The record-union., 1893-08-23
GENERAL LEES ONLY STORY.
The Confederate Leaders, Idea or
Brave and Cool Deed.

The Confederate Leaders, Idea or a
Brave and Cool Deed.
Lee was never a great taller except un-
der one condition, and that was WHEN he
had young ladies to entertain, for then
his natural gallantry got the better OF
nm, ana he was charming companion,
though not what might be called lodua-
cious, and he did not care to talk of the
war; preierring to choose other topics.
Ii was IN camp, however, that he so far
yielded to the desires of a couple OF fair
visitors as to spin a yarn. He had in
vlteu two young ladies, cOnsins OF his,
to dine with him, and it was to them and
at their persuasion that he told the story
OF the Two Confederate Scouts" which
writer in the Philadelphia Times VINO
knew the great Confederate intimately
declares to be the only war story ever told
by him.
tareiuily arranging his napkin on the
table in front of him and sitting perfectly
erect III his chair, as was his custom.
General Lee said:
W hen this war is over you will hear a
great deal OF praise given the leaders Of
the armies, and in the attempt to do them
honor the private soldier will to great
extent he overlooked. This is unfOrtu-
nate, since some of the noblest and most
daring deeds OF the war were done by
prlvates on both sides. | was once in alb
soiute need Of positive information as to
the movements of the enemy. My regu-
lar scouts were out, SO | haG to select
from regiment OF men who were ia
mlliar with the section OF the country if
not with their mission. Two abie-b bOdied
and intelligent men were sent me, to
whom ! intrusted the dangerous task Of
crossing the river and going into the
neighboring village TO ascertain from
stragglers the coveted Information. They
made tie trip successfully and returned
the next noon, not only with the facts
but with the traps and effects OF iour
Union soldiers, which they obtained in a
manner credItable to the coolest and
bravest men oi either army.
After ferreting out the secrets of the
enemy they started on the return trim
but were detained by terrific rainstorn
Of several hours duration, which forced
them to shelter until night. When they
reached the river they found to their
chagrin that 1t was too much swollen to
be crossed in canoe and the only thing
left was to make a bed OF the pine tags on
the ground and sleep until morning,
when they would proceed unmolested.
But they had reckoned without their host
The enemy's plcketS, who lad also been
driven to shelter by the raiu were out
early next morning investigating, ana
seeing fresh tracks suspected something
wrong. Five Of them started on the
trail, plain in the soft earth, and soon
came upon the sleeping scouts. Feeling
confident of having their prisoners Sc
cure they thought to have some Innocent
fun with them and proceeded TO lab them
in the back with the points of their bayo-
nets aud request them to come in out 1f
the rain.
Hello, Johnny, what are you doing
sleeping out here in the wet like this?
Nou Will take cold. Come on with us out
of the damp
But the sleeping Confederates could
not be aroused, and the sentinels had
big laugh over it, particularly so when
one of them would partially turn over
and groan out, 'Oh, stop that? What are
you poking me for? IL isn't time for
reveille yet,' as if he thought he was in
his own camp safe and sound Just in
the midst of their greatest outbreak the
scouts, with the agility Of wild animals,
sprang from their couches and with their
pistols shot down the two front men,
then as quickly dropped the other two as
the fifth man hastily retreated leaving his
gun behind him.
''When the scouts heard the Federal
squad advancing on them they were TOO
close to admit Of retreat, so they resOrted
to strategy and feigned sleep, arranging
between them that at given signal both
should rise and tire on different men, tax
ing them so by surprise that the others
could be shot also before they could get
theirguns up. The trick worke ed perfectly,
and to it those men not only owe their
necks but the valuable information for
headquarters and four good Snider rifles
and warm oVercoatS.
81 do not believe that any deed of the
war surpassed this in GOODNESS and BRAY
ery."