The times., 1897-04-04

when I heard the story that 1 had de
serted to the COnfedcrates and been re-
captured aud would be shot I visited
company headquarters To ascertain
what tie talk meant ana there met
with i strange reception | was there,
wearing a blue uniform, aud vet / wa>
in the guardhOuse half a mile away
wearing the butteTnut. I had been on
duty at division headquarters. and yet
1 had been captured on the advance
lines was at placed under ar
rest, and IT was an hour Or more before
the mystery was solved. Then It was
found that one OF the Confederate pris-
oncrs was my double As the case OK
ctei q good deal or comment at the
time, / will give you the full pafticu-
lars ny double was a member of an
Alabama regiment When placed side
by side we We're twin brothers Each
OF Us was twenty years old each five
feet five inches high. each weighed 137
pounds our eyes and hair We're If the
same color. Even our voices were the
same except that he spoke with more
OF a drawl The name of the young IDan
was John Wakefield and we We're born
a thousand miles apart and were in No
way related We were as much aston
ishcd as the officers and surgeons who
were called in TO gaze at Us. No twin
brothers ever bore a closer resemblance,
and they declared that even our gait
was the same.
/ had not yet recovered from IN ' aStonish
menu when the suggestion was made that
/ go into the Confederate camp as a spy
on the strength Of the wonderful TesenI-
bIanCe. | was given three days in which
to pump Wakefield He did not know my
object, or l should credit him with having
told me less although ne was tired of the
war and rather glad he had been captured
/ first got his family history complete
Then the town from which he hailed, the
names of many people and the location of
streets and public buildings. Then the
names of his officers and comrades, ami
incidents of caInpai gning. Having nothing
else to do, and my aim being to acquire ILL
formation, 1 got from him almost every
incident OF his life i'll those three days and
nights. As my life would depend upon
my being thoroughly posted, we can
vassed the most trivial incidents of his
life at home and as a sGlter. He was a
ready talker and had good memory. and.
of course, these things helped me out Won
derfully When / was quite ready l took
his suit Of clothes complete. and he was
given another Then was taken down to
the front and made a bolt for it. In other
words one of the Confederate prisoners
escaped and dashed across the spa ce which
separated the opposing lines. Not half
a dozen men were let into the secret, and
as ran was fired upon by half d reEi-
ment.
They had promised me differently, and
I still cherish o bitter feeling against the
officer who had charge of affairs and
Obliged me to run such risk. The bullets
wbiZZed overhead and tore up the earth at
NV feet aud it was nothing short of q
miracle that l escaped being hit. / ran Mt
full speed straight for the Confederate
lines. and on dashing over breastwork
found myself in the midst of q Louisiana
brigade of infantry. A colonel questioned
me as to my name, regiment, when cap
tured, etc and 1 answered so promptly
that l supposed everything was all right
1t wasn't, however. Federal spies had
played the game before, and Confederate
wit had become sharpened. l was sent To
the headquarters of Gen. Malone, who was
national politics He asked me the same
questions which the colonel had put to me
and many others in addition. saw that
he was suspicious, and, braving all at one
stroke, requested that my captain he
sent for The Alabama regiment to which
I was supposed to belong was stationed two
miles away, and 1t was about 8 O'Clock
be fore the captain arrived Previous
to his appearance 1 had been asked his
name, which 1 gave correctly, and had
also described his person. When he reached
Headquarters was sent for, and as stood
before him and two or three headquaTter
officers Gen Malone asked:
capt Thorn, this man claims to belong
to your company. Is he member or
not?"
Eyes, sir" was the prompt reply.
whats his name?''
"John Wakefield, sir"
when was he captured?"
-Four days ago, along with several
men"
Are you positive TINT this is your
man?''