Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-01-18
A SPY'S NERVE.

Ten days before ROsecrans moved
from Nashville to attack Bragg at
Murfreesboro, he knew the Con
federate strength to a man and a
/ gun. That was, perhaps, the best
! ic G of scout and spy work on a
large scale performed during the
war. There we're twenty-five oil
us, male and female, engaged In
the enterprise for three weeks, ana
four of us remained within Bragg's
line IN to within twelve hours OF
the march ou. of Nashville, says a
celebrated Union spy. On the
other hand, Bragg was receiving
hourly information from a hundred
different sources, and his estimate
/ of the Federal strength was found
10 be only one hundred and fifty
two oat Of the way. To get these
figures on either side required
much personal sacrifice at great
peril, and during the three weeks
mentioned three of our spies were
captured, and
WE GOT TWO CONFEDBRATES.
Two of ours we're shot while making
break for liberty, and the third
died in prison. The two Confed'
crates were killed within our lines
and a guard of four men with
them, by the explosion of an ammu-
milton wagon. The fact that | was
a scout and spy during the greater
part of the war does not bias me
one iota when say that men who
will take their lives in their hands
as spies do are not deserving OF
the stigma which it attaches to
the name. The idea in war is to
win battles. Why should the men
who 90 into an enemy's camp and
count his mum bers be reproached
and the general who acts on the
lnformatian and WINS a fight be
praised 2 If because they go in
disguise, one can assert that half
the movements in campaign are
disguised. Troops advance or re-
treat to play hypOcrite and deceive
the enemy. Our gunboats were
often disguised In order to get an
advantage, and neither side heslta-
ted at any stratagem which prom.
ised to blind the other. Why it is
legitimate in warfare for gunboat
TO shut off her lights and sneak
EAST a battery at midnight to take
a position below and matter of
contempt for an individual to pass
that same battery on foot to see
what is beyond Is a puzzle to me.
/ The rule IN war is to welcome the
deserter who has information, but
to
SHOOT DOWN THE PATRIOT
who comes to possess himself of
any, and it will, perhaps, always
remain so. 1t was required OF me
to enter MurfreesbOrO and remain
for a couple of weeks to get the
headquarters gossip. Such point
ers as l picked up were TO be for
warded to a certain spot on the
Nashville pike by a young man
who accompanied me to act as
messenger. His name was Chas.
Jackson, and he was private in
an Ohio regiment. 1t was arrang'
ed that I should hail from Louis
vile and he from Lexington, and
for two days before leaving Nash
vile we we're busy posting up on
the streets, prominent people, pub
lie buildings, etc, OF the cities
named. 1t was an easy matter to
get into the town, but it cost Uncle
Sam considerable cash in advance.
was furnished with twenty-five
reyolvers as proof that l was the
aren't of a firearms house IN Louis
vile. and Jackson got in with
three fine horses to sell for Lex
ington speculator. So far so good.
When one has actually eDtered
upon the dangers of an expedition
THE PERILs SEEM TO LESSEN.
| took up my quarters at hotel,
and made no attempt to avoid
anyone. Jackson put his horses
into the hotel stables, but took up
his own quarters at a private
boarding house. There was much
confusion and excitement, and no
one seemed to give US any atten
: tion. On the FIRST day of my ar
rival sold a revolver TO an infan
{ sry captain named Williams, and
he informed me that he would re
turn next day with a couple OF hi
: friends. was in no hurry to sci
II out my stock, as calculated on
i, stay often days at the least, and
made no advances to the many
= \ officers coming and going. L KEEP
n my eyes and ears open for pointers
- and something worth saving wa
nicked up every hour. jackson