The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-04-09
FIGHTING THEM OVER
Khat0ur Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
\ SCOUTS ADVENTURES.
A Criticism Of the Rock "Hcroie Deeds by Blu,
aud Gray"

scouts must they have been who after having
established their status with the rebels, ana
being iu conversation with them, 90 suddenly
spring upou the backs OF their horses and risk
their lives from bullets besIacs running the
risk of Gen Meade never gelling the iniorula-
ti0u that Pap LOnEstreots whole Corps
were within swallowing distance. Why were
fbev Cismouuted2 There certainly WAS no
necessity tor It, And Why did they not make
some excuse 10 ride 60 some ne'g boring house
10 GET feed for their horses and themselves and
ride away slowly, like men who had snme
bransg Then the information about Pap
Iouustrect Is more than tshy, one of those
pieccs OF news that certainly wuuid have
seriously disturbed Gen. Meade's digestion.
The story Is without foundation la fact, as
"Pap Loagsirect" and his troops were IN Ieu-
nesseo al lhe time spoken oi, aud scouts who
did NOT know il were unworthy 81 the name.
Longslrcul did not reioiu the Army ot North
ern Virginia until the Winter Of 1853. q, in time
Tor the Wilderness campaign, and, y am not
very much mistaken, the most OF them hId not
reach ep's army uutil the last OF February or
FIRST of March l-6i.
Other por,io Of the story that you did not
publish are, III possible more salcuons than
what yea gave 10 one who knows ail of THE cir
cumsiaurrs Sylvia never lived tour miles M
filethc Union lines in 1852 or 1893; he lived
four miles inside the rebel lines on the south
side Of The Raddan, not far um where tho
battle al Charlottesville was fought in May,
1853 au9 was living iu The same place ln the
Spring oi I-3l al the beginning 81 the NilGer-
mess campaign under Gen. Grant
few days before the opening OF that CAM
psien 81 a. Cline who wa- chen Chief OF
Scouts q man named Chas lar.si#l, and my
self went from army hca quarters, near Brandy
Station and stAid several days in "a tellt winch
we bad pitched ia a swamp NOT far from Syl-
Was house while be was getting news Tor as
When Ore lIya-ht MS The news OF lhe number
Of raiiuns that were being issued at Orange
Courhouaa b was considered Of enough i'm
porlaucc Tor one man 20 20 back gHd report The
fact 20 headquarters. The duty fell 10 me.
When / ltl -yiyia's place that uigHt ne bad a
splendid fanny Young peach auu other orchards,
good fences Winter wheat two or three inches
high, and everything hauiishug The next
tiue ] pa- eel tile place The Army oi tAU PotO-
mac had ba,u on the south side ol the river
shout Wrel. and the Cavalry Corps hna calnped
on bis farm. The young fruit trees were all
destroyed, not a rail LETT nor green blade Of
grass or growing grain WAS ID be seen. IL
looked libe a Gcsert ] said % him: Mr. Syl-
via, how i this2 Why did y-u not tell these
people wine you were, aud that every one la
authority at our headquarters knew you and
could y0uCh for your loyalty"
lie replied I" ] did tell them that, but 10
one would believe me; or al az events they
pretended IIul 10 believe any thing i said"
Sheridan was on his raid toward Richmond
at this time. and Sylvia told me the Chief Com
mssary OF Quagtermsster, COL -, was 20
ing 10 leave there the next day, and said
What ] am 10 DO after they 90 ] don't know.
There viii bC nothing IN the shupe OF VrOvls-
ions 10 be bought IN this country. Every aui.
NAL had - killed ] can't make crop now,
and ii ] cOGla, how are we 10 live In The mean
time 2" ] went and saw Col. -. AZ first
asked hm II be could NOT have prov sious
enough 10 -uh,ist The family Tor two or three
months Ht lpast. lie said there was no author
ity by which De could DO So aHl after ] had
given him history oi what ] knew personally
snd what ! had heard from others he seemed
20 regret IHJ be had no authority 10 uct. Al
last s8luIIaH 0i the difficulty presented itself
a. my iaiud, aud ] asked the Colonel ii be
could not ISSUE Ts;i0us 10 me as was in Ctm-
maHd OF q party % scouts that day, although
j was not tHe chief. lie said +" j a., certainly
j can you make out q TcquisI-iun on me aud
j viii OIL b. It'd none 81 NY business What
you DO with the rstions after you get thrn."
drew ten days ulliOns Tor the men had with
me The Colonel did not take The trouble q
verify fbe hEusbeT OF men.
