Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-06-12
can war and wants to see how things
look at COrinth -

can war and wants to see how things
look at Corinth."
"And if l were ten years younger
I'd shoulder a musket," added.
"Bully for your shouted the three
or four men on the posts, and they
were laughing as we drove on. The
inner picket did not stop us at all,
and we drove into the town in the
gray of the morning. Although the
hour was early, everybody was astlr
and the streets almost blocked with
army vehicles. During the last halt
mile of the drive the young man in
spected me very closely, and when l
finally left him he did not seem alto
gether satisfied as to my identity. He
asked me several questions about
Guntown which l had to answer at
random, and my account of how
"my son" had left home was not as
clear as it might have been. My first
move after losing sight of the milk
man was to go to hotel. There l
boldly registered as "JohH William
Richardson, Mobile" and dropped a
hint to the clerk that l was furnish
ing Beauregard with supplies. As
soon as went to my room l peeled
off my outer suit, removed my wig
and spectacles, took out three ofmy
false teeth, which were on
u plate by themselves, blackened
my eyebrows, and in ten min
utes was in new disguise. l went
down to breakfast, and then slipped
over to the other hotel and register
ed and took a room as Professor +.
G. s. LaDue, New Orleans" had
the French twist to my speech, and l
also had the discovery relating to =
new explosive. l had come to the
front to put it into practice.
1t was about ten O'Clock when l
started out, and who should run
against the very first thing but my
friend of the milk business. He had
sergeant and three privates with him,
and as they passed me he said:
ooh, | can tell him half q mile of.
His gray wig got rumplcd up and l
saw light hair under it, but he was
off before knew what to do"
l followed them to the hotel where
l first registered, and entered it just
as they went up stairs to my room.
They thought they had their man,
but were doomed to disappointment
Two of the men were left in the Office,
however, while the other two, accom-
panied by the milkman, went out to
look for me on the streets. This was
on the Goth of May. Beauregard had
concentrated everything on the short
line, and the confederates be-
lieve they had a. dead sure
thing in case they were at
tackled in their intrenchments. I
picked up the acquaintance of a
dozen army officers before night, and
the subjects of a new explosive prov
ed interesting to all. They pumped
me for particulars. of course but my
reply was:
''In Il day or two hope to make n
test and surprise the Yankees"
Through the influence of a Captain
johnson, belonging to Marmaduke's
command, and who had been wound
ed and carried his right arm in a
sling, l secured pass to carry me
about Corinth, and on the second
day Of my arrival l posted myself in
many details. Everything was ex-
element and hub-bub, as everybody
thought a great battle imminent,
and nobody paid any attention to
me. At my solicitation Captain
Johnson reported my arrival to
Beauregard's adjutart, and asked
permission for me to experiment.
Hecame back and said;
II found him upside down and he
felt like ordering me under arrest for
disturbing him.
On the afternoon of the third day
while was returning from the con-
federate left, provost patrol picked
me up. My pass was all right and
secured my liberation, but it gave
me an uneasy feeling to observe that
the milkman was among the guard.
He had evidently pointed me out for
arrest for heard him mutter to the
officer:
81 may be wrong, but I can't get
shut of the feeling that he's the man.
No two men could have such eyes"
knew l should be under surveil.
lance now, and the first thing did
after reaching the hotel was to re.
place my teeth, rub the black from
my eyebrows, part my hair in the
center, and give a new twist to my
moustache, and when l descended
to supper my left eye had slight
squirt. After supper as sat in the
office smoking, l observed the milk.
man moving about as if looking for
me. Iwent directly up to him and
said:
"My friend, were you looking fol
me?"
No, SIR" was his prompt reply.
"BVt you were the men who ar.
rested me this evening -