Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-07
ORDEALOF UNION SPY
A SERGEANT WHO PLAYED DUNN,
AMONG THE coxFEDERATEs.
Pistols Fired, Questions Asked sud-
denly, md Many Articles Used TO
Take Him by surprise-Thrown
Into Prison and Threatened.


NOdu ONf
Colonel William w. Jeffords, OF Company
A, Thirty-third Regiment of Pennsyl-
vania Volunteers. was sent South as a
spy under instructions from General
Grant in 1868. Jeffords vas first ser
geant in Company ID. Seventh Pennsyi-
vania Volunteers, when he was called
upon to DO the work OF obtaining infor-
nation in the lines Of the enemy. Follow
ing is his account OF the Undertaking:
Colonel Raymond told me that General
Grant wished TO talk TO the men VINO
were to go as spies. The Colonel led us
about half a mile away to "a dilapidated
house where Grant made his temporary
headquarters. General Grant left a
table full of maps n drawings, and
came TO speak to us i'm tie yard. He
explained that we a been chosen be-
cause OF our reputation for GOODNESS,
nerve. and daring. He told us that IL
any one of us had any hesitancy or doubt
of our courage I'm engaging In the SPY
work in a region and at a time when we
would be %summarily hanged II caught
that one should decline the service then
and there.
That afternoon each of us was IN
structed in the particular ne
was to get, and the respective part ne
was TO play as a civilian In the enemy 5
camp. 1 had the task OF observing some
typographical facts and seeing what
artillery General Johnston's army mad.
I was instructed to be a deaf mute.
~ naAA~n nrfnrGnnfg sta ~
had been the mead Of a deaf and dumb
school at Cleveland. and he spent several
hours drilling me as a dummy. L was
TO go over to Jackson with a satchelfui
OF shoe backing, shaving soap, paper
collars, and notions. apparently earning
my livelihood by selling my wares to
Confederate soldiers. a pencil and slate
were my mode OF communication. /
started out from the Grand Gulf late on
the night Of May 9Th. / knew that l would
be suspected of being a spy, and that the
least Indication that my hearing was at
all good would forfeit my life. l was
within the enemy's lines by noon the
next day. | ate under a cowshed, while
the rain drizzIed down. In the afternoon
L was going along a road near a hamlet
known as Griggsby's. l heard a troop of
cavalry coming down the road behind me.
/ put on a blank expression and trudged
along with my black satchel over my
shoulder. A lieutenant rode up to me
and called:
HELLO, therel Where are you going?'
IL had time to prepare myself for
this test. L started, as If at the appear
ance of the horse under my eyes, and
looked vacantly up at the cavalryman.
He repeated his question. In a second
l had my pocket slate out, and handed
it courteously to the officers. The others
I'm the troop laughed and said:
"fOh, he's a fool dummy
"The lieutenant wrote on my slate.
Who are you and where are you going,
/ wrote that L was Daniel Freeman, ana
that l was peddling for a living. Several
Of the troops remarked that IL was fool
ish TO waste time on such a dumb mutton
head as /, for I'd be caught anyhow, and
the troop galloped away.
II saw a camp of fully 1000 Confede-
rates down in the valley. / knew that my
presence would be reported at head
quarters by the cavalrymen, and IL would
be folly to go past a camp If L were real
ly seeking trade. / was stopped by a sem
tinel about the camp. / wrote for him
my name and business on my slate. lie
growled something about lunkhead dunn
mics wandering about I'm war time, and
catching me by my the coat sleeve, led
me to the officer of the guard. The SEN
tinel explained that | wa deaf and dumb.
and went away. The officer a evil
IDENTIFY known tina the role OF dummy
was not uncommon with up-to-date spies.
Stand over there a second till L
finish this said he to me. in the most art
full, off hand, easy manner.
"My knees did move slightly, and / al
most stepped a foot. But l caught my
self, while the cold chllls chased up and
down my spine at my almost forgetful-
ness, and l resolved not TO risk my neck
so easily again.
"'Your hand Is bloody said he, turn
ing carelessly to me. L stood like a post,
looking yacantly at him.
Some OF the cayalrymen I had seen on
the road came I'm, and / knew from the
expression on the officer Of the guards
face nal / was TO be tested for my deaf
ness. / stood Indifferent to my environ
ment, looking at a picture on the wall,
while l knew that some test of my hear
ing was being prepared at my rear. I'D
denly one Of the cavalrymen drew his
sword and shouted:
Damn this Yankee; I've a good mind
to put him to the wall right here
Stab hint cried another.
81 knew that my every muscle and
nerve was being watched by every one
in the apartment. The least twitch or
of the head would have betrayed
me.
He's about as dumb as they make
EN- said the officer Of the guard when
II was seen how Obvious I was TO all
their tests OF my hearing. Isn't it
that such a poor cuss should go
around the lines Of warfare?
He'll get over the Yank lines and i'm
go hard with him some OF these days
II was dismissed. / went peddling about
the camp, all the time keeping my eyes
open for typographical and armament
Information. Two days later / was seven
further I'm the enemy's coun-
try. l had met hundreds OF Confederate
on the way, but the fact thai /
had passed an outlying camp all right
was an indication hat | was a genuine
fool dummy. / got a mass OF Information
and had hourly simple tests of my hear
or, rather. my non-hearing faculty.
l was almost on the verge of nervous
from the strain of ceaselesS