The times., 1897-04-04


| for a year.
That settled it, We were dismissed, and
followed Capt Thorn to the regiment.
On the way L related the particulars
OF my capture and escape, and he seemed
considerably puzzled that Gen. Hahone
should have been so suspicious OF me.
There were about forty men in company
ID. They all gathered around me as / ap-
| peared and gave me welcome, and q
young man named David Ganny who had
been Wakefield's tent mate put his arms
| around me and shed tears in his gladnes5
| over ms return. l had learned my part 50
| thoroughly tbat L was lat home" from
| the first Next day met every member
| Of the company. officers included, and
| where | used names | made no mistake. 1
1 fell into the routine with the rest, and
| after three days the curiosity Of all had
| been satisfied.
| You may say it was wonderful thiag
| that | could thus pass myself off and
/ escape all suspicion, but 1 am only telling
| you what was known to Gen. Grant hiDE
| self NV orders were to ascertain Lees
| strength on a line about four miles loIg-
| How | was 10 accomplish this after enter
| ing the Confederate lines was left for us
| 10 decide. Wakefelu tOld me tBaJ ne had
! Il cousin il the Seventh Virginia. young
! soldier named John WinsIOw He had
| visited him whenever opportunity offered.
| and TINS was q good excuse for me 10
| get out Of camp. ] got permission from
my captain 70 go. and in hunting up the
| Seventh Virginia l took care 70 miss i5
| and cover the whole front and have q
| look at guns and fOrtificatiOns / found
| winslow mt last. but his greeting was TAR
til n.
relied about something on which / was rot
/ posted. He was so sulky AMI unfrieuHy
| that l was about 10 cut my visit short
| when he gave me d searching look, and
| exclaimed
| Why. you are not John Wakefield 81
! all 3"
Then who am I?'' asked with q
laugh
II don't know, but you are Certainly
| not ms cousin John. You look like him,
| but you are not he.'
| 1t was queer that he alone should
| have suspected me. but something in
| my speech. walk or look warneI him that
| | was q counterfeit l laughed a 5 hin in
| a gooG-natured way hoped I would find
| him in d better humor when cal!ri agaIn,
| and started for my regiment: but 1 had
| not gone quarter OF mile when / wax
| overtaken. put under arrest, and an hour
| later was once more in the presence OF
| Gen. Malone / am sure that the general
| had doubted me from the first Indeed.
| after the war he told me much. and
| added that he was not quite satisfied,
| even when my captain so thorOuE hly
| identified me l was followed 70 his
| tent by Winsow, who boldly proclaimed
| that was not John Wakefield. Then il
| the officers and half Il dozen men Of the
| company. including my terminate. were
| sent for. and the general heartily entered
| upon the work Of trapping me. Ny life
! was the stake being played for and though
| ! was terribly anx ious as To .hr outcome,
| as YOU may believe, I believe | displayed
all the coclness and nerve which my best
| friend could have hoped for. Every off
| Ger and every man promptly Identified
| me as John Wakefield. but To offset this
| winslow said that his cousin had a scar
| on the neck which could not lie found on
/ me denied the scar. and then my cap
/ tain was requested to ASK me certain qUeS-
| tions which he general suggested or
| wrote out, In reply l gave the Christian
| name OF father mother ami sister az
! well as a number or UncleS, aunts and
| cousins gave the names Jr many streets
| in Montgomery, Ala. the names OF many
| families: the situation OF the Statehouse,
| Exchange Hotel. police station. etc [
| told the part taken by my regiment in
various battles and SkirmiShes, AMI related
u funny incident connected with my enlist
ment. which Capt. Thorn clearly remeiH-
bered.
1 had pumped John Wakefield So thor
oughly nd SO plainly remembered every
thfDC hpIiny.e 7 m sod fIg OK 4Frirll-
ton fully as well OF better than he could.
Gen. Malone had only one peg TO hang a
hope on after putting me through my PAGES
for a fun two hours Ny terminate was sure
l was John Wakefield and yet I was a
bit strange since my return to the COM
pany. / did not use tobacco any longer
and he had not heard me swear, though
l had been addicted 10 both vices before
my capture. l claimed that had resolved
to let tobacco alone, as tt was affecting
my health, and had quit tswearingin graf
itude over my escape The general was
satisfied and yet unsatisfied- He aC-
knowledgFd that my officers and comrades
ought to know Ine after being together
year, but added that there was 10 great
hurry TO dispose Of the case, and sent me
TO the guardhUuse- At the end of two days
| l was escorted back TO his headquarters,
| and he pla yed his last card In his tent was
| a soldier ,Iressedin u Federal uniform, whOmI
| took TOT Il deserter There We're also two
| men dressed Is civilians. but believe they
| were Confederate soldiers temporarily
| disguised The general had two letters and
| a telegram before him. and as stood at
| attention he looked up and said
| We'll, my Yankee lad, YOU are pretty
| sharp. and have stuck by your story. but
| you might as well make aClran breast II Il
| now You see this deserter from your lines
| these citizens from Montgomery-these
written proofs that you are not John Wake
| field?'
Who do you want me 70 be?' asked
Il want your right name and the stoIy
| of how you got into our lines. You are q
! spy, and hanging is the penalty, but. ow-
ing to your youth, we may decide to treat
| you as prisoner of war
declared that | was John Wakefield
| asked him to remember that all my COM
! pany had fully identified me. and ex-
! pressed my Willingness to face any new
| proofs he might have to the contrary.
He leaned back in bis chair and looked
| me straight N the eyes for a moment, and
| l knew he was a beaten man. He did not
| call UP the men nor read the letters, as
| they had been prepared" for the oeca-
| sion, and could not have helped hlm out.
| After what seemed fully ten minutes TO
| me he quietly said.
We'll perhaps a mistake has hern made.
| You can return to your regimnet."