The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-02-14
A WOMAN'S PRISONER.

A WOMAN'S PRISONER.
Twas down in louisiana, not
many years ago, to quote from an
old song, that several companies of
us wicked Yankees were posted IN a
small town, just far enough from
New Orleans and other important
points for it to be OF no strategic
consequence for its own sake yet,
being on a direct route from the
enemy's lines to the Mississippi
River, it was important as an out
post. The war was almost over, and
the enemy knew it, and we knew
they knew it, so we were not as
vigilant as we might have been had
we been stationed in frout of Lees
army. The natives were Loyalty
Southern, every man OF them-pcr
haps should say every woman, for
the only men left in town were the
few who had passed three score
years and ten, one physician and
one preacher. But the natives did
not allow us to be uncomfortable.
The doctor disagreed radically W tn
us on principle, and cursed Grant
fluently, but he took professional
and even friendly interest in such OF
us as had more malaria than cur
regimental surgeon could manage
the preacher gave US sermon, and
the old men would smoke and chat
with us all day, so long as we did
not say what we believed about the
future of military events.
As tor the women, they were very
tenacious of their opinions, SO far as
the war was concerned, but other.
wise hospitable and charming. They
didn't mean to give us the entree of
local society, but, somehow, we got
there all the same. We did it so
quietly that no one knew how 1t be-
gan or who began it. We purchased
enough supplies to set business
booming, allowed no marauGing,
wore clean clothing, and were on
our good behavior in every way,
President Lincoln having specially
ordered, through Gen. Banks, that
Louisiana must be conciliated.
The consequence was that we Off
GERS soon knew everybody worth
knowing, and we're entertained with
as much courtesy and self possession
as if the native coffee had not been
burned rye or some other substi-
tute, and the table-cioths had not |
lons before been turned intosli1t or
bandages for Southern hospitals.
The women never let us forget |
that they were Southerners TO the
healt's core and that we were mere
ly Lincoln's hirclings; sill, they |
were women that did not like to
see any one appear careless OF dress,
and soon there was not uniform |
coat with a loose hanging button.
To have a Southern woman, wheth-
er maid. wife, widow or gray haired
grandmother, bring a needle or
thread and tighten button, while
the wearer stood awkwardly in front
of her, was to realize that Loulslan-
ma was not the only party to the war
who was being conc,liated,
Every regiment had some officer,
generally a young lieutenant, whose
ability, appearance and spirits COM
PEELED his comrades to pronounce
him the flower OF the flock. Ours
was Will Glennie. He was officer
of the first picket line we threw out,
and so impressed was he with the
defensive possibilities OF the place
that we were glad to have him re-
lieve us Of the slight earthworks it
seemed advisable to erect. He spent
full half of every day outside the
lines, looking for additional points
of vantage, and as no enemy had
been in the vicinity for weeks, he
never cared for a guard.
Time passed SO delightfully."- for a
fortnight that there was little but
roll calls and picket duty to remind |
us that we were soldiers. Every
thing was too pleasant to last, so
one day a rattle OF musi,etry warned
us that there was trouble on the
picket line. By the time our bugles
had recalled US from our hospitable
lounging places aud hurried us to-
ward the front, a soldier with a
broken arm came in and reported
that some cavalry had tried to force
their way into town by the western
road, and being repulsed, had dis
mounted, and were disa9reeing, in
the usual military manner, with
the pickets, who had fallen back to
Glennie's breastworks.
Bless Glennie for the breastworks!
exclaimed our major in command,
after he had shouted Double quick
march
The resistance made by our entire
force seemed to disgust the cavalry,
for IN a couple of hours they ceased
firing. A special roll call showed
that none of our men had been
killed, and only two or three wound
ed, but a captain approached the
major and said that Lieutenant
Glannie was missing. He had gone
nearly a mile to the front to a little
elevation, where he had thought a
howitzer might advantageously be
| ,>,rtaJ -fro,a tu-o c,- tbraa hour.