Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-03-07
THE MAN WITH A MEMORY.

Just before Sherman advanced on
his Georgia campaign, q man sup
posed to be a rebel spy was one day
arrested in a rebel camp. He was in
a Federal uniform, but his look and
his language were Enthusiastically
Southern. He claimed to belong to
regiment in another camp about
two miles away, and he was sent to
the guard-house until his assertion
could be verified or disproved. Twas
officer of the day at camp that day,
and that is how came to learn so
many of the particulars of tho affair
l am relating. 1t was in the camp of
a Wisconsin regiment that the spy,
who gave his name as George Swift,
was arrested. He had come there
ostensibly to visit friends, but some
of the boys had seen him slyly taking
notes, and he had asked such ques-
tions as no private Federal soldier
would have any use for. 1t was
pretty generally understood that the
Confederates were using every exer-
ton to secure knowledge ofSherman's
strength and movements, and the
boys had no sooner got the idea
that the stranger was u spy than
they gave the information to me. and
| put him under arrest. / saw at a
glance that he was ofSouthern birth.
This was not so much against him,
tor at that time we had plenty of
Tennessee and Kentucky men with
us.
What command do you belong
tor" l asked.
"The-th Illinois," he replied.
| asked what brigade and division,
who was his Captain and various
other things, and he returned What
seemed to be straight answers to
every question. When l asked who
he had come to visit in Wisconsin
regiment he was lame. He men,
TONED the name of a man no one had
ever heard of. 1t was on this point
alone that l held him. A messenger
was at once sent after the Illinois
Captain named, and in about an
hour he appeared. The supposed spy
was taken to the tent of the brigade
General, and assoon as brought face
to face with the Captain he saluted
and said:
Captain Morton, the people here
seem to think l am a rebel spy"
"And who are you?" queried the
Captain, plainly astonished.
"Do your ask that!' reproachfully
inquired the man. "Who should |
be but George Swift of your own
company"
"You can't be. l never saw you
before in my life"
"Why, Captain Mortonp'
The two men looked at each other
as if doubling their own senses, and
the General asked Of Swift:
"How long have you been with his
company"
"Four months, sir. l came down
as a recruit from Pekin."
"Who is your Orderly Sergeant"
Sergeant White, SIR
"Who are your commissioned Of
ficers?"
Captain Morton, First Lieutenant
Green and Lieutenant Davis. The
LAT ter is home on furlough."
"How many men in the company"
"Fifty-eight, sir'
"Who are your tent mates?"
Oscar Jackson, Thomas Parker
and John Pridgeon.'
"Well, Captain" queried the Gen
eral, as he turned to Captain Nor
ton.
The Captain was clean beat. He
was dead sure that no such man be-
longed to his company, and yet the
subject had answered every question
as straight as u string.
'Ill stake my life that l never saw
this man before" the Captain finally
answered, land | know every man in
my company by name"
The spy was ordered to strip to his
shirt, and for the first time his cool
ness seemed to desert him. He re-
preached the Captain for permitting
this indignity, but slowly disrobed.
In one of his boot legs was a pocket,
and in this pocket we found paper
bearing figures as follows:
ANN. d - Of