Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-12-06
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
PRETTY MRS. MASON.

during the war were ladies'. Possessing,
rs many Of them did, beauty, finesse,
the instructive knowledge OF human ma
ture that enables the sex TO penetrate
the weakest point of mans armor, and a
patriotism that made them proud to as
sumo any risk that would benefit thoir
cause, many undertook missions SO
desperate that only their womanhood
saved them from short shift when dis
covered.
A case In point occurs to mo. We had
fallen back from Fairfax Court House
and gone into camp at Centerville. Win
ter was at hand and smoke curled lazily
upward from 10000 clay-built chimneys.
Every tree had been leveled by the SOL
dier's axe; the old turnpikes were lost
in labyrinth Of foot-worn paths, and
folds whore only little while before
the wind played hide and seek among
the growing corn were now as hard as
the bed of billiard-table. The head-
quarters Of Beauregard were in farm
house, unpainted and unpretentious,
that once had been tho homo OF famous
Virginia hospitality, but "the boys had
gone &c the war;" the old folks had re-
tired to more congenial scenes in the
interior Of the State and all around were
signs Of ruin.
Tho plans of Mcclellan, whose army
was encamped in our front, his fighting
strength and the disposition of his
forces, together with the new phase Of
public sentiment in tho North that was
then beginning to take shape, were at
this time subjects of grave concern to
our commander, and it was important to
obtain more definite information than
had been furnished by the regular spies.
How to get it, however, and through
| whom was the question.
The problem was solved at breakfast
ono morning by member of Beaure.
CARDS staff. II know lady" he said,
in the neigbboring county of London,
who possesses every qualification of a
successful secret agent. Her name is
Mrs. Virginia Mason. She is young,
fascinating, highly educated, a welcome
guest in many Washington families and
acquainted with large number of
Southern people who spent their winters
in the capital before the war. Withal,
she is widow, her husband having been
killed at the battle of Manassas, and
bravo enough to undertake any thing
that will serve the land she loves"
Beauregard instructed the officer to
ride over to London and invite the Ia
dy to visit headquarters, and in a day
or two she appeared. In the interview
that followed he told her what he re-
quired-a report from McClellan's army,
It's condition, the disposition of his
| hn nj hr "a
military authorities in Washington. For
this purpose she was to ingratiate her.
self with prominent officers, visit New
York, Baltimore, the various depart
ments, or any other points whore infor-
nation could be procured. She was also
to communicate with the representatives
of the Confederate government in diff
ferent cities OF the North.
The young lady eagerly accepted the
proposition, and supplied with an abun-
dance of money, started at once on the
perilous errand, which meant glory if
she was successful, and prison IL she
failed. She returned after an absence
OF several weeks, crossing the Potomac
opposite Dumfries, and arrived at the
camp OF Colonel, now Senator, Wade
| lldIlpbOH. lucnCe, tSCOrIcu DY Ono VI
his officers, she was driven to headquar-
ters at Centerville.
can see her now as she alighted from
the ambulance on the piazza of the little
brown farm house;a young but matronly
looking lady, handsome, too, with glow
ing, dark eyes, that looked as if they
had fireworks in them. She was dressed
in black, and her only baggage was q
small hand sachel She was also ac-
companied by shaggy Skye terrier a
mere armful, that made a soldier who
hadn't seen pretty woman for month
OF Sundays envious.
What occurred within the doors that
closed upon her was related to me after.
ward by General Jordan, then and sub
sequently Beauregard's Adjutant- Gen
eral. Beauregard was, of course, de.
lighted to see her, and with woman's
volubility she told him more in two
hours than he could remember in two
months. The verbal part of the inter
view being ended, he inquired for her
papers, the record of her trip and the
dispatches no expected from Confeder
ates in the North. r-
"Why. General, didn't dare bring
them on my person." she replied, with Q
peculiar smile. ut was unsafe, you
know. might have been captured, and
therefore / have told you all know by
word OF mouth"
Beauregard could not conceal his vex
alton, and the more he showed 1t the
more the little woman seemed to enjoy
1t. Finally, after teasing him to hel
hearts content sho said with affected
occurrences: General, have you pai
OF scissors or knife? I'd like to use 1
for q minute"
Beauregard banded her an ink eraser
"Come here, Dot" she called to the dog
and taking him in her lap continued: %,
told you. General, 1t was not safe to car
ry important papers on my person ahd,
have not done so; in fact have Beer
suspected and searched. but Woman
wit Is something superior to mani
judgment, See!" she said with coquet
ish noDchalance, as she turned the littl,
animal m 1 ta hncle and daliharo tolu ,,ro