The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-09
A SOLDIERS DOUBLE.
By CHARLES Il. LEWIS.

About 80 days before Grant broke
through Lees lines at Petersburg
and the beginning of the end camea
portion Of my regiment captured
seven Confederates and brought
them into camp. My own company
was part Of the Federal force, but
as was on detached duty that week
I was not with them. The first I
knew Of the capture was when l
heard the story that I had deserted
to the Confederates and been recap
tured and would be shot.
I visited company headquarters to
ascertain what the talk meant and
there met with strange reception.
was there, wearing blue uniform,
and yet was in the guardhouse half
mile away wearing the butternut.
I had been on duty at division head
quarters, and yet I had been cap
tured on the advance lines. | was
at once placed under arrest, and 1T
was an hour OF more before the
mystery was solved.
Then it was found that one of the
Confederate prisoners was my dou-
ble. AS the case excited good deal
Of comment at the time I will give
you the full particulars. My double
was member of an Alabama regi-
ment. When placed side by side,
we were twin brothers. Each of US
was 20 years old; each feet 5 inch
es high; each weighed 1877 pounds.
Our eyes and hair were of the same
color. Even our voices were the
same, except that he spoke with
more of drawl. The name Of the
young man was John Wakefield,
and wo were born 1 1000 miles apart
and were in no way related.
We were as much astonished as
the officers and surgeons who were
called in to gaze at us. No twin
brothers ever bore a closer resem-
blance, and they declared that even
our gait was the same.
had not yet recovered from my
astonishment when the suggestion
was mado that l so into the Con-
federate camp as spy on tho
strength of the wonderful resem-
blance. was given three days in
which to pump Wakefield. He did
not know my object, or I should
credit him with having told me less,
although he was tired of the war
and rather glad ho lad been cap
tured.
first got his family history COM
pleto, then the town from which he
hailed, the names of many people
and the situation Of streets and pub
lie buildings, then the names of his
officers and comrades and incidents
of campaigning. Having nothing
else to do, and my aim being to ac-
quire information, I got from him
almost every incident of his life III
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 us Il soldier. He
was ready talker and had good
memory, and Of course these things
helped me wonderfully. 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 IL bolt for 1t. In
other words, one of tho Confederate
prisoners escaped and dashed ACROSS
the space which separated the OPP
posing lines. Not half IL dozen men
were let into the secret, and as | ran
] was fired upon by half aregiment.
They had promised me differently,
an ! -, ch'ri-il Il bitter feeling
u rat,.r q .l.cr who had charge
OF ,.,i... ~; "pll's,r.l III" tnrll such
'le h,.liet- whlzzc'l over
~, IA Garth at my
lr.... va ,'..IaInG ~iiOi, Of Il
~ i,i@ l,it.