Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-12
MISTAKEN FOR BOOTH.
From Richmond to Washington Just
Twenty-Five Years Ago.
A CLOSE SHAVE FOR LIFE.
A Thrilling Incident Of the War-Se.
Guel 10 the Assassinattou OF President
LincoIn-The Evacuation OF Rich.
nlond-A Secret Messenger.
Written for THE EVENING Stan

u O'Clock in the afternoon, I was
brought under strong guard solitary prls-
oner into the city Of Washington. The hap
| hazard OF circumstance with which 1 had
| nothing to do had thrown me into position
/ full of-wnat was to me-a new and strange
| peril, which all bore reference to and had
| strange connection with the assassination. /
had served through four years Of the war, and.
being at last completely invalided in Janu-
airy, 1865 retired to Richmond on sick leave.
! One evening was making a call at the presi-
| dental mansion when Col. Ives of the presi-
! dents staff came up to me, and saying that the
| president wished to see me conducted me
directly to the presidents library. He was
alone with Mr.. Benjamin. Our interview was
| with reference to sending bearer of dispatches
to Mason and Slidell. and 1 was offered the
| post at once accepted it and on Mr.. Benja-
| MINIS directing me TO report at his Office the
next day at u o'clock took my leave.
l was ordered to proceed through the
enemys lines by any route l might choose to
Canada and thence to England, and was re-
| fcrred to q regular blockade runner" for
information, who had instructed me as to many
methods, houses, pass words and grips There
we're many delays consequent upon the mill
tary situation and did not receive my dis
patch until the las. day of March. 1t was a
tiny package written in cipher on silk paper
and inclosed in oil silk, and this, with a check
on the confederate fiscal agent in Montreal,
had had sewed up in the shank of pair of
boots which had ordered for this purpose.
| THE EVACUATION OF RICHMOND.
| On the morning of April l learned that
Richmond was to be Immediately evacuated
On the Cd this became generally known. 1t
was day which will never be forgotten by
| those who passed through it. Late that night
l had my last brief interview with the secre-
tary Of State amidst his preparations for a
! hurried departure. His last words were: "a
| locomotive is in waiting for you on Broad
| street: here is the order for il. Make your
way as rapidly as you can and get to England
| just as speedily as possible. Good bye" l
passed out into that awful night. The streets
we're full OF people-men. women and chill
dren-althoHgh II was O'Clock in the morn
ing. part of my own corps Uongstreet's)
was on the march through the city. The build
! ings south of Main street. containing commits
sary and quartermaster's stores, had been fired
and the sky reddeping with the growing
confagration. The fact that the stores were
being burned spread seemingly in an instant,
and people of every condition in life were hur-
| ryIng to the scene to snatch whatever they
| could from the flames and so for the time stave
of starvation. Hundreds of barrels containing
| whisky had been stove in or had burst with the
| heat and catching fire flooded the cutters with
flame, and men struggled with each other for
places along the burning torrent that they
| scoop up u nauSeaIlnS Uraugnt, WHICH
| would nevertheless bring forgetfulness. The
powder magazines in the forts around the city
were being blown up One-half the city-all
| that lay between main street and the river, the
| business half-was now enveloped in flames,
| while the houses in the other half which stood
on the hills above, reeled in the lurid light like
drunken giants with each terrific explosion. II
| was my last view of the confederate capital,
and it suggested an orgIe in hell.
HURRIED DEPARTURE.
I was freshly dressed in citizens clothing,
and taking no luggage but small leather bag
slung over my shoulder. made my way to the
corner of 9Th and Broad streets. where found
the engineer, with steam up and only waiting
the word 10 go. There was n crowd OF several
| hundred panic-strickon men and women stand
ing around and all demanding to be taken on
board. L advised them to stay where they
| were, but a dozen or more had mounted the
tender. l gave the word to the engineer
and we we're off. Upon reaching the North
Anna river | crossed in canoe and then rode
on hand car until reached the point where
it was necessary to leave the railroad. Then /
made for our signal station on the banks of the
Potomac on foot The river was very closely
patroled at this point and was compelled to
remain at the station for several days.
At last dark, cloudy night came and sci
out for the Maryland shore in small boat with
four stout negroes at the muffied oars, and in
two hours or more stepped on to the Mary.
land shore. near a fisherman's hut, which stood
on the bank above. hastily scrambled up the
bank, and, giving the signal raps on the door
l Was at once admitted. In reply to nv in
Quries l was informed by this shaggy old
southern sympathiZer that squad OF federal
cavalry had been there that afternoon and that
they were in camp two miles up, and directly
on the road over which must pass to Aliens
Fresh. small place of half a dozen houses
which l desired to reach before daylight. The
distance was sixteen miles. / avoided the
cavalry and arrived before dawn safely, but en-.
tirely exhausted at my destination. Following
the directions which had been given me with
reference to certain house there, which
easily identified by a great oak which stood
near it. walked boldly up to the door and
gave the signal raps. In a moment heard
some one moving in the house, the door
opened,
! HAND SEIZED MINE
and was drawn in. with the whispered in
quiry, Travelled all night?' to which 1 re-
turned a whispered yes" was taken by the
arm and conducted upstairs to bed room.
sleep" said my silent conductor. and left me
alone. could discern dimy my surroundings.
Finding water soap and towels l refreshed my
self. and getting into bed was instantly sound
asleep. When l awoke it was II o'clock and a
man was standing over me with julep in his
| hand Breakfast soon followed NV friend
horses saddled and rode over with me to Char
| lotte Hall, distance. | think. of IL miles
On our way over there We passed country
store, where ! surprised to hear a voice
from group of half dozen men call out my
name. with the inquiry: What i'll the devil are
you doing hereY Il proved to be Maj. B.
an old friend of mine and an officer on the staff
| OF a general of cavalry of the confederate army.
He was Marylander and had, as he informed
me, just slipped over home for a couple of
| weeks to see his wife and children. He was
then on his way back to join bis command, and
II he could get his boat in time he intended to
make the attempt to cross the river that night
told him of the evacuation of Richmond of which
he had not heard. Upon my saying that felt
uneasy at being recognized by him in presence
of others he said: You need not be afraid.
These are all my friends. You are as safe here
as you would be in Virginia, otherwise could
not come here. The federals know that am
here, but am always warned of their approach,
and as l never sleep two nights in the same bed
they will never be able to capture me-" We
were conversing together perhaps twenty
minutes. AS rode away from him
1 thought that he looked and talked
as though he was drinking heavily. The rea-
sons for my stating these trifing facts with
particularly will appear in the farther devel-
opment of this narrative. In due time we ar
rived at the village, hitched our horses and en-
tered store near by, where we had glass of
whisky. and, lighting our cigars, sat down on
the front porch While sitting there a squad
ron of federal cavalry passed, out made no halt
In short time ! was introduced to a gentle
man who invited me to his house, where was
kindly cared for--the next day being Sunday
until Monday morning.