The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-26


made good his escape from the capital,
and his place Of refuge was unknown
But. as yet, the intelligence of the
calamity had failed to reach a large
portion Of Eastern Virginia
Such was the condition Of affairs
when on Monday, April "a, 1865 at
about noon, boat containing five men
crossed over from Port Conway to
Port Royal, Va, two villages on the
banks Of the Ra ppahannock, opposite
each other. Three Of the men proved
TO be the ferrymen, William Rollins,
Mr. Green and a negro, Richard Will
son, but the others were strangers.
Upon landing one Of the strangers
inquired Of the bystanders for a Con-
Tolerate officer. No sooner was his in
quiry made known than young VIII
liam Jett, dressed in & Confederate
captains uniform, INTRODUCED himself
as Capt Jet, Of Mosby's command.
Ihereupon, the stranger engaged him
IN close conversation for several min
uJes, after which, being joined by his
companion, he said to him in the pres
ence Of the pretended officer:
/ have told this officer who we are
and what we have done" To this his
companion replied:
/ didn't intend to tell any one that"
The three men cOnversed quite earn
estIy for some time, after which.
young Jett leading the way, they left
the village IN company with two Con-
1ederate officers, Lieuts. Bainbridge
and Ruggles, following the road lead
ing in the direction of Bowling Green,
which is a small court house town in
Carolina county.
They had not proceeded more than
three miles when they stopped at the
outer gate Of a private road leading
70 large, frame prison house. a short
distance from the main road Here
one Of the unknown men-the one who
inquired for the officer at Port Royal.
was left, while the others rode on to
the house.
On arriving they were met by Rich
ard H. Garrett, who was the owner Of
the house. Jet addressed him: This
IS Mr.. Garrett, I presume" On re-
ceiving an affirmative answer, he in
irOduced to him the second stranger
as his friend, John William Be d, "a
Confederate soldier who had been
wounded in the battles around Rich
mond, near Petersburg" at the same
time requesting Mr.. Garrett to take
care Of him until Wednesday morning,
at which time he would call for him.
.9Ir. Garrett consented to receive the
so-called friend and to entertain him.
II was now about o'clock in the after
noon.
Nothing Of consequence occurred IN
til Tuesday at dinner time, when Jack
Garrett, the eldest son, returned from
Po- Royal, bearing the news of Presi-
dent Lncoln's death. The tragic af-
fair was commented upon by all pres
ent. each expressing his opinion as TO
the motive which prompted the deed
and its effects upon the public welfare.
Boyd remained silent az first, but on
hearing one CT the daughters remark
that she supposed the perpetrator had
been well paid. he turned to her with
smile and said: do you think so,
miss? By whom do you suppose he
was paid?"
-Oh." replied she, "I suppose by both
the North and South"
1t is my opinion" rejoined he, ''he
wasn't paid a cent, but did it for no
tOriety's sake"
Soon after they arose from the table.
and as he started out Mrs Garrett
(Tny sister asked if he would like to
have his wound dressed. He replied
that it did not give him the slightest
pain or trouble, then thanked her. and
with several others went out upon the
Il ont porch, commanding a full view
OF the public road, and sat down upon
the steps. They had been sitting there
for some time when cambridge. Jett
and Herold rode up to the gate. Herold
was seen TO dlSmOunt from behind Jet
ana DPglD walking toward the h011Sa
while cambridge and Jett rode on. It
was then that Boyd asked Jack Gar
Tett TO go upstairs and get his re-
-Volver. When asked why he wanted
IL he said he always felt safer when
armed. Then he was asked who was
approaching, TO which he replied: ooh,
that is one of our men"
nv hat do You mean2' asked Jack
Why, one Of those who crossed over
with u.s. he said. and walking off he
met HerOld about midway between the
gate and the house, where they re-
manned in close conversation for fully
half an hour, after which they both
came to the house.
Not long afterward Jet and Balm
bridge rode up hurriedly to the house
70 see. as Jet prOfessed. how his friend
Boyd was getting along, at the same
time telling him that he and HerOld
had better make good their escape. for
he understood that the federal troops
We're crossing over from Port Conway
10 Port Royal: then he galloped off.
Jett going in the direction of Port
Royal TO meet, as it is cOnjectured, the
troops who were coming in answer to
his summons.
About an hour before shutdown the
federal troops were seen dashing along
the road in the direction of Bowling
Green While they were passing,
Boyd and Herold hid themselves in the
.Jhickets. which were some distance
ifICm the house, and did not emerge
until after the soldiers had passed
fUpOn being asked why they. Exon
lfederate soldiers, should hide them
selves, now that the war was over
Boyd replied that he did not care about
meeting any Of them.
Failing to comprehend the action of
these two men, Jack Garrett resolved
Q. institute some investigation. Upon
inquiry he learned that the Federal
troops we're in pursuit Of two Confed-
crate soldiers, one Of whom was wound
ed and the descriptions which they
save cOrresponded exactly with those
Of the two men at his home. SO. re
turning home. he asked Boyd if they
had got into any trouble. saying: You
know what you have done. Now, if
you have got into any difficulty you
must leave at once, for I do not want
you to bring any trouble upon my aged
father" To which Boyd replied that
they had had a little brush over in
Maryland. but it was all over.
In the evening, as they were sitting
on the porch, Boyd asked Jack Garrett
to take him up TO Guiney's station that
night. offering him SO. When asked
why he wanted to go there he said