Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-01-02

IN
In the afternoon cold storm of rain
set in and Soon it was nearly dark as
night. We moved into the woods short
distance above the railroad. and .ried to
find some shelter from the torrents of rain
that fell furiously upon us. Our supply
trains were still miles in the rear, strug-
Cling in the deepening mud. At o'clock
Lieut.. Stone of the First Maine was
detailed and ordered to report to the
quartermaster in charge of the trains,
and to aid him IN his arduous duties.
With one orderly he set out, but had
scarcely got a quarter of a mile from
our fires when Lieut.. Paine of Mosby's
guerrillas, with squad of men, dashed
out from little thicket of .pines where
they had been concealed and gobbled up
the two, who surrendered with resistance,
and set out at once for Paine's house near
Warrenton. They were kindly treated
by their captors, given something to eat
and comfortable quarters for the night.
The rain continued incessantly until
morning, when it cleared away, and the
sun came out once more
Paine started early with his prisoners to
deliver them at Lees headquarters. The
streams and creeks were full to overflow
ing, and the progress of the party was
necessarily slow. Fearing they might
meet some of our cavalry they kept out
an advance guard to apprise them of ap-
preaching danger. at length as they
came to a creek not far from Sulphur
Springs, which had overfowed its banks
and bridges, the guard halted and hesi-
tated to drive into the wild stream. Paine
soon came up and denounced them in the
Immediately plunged in, of the same time
calling to the others to follow; but he
had not gone far, however, when his horse
lost his footing, and the two were swept
down the stream.
wHTRLING DOWN TO DEATH.
The guard stood apparently paralyzed
as they saw the man and horse struggling
in the mad waters. Stone at first looked
on with Indifference, but soon better
nature possessed him, and when he could
no longer sit and see man, his and his
country's enemy even, whirling down to
certain death, he called to the guards:
"Cowardsl will you see that man drown
before your eyes?' No man spokel No
man movedl Paralyzed still Stone then
galloped quickly down the stream, and
below tho drowning man, who had now
become detached from his horse, and rode
out and caught him by the hair as he
came along. and pulled him in shore. At
this point the guard had begun to recover
consciousness, and rode down and aided
in restoring the exhausted Confederate.
When he had recovered somewhat and
could talk little, Stone said to him:
"Unaided and alone l saved your life, and
now you cannot do less than restore TO
me my horse and liberty"
Das, AL Il 1.o n10 - 10
so, but that he could not, as all prisoners
once in his possession legally belonged to
the Confederate government, and if he
released or surrendered one, on any pre-
text whatever, he would suffer at the
hands of that government; but he prom
ised TO send a statement of all the facts
to Gen. Lee, and ask him to use his great
influence with the war department in
Stones behalf.
Paine's horse came in shore short dis
tance from where he was pulled in, and
in little time they were all mounted again,
and on their way to cross the creek at
some point above. Finally we reached
the Confederate lines, where the prison
erS were turned over to another guard,
by whom they were taken to Lees head
quarters and from thence to Richmond,
where they were assigned quarters in
Libby prison.
RETRIEVED BY THE coNFEDERATEs.
But Stones confinement was ioyfully
short, for at the close of the second day q
reprieve from the Confederate secretary
of war was sent him, and on the follow
ing morning he was placed on board the
truce boat and sent down the James river
to our lines. Paine had not been unmind-
full of his obligations to Stone, nor of his
promises at the creek. He informed Gen.
Lee of his accident, of the inaction of his
men and of the courage and kindness of
the Yankee lieutenant in risking his life
in the dangerous stream to save that Of
his enemy and caDtor, and he asked Gen.
Lee-entreated him, to recommend q
favorable consideration of this worthy
and important case. Lee recommended
pardon and his immediate release to the
Union lines, which were willingly
granted Stone went directly to Wash
ington and soon after his arrival there
learned that Paine, his captor, had just
been brought in and lodged in the Old
Capitol prison He had been captured the
day before in a skirmish with the Eighth
Illinois cavalry while mounted on Stones
mare, a beautiful bay he (Stone) had
brought from Maine with him, and which
he priced very highly. Stone obtained
permission and visited Paine in prison.
The meeting of the two was most cor
dial and friendly. Paine was grateful
for his life and safety and Stone for his
life and liberty. The second day after his
arrival in Washington Stone returned to
his regiment, having been absent just one
week; and we knew nothing Of his release
or of his capture even, until the morning
of the day he returned, when we received
The Washington Chronicle, containing
the facts of the case briefly stated. He
went Immediately to the Eighth Illinois
regiment, found his horse unharmed,
proved his title and took her away He
brought Richmond papers with him,
which contained accounts of the incident
at the creek, as reported by Paine to Gen
Lee. The editors freely and favorably
commented upon the humane act Of this
ssexceptionable Yankee, and highly COM
mended the Confederate government for
it's generous Endpess ip releasing and gE'
tsfxniua itiin s8 tho Union Hues. ~Bcston