The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-26

WITH THE SCOUTS.

WITH THE SCOUTS.
Serg't knights Adventures in the Swamp:
| of the Pamunkey.
| Continued from last aUeek,)
"HE tension on my nerves, which had
been considerably strained for the
| last "a hours, had become relaxed, and
| felt more like having fun than any.
| thing else. When the Lieutenant said he
would have to keep me until morning, it put
q stop to all funny business, as far as was con-
cerned, and told him it was his duty to either
| send take me to Gen. Smith at once, and
| also said that he would be very apt to get
blamed for not doing it. Sergeant in the
party settled it when he said: " Yes. Lieuten-
| ant. you will get into trouble if you don't take
him to Gen. Smith at once"
| guard was detailed, who surrounded me,
and We set off across the fields. don't know
how often We were tripped up by the running
| black berry dewberry vines but as near rs
! remember every one of the party were down
| more than once before we made the mile that
| separated us from the White House." On our
| arrival Smiths tent had been pitched, aud he
| had just lain down, when the Lieutenant went
| ia, and told him who | said l was. and he or
dered him to bring NE in Immediately. When
| / came IN ma said Who are you?" After
| telling him, his next question was: When
| did YOU leave Gen. Grant," Upon answering
this his next was: When did you leave his
| Headquarters ?"
AT noon yesterday
what have you been doing sincs?"
| gave him an outline OF my experience,
and said ! came out Of the swamp since dark.
Il heard tho first whistle about four miles up
the river. Here are three dispatches for you !;
the remainder go 10 Yorktown; please to look
at this handing him Col. Ingalls, order on
Quartermasters.
Capt -" roared he Capt.
came into the tent Give this man the fast
est boat You have got, and don't wait to unload
anything"
Then to ne: Il trust the remainder of your
trip will be much peasanler then the first part
Good night.
In a few minutes-not to exceed 20, | think
| was sound asleep on the steamer. and re-
maincd So until we reached Yorktown. The
steamer landed me aud went back mmedi-
stely. Going first to the telegraph office | de-
livered the dispatches that had TO be tele-
graphed; then to the postntiice and got rid of
the remainder, together with the letters. The
next thing in order was to find au eatipg-
house, where | ordered bTeakfa fast regardless
of expense. After breakfast concluded to
plenish my wardrobe. Socks, drawers and
shirt had suffered in the swamp, and they were
replaced by new ones. The shirt was gorgeous,
French cashmere | could not burden myself
with anything except what | could wear, COIL
sequently on Y article of kind was pur-
chased, with the exception of paper collars.
They were something that one had to make
some sacrifice for, and l laid in supply of at
least dozen of Gray's patent nodded collar"
After going to barbcr-shop and getting my
hair cut and a shave, ! made my appearance in
the streets of Yorktown. My wide-brimmed
straw hat and purple coat made me a conspic-
uous object, even without the extra adorn
| hady ,tab a,,1I VIC inn ppiI lf
surrounded by a crowd of both soldiers and
officers all eager fer news Somehow they had
learned from the telegraph Office that one of
Grants Headquarters scouts was in town, and
they picked me out immedi lately as the man.
No certain news for some time had they heard,
and l was literally besieged 1t happened
that had seen most of the fighting at Spotsyl-
vania Courthouse; had seen Johnson's Division
when they were taken out of the works and
could give pretty good description of tue oper-
atoms in that neighborhood for several days
which eliminated in the fight of the 18th Of
May, 1864 / entertained them to the best of
my ability for over an hour. 1never saw men
in my life SO eager for news. / was really glad
about 2 p. III. when the Quartermaster came
and told me he had sigualed steamer going
up the river to run in. She came aud | went
aboard the steamer Wyoming, Capt. LyttetOn
S. Cropper, of Havre De Grace, Md. Capt. Crop
per was as whole led, genial man as | ever
met and his boat, which had double engines,
was fitted up as q hospital boat. When Capt.
Cropper learned who / was, there was nothing
OH board too good for me. My name, as well as
all of the scouts at Headquarters, was entered
on his log book, and signal was agreed upon
by which he would know any of the boys who
might signal him from the shore. and he re-
quested me to INFORM them that he would al
ways be pleased TO have any Of them come
on board and make themselves known to him
at any time.
Some of them did go aboard Of the Wyoming
later but who they were ! have forgotten now,
but l can remember they were loud in their
praises of Capt Chopper. There was number
of soldiers on board who were detailed as
guards and nurses, under the charge of Sur
geon, whose name has escaped my memory. /
met the Surgeon a(terward, several months
subsequent to the close of the war. and one of
tie men who was detailed and serving on
board on that trip. His name was Jones, and
he belonged in the town Of Marcy, n. 7.
The next day. early in the morning. found
the Wyoming fast TO the wharf at The White
House. and found that the Eighteenth Corps
had gone forward the day before. Leaving the
boat, started Oh foot up toward Tunstails Sta
ton By the time l had gone three or four
miles | came upon one OF our cavalrymen, and
from him learned that Gen. Gregg was not far
away. Gen Gregg was man l was very anx-
ious to see and took good many steps in va
rious directions, i was told by several cav
alrymen where they thought he could be seen.
At last ! found him. Showing him my pass
to let him know who l was, / asked him to
loan me horse and to tell me where Army
Headquarters were to be found.
See here" said he, Il have loaned you
scouts horses before, and never saw them
again"
well, General, you never loaned me one.
did you?"
"Eo. never did. and don't think I ever
will. You people get horse, and that is the
last of him."
/ could see by twinkle in his eyes that he
intended to let me have one, and pressed the
request, saying: " You acls nowledge You never
let me have one. How is it possible for you to
say you will never See him again. j will promise
that he shall be returned as soon AS it is pos
sbie to do so-in four or five days at the
farthest."
well. I suppose I will have to try you.
Now, if don't get this horse back, it is the
last time scout ever gets one from me-"
Calling man he ordered him to furnish me
with certain horse that thought to myself
would be small loss if he should never see
again. On asking him where / would be apt
to find Army Headquarters. he replied that he
had no idea, but the night before they were at
Old Church Tavern, which was several miles off,
/ saw no one that could give me the desired
information until arrived at the tavern. The
landlord was very suriy, and would scarcely
give me a civil answer, until my patience be-
came exhausted, when l asked him which of