The National tribune., 1899-02-09

II is desired that the manuscript be returned II
unavailablc.l
CARRYING GRANT'S DISPATCHES.
Four Men Took .he News of the wilderness
Battle to Washington.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE In the
issue Of Jan 5. is an inquiry from w. l..
Luark, Go. +, Saith Ohio, asking who were
the two scouts that carried the second dis
patches from Gen. Grant to Washington.
The first dispatches were carried safe to
Washington by Serg'ts Phelps and Cline,
both good soldiers. Phelps was of the 5th
N. y. Cav. and Cline of the Sd Ind. Cav,
and they were received by the President and
Secretary of War, and were no time in the
city till the extras were ont with an account
Of Gen Grants battle in the Wilderness
AT Headquarters there was a feeling of
uneasiness, rs nothing was heard from them,
and Gen. Grant concluded to send two more.
SO Magee and were sent up to report for
orders. Ma,ee was civilian, and / q
soldier Of the old I'd u. S. Dragons, now
I'd Cav.
We started from Headquarters to Fred
ericksburg, and when we got near the town
concluded to separate which we did; Magee
crossing at the Lacy House and l below the
bridge. We got over safe, and then mapped
out our course to the Potomac, which took
us all night 10 accomplish.
We had some narrow escapes from Col. J.
S. Mosby's command. We got to Burk s
Station during the night, and before morn
ing arrived at Aqua Greek There had been
a hospital there previously. so Mageo con-
cluded to build raft, which we did, there
being plenty of dressed boards lying around.
As soon as we had the raft in the water we
were seen from Bclleplain Landing, and
the Johnnies came for us in earnