The National tribune., 1899-01-12
NURSE AND spy.
The Adventures of a Woman
in Hospitals, Camps and
Battlefields.. 9
BY s. EMMA E. EDMoNDS.
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS

BY s. EMMA E. EDMoNDs.
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
! The services of Emma Edmonds, the
| famous Union nurse and spy, are here
related by herself in manner that has
| seldom been surpassed in narratives of
| the dramatic sort by women. A native of
with the principles for which the Union
armies fought, she entered the service of
the Government.
| The Winter wore away, and severe
Winter ] thought it was; for in riding a
distance of two miles, in two instances,
had my feet frozen.
Gen. Hooker was put in command of
the Army of the Potomac, and Burnside,
with the Ninth Corps, ordered to the
Western Department. Being DESTROYS of
| leaving the Army of the Potomac, now
applied for permission to go with the
Ninth Corps, which was granted.
On the arrival of the troops at Louisville
| they were sent in detachments to differ
ent places-some to Bardstown, some to
| Lebanon, and others to guard different
portions of the railroad.
| took the cars and went to Lebanon
dressed in a rebel prisoners clothes-and
| ness purpOrted to be buying up butter and
| eggs, at the tarmhOuses, for the rebel
army. / passed through the lines some
where, without knowing it: for on coming
to little village toward evening, | found
it occupied by a strong force of rebel cav
airy. The first house | went to was filled
with officers and citizens. | had STUN
Died upon a weddi Ig party, unawares.
Capt. L)gan, a recruiting officer, had been
IN irried that afternoon to a brilliant young
widow whose husband had been killed
IN the rebel army few months before.
She had discovered that widows weeds
were not becoming to her style Of beauty,
SO had decided to appear once more in
bridal costume, for a ch lnge.
| was questioned pretty sharply by the
handsome Cipt1in in reg ,rd to the nature
Of my bus 81 1ess IN that locality, but find
ing me an Innocent, strai htforward Ken
tucki an, he came to the conclusion that /
was a!l right. But he also arrived at the
conclusion that l was old enough to be in
the army, and bantered me considerably
upon my want OF patriotism.
The rebel soldiers clothes which | wore
Ill not .di cate anything more than that
/ was Il kentucki ln-fnr their cavalry dio
not dress in any par ic liar uniform, for
SC freely two OF them dress aike-the
only uniformity being that they most
generally dressed in butternut color.
tried TO make my escape from that
village as soon Us piiss7ble, hut Just as ]
was beginning to c3hgratl late myself
upon my good fortune, who should con
'front.' me but Capt. Logan Said ne.
"See here my lad; | think the best
| hi lg you can dolls to join company
that is just forming here in the village,
ind will leave in the ,morning. We are
giving bounty 70. all who freely enlist,
md are conscripidEg those who refuse.
Which do you propose, to do, enlist ar q
get the bounty, or refuse, and be obliged
a ~ without anytUI pR
| pied, 81 thilk l. shall wait a few
days before decide"
"But we can't wait for you to decide, :"
said the Captain "the Yankees may be
upon US any moment, for we are not fai
rom their lines, and we will leave her
either tonight or i'm the morning early. /
will give you two hours to decide this
question, and in the meantime you must
| .e put under guard
| So saying, he marched me back witt
| him, and gave me in charge OF the guards.
| In two or three hours he came for my de
| ision, and | told him that | had con
| luded to wait until | was conscripted.
| Well" said he, you will not have Ions
/ to wait for that, SO you may consider
Yourself soldier of the COnfedera cy fron
| 'ie hour and subject to military disci
pline."
| ms seemed to me like pretty serious
GUS mess, especially as i would lie re
| ,uired to take the oath of allegiance e
| IN IOnieGCrate
| Twas glad to find that il was a ccmpanl
| # cavaLy that was Icing organized fer
1 could once get on Il good horse there
you'd be some hore OF my escare. There
! 9as no time to be lost, as the CaTtail
| emarked, for the Yankees might make
| lash upon US at any moment; conse
| luently "a horse and saddle " as iurnisIet
| ne, and everything was made ready for
! tart Immediately. Ten O'Clock came
and we had not yet started. The CaF
| ain finally concluded that, as eyerythins
| seemed quiet, We would not start unit
| daylight.
We had travelled ahout half an hour
when we suddenly encountered recon
1oiterng party Of the Federals, cavalry il
ADVANCE and infantry in the rear. /
| contest soon CONNIE need; we were or.
| Tered To advance in line, whbeh we die
until we came within few yards OF the
Yankees.
| The company advanced, hut my horse
| suddenly Lecame unmanage able, and i
r, CURED "a second or two to bring hin
light again; and before ! could overtakf
| he company and get i'll lire the contend
ing parties had met i'll a hand -to-hant
| ight.
Al were engaged, so that when |, /,
| accident got On the Federal side OF II G
line, n0ne observed me for several mi
u ,eS, except the Federal officer, who ad
| ccognized me and signed to me to fall
lext 10 him. That brought me face T.
ace with my rebel Captain. discharge
he contents 81 my pistol in his face.
| This act made me the center OF attrac
l. ion. Every retel seemed determined t.
| 1ave the pleasure Of killing me first ane
| simultaneous dash was made tOwar
me and numerous Saber-strokes aimed q
my head. Our men with one accort
! ushed between me and the enemy. ant
| Harded off the blows with their safers
and attacked them with such fury thai
| they were driven back several rods.
| The infantry now came up and deployeC
| as skirmishers, and succeeded in gettins
a position where they had complete
cross fire on the rebels, and poured il
| tolley after voley until nearly half then
number lay upon the ground Finding il
| useless to fight longer at such a dis
| advantage they turned and fed, leavinf
behind them II killed, 20 wounded, anC
II prisoners.
The Confederate Captain was wounded
badly, but not m0rtaly. Our men suffered
| cons iderable loss before the infantry came
up, but afterward SCARCELY lost man.
escaped without receiving scratch. -.
was appointed to act as detective in
side Of the lines ljas,l there were man,
Jpies in cur midstw who were daily gi i3g