The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1893-06-23
LEE TOLD THIS STORY.
II Is Said TO be the Only War Story He
Ever Told.
Philadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.
The narrator hereof knew the
lale Gen. Lee we'll, as he passed
through the war close by him. SO
far as he knows The following brief
and, perhaps, not very amusing war
story, is lhe only war story that he
ever told. 1t is certainly the only
one that the recounter, who heard
him tell it, ever did hear from his
lips.
Lee was never a great lalker, eX.
cept under one condition, and that
was when he had young ladies TO
entertain, for then his natural cal
lan'ry got the better OF him and he
was a charming companion,
though not what might be called
lOquaclous, and he kid no, care 20
talk of The war, preterring to
choose other topics. 1t was in
camp, however, that he so far
yielded to the desires of a couple
of fair visitors as to spin a yarn.
lie had invited two young la
dies, cousins of his, TO dine with
and it was to them and at their
persuasion that he told the story
OF he "Two Confederate Scouts"
Carefully arranging his napkin
on the table in front of him and
sitting perfectly erect in his char,
as was his custom. Gen. Lee sald :
When lhls war is over you will
hear a good deal of praise given
The leaders OF the armles, and in
The attempt to do them honor the
private soldier to a certain extent,
be overlooked. This is unioriun-
atr, since some of the nobleot and
most daring deeds of he war were
done by privales on both sides.
Il was once in absolute need OF
positive information as to the
movements of the enemy. My
regular scouts were out, so. had
TO select from regiment of meu
who were familiar with The coun'
try, If not with their mission. Tive
bodied and intelligent mer
were sent me, 10 whom | enirus' e(
this dangerous task OF crossing The
river and going INTO the nelghbor
hood village to ascertain from
stragglers the coveted information
They made the trip successful,
and returned the next noon, no
with the facts, but with the trap
and effects OF four Union soldiers
which they had obi aired in a man
ner credltable to the coolest ant
bravest men of either army.
, "Aller ferre,iug ont the secret
, of the enemy they started on TIT
return trir, but they were detalD
| ed by a terrible rain-storm of sew
r eral hours duration, which forced
them to shelter until night. Whel
I they reached lhe river they found
: to their chagrin, that ii was to-
= much swollen 10 be crossed IN
: canoe, and the only thing left wa
S to make bed of the pine tags ol
S he ground and sleep until morn
s. ing, when they would proceed I'm
= molesled. But they had reckone,
4 without their host. The enemy
pickets, who had also been driye
/! to shelter by The rain, were Ou
|, early next morning investigating
and seeing fresh tracks, suspecle
9 something wrong. Five OF ,hel
started on the trail, plain IN tn
fresh earth, aud soon came upo
A the sleeping scouts. Feeling col
9 fident of having their prisoners ST
o cure, they thought TO have som
}. innocent fun with them and pre-
ceeded tojab their backs with lh
). points of heir bayonels and II
g quesled them to come in out Of tn
g rain.
v Hello, Johnny, what are 20
d doing sleeping out here in the We
like this! You will take coli
Is Come on with us out of the dam
!. "Bul the sleeping Confederate
d could not be aroused, and the sci
}. linels had a big laugh over il, pa
d ticularly so when one Of thel
d would turn partially oyer. an
e groan out, "Oh, stop thalw VIII;
,. are you pokln3 me for! 1t ism
g lime for reveille' yell" as if |
d thought he was in his own cam
g safe and sound. JUS in the mid
k of their greatest outbreak, II
|. scouts, with The agility of wild al
e imals, sprang from their couch'
}. and with their pistols shot dow
It The two front men, then as quick
d dropped the other two as the fiji,
:. man hastily relrealed, leaving h
IS gun behind him.
v when the scouts heard Il
e Federal squad advancing on the
Il they were too close TO admit of
rs retreat, so they resoried to slrat
4. gy and feisned sleep, arrangil
ID between them that at gwen 81
| nal both should rise and fire {
m different men, taking them so
ID surprise that the others could
" shot also before they could z
their guns up. The trick work'
perfectly, and to it those men II
only owe their necks, but the val
10 able information from headqn;
SO ters and four good SniLer rifles al