New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-14

THE RIDE TO WINCHESTER
Far SHIRT distance travelled on the roao' On,
coon found II so blocked with wagons ana "ouiue'
men that nv progress was impeded ana was -,
N take 70 the adjoining fields to make haste ~
nost Of the wagons and wounded were past Feu,',s
~ the road which was thickly lined Win uiinu'S
mon who having got far enough 10 the rear "
ho o,, ~ danger had halted, without any orgahi-
yation. and begun cooking coffee pnt whS 81, their
saw me they abandoned their coffee, tnom s1 aIone
hats shouldered their mushets am and cheers 10
ACKNOWLEDGE this exhibition OF leenHnEi do some
my hat and with Forsyth ana while every mounted
officer who saw mo galloped ou distance that had
the pike to tell the men h st news WaS spread to the
straggers off the road when lhey, Iou thn cremv
faces 70 inc moment from The depths Of depression
10 The extreme of enthusiasm ar9any ha
even In the Ordinary ,v sGRa Soldiers but what saw
,b.f day convinced me that II 1t can be excited I,H
state oil dependency ITS p0 NSar a9 rode among
those on the road: II had been with you ed
Me- must face the other way We will go back
and recover our camp" g.. 18Th ., Nsvctown.
where met chaplain digging his heels mo r sne
sides Of his faded horse and mSng io an Instant
wtA a Of him how matters going at
fbe front He replied Everything Is lost; . pSt
s al T be mis- sht wSsa you Of &c confidence
parson at resumed his GREATNESS pace ~ u
re The At t to Se round M the Village could not
pass through It, the streets Were so W croos
staff. he spread the news Of my return through
the motley throng there. an. .. oo+ mn
saving as he rode up. My God am glad you've
come Getty's division, when found II, was about
slone Of some Slightly rising ground holding barrl
cadc made with fence rails, ana sklrlsnis snsnsS
With the - sps% 9 PsdSo to the e Of Inc ncsS
and there taxing of my 6s e che men Of TecognCn
9 In osieer Of the Vermont brigade Colonel A. s
Tracy rode out TO the front and Joining me- dma1d
there A the regular division commander, General
Getty having taken charge OF the SIAs atioD While
back 10 the OF Gety's division, anu a. s ~
behind s nn ~ Il Of seeSed to Welcome me- they
we're mostly the colors of Crooks troops. who had
been sta%pedea snd having wihsoOd
ihe panic, had formed behind the troops OF Getty;
oeScsrs e among whom / recognized Colonel r.. b.
HAYES, since President Of the United STATES one OF
,dent crossed the little narrow valley, depression,
IN rear OF Getty's line, and dismounng on INC OPP
posite crest established that point as my he@aquAf
ters.
WAS IT WILKES BOOTHS
Although had adopted the general rule of en-
Moving only soldiers as scouts, there was an occa
slonal exception 10 It, A man named Tomas, who
claimed TO be MarylandeI, offered me his services
as a SPY and coming highly recommended from
Mr. ,;t,nton who had made use pf HIN in that ca
nscity / employed him. He made many preten-
sions often appearing over anxious w impair ~
iGrman and yet was more than ordinarily
Intelligent but in spite OF that NY confidence 10 MN
wac by no neaDs unlimited. oiten iOuHu Nhat
he reported to me as taking place withla the Con
fcdrraie lines ccT)erraird by 1Oungs men, put
led me 70 suspect thar le was nmpl ye by HE enemy
as wei a. BY ne. ! ie, however, that with good
watching no could do little harm, and II my sus-
ncions were incorrect he might be very useful, so
held on TO him. Early one day III February Tomas wa
very sc0 NOT e SUt on account Of some Quarrel
in the inogular camp had abandoned that ieaae ser
railroad bridges east of Lynchburg ] concluded TO
give him employment, at the same time Informing
Colonel Young that suspected their fidelity, however
and that he must test IL by shadOwing tnelf every
movement When Lomas's companion entered my
roam he was completely dis gused, but dlscardng
~ varjons eonTivances by which his identity was
concealed no proved 10 DO rather slender, DARK
snd prantyafipg manners. lie gave his name as
6 WENT into details about Mosby and his men which
Showed an intimacy with them az some time. ex-
plained TO the two men the WORK hao la,d out Tor
them and stated the sum Of money would give TO
bsys n done. but stipulated that In OF failure
there would be no compensation whatever beyond
re s lew assented and was arranged that they should
start the following night McanWhle Young hs'
sepored my spies as being concealed at srasburg,
where they remained, without making tho shEhlcst
eiort to Continue on their mission, and we're busy,
No donbt communicating with the enemy though
,es NOT able 10 fasten this them. On the 10th OF
Eebrnary they returned TO winchester ana fepOfte
,ieir saure telling so many lies about their hazard
ops adventure as To remove all remaining doubt as
10 their double dealing. UnqueStonaoy they WI,
snies from the enemy, and hence laOle 10 the usua
1eenaltes of such service; but IL struck me iha'
through them might deceive Early as 10 Wv ,'io
~ onening the spring campaign, having already re-
ceIyed from General Grant an inumatoh OF VIVA
was expected OF me. i therefore retained the neu
without even a suggestion OF my KnoWedge Oh thelL
true character. Young meanwhile Keeping cioso "@'n
Toward tho last OF February General Early bad Al
staunton two brigades Of infantry under ~haflon'
An the rest OF the infantry except Ih9f en-
10 Petersburg during the writer; and titz Leo 49,
briCades OF cavalry also R0Ssers men WI
mostly al their homes, where, on a.. a.
count Of lack OF subsistence q.
forage in the valley, they had been perini''s9
subject to call. Lomax's cavalry was al MllltOy
west Of staunton where supplies were ouIa'nsoir.
II was my aim 20 get well or the ROAD before Ia
could collect these scattered forces. ana as may W
the officers had been IN the habit Of amusing men,
| selves fox-huntng during tho latter part OF w
winter decided 10 use tho hunt expodient iol
stealing n march on ths enemy, and had u gwen .u
officially that grand foXchase would take place on .n
| Goth Of February Knowing that Tomas anu hen
frew would spread the announcement South Iey "oI'
cuIed as well as large pack Of hounds which COiCae
Young had collected for The sport, ana "eie ,Hei
started on a second expedition 10 burn the pr1usl5
OF course they Swallowed as usual ana Two nay
later after they had communicated with friends iOm
| their hiding place in Newtown they were afiestfu
| On the way North to Fort Warren they escaped IRON
| their guards when passing through Baltlmoff' ann
| never heard Of them again, though learned thal
| after the assassination Of Mr.. Lincoln. SecTetarl
Stanton strongly suspected MS ena lon% o,
| me that the good-loodng RenfTcw may have heei
Wilkes Booth, for he certainly bore strong rel en-