The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-07-09

| | got some breakfast, sold out about
half my goods, and when | reported
and asked that | might pass, 40 obiec
ton was made. The soldiers accepted
Inc for what | claimed to be, and,
while my condition excited the sym.
pathies of some. others were inclined
to ridicue and Joke. While | knclt
i'll ii group a joker held Il pistol clio "a
to my ear and fired it off. | heard
the click OF the hammer, and was,
therefore. prepared for the report. |
found the gap covered by IL weak
body, and | got through them with.
out trouble, through my goods were
I now all gone, aud had to claim that
| was on my way 10 Dalton after IA
new stock. | WAS arrested after enter
ing the gap.
There We're several officers in the
General $ tent when | was taken in
and reported on, and the fact i'll my
| case had no sooner been announced
| than one of them, who was Il surgeon
held IA whispered conversation with
| the general, and suspected plot to
test me. My suspicious were soon
! proved correct. The escort had retir-
ed, and left he standing in front of
the entrance. The whispered cousula-
/ ton lasted about five minute, and
then the general casually remarked
to me:
Take Il seat and | will hear YOU
The surgeon was looking me full in
| the face. and had made the slightest
move he must have detected it.
Sit down. commanded the General
! i'll Il louder voice.
l was looking at his sword hanging
on the tent pole, and did not turn my
eyes till he wheeled round in his chair
and beckoned me to approach. l
handed him my tablet and pencil, and
he asked why | had not Il pass and
where | wanted to go. | explained
about the pass as before, and told
him | wanted to 20 to Dalton or Rome
and secure more goods. The general
would have been quite satisfied, but
the surgeon was Il keen reader of
human nature, and he was convinced
that | was in disguise. l heard him
whisper his suspicious to others. |
had no fear OF any of the rest, but
realized that it would take all my
nerve and tact to hold out against the
surgeon. Some of the tests he at once
put me to may seem tritles to
the reader until he can put himself
in the position | occupied. He rose
up suddenly. crossed over to me, and,
slapping me on the shoulder. he eX.
claimed
Let me see your tongue
l had my teeth hard shut, or my
jaws would have opened at the com
mand.
"Straighten up"' was the next com
mand.
| was bumped over, and the words
went through me like bullet. l did
not move, however The surgeon
was nettled. He looked at he fixedly
for Il long long half minute and then
said to his comrads-
" He claims to have lost his pass
| want to ask him for more details.
What was the date?'
He turned and put this question to
me, and had | not been looking for it
or something of the kind my mouth
would have got away with me. His
failure provoked another laugh. and
[ wrote on the tablet-
What does the officer say? Does
he believe | am deserter?''
He says you are deceiving u.s."
Il find it hard enough now, without
being looked upon with ridicule or
suspicion" l wrote, and the general
nodded his head to me, and said to
the surgeon
Il won't keep him longer than
noon tomorrow"
The guard was called, and | was
removed to the guard-house. 1t held
a prisoner, and l had no doubt that
he had been placed there for a pur-
pose. AS soon as the door was shut
behind me, he came forward, took my
hand and said
All they have got you, too !. Both
of us must die together ~
l signed to him that l was deaf
mute, but he replied
Come; no nonsense with me.
know you and you will soon know me-
| have seen you at Sherman's head
quarters dozen times. [ AIN Jack
Ross, Union spy. | was arrested
here week ago, tried by court martial
found guilty, and tomorrow l am to
be hung
He worked me every way he could
think Of to trap me, but after IA couple
OF hours he gave it up as a bad job.
did not go 10 sleep that night, sus-
pectlng the surgeon would play NE
some trick, and about midnight he
came softly i'll with n couple of soldiers
anu, DIT IL sign, IEe Hlen ScTedIleu III
my ears. | did not move. Then IL
musket was discharged over my body,
and the surgeon called out
You careless beggar, you have shot
him."
did not think so, and | did not
awake" until they pulled at me.
Next morning the pretended spy was
taken out. After break fast,as l sat
with my back to the door, it was soft
ly opened, and | heard the click,
click, of the hammer of Il revolver. 1t
made my flesh creep, but l did not
not turn: At noon | was returned to
the generals tent. He was alone, and
he wrote on the tablet that | was free
to go, and that he would give me a
pass. As he said this he handed me
Il paper, but, ten seconds later, quiet
ly remarked
See if I've signed my name to it."
That was not the last test. He con-
Quoted me to the door of the tent,
waved me past the sentinel, and OBJ
served
Turn to the left to avoid the
ditch
l turned to the right, and after get
ting a dinner, set out to the south. !
do not think | was followed or further
suspected.