The Washington critic., 1890-02-05

The Fatefui Bundle of Papers that
stopped n Hot Pursuit..
". p. R1ed IN AnaNtd C0NstiIutloa1


NV. p. Rcd In AdaAtd Constitutional
you must take him, dead or alive
Yes, captain, and Private Suther-
land of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry put
spurs to bis horse and dashed off at the
top Of his speed.
Captain Saint was too much excited /
to give further directions. He had con
fidently expected to capture General !
Toombs at his residence, and 1t was
mainly with this object that he had led
his rough troopers into the peaceful
Georgian town OF Washington.
A call at the mansion had resulted in
disappointment
The bird had flown.
But the General could not be far
away, the Captain thought, and as only
one road had been left unguarded, Pri-
vate Sutherland felt sure that he was
on the right track.
Hello, Sambo"
The negro was at work In field in
the outskirts Of the town When he
heard the soldiers rude salutation he
advanced timidly to the fence by the
roadside.
"Have you seen General Toombs pass
this way?"
"Who---Marse Robert? No, sub,
Dunno wbar Marse Robert Is. Tink he
lef' town or week ergo"
"Youa black raseall' roarcd the cav
,alryman, che left his house about ten
minutes ago, and must have passed this
way" tt 1s
''Now, marse boss" began the negro.
but he never finished his sentence, for
at tl,at moment Sutherland caught sight
of horseman riding up the hill hardly
800 yards away. ~
There he isH' heyelled. ~.
DAT Amt srARsE ROBERT"
quickly replied the black
( But the FederaPs one glimpse of that
sturdy figure with the leonine locks
streaming in the wind was enough, and
he was Off like an arrow.
1t was a hot chase. With the fugi-
tive 1t was ride for liberty-perhaps
for life.
Steadily the pursuer gained on the
General. He kept him in sight and got
within hailiHg distance.
The race became mad gallop until
they reached another hill.
The Federal was still gaining. Only
| few yards separated the two.
"HaltW shouted Sutherland.
The General looked over his shoulder
| and darted onward.
Halt, or I fret"
The cayalryman leveled his pistol.
| Still no reply.
| Private Sutherland looked daZed for
| moment, and then he put up his
weapon.
| "The war is over" he muttcred,
| "and il would be little short of murder
to kill him."
| The two horsemen were sometimes
nearly neck and neck.
| Several times they exchanged glances,
and the Federal found himself admir-
ing the gallant old General But he
had his orders, and he was determined
to arrest the great Confederate He
threatened and urged the General TO
surrender, but not word could he get
in reply.
Riding close to the fugitives SHE
the trooper reached out and tore roll
of clothing from the crupper of his
saddle.
With mighty effort the Confederate
dashed ahead, and a roll of papers
slipped through an insecure pocket and
dropped on the ground.
Perhaps the documents were of the
highest importance. This thought
struck Private Sutherland, and he at
once dismounted
ONLY A PACKAGE OF BUSINESS LETTERS.
The soldier looked up. The general
was no longer in view--he had disap
peared around a bend in the road
In a moment Sutherland was in hot
pursuit.
The road forked. Which way had
the General gone-to the right, or to the
left?
/ To save his life the young fellow
could not tell, but the honest lookins
darky, who met him at that moment
could not fail to know.
II have some letters for General
Toombs--which way did he go?"
"De ginrul, sub, he TUX de right-han
road"
| "Sure?'
"Sho' an sartin, marse boss. ="
That settled it. The Towan spurret
his tired horse, and shot forward like
cannon ball.
Late that afternoon Private Suther
land and his jaded steed crawled int
Washington to face the jeers of laugh
ing crowd of Federals and citizens.
Sutherland saw an old negro watch
ing him, and, riding up to him, h
| said:
"Will you tell me now which way tn
! General went?'
"Yas, sub" was the glib reply. III
TUX de road ter de lefv'
When the captain heard the trooper
report he gave mournful whistle.
''D-n these Confederate niggahs-
they are as bad as their mastersF'
That was all he said.
Everybody knows the remainder o
the story. The General made his cscap
!, from the country.
In later years Private John Suthel
r land frequently told his .neighbors a
about his adventure. Possibly he ea
| aggerated it--perhaps he invented i
The writer Of. this "reminiscences cannC
' vouch for everything.