The National tribune., 1890-12-25
WHERE THE REBELS WERE.
Scouts Trip from Raleigh Through seesssia
NerthwaFl,

1
During the last month OF the late war was
| in Gen. Sherman's army. being employed By
! Gen. Fitzpatrick as q citizen-scOut aud spy for
/ the Z. s forces. Immediately after the sur
render of Gen. Johnstou's army I decided TO
| go North, and did. Destination, Gen. Kilpat-
/ ricEs home, near DeCkcrtown, y. J. / con-
cuaCd TO make the trip on horseback and in
/ a Confederate uniform. Lexington, y. C., in
/ tho direction Of LynehbHrg Va, passing to the
! left Of the latter place, then crossing the Blue
/ Ridge, reached and passed through Lexington,
! in the Shenandoah Valley, thence down the
| Valley, crossing the Potomac River at Han
4 cock, Nd; through Maryland. by the way Of
! HagerstOwn; Pennsylvania, by Chamborsburg
Harrisburg, StrondsbuTgh, etc, and crossed
| the Delaware River near Milford, reaching
/ New Jerseys foreign shore in i days. i was
accompanied by colOred boy. Ben Charleton,
| now residing az Port Jervis. y. Y. Ben, at the
| time, was about ~ years old, and rs black as
the ace of spades. ] will add, however, that
! think he became a few shades lighter during
/ the trip. Ask him. he was q very bright lit
tie fellow, although born in slavery, aud until
within few weeks OF onr departure the prop
eTty OF rich planter. Mr.. Brown OF Barnwell,
=. {. After leaving our lines i was COnfod-
crate officer, Ben my servant. He had been
with me in the Confederate army. We were
returning 10 my home IN Maryland. That was
my story, and told Ben 10 stick 10 il like grim
'tNdth W u utAu HtsAegs anu you Deb NC ulu
We avoided, much as possible, the main roads
and large towns, not wishing 10 encounter any
OF our troops, as IL would neccssitIto explana-
ton as 10 who we were. etc, which would cause
rs much delay. When passing through North
Carolina and Virginia met 50 many Conied-
crate soldiers returning to their homes with
their arms aud equipment, and many that had
returned, aud having cOnversed with them,
leads me to ask, Were they in, it? They
said they were not, did not wait for il,
had not surrendered and never would that
tho war WAS not over; the Yankees would find
they could never subiue tho South they
would fight from the mountains etc. Those
were the sentiments they expressed. The peO-
pie were very bitter, which was to DO expected
40 that time and had they known i was a Yank
J would have quickly iournoyed in another di-
TectiOn, and not on horseback either, and /
dOa't say they would have been TO blame under
the circumstances.
1.-THE LAST NIGHT N VIRGINIA"
About : p. m. we reached farmhouse. To
the proprietor told my story: Had not sur
rendered.: never would; the war was not over,
and asked for food and shelter, which were
readily promised. Ben and the horses were
given in charge Of . servant, and was con-
ducted 10 the house and enjoyed good meal.
After supper l again pitched into the Yanks.
He listened for a time, aud finally said he did
not care 20 talk about the war. He'd had all
the war he wanted, losing much property, in
Guiding slaves But, thank God. slavery had
lecn wiped out and the Union saved, and chat
he'd never been in favor Of Secession. j was
much surprised. those being the first Union
sentiments ] had heard on the trip, and was
delighted. still continued the talk, thinking,
perhaps, that two were playing the same game.
III didn't like II, and requested we change the
subject. BY this time / was fully convinced
that he was true blue, and would please aud
surprise him by informing him that was no
Johnny, and had been in the Union army ali
through the rebellion. Well, IL did surprise
him, but ! was not prepared for the surprise
he gave me in return. Ho became very angry.
and said:
Then you lied to me when you first reached
here and have been lying all the evening""
Yes, sir"
How do 1 know that you are not lying
nowY"
told him had papers that would satisfy
him i was now telling the truth. He did not
want to sen them; he required no papers to
prove TO him that ] was - liar. He de-
tested such, and would Immediately have my
niger and horses brought to the house for my
departure. lie would listen TO no explanation,
but finally consented that Ben aud myself
could sleep in the barn with tho horses, and
/ wedid.
Leaving early next morning hungry, but
very thankful that we were not more than %
| miles from Maryland ibid not want to tell more
| les, about , p. III. we reached the Potomac
| River aud were feTried across. Three men
were in charge of the boat. They appeared to
be little seasick. / sfterwaTd learned they
| had visited Hancock several times during the
day and had purchased much fusil oil. They
| eyed me very closely. j had, before reaching
the river, put on long Spring overcoat which
partially concealed my Confederate uniform.
I asked them if / would be able 20 get hotel ac-
/ commodations in Hancock, ms ! wished TO re-
main for the night. They directed whore /
would find such. We had proceeded but short
distance from the river when ] espied a horse
man In advance, who seemed waiting for some
one. On our near approach he commanded
that We halt. and We did. He appeared to be
an oliciOus sort of person, with seemingly OIL
/ cial papers pTDtrudiug from his coat pockets
| ] sized him up in a minute. He demanded to
/ know who in ha1C3 / was, and where | got
| those horses, that damn niger, and where
! intended 10 gog / told him Il WAS none Of his
! business, but in regards 10 where intended to
J 20. ] would 90 for him If he was not more civil
/ lie said he did not want 10 fight: that lac was
/ a civil officer Deputy Sheriff, in the discharge
! Of his duty, and WAS on the lookout for horse
| thieves. 1 told him 20 90 TO the devil. lie
made room for Us 10 pass and We proceeded to
| the town. he following AT q respectful distance
We reached the hotel aud found the landlord
4
! Shortly after arriving supper was announced
! aud / proceeded TO the diniug-TOOm, leaving
4 Ben in the bar-rgom. While eating / could
/ hear loud aud seemingly angry discussion
| taking place in the baT-rOOm, and from what
| was able 10 hear knew 10 WAS about me. The
/ ferrymen had come TO the hotel. and learned
| from Ben | was a Confederate officer and
/ fighter from wayback; that | had not sur
rendered. etc. They made some Temari. about
me that angered the landlord. II told them it
/ was none OF business who was: that
! | was a guest in his house, and rs such should
I DO protected. The deputy having also arrived,
/ aud with him Others that had, think, been
/ summoned 10 assist in my arrest. They all
1 took sides with the landlord the deputy in
cudcd. The ferrymen Sere ordered TO mosey,
! which they did. threatening to return later.
| When / returned 10 the bar-r0Om / was asked
4 what wa. the matter. The landlord said that
L three drunken Yankees had tried hard to kick
up fuss over what did not concern them and
! he told them 20 vaeate But what a change
| had taken place. The deputy begged that
! forgive him for making such a blunder as to
take Confederate officer for horse thief OF
| course freely foTgaye him Cigars, etc, WcrO
ordered, aud little later, with the Deputy,
| called on some Of the good inhabitants o. the
town, spent quite pleasant evening, returned
10 the hotel and retired. Later was awakened
by the landlord. lie informed me that the
house was surrounded by Yankee soldiers. He
| was very much excited. told him not % be
alarmed on my account, as could easily pull
the wool over their eyes. LETT Ben soundly
sleeping land dare say dreaming OF "Suuf
Carolina % went down stairs, asked 10 see
1 IL. Il n 1