Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-03
Gaubrfl trial ct Bssndon, xia1., h ~
whom ] had 20 show t."
any YN r1TQGYyY0m

whom had 70 shoW ~"
A SPY IN DISGUISE
Beyond doubt, the mcss remarkable feae
accomplished by Fontains from the Dotno
OF view Of the historian was ne carrying
OF dispatches end caps fiko The city %
vicksburg when that city yrs inveete0
by the FtderalG At that time Memphis
was in the hands of the essmy. ana
Fontslne. acting - spy end unifsr dis
guise. had been IN THAI dty for nenta
or 80. picking up what Information 10
could for the benefit OF Gscssa1 Jos9eh
r. Johnston. who had HE hsaAquAsttrs
at Jackson, Miss. one day s1ste cane
a summons for him to report 10 Csnefss
Johnston at once simultaneously the
Fedsrsls In that city go, kno~1sdss OF
Fontalne's orders and Of his prvsnes
here. The desire 10 capture such dan
gerous spy and redolbtab.s Confederate
sharpshootsr BECAME 50 intense that
reward OF 5000 was offered foS him.
decd or alive and troops were csspAtceoo
20 cover all the roads leading 70 sovth.
ward to intercept his proersss. Brt No
avoided them. aTs reported on time IL
his general at Jackson for orasre The
orders were that he was 70 carry e's~
patches and 5000 musket-caps through
the Federal lines and into the city %
Vioksbutg.
The appalling difficulty Of this undsrs
taking NAV be Judged from Tie fact thas
vioksburx was beisaguered by 1000 Tsde.
rails under General Ulysses 2. Grant; all
the approaches TO that city were con.
troued and guarded by the Fedsrsla ana
there was n reward Of $1,000 out for the
head OF Tontaine.
But this courier understood the uses OF
discretion. as we'll as the necessary tos
valor lie set out on his journey. ftS
avoided all thoroughfares. In complete
disguise and under cover OF darkness. bs
passed through the Federal lines, In
small canoe. or "dug-out" End detveroo
his cans and dispatches to General Penn
berton: and, after spending a few days
In the city, he returned with dispatches
to General Johnston's headquarters. at
Jackson, Miss, and delivered his oiss
matches. and General Per1berten's ro-
celpt for the caps and dispatches delivered
to him. .ti
AN EXCITING ADVENTURE.
II was while coming out Of vicksbura
that he met with his most exciting adven-
ture, and his relation OF II sounds mar
vellous He footed down tho river ~
night 10 a point soma eighteen miles be-
low Vicksburg and. landing. he procured
a horse, and. riding IN tho direction OF
Jackson, he had 10 cross tho Big placA
river. Every ford and ferry on the sans
was closely guarded by the Fsderals. ana
he rode into the guard OF ono OF these
ferries. and they ambuscadei him; ard. az
he rode into their midst he was con-
fronted by a circle OF $50 Yankees. who
fred volley az him, the farthest shot
being not moro than forty yards.
He killed tho first Yank that haited
him. and. though hit In twenty-ssven
places, his right arm and right leg both
shattered. ne charged through this cor
don Of men, killing two. who caught &C
his brldle-reins. and shooting anotbsr
close by. He made his escape, and for
several hundrad yards his horse dashed
on with him. then fell upon him. pinninS
him 70 the earth, and II took fearful
struggle In his wounded condition to free
himself.
The Federals. thinking from the way M
rode OF and the movements Of bis horse
that he had escaped without hurt did nos
follow him. A full description OF this
adventure. given at the time. ana mana
cd down through history. has long been
common property. ana the Marquis OF
Lothian, In his work called THE Con-
Tolerate Secession" written ~ the time,
speaks thus Of this adventure tchapter
viii, pages 190-i9O; or deeds of individus
al herOleNi, Ike itiudI f'htaihpS 90
petition 10 vicksburg and beck, think
| that. II one were 20 select single ins
stance OF valiant deed es represen'
tatIon OF tho Confederate exploits during
this war. this that I have here mentionea
would be the one
n was I'm the course q HIS mission "a
yIol<sburg that Fontaine was honoret
with Unlimited credit upon the Treasury
OF the Confsderacy. N was in the snaps
Of an order, signed by T. o. Minis, the
Chief ouGrtcrmas'9r of the War Departs
msnt. AMI was worded thus: THE Cone
fedsrate States TREASURER Will honor ans
draft presented him sIsned BY LamaS
rontaine."
Unparalleled as has been this mans
accomplishments in, deeds OF daring ne
has not failed 10 win laurels IN the faireS
fields Of literature. He 10 popul2r
writer OF war sketches. and recent bur.
lesqus article on tho Venezuelan conuo'
versy, In which no undertook 20 express
the patriotism Of the Confederate vete-
ran toward tho Stars and Stripes. evoked
n half-column editorial from the london
| Times. But. as n writer, he IL more
widely known by the poem. "Qulet Along
| the Potomac"