The Jamesburg record., 1889-09-21
A DEAF AND DUMB SPY.
THE GREAT PART / PLAYED SERVING
UNDER SHERMAN.

UNDER SHERMAN.
Sherman did not leave Chattanooga
for Atlanta without knowing all about
the route and its distractions. His spies
and scouts passed oyer almost every mile
of tile distance, and made very accurate
reports. l was one OF the last sent out
and the last to return, and l had close
shave of it. Information was received
which obliged me to enter the Confeder-
and as two or three of our spies had been
captured and hung, and the C0nfederates
were on the gut Uiue to prevent others
from penetrating their lines, 1 needed
something more than disguise. After
canvassing the matter for awhile, adopt
ed the suggestion of regimental surgeon
to play the role of dummy" l was
to be deaf and dumb, and carry pencil
and paper. and do my talking that way.
He coached me for two or three days be-
fore the start, and when l was ready to
go l had mastered the situation. The
surgeon had been assistant uperintendent
in deaf and dumb asylum for several
years, and he was peculiarly fitted to
teach me my steps.
You may reply that any one can ''play
deaf and dumb' and deceive people. Yes,
any one can, up to a certain point. If it
was discovered that was not what I
claimed to be, my life would pay forfeit.
was provided with bundle of station
cry, some tobacco, a lot of religious tracts,
articles of cheap goods, and few special
ties, and left the Federal outposts one
dark and rainy evening in good spirits.
Obstructing Sherman's advance was the
mountain barrier called Rocky Face
Ridge. The main gap. through which
the railroad and highway ran and still
runs, is called Buzzard's Roost Gap. Our
scouts and pies had reported this gap SO
strongly fortified that Sherman felt that
he could not force it. Further to the
south is Snake Creek Gap. One of my
objects was to ascertain how this gap was
defendad.
was well within the Confederate lines
before midnight, and at about that hour
l found shelter in barn, and slept until
two hours after daylight. When | turn
ed out no one was in sight, and L walked
fully two miles along the highway before
| met any one. Then l encounted party
of about 30 cavalrymen going to the front.
was in citizens clothes, had pack on
my back, and, of course, expected to be
stopped. The troop was comlnaded by
Lieutenant, and as he came up he order
ed a halt, and queried of me:
"Who are you, and where are you GO
ing 20
Here was the first test. The men had
gathered around me, and every one had
his eyes upon me. 1t was a compliment
to me that one of the men called out be-
fore had made sign:
Dog gone him, he's dummy He's
got a face like washboard l'
l wrote on my tablet: "What do you
want? p and the Lieutenant wrote in re-
ply: "Who are you, and where are you
going 2"
gave my name as George Smith, and
stated that | was Confederate peddler.
l opened my bundle, presented him with
some tobacco, and several of the men
made purchases. The officer asked me
for my pass, and told him that it was
taken from me three days before by some
Yankee raiders who had captured me and
turned me loose again.
"Well, they'll overhaul him back there,
anyhow" he said to his sergeant, and
waving his hand to me, he gave me the
order to move on. L was in for it now,
and must push ahead. could see an en-
campment down the road, and any at
tempt to flank it would create suspicion.
1t was we'll went ahead, for one of the
cavalrymen followed me clear back to the
sentinel on the outskirts of the camp.
He walked his horse directly behind me,
and so close that the animals nose almost
touched my back, but he did not catch
me off my guard, When the sentinel
stopped me handed him my name and
occupation, and in a few minutes L was
in the present of the officer of the guard
While he asked for my pass, he did not
seem suspicious. 1 was escorted to the
quarters of the officer of the day, and
here came test, made SO carelessly that
if had not had all my wits about me l
should have been lost. AS we reached
the quar- ters the escort said
''Hero is deaf and dumb man who
has no pass. Captain Harsher ordered
him here from the guard tent"
"All right" replied the officer, who
was not even looking at US and then, as
the escort started off he half turned to me
and said:
''Stand aside for few minutes and
will attend to your case."
His tone was so careless and his order
SO natural that | caught my muscles
moving to obey. Had picked up foot
l should have given myself away. AS
did not move, he presently turned to me,
seemed surprised that was there, and
began to inquire about me. l gave him
the details, and while we were passing
the tablet back and forth Captain came