Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-28
PAULINE CUSHMAN.
HOW THE FEMALE CONFEDERATE
SPY REPAID A FAVOR DONE HER.
Ono Of Geu. Rosecrans' STAFF Officers Tells
How He Saved an rndiscreet Actress,
and of Her Return OF the Compliment
ct u Serious Moment.

odlu CapU. t1euTy BUSH, tho well known
artist, who was Typographical engineer on
the staff of Gen Rosecrans in the Army of
the Cumberland to a reporter:
1t was in the autumn of 1861" continued
the old topograI hical engineer, lat Louisville
where first saw the woman who was after
ward to come into my life in the most unex-
pected way. | was then an officer in the
First Ohio cavalry, and the colonel of the
regiment, the ao jutant and myself one night
attended the theatre in which Pauline Cush-
man was playing an engagement During
the performance and near the close the actress
came down to the footights and drank
toast to JEFF Davis The act was a foolhardy
one, but eminently characteristic OF Cush-
man. The result was Just about what
might have been expected, considering that
the house was more than half full of soldiers.
The insult was instantly resented and a
tremendous upr1ar and row followed. More
than score OF men made rush for the
stage, and the entire audience was up and
yelling Our party were in box and took
in the situation at glance The soldiers
were furious ard the Sex of the actress would
not have saved her from violence had we
not jumped upon the stage to her rescue
While the colonel and adiutant were eudeav-
oring to quiet the angry, surging mob with
speeches, threw cloak over Miss Cushman
and hurrying to the stage door, bundled her
into waiting hack and had her safe in the
Louisville hotel before the crowd knew She
was out of the theatre. OF course the woman
was pretty badly scared, and after it was all
over realized kesnly the peril her foolish act
brought her. She was profuse in her thanks
for the service rendered her and promised as
long as | would listen, that she would repay
4
the opportunity offered.
The next morning we were ordered to the
front, and | saw nothing more of Pauline
Cushman, alth Jugh | often heard she had
turned Confederate spy, and that she was
serving with the Confederate forces, with
whom we were almost daily battling After
the engagement at Stone River, Gen. Rose
Grams, to whose staff | had heen assigned.
made headquarters at Winchester, Tenn. We
occupied the Mary Sharp college building for
some time, during which contracted typhoid
fever, and beca ne so i'll that | was removed
to boarding house kept by man by the
name of Day, which was just across the
street from my old quarters. | had scarcely
begun convalescing when the army was or
dered forward the objective point being
Chicamauga. I was still too sick to go with
the staff, but IL | remained in Winchester the
danger of being gobbled by Confederate
guerrillas was great, as the woods surround
ing the town were full of them, only await
ing the onward movement of the Union
troops to sweep down upon the village and
devastate it, but there was no help for it In
the opinion of the surgeon, | was still toe
weak to be removed in an ambulance and it
was arranged that | To stay with old
man Day and his wife until was stronger,
when it was understood IA conveyance would
be sent for me
About ; o'cl lck in the evening, Just after
the last detachment had marched past nv
window, | arose from my bed, dressed myself
in a new suit of clothes, wrapped up in tissue
paper what money | had in my possession,
something over 81 500 which had received
few days before the fever attacked me for a
painting | had made of the charge of the
First Ohio cavalry at Stone river, and pre-
pared to follow the army, if | could find a
conveyance. The exertion Of dressing, how
ever, was too much for me. and ] was forced
to again lie down upon the bed. | lay there
resting for, perhaps, an hour, when just about
O'Clock Mrs. Day came into my room and
told me that Dick McCann's gnerrillaS--.the
same who murdered Gen. MCCOok-were ap-
preaching the rown, and they would, doubt
less search every house to SEQ if any sick or
wounded Yankees had been left behind
This was cheering intelligence but could not
get away, and had about made I'D my mind
to submit to what seemed inevitable-capture
but | didn't want the rascals to get my
money so gave my cash all but 500 to Mrs
Day, and told her to keep it, 1t had gotten
on to near 9 O'Clock, and while tea was being
prepared lay down in my room, the door Of
which opened in hall leading to the street
L.. ia
relapsing into an unconscious state, from
which was suddenly aroused by some one
knocking on M door.
Il approached the door and demanded why
l had been disturbed let me in was the
reply, in q won ans voice This answer only
confirmed me in the belief that had been
trapped, and that my betrayer was, possibly,
some woman who knew | had not left the
town with the army, but replied as bravely
as circumstances would permit: Il know no
woman who has any business with me, SO get
away from thai door or | will shoot through
it,. To this threat the answer came: For
Gods sake let nc in, and that quickly. ] am
Pauline Cushman. You did me q service
once and have come to repay it, This
didn't believe, but was too weak to longer
contend, and J opened the door, through
which Immediately camo Miss Cushman. !
recognized her instantly, although she was
dressed in male attire and had her beautiful
hair cut as closn as that of II soldier. grasped
her hands with food of questions upon my
lips, but she sienced all by saying: We have
no time for talking now; you must come
with me ct once
Strange rs il may seem had not thought
Of treachery. ! instinctively felt that she
had come to save me from her friends and to
place me into the hands of my own | tot
tered to Mrs. Days room. drank a CUP of tea
got my money, all but 500 bill compelled
her to keep, AMI dragged myself to the street
door, In front of which an old fashioned
carryall was Standing. With the help of the
driver Miss Clshn;an assisted me into the
vehicle, and ws were OFF, whittier | neither
knew nor cared, was near dead by this
time that ] wouldn't have flipped pennies for
the chance of living. Miss Cushmau held
my head in her lap during that long rough
ride, which consumed the rest of the night
for just as day was breaking over the mount
aims we entered Deckards Station. We
drove at once tD the depot, in front of which
a train for Chattanooga was standing
few hurried words to the official in charge
from Miss Cushman secured me a seat in the
cars, which were ready to start, and q moment
aftervsard was kissing the hand of the
Confederate spy' good-by. She stopped and
whispered: i lever forget those who have
dared and done for me, l care not what uni
form they wear and in the gray light of the
morning she si pped away and / never saw
her again. | was placed in a hospital and
soon recovered to rejoin my command, but
never until the bugles of God sound recall
for me will j forget Pauline Cushman or
cease to love and respect her. Confederate
spy though she was, in my heart Of hearts
she shall ever be blessed memory st
Louis Republic