Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-09-02
ADVENTURES OF A SPY.

deaf and dumb pedlar, in order t.
find out whether certain position wa
strongly fortified or not
AS soon as l got within the lines
encountered party Of cavalrymen
| was in citizens clothes, and had
pack on my back. The troop wa
commanded by lieutenant, and h'
queiied to me
"Who are you, and where are yol
going?"
Here was the first test. Everyon,
had his eye upon me. 1t was a com
pliment to me that one of the mel
called out before l had made sign
"He's dummy. He's got a face
like a washboard !"
wrote on my tablet
"What do you want 2"
The lieutenant wrote in reply
"Who are you, and where are yor
going to-"
l gave my name as George Byles
and stated that / was Confederate
pedlar. The officer asked for my pass
and | told him that it had been taker
from me three days before by some
Yankee raiders who had captured m'
and turned Inc loose.
He gave me the order to ride on
| could see an encampment down the
road, and any attempt to flank II
would create suspicion. 1t was wei
that l went ahead, for one Of the cav
alrymen followed me right back to the
sentinel on the outskirts of the camp
He walked his horse Immediately be-
hind me, and so close that the animal
nose almost touched my back, but he
did not catch me off my guard. Wher
the sentinel stopped me | handed him
my name and occupation, and in a few
minutes l was in the presence of the
officer of the guard. | was escorted
to the quarters of the officer of the day
and here came a test, made so care
lessly that if | had not had all my wits
about me I should have been lost. As
we reached the quarters the escort said
Here is deaf and dumb man who
has no pass. Captain Parsher ordered
him here from the guard tent. "
"All right" replied the officer, who
was not even looking at US and then
as the escort started off, he half turned
to me and said
"Stand aside for a few moments
and l will attend to your case.
His tone was so careless and his or
der so natural that l caught my mus
cles moving to obey, Had l picked
up a foot should have given myself
away. AS l did not move, he pres
emily turned to me and began to in
quire about me. l gave him the de-
tails, and while we were passing the
tablet back and forth captain came.
The officer of the day said to him
1--WE have captured dummy. 1t
is mighty queer that he should take
to peddling among the soldiers, but
they are queer lot. He says he had
a pass from Polk, but that the Yanks
gobbled it when they captured him
the other day. Doyou see that blood
spot on his left cuff"
I was looking the officer full in the
face as he spoke. l felt that he would
try some trick, but he did it SO neatly
that he almost caught me. l winked,
but did not drop my eyes.
He then took the tablet and wrote
that l might circulate about the camp
until guard mount, and then report
10 the new officer of the day.
got some breakfast, sold out about
half my goods, and when l reported
and asked that might pass, no OBJ
lection was made. The soldiers &C
cepted me for what l claimed to be,
and, while my condition excited the
sympathies of some, others were In
clined to ridicule and joke. While |
knelt in a group a joker held pistol
close to my ear and fired it of.
heard the click of the hammer, and
was, therefore, prepared for the report.
found the gap covered by weak
body, and got through them without
trouble, though my goods were now all
gone, and 1 had to claim that was on
my way to Dalton after new stock.
l was arrested after entering the gap.
There were several officers in the
Generals tent when l was taken in
and reported on. and the fact in my
case had no sooner been announced
than one of them. who was a surgeon,
held a whispered conversation with
the General, and l suspected plot to