Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-05-04
DEAF AND DUMB.
The Thrilling Experience of
a Military Spy.
BY PERCY III. MORRIS.

0HtIuddH ulu uOb leave SHdGUttuOOE,d
for Atlanta without knowing all about
the route and it's instructions. His
spies and scouts passed over almost
every mile of the distance, and made
full and accurate reports was one OF
the last sent out and the last to return,
and had close shave of it. Informa-
tion was required which obliged me to
enter the Confederate camps and see
with my own eyes, and as two or three
of our spies had been captured and
hung, and the Confederates were on the
qua uire to prevent others from pene-
trating their lines, I needed something
more than disguise. After canvassing
the matter for while, 1 adopted the
suggestion of a regimental surgeon to
play the role of dummy" 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 before
the start, and when I was ready to go
had mastered the situation. The sur
geon had been assistant superintendent
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.
/ was to go beyond that point. If it
was discovered that was not what I
claimed to be my life would pay the for
felt. I was provided with bundle of
stationery, some tobacco, lot of relig
ious tracts, articles of cheap goods, and
few specialties, 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 end high
way ran and still run, is called Buzzard' s
Roost Gap. Our scouts and spies had
reported this gap SO strongly fortified
that Sherman felt he could not force it.
Further South is Snake Creek Gap.
One of my objects was to ascertain how
this gap was defended.
| was web within the Confederate
lines before midnight, and at about that
hour found shelter in barn, and slept
until two hours after daylight. When
/ turned out no one was in sight, and 1
had walked fully two miles along the
highway before met anyone. Then I
encountered a party of about thirty
cavalrymen going to the front. I was
in citizens clothes and pack on my
back, and, of course, expected to be
stopped. The troops was commanded
by Lieutenant, and as he came up he
ordered halt and queried of me-
who are you, and where are you
going?".
Here was the first test. The men had
gathered around me, and every one had
his eye upon me. 1t was compliment
to me that one of the men called out be-
fore had made sign:
DOG gone him, he's dummy! He's
got face like washboard!"
I wrote ON my tablet: what do you
want?" and the Lieutenant wrote in re-
ply: who are you, and where are you
going?"
I gave my name as George Smith,
and stated that I was a Confederate
peddler. I opened my bundle, pre-
sented him with some tobacco, and sew
eral of the men made purchases. The
officer asked for my pass, and I 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 ride on. I was in for il
now, and must push ahead. / could see
an encampment down the road, and any
attempt to flank it would create suspi.
cion. 1t was we'll that J. went ahead,
for one Of the cavalrymen followed me
clear back to the sentinel on the out,
skirts 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
I handed him my name and occupation,
and in few minutes was in the pres
ence of the officer of the guard. While
he asked for my pass, he did not seem
suspicious. 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 quarters the escort said:
Here is deaf and dumb man, who
has no pass. Capt. 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:
9Stand aside for a faw minutas and 7