but once. l knew the name of every spy
employed by that army, and there was no
such person as Jack Ross. He worked every
way he could think of to trap me, but after a
couple OF hours he gave it up as bad job l
did not dare go to sleep that night, suspect
ing the surgeon would play me some trick.
About midnight he came softly in with a
couple of soldiers, and at signsl the men
screamed In my ears. did not move. Then
musket was discharged over my body and
the surgeon called out:
him.
did not think so. and did not awake
until they pulled at me- Next morning the
pretended spy was taken out, and | was
threatened and bullOzed for an hour.
After breakfast, as l sat with my back to the
door, it was softly opened and l heard the
click, click of the hammer of revolver. 1t
made my flesh creep. but did not turn. AT
uoon was returned TO the generals tent.
He was all alone, and he wrote on the tablet
that was free to 60 and that he would give
me pass. AS he said this he gave me a
paper, but ten seconds later quietly remarked
''See if / signed my name to it"
That was not the last test. He conducted
me to the door of the tent, waved me past
the sentinel, and observed:
You are now free to CO."
turned to the right, bought some provis-
ions of soldier, and after making dinner.
set out TO the south. do not think L was
followed or further suspected. L thoroughly
investigated the defences of the gap, located
the nearest large bodies of tie Confeder-
ates, and retuned to the Union line with no
other damage than flesh wound received in
the very last mile of travel from bush
whacker