The National tribune., 1893-06-01
HOW SCOUTS WORKED.
Serg't Knight Tells How They Went About
Getting Information.


Gunboat Morris forwarded refugees from
Richmond 10 City Point, with the same old
story that Myers had brought them through.
1t was necessary to find Myers very soon.
One night Carney and went out with Light
foot. | set sticks as before. After we had
wandered for sometime came to an inter-
section of two paths ! said:
" Lightfoot, when we come here we always
turn to the east, notice. Suppose you take
the other path"
So after travelling on that for awhile we came
to another intersection and Lightfoot stopped,
while felt to sec if had placed stick there.
There was no stick. We had struck new
lead.
We followed it, and in less than hundred
yards distance came to a rail fence Over we
climbed. There was large barn standing in
certain position with regard to two log houses
near it, which convinced Lightfoot that it was
Moodey's.
Carney and Lightfoot withdrew to one side,
and i tapped on the window of the house The
curtain was raised and a woman's face APP
peared. She raised the window slightly aud
asked:
Are you caught?"
"No" / replied. "Where is Myers"
." He is out in the kitchen. Go around to the
other side, aud l will come out as soon as l
can"
When she came outside and saw three of US
with pistols in our hands she was frightened,
but made no noise. Bidding her lead the way,
we followed closely. She opened the door of
the log house and entered. After stirring the
ashes in the fireplace they spraug into fame
and revealed a large room with two beds in it,
and the figure of man in each.
Upon being questioned she indicated which
one was Myers. 1shook the sleeper, who awOke
with start, and ordered him up and out.of-
doors.
l took him into the cornfeld. where we could
not be seen or overheard. / told him who we
were, so as to allay his fears. / talked to him
about his bringing so many refugees through,
aud advised him to stop it at once, as we did not
want the people, and explained to him the
danger he was in. To all of this he did not
say word. / talked to him long while, and
at last managed to draw him into converse
ton. lie told me of his coming TO Slater's,
aud the women having the race to see which
should be first to tell him to look out for Capt.
Phillips. Upon my telling him how Mrs. Slater
would not open the door, he said there were
two rebel scouts sleeping there that night, who
begged her TO make US go to the back of the
house; they were John Gllem and Harry
Brandy, both of South Carolina.
During all the time we had been looking
for Myers had carried letter in my pocket
for Miss Z. \. Van Lew. / now gave it to
Myers 10 deliver, and ! made him promise to
meet me ia the woods the next night il Miss
Van Lew answered the letter.
The following night Carney and / met
Myers. He had letter from Miss Van Lew,
which contained some news and a promise to
furnish more whenever she could.
Myers from that time stopped bringing refu-
gees through. After that he often met us at
night. and usually had valuable information.
However, the headquarters people wanted TO
hear from Richmond every day. Without say
ing anything 10 Hill or Myers, got Moodey to
go. He knew one Loman. rebel detective,
with whom he communicated.
We returned to City Point. and one day two
men, named Major and Wardwell, came and
told us they had been hidden in chamber of
Majors mother-n-law, Mrs. Gill, about seven
miles from WilcOx's Landing. for several days.
They said Mrs. Gill was at heart Unionist,
and that she would be glad to go into Rich
mond one day in every week for us; but they
would not take the risk in going to show US
where she lived.
However, down in Bermuda Hundred, we
secured an old colored man named Johnson to
lead US. We reached Wicox's Landing one
night st an hour when most people would
naturally be in bed. We anchored out in the
stresm, and were pulled ashore with muffled
oars. 1t was a long tramp from the landing
that night. and the old negro could not find
the place. But he said he was sure he could
find il in the daytime, so we directed him to
make the search the next day, and meet US in
the evening.
We had nearly reached the landing the next
night when we suddenly saw fash Of ire from
the top Of the bluff and heard several heavy
reports. The rebels had battery on the hill,
and we soon saw that they were firing upon
what looked like a transport coming up the
river, but which proved TO be a gunb0at. She
opened FIRE, and in very short time the rebels
had disappeared from the bluff, and by the time
We had dropped down opposite the gunboat the
affair was over.
The men on board hailed our steamer, and
we scouts went aboard to explain our business
The gunb0at was the Sassacus double-ender
under Lieut.. Commander Lee who later rose
TO the rank of Rear-Admiral, and died some
FIVE years ago. We staid on board the Sassacus
until time to land, but when we did land no
johnson came.
The next evening we ran down again, and
found the steamer Dawn instead of the Sassa-
Gus We could not hear anything about John
son, and made sure tho rebs had caught him.
In the morning the Captain of the Dawn let
me have so men and an officer, and We went
| up on top of the plateau to the house of Col
! Wilcox. We informed the old gentleman that
| If any more firing took place from his planta-
| tion upon Union transports gunboats, we
! should burn his house down. The old Colonel
began to argue that he could not prevent it.
/ but we slenced him.
At intervals while talking I had noticed
woolly head bobbiDg up at the southwest cor
and came upon a negro boy. When / got out
| of sight Of the others ] went up TO him, and
! he volunteered the information that COL
| Carey and lot more were coming to the house
to breakfast soon, and warned me that we had
all better get away, as they would be too many
| for US.
| ] Immediately ran to the top Of a small
mound west of the house, out of sight of the
| porch where the Colonel and his family were
sitting. Toward Richmond / saw cloud of
dust mile aud q half away. ] returned and
stroled around the corner OF the house as if
/ had just been looking around. As passed
the officer of the detachment, who was talking
to the Colonel, said in low voice. Give
| your men the order to about-face. We will 90
| to tho river"
1t did not take us long to get away, and the
| rebs did not come in sight until we had gone
down the bluff, so we did not encounter them
after all.
| To be continued
|
Do you want better watch than your grand