Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-07-09
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
SAVED BY STRATEGY.


A Soldiers Remarkable Goodness In n
Trying situation.
Many of the comrades will doubtless
recollect some of the circumstances con-
nected with the following story of the
civil war told by veteran spy, scout
and pilot The hero, who was known
by the name of "Jim," was employed
by man named Brown to convey him
through the Southern picket lines to a
safe retreat from the clutches of the
confederacy. 1t was II starlight night
when they started on their trip, and
when they arrived at a house, later on,
in search of supper, they found nobody
at home but lady. Jim" asked her
to get supper for himself and compan-
ion. The lady seemed very willing to
oblige them, and said: "Be seated,
while go to tho spring house."
AT this the wary Jim smelled
mouse, and politely replied: mo,
ma'am; you need not trouble yourself to
leave the house, as / and my companion
are strangers to you, and have no incli-
nation to be reported to bushwhaclers;
and as your husband may be one, and is
doubtless on these premises, or near by
you need not report us, but just get us
a cold snack and we will 60"
AT these words the lady was astound-
ed. She saw that Jim had at once
penetrated her design, SO she set about
getting up supper for the two strangers.
When supper was ready, the two men
sat down to eat. They had not been
eating long, when two grotesque look
ing mountaineers entered with guns in
4 Ill l,,,,r
officers, and the two gentlemen who
were eating would surely be conscript-
ed. AT least SO thought the lady of the
house Brown was visibly agitated,
but Jim" was as cool as any cucum-
Der, and talked and laughed as if it was
the proudest moment of his life. He
was a man who could exercise wonder
f.ul self control when occasion required.
Indeed, from his appearance on this oc-
casion, one would suppose he was total
ly ignorant of any danger. He gave
Browns foot n light kick, however, as
much as to say: keep cool"
Supper over, Jim" smaclled his lips
and asked for drink of water. The
water it happened, was out on the
porch, and Jim" stepped out, ostensi-
bly, to get drink; but he did not stop
for water; on the contrary, with the
bound of gazelle, the willy scout
reached the ground, then the fence
then the road. Brown following closely
ut his heels. The men did not wait to
see what effect their strategy had upor
the two officers, but bounded swiftly
On. Finally Jim stopped; he seemed
to see a ghost or something worse, and
craning his long neck over the fence
eSclaimcd:
Great heavens, Brown, we are
doomed after all, | fear. LoolS!"
What is it?" said Brown.
Horrors! it is confederate camp, a
sure as fate"
Taking another look, however
Jim" was not SO positive it was ;
camp, after all; but in plain view wer,
several white objects, near dwelling
What were they? Jim" had suspi
cion-and hope Ne crept nearer ant
nearer, and strained his eyes more an'
more. He seemed to gain assurance
He plainly saw in the starlight what h,
had at first supposed betokened camp
The thought of the mistake he hat
made was so ridiculous that he laughe,
aloud. Brown thought his comrade ha,
become insane until he, too, came III
closer and beheld the fantastic seen
presented. Instead of there being
confederate camp about. several light
colored garments We're hanging on tn
shrubbery in a farmers yard subse
quent to n days washing. The genera
appearance of the laundried garment
after night was much the same as
camp ground, to the eyes of the tw
men who had narrowly escaped by
little strategy and much hard running
HI. Greeley Miller, in Toledo Blade.