The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-05-23
Strictly i'm Undress.

William X. Rudolph, engineer at the
Spring Garden waterworks, was a cor
poral in the Eighth PENNSYLVANIA cav
airy and is past commander of Post 80.
He was Colonel Keenans orderly in
the famous charge at Charlottesville
and fell desperately wounded by the
same volley that killed his colonel.
Essentially modest, Rudolph's recol-
lection of an interview with Mcclellan
was told in the plainest way, without
decoration Of any kind, yet he is prob
ably the only living soldier who ever APP
peared before his commanding general
without any clothing whatever and
bearing an official despatch in his
mouth.
The night of the battle of Malvern
Hill, June l, 1862, was very dark and
rainy one. The command to which
Rudolph belonged went into camp near
White Oak swamp. Late in the night
he was aroused from sleep and ordered
to report at once TO Captain keenan,.
Corporal said he, 1" am off on
important duty, and l want you and
Privates Marks, Jobson and Cox to 90
with me. Leave your horses and arms,
except your pistols, in charge of the
orderly sergeant"
In few minutes all were ready for
the start. Captain keenan, told the
men that they were about to take great
chances, and there was considerable
doubt whether they would return alive.
He had dispatch for General McClel-
Ian which must be delivered as soon as
possible on board the gunbOat Galena,
lying in the James river just below
Turkey bend. He said: We have the
advantage of knowing the country and
just where the gunboat lies, but since
we picketed there this morning the
Confederate lines have closed in, and
we must 60 through them in order to
deliver the Dispatch" Then, after
urging the utmost caution, he led the
way into the woods.
After tramping about one and one
half miles they came upon the pickets,
but so quietly that their presence was
not discovered. Making a circuit,
they passed around the pickets as well
as the reserve, who were seen standing
about fire. Reaching the brink of the
river, they found themselves directly
opposite the gunboat, whose lights
were discernible about 200 yards away.
AS it was too far to call, and there were
no means of signalling, Rudolph volun-
teered to swim out to the vessel. He
stripped off his clothing, took the dis
patch in his teeth, and waded out about
thirty yards before the water became
deep enough to swim. Before he swan
ten yards he was challenged and al
most Immediately fired upon. He held
up the dispatch and shouted, "a
friendI" The picket boat of the Gaena
came at once alongside, and he was
pulled in. He showed the dispatch,
and the boatmen rowed over to the
gunboat, where he delivered the dis
patch to General Mcclellan in person.
81 told him." said Rudolph, "where
our captain was and how he had got
down to the river. He thanked me
warmly and told me to give his compli-
ments to the captain, and then inquired
if we could get back the same way we
came and take an answer to the dis
patch. j replied l thought we could.
He then went away to write the an
swer, and while he was gone one of the
officers gave me dram to take off the
night chill. In less than five minutes
the general returned to the deck and
saNo ho uiepalcu anu uole iol Vno
captain, saying, Be as careful as you
possibly can, for | wouldn't have that
dispatch fall into the hands of the en-
envy for all the world
81 was rowed to within twenty yards
of the shore and soon found my COM
panions. The captain almost Rugged
me when we met and he found out that
everything was all right. We returned
by the same route to our camp, which
we reached within three hours from the
time we left it. Here the captain
mounted his horse and galloped away
to deliver the dispatch-to whom 1
never knew."-Philadelphia Record.