News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-02-13

Rev. Frank Stringfellpw is well
known as having once been one OF the
most daring and distinguished scouts
of the Confederate army. Some years
after the war Mr.. Stringfellow felt
that he was called ON 10 enter the
ministry, and has since been an active
and useful minister. To reporter OF
the Richmond Dispatch Mr.. String
fellow said he was 20 years old when
he joined the Confederate army. 81
Joined the Powh ttan Troop" said
he, las it passed through Culpepper,
and was Immediately assigned to the
escort of Beauregard.
LAS boy l was struck with the de-
termination of jackson and with the
military. cunning of Beauregard. He
was rich in the little devices which
struck terror to the hearts OF the
enemy.
Upon this battlefield 1 first met
with General j. E. B. Stuart, who had
me permanently attached to his head
quarters Immediately after the removal
of Beauregard to the south. From
| this time to the close of the war my
life was entirely devoted to scouting.
| The hazards of the life constituted its
| fascination, as we had no other reward
save consciousness of duty performed.
II began to go in and out of the
lines of the enemy on the peninsula,
and had command of twenty OF the
rear guard of the cavalry, which COW
cred one road on retreat Immediate
ly after the battle of Williamsburg, as
the confederates continued towards
Richmond, small piece of artillery
captured by General Washington from
the British at Yorktown was mired
and abandoned by the gunners. Cen
eral Stuart dashing up and seeing this
piece gave me orders to defend the gun
until sufficient force arrived to secure
it. A desperate fight eusued around
the gun. The men were driven back
and was left alone in very uncom-
Portable plight, surrounded by many
of the enemy, until the general ad-
vanced to my rescue and saved me
from the company of people with
whom | did not care to associate too
intimately.
During this retreat l won my first
offer of promotion by saving two regi-
ments OF General Semms' command
from capture. On the signal given
the men fought bravely and repuIsed
the enemy with heavy loss l was
one of the men appointed to prepare
the way for Stuart's famous raid
around Mcclellan. During the first
or second raid around Mcclellan ]
captured $1,000 in greenbacks and
turned it over to the Confederate gov
ernment and it was used in the secret
service.
'In the battle of the Wilderness
General Stuart was ordered to send a
scout who would be permanently
attached to General R. E. Lees head
quarters. l was the man selected by
General Stuart l remained with
General Lee until assigned to duty in
the city of Richmond under the direct
orders of President Davis. This was
not long before the close of the war.
My life during the period was scout
for Stuart, Lee and President Davis
was spent. nine-tenths of the time, in
the lines of the enemy,
General r. E. Lee struck me as the
greatest military mani should say
the greatest man-of this age. He was
more than a soldier; he was man OF
mental and moral greatness-the no.
blest produced on either side by the
war. He was a man who never lost
anything by intimate contact with you,
but he grew upon you with each in
terview. Ibelieve he was the highest
type of Virginia's culture, character
and chivalry.
''As to my scout life it was daily full
of peril. 1t was about the close of the
w ynagfowg 9 81 H5 .cPpine from Wash,
request of President Davis, that
was captured and thrown into prison
at Chapel Point, Md. BY evading the
! guards l escaped. After twenty-one
days of pursuit managed to cross the
Potomac, which at this place is over
three miles wide, in small boat at
great hazard to my life. was alone in
the boat. The first thing l did when
l got back to old Virginia Was 10 keel
down and thank God for his deliver
ance.