The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-01-02
STRICTLY IN uNpRess.
Corporal Rudoirh's Appearance Befoi
General Mcclellan with "a Afessaee.

! Corporal Rudolrh's Appearance Before
General Mcclellan with Message.
William X. Rudolph, engineer ut the
Spring Garden wnterworks, was corpor-
al in the Eighth Pennsylvania cavalry
and IL pnst commander Of Post 30. lie
was Colonel ktenan's orderly In the fl.
nous charge at Charlottesville and fell
desperately wounded by the same volley
that killed his colonel Essentially mod.
est, Rudolph's recollection Of an interview
with Mcclellan was told in the plainest
way, without decoration Of any kind, yet
b. is probably the only living soldier who
ever appeared before his commanding gen.
tral without any clothing whatever and
bearing nm Official dispatch in his mouth
The night OF the battle Of Malvern Hin,
June / 1862, was very dark and rainy
one. Thc command TO which Rudolph be
longed went into camp near White Oak
swamp. Late in the night he was aroused
from sleep and ordered TO report Mt once
10 Captain Keenan,.
Corporal said he, 81 am of on i'm
portant duty, and want you and priyatos
Marks, Jubsun and Cox 10 10 with me.
Leave your horses and arms, except your
pistols III charge Of the orderly sergeant
In "A few minutes all were ready for tho
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 Ind dis
patch for General Mcclellan which must
be delivered us soon IA possible on board
tho gunboat Galeua, lying IN the James
river Just below Turkey bend. lie smd
ave have the advantage Of knowing the
country and just where the gunhout lies,
but since we picketcd there this morning
the Confederate lines have closed in. aud
we must 20 through them IN order to de
liver the dispatch" Then, after urging
the utmost caution. he led the way into
the woods
After tramping about ~ miles they
came upon the pickcts. but soquiotly that
their presence WINS not discovered Nah
ing circuit, they passed around thcpick
cts as well ~ the reserve, who were seen
standing nhout fire Reaching the brink
of the river they found themselves direct.
ly opposite the glmhnat, whose lights were
discornible about 200 yards away. AS II
was too far TO call, and there were no
means Of signaling, Rudolph volunteered
to swim out TO the vessel. He stripped of
his clothing, took the dispatch in his teeth
and waded out about 30 yards before the
water became deep enough to swim. Be
fore he swan 10 yards he was challenged
and almost Immediately fired upon. lie
held up the dispatch and shouted, "a
friendr' The picket boat Of the Galena
came Mt once alongside, and he was pulled
in. lie showed the dispatch, and the boat
men rowcd over to the guuboat, where he
delivered the dispatch to General McClel-
Ian In person.
az told him, " said Rudolph, "wbere our
captain was and how he had got down to
the river. lie thanked mo warmly and
told me TO give his compliments to the
captain, and then inquired II we could get
back the same way we came and take an
answer to the dispatch. / replied thought
we could. He then went away to write
the answer, 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 gave me
dispatch and note for the captain, say.
ing, BE rs careful as you possibly can,
for wouldn't have that dispatch fall into
the hands Of the enemy for all the world.
81 was rowed to within 90 yards of the
shore and soon found my companions.
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 tho dispatch-t0
| whom never knew. Philadelphia Rec.
ord