Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-06-15
The Man Witha Memory


posed to be rebel spy was one day
arrested in rebel camp. He was in
n Federal uniform, but his look and
his language were Enthusiastically
Southern. He claimed To belong to
"A regiment in another camp about
two miles away, and he was sent to
the guard-house until his assertion
could be verified or disproved. Twas
officer of the day at camp that day,
and that is how | cnme TO learn 30
many of the particulars of the affnir
! am relating Ii was in hecamp Of
n Wisconsin regiment that the spy,
who gave his name as George Swift.
was arrested He had come there
ostensibly to visit friends, but some
Of the boys bad seen him slyly taking
notes, and he had asked such ques-
tions as no private Federal soldier
would hive any use for. Ii WINS
pretty generally understood that the
Coniederates We're using every exer-
tion 10 knowledge ofShrrmnns
strength and movements, and the
boys had no sooner GOT the idea
that the stranger was q spy thnu
they gave tie information to me. ana
! put him under arrest. saw al IA
glance TINT be was oi Southern birth.
This WIS not SO much against him.
for al that time we had plenty ii
Tennessee and Kentucky men with
us
What command do Won belong
tor ! asked
"The--th Illinois. he REPLIED
asked what brigade and division.
who was his Captain and various
other things. and he returned what
seemed 10 be straight answers 10
every question When | asked who
he had come 10 visit in Wisconsin
regiment lie WAS lame lie men
toned the name Of man no one had
ever heard Of II WIS on this point
alone thnt ! held him. A messenger
was at once sent after the Illinois
Captain named, and in about AN
hour he appeared The supposed spy
war taken 10 the tent 81 the brigade
General, and ass ns brought face
TO face with the Captain he saluied
and said.
Captain Morton, the people here
seem TO think am rebel SPY"
Aud who ARE YOU" queried the
Captain, plainly astonishcd
30 YOUR ask that rpproachiullv
inquired the man Who should |
be but George swift OF your own
company"
You can't be. never saw YOU
before in my life
"Why, Captain Mortnnl'
The two mon looked AZ each other
as If doubling their own senses. and
the General asked ~ Swift.
How long have YOU 'hecu with his
company"
-Four months. sir lcainc down
as a rncruit from Pckiu
who is YOUR Orderly Sergeant"
Sergeant White. sir.
"Who are your commissioned Of
ficprs?'
Captain Morton. First Lieutenant
Green aud Lieutenant Davis. The
latter Is home ON Through
"How many men in the company"
"Fiiiyoight sir
"Whu are your tent matcs?"
Oscar Jackson. Thomas PARKER
and John fridgrun
well. Captain qucried the Gen
cral. AS he turned 20 Captain Nor
ton
The Captain was clean beat He
WAS dead sure that NO such man he.
IT, Il TO his company. and vet the
~ had answered every question
ns straight as string
"l'll stake my life that never saw
this man before, the Captain finally
answered, and know every man IN
my company 10y name
The spy was ordered to strip to his
shirt. aud for the first time his cool
ness seemed 10 desert him He nc
pronrhed the Captain for permitting
this indignity, but slowly disrohcd.
In one Of his boot legs was n pocket.
and in this pocket we found paper
bearing figures as follows.