The National tribune., 1893-03-02
HOW SCOUTS WORKED.

EwEN, Co. !. 18th Conn., Uxbridge. Mass.
HOW SCOUTS WORKED.
Serg't knight Tells How They Went About
Getting Information.
"HE question How did you get inside oil
the enemy's lines, and travel around
Il there and get information, without be-
ing arrested?" has been asked of me
| SO Often that have concluded to explain how
the Army Headquarters scouts operated gener-
| ally.
First it will be understood that in no part
| of Virginia where the scouts of the Army OF
| the Potomac principally were employed could
| you travel many miles without finding Union
men and women. Sometimes they were na.
tives of the State; not infrequently they were
born in some of the Northern States while
quite a number of foreign BIRTH principally
| Engishmen, were found who rendered faithful
f., and efficient service. Where we found one of
! these Union people, if there was another within
! 80 miles, he or she as the case might be, were
sure to know them; and il made no difference
as regarded their social positions, they fully
trusted each other. Such being the case. it will
readily be seen that il the scouts could reach a
Union family living within the enemy's lines,
| their danger of captivity or death was re,
duced to a minimum.
Living on the south side of the Rapidan
River were two of these Union families. AS it
is well known TO every one of their neighbors
during the war that they were in sympathy
with the Government, and did all they could to
help it, / shall not hesitate to mention their
names. One was MCGEE and the other Sylvia.
The first that WIS known Of them at Army
Headquarters came about in this way Ebene-
zer McGee did not want to 60 into the rebel
army, so that about the beginning of the year
1863 he crossed the river and came down upon
the north side of the Rappahannock. and was
forwarded to Headquarters by the soldiers who
first received him. His story was believed, and
when he offered to 60 back and take some OF
the Headquarters scouts with him and teach
them the route. and introduce them to bis own
people aud to Mr.. Sylvia it is needless to say
his offer was joyfully accepted, and party was
sent out with him.
The place where he had crossed the river
was below tho United States Dam and Ford.
The two families lived about four or five miles
| south of the Rapidan, in that portion Of the
State known as the Wilderness. Coming down
to the edge of the river from the south was a
ravine, which commenced about half mile
from the river, and gradually grew sleeper and
narrower as it approached the river. until at
the rivers edge the sides of the ravine were
very PERCEPTIONS and at least 100 feet high. At
some time in the past and not many years pre-
vious to the war. wind storm had thrown
nearly all the trees down, and they now lay
across the ravine, some broken in two so that
one had to crawl under them; in few places
you could stand upright. The place was con-
sidered utterly impossible, aud no attempt was
made to have any pickets in the ravine. they
always being stationed on the top on each side
The boys went through and came out half
mile inside the lines of the enemy.
small run emptying into the river on the
north side through thick fringe of bushes
made capital hiding place for boat which
was filled with stones and then sunk until
again wanted. small party of scouts were
always left hid in the woods to take care Of
the horses and bring the men back across the
river when they returned. This crossing was
used for two years. Sometimes we had to go
Is miles to get there. Later on We had rubber
floats which could be taken apart and carried
our horses, so that we could 60 to any point
we chose to make crossing.
Long before the Army of the Potomac left
Brandy Station, OH the Wilderness campaign.
we had wall tent pitched in an almost mac
cessibIe swamp near Sylvias. On one occasion
during the early part of the Winter of 1864
q party of scouts arrived at the tent before day
light and found it occupied by three men. who
were entire strangers to all of our party. Upon
being questioned they were very reticent as to
who they were, where they came from, or where
they were going. One of the strangers had
bad cough, and was constantly barking loud
enough to be heard at considerable distance,
ana Tnlie the Dulk Oh the reDGf army were
several miles west of us, around and near
Orange Courthouse. there were numerous de-
| tachments of rebel cavalry all around the
neighborhood Our boys did not want their
rendezvous to be betrayed, and the result was
quarrel and nearly fight 1t eventually
came out that the strangers were man giving
the name Of Maj. Howard, red headed Irish
man named Plunkett, and the third a boy
ish- look ing fellow, a rebel deserter, name for
ar5 had nj IN
Richmond by way of the Peninsula, and after
getting in either could not return were
afraid to the same way they went. They had
found some one who knew of Sylvia. who had
sent them on to get out OF rebeldom by the way
of the Army of the Potomac and rejon Gen.
Butler at Fortress Monroe by way of Washing
ton. They had picked up the rebel deserter
somewhere, and had brought him along.
Both parties remained in the tent all day,
which was SO crowded as to be very uncomfort-
able, and the strangers made themselves as dis
agreeable AS they could by refusing to give US any
news at all, even if they had learned any, which
/ have always doubted. When night came all
hands were glad to leave the tent and start for
the river which was reached without mishap.
Upon giving the proper signal the boat was
brought to the south side Of the river, and the
first men 10 enter it as soon as it touched the
shore were Howard. Plunkett and the deserter.
When told to get out and wait, that the boat
would be sent back for them. more abject ex-
hibition of cowardce and selfishness was never
shown. They cung to the sides of the boat
and wonld not leave. At last two OF our own
men got out, S. MCGEE, brother of Ebenezer,
and James Doughty.
The boat had been kept so constantly under
water for nearly two years that it had become
SO soaked that the gunwales were not over an
inch out of water. Every one was cautioned
to sit STILL When about three fourths of the
way across one of the jonahs made a lurch and
the boat Immediately filled and sank, leaving
the party in the water Our own crowd had
sense enough to make as little noise as possible,
and all hands made for the shore Upon mus
tering, the rebel deserter missing. and the
boat was gone. McGee and Doughty had
heard the noise and were prepared to stay
They were informed very quietly to go back
and come tomorrow night. Howard and
Plunkett refused 10 give Col Geo. II. Sharpe
Assistant Provost Marshal General, any infor-
nation, and found themselves in the bull
pen," where they stayed until Gen. Butler was
communicated with. after which they were re-
leased.
Carpenters were detailed from regiment at
Headquarters and set at work making boat, so
that Mac and Doughty could be brought out of
rebeldom that night. The boat was finished
| in time and loaded into an army wagon, and
with about dozen men, consisting of scouts
and cavarymen. started to relieve the boys At
this time We did not occupy the entire PENN
sula formed by the junction of the Rapidan