The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-15
HARD TESTS FOR A SPY.
A BRAVE SERGEANT WHO PLAYED
THE PART OF DUMMY.

ed suddenly ana many ArttnccS
Used to Take Him on His Guard.
In All the Tests He Never FIinchch
and He Secured All the Informal
ton He Was After.
From the Philadelphia Times.
Col. william w. Jeffords of Company
A, Thirty-third Regiment of Pennsyl-
vania Volunteers, was sent South as a spy
under instructions from Gen. Grant in
1868. JefroIds was first sergeant in Com
pany d, Seventh Pennsylvania Volun-
teers, when ne was called upon to do the
work of obtaining information in the lines
of the enemy. Following is his account
of the undertaking.:
col Raymond told me that Gen. Grant
wished to talk with the men who were
10 go as spies. The colonel led us about
half a mile away to a dilapidated house
where Grant made his temporary head
quarters Gen. Grant left table fun of
maps and drawings and came to speak
with us in the yard. He explained that
we had been chosen because of our rep
utation for GOODNESS, nerve and daring. He
told us that if any one of us had any
hesitation or doubt of our courage in en-
gaging in the spy work in a region and
at time when we would be summarily
hanged if caught, that one should decline
the service then and there
'"That afternoon each of us was instruct
ed in the particular information he was
to get, and the respective part he was to
play as civilian in the enemy's camp. I
had the task of observing some topo-
graphical facts and seeing what artillery
Gen. Johnston's army had l was in
structed to be a deaf mute. The SURGEON
on Gen. Grierson's staff had been the head
of a deaf and dumb school at Cleveland.
and he spent several hours ia drilling me
as a dummy. / was to go over 10 Jackson
with a satchel full of shoe backing, shaw
ing soap, paper collars and notions, APP
parently earning my livelihood by selling
my wares to Confederate soldiers. A pen
Gil and slate We're nay mode of communf-
cation. l started out from the Grand Gulf
late on the night of May 5. l knew that
l would be suspected of being a spy, and
that the least indication that my hearing
was at all good would forfeit nv life.
| was within the enemy's lines by noon
the next day / ate under a cowshed
while the rain drizzled down, In the af-
ternoon | was going along a road near a
hamlet known as Griggsbys / heard a
troop of cavalry coming down the road
behind me, I put on a blank expression
and trudged along with my black satchel
over my shoulder. A lieutenant rode up
TO me and called
Hello, there Where are you going?'
Il had had time to prepare myself for
this test. l started, as If at the appear
ance OF the horse under my eyes, and look
ed vacantly up at the cavairyman. He re-
DG1Ia6 his OI1pGffnn In 7 4
pocket slate out and handed it courteous
ly TO the officer The others in the troop
laughed and said:
Oh, he's a fool dummy
The lieutenant wrote on my slate,
Who are you and where are you going?'
| wrote that | was Daniel Freeman and
that L was peddling for a living. Several
of the troops remarked that it was foolish
TO waste time on such a dumb mutton
head as /, for I'd be caught anyhow. and
the troop galloped away.
L saw camp of fully 1000 Confeder-
ates down in valley. l knew that my
presence would be reported at headquar-
tiers by the cavalrymen, and ii would be
folly to go past a camp If I were really
seeking trade. l was stopped by a senti-
mel about the camp. ] wrote for him my
name and business on my slate. He growl-
ed something about lunkhead dummies
wandering about IN war time, and, catch
ing me by the coat sleeve, led me to the
officer of the guard. The sentinel explain
ed that l was deaf and dumb and went
away The officer had evidently known
that the role of dummy was not uncom-
mon with up-to-date spies.
stand over there a second till I finish
this, said he TO me, in the most artful. off
hand, easy manner.
My knees did move slightly and almost
stepped foot. But / caught myself while
cold cd i
spine at my almost forgetfulness, and I
resolved not to risk my neck so easily
again.
Your hand is bloody said he. turning
carelessly to me. I stood like a post look
ing vacantly at him.
Some of the caValrymen I had seen on
the road came in and / knew from the
expression on the officer of the euarII's
race that | was TO be tested for my deaf
ness. stood indifferent to my environ
ment, hooking at a picture on the wall.
while knew that some test Of nv hear
ing was being prepared at my rear. Sud
denly one of the caVdlrymen drew his
sword and shouted:
Damn this Yankee! I've q good mind
to put him to the wall right heren
Stab him! cried another
knew that my every muscle and nerve
was being watched by every one I'm The
apartment. The least twitch or turn of
the mead would have betrayed me
He's about as dumb as they make
en- said the officer of the guard when it
was seen how oblivious / was to ali their
tests of my hearing. Isn't it strange that
such poor cuss should go peddIinr
around the lines of warfare. He'll gel
over the Yank lines and it'l go hard with
him some of these days1at
Il was dismissed. went peddling about
the camp, all the time keeping my eyes
open for typographical and armament in
formation. Two days later l was seven
miles further in the enemy's country. [
had met hundreds of Confederate soldiers
on the way, but the fact that / had passed
an outlying camp all right was an indi-
cation that / was a genuine fool dummy
L got mass Of information and had hour
ly simple tests Of my hearing, or rather,
my non-hearing faculty. / was almost on
the verge Of nervous prosration from the
strain Of ceaseless precaution I had 70 OK
ercise lest l reveal my hearing. / was
standing in the door of a shanty cook
house in a camp, and without a moments
warning down came about five gallons Of
cold water over my head and shoulders