Five y1ar. ago next Mpy GrEneany and
visited sylvia. Al first be dlG not remenbei
anything about me, although be ana his wllS
remembered AirLneauy, but bad forgotten WC
uItA told tbcm OF the ratuns. Then they
remembered and were very glad 10 $50 ne.
would like some one - tell mc how Samuel J
RUth, who used 70 20 20 Winchester Va, wa
70 communicate with Sylvia, who lived upa
Frederick 5urg. ] certainly wish Ruth WIS lv
Ing as BE- woo q be very Interesting % kuOV
how il Wa done. ] am convinced iu my 0WT
mind THAI sumo "ronuy-a-liuer' has, at suunl
time. heard Ice talking aud has given as hi
RaFl.ea statement as coming from him. AI
Ice certainly would not state tHat De rode on
horseback Ilfu our lines when dozen. o! met
arc still lr.-E who know just hDw De did como
When Gen. i.ac found IL a9 visible 20 cvaCuat
thl country between the Eap.daH and Kappa
laHUgca Iyt.s, Mai. Bridgl0rG. Provost Mar
shal-GeueIai Vi the Army Jt Northern Virginia
told I.aa Nu. j., Dor tic General ID q TIC
were going 3caye that night. aud Tor hnn Z
have Lis goods ready 20 load on Jue cars. ll
stead o.. dong 30 bc took them 10 gie prem ise
0i Ole ar jog, a Cabineimak"r, from WHOM
Ice dad learned tie trade before the wal
When aur troops took possession II Culpepe
G0uTtLUusg be came out aHG surrendered 4
them aud Wrs brought ~ array heaaq quarter
where De Faw Tor the Grsi time Gon. Grurge Il
Sharpe, who was Ut that time Colonel 0l "a
J20iA y. g.. aud Deputy Provost. Marshal ,
tie Army of Doe Potomac. BE had al CulpcI
CT quaHtty Of plug tobacco. which w.
purchased ,Elm him by JOhu C. Bedrock, ,
that tImC Private Secretary 10 Col. sharpe.
ON tle hu. Kun campaign one would thin
from reading yDur C2uact from Blue au
Gray" lHa. Gru. Meade Was d Guiiard aua ha
been rHramTrl s' Mine Buu for some time at
had gone over there on u sort Of wild-ooo
chase Whiio the fact Is be knew exactly whcI
Gen. lees troops were. ] saw map in q
posse i9n 0i John q. Babc1rL that gave Lee
position mot three days before we started ,
that caup gn. Ear,y and Hils Corus we
some distance apart lar g 0u the Left puaIdir
thc i0r3s iY1l a5gye MlichelI's down 10 Es
coon Ford. and perhaps below. The Fir
Corps. Gen. rcnch commanding crossed
Jacob Ford na Wero 20 march 10 Robinson
Tavern, slZ miles south u the river
Meade program had been rapidly carried o
Early would haye been cut off prom Iil "a
the Army u The Potomac would have f0ug
the Feue'. u 4elaiL
a 60 ag banned Ebcne1er McGee was n
nished reucH aud turned over by him 90 Gc
Prince NEg NaH ln command ~ The Glg.st
having thc lead Soon after crossing 10 q
south sd ~ ile river Prince pointed 20 smi
road l,a3ug .uto the woods westward aud sa
a. MCGa Where does that road lead 90
don't SNOW" answered hcGee; prOhat
30 some li-..c farm Gen. Prince then turn
10 some ~ Dos STAFF saying, A id pre-
guide ihgy have sent ass one who don't kr
the country" NcGce then said 90 hi
General ] W8s sent % guide yoU % Bob
sons laVC nr thai road leads 10 H." point
o. the road iGcy were on
The troops were halted and Prince and
staff started rH 0u tile road that led into
woods westward. and some llree hours Dol
came iaC.. i.h q negro mounted 90 d mule
guide wlI.H thc march was resumed. 2
long after they were attacked by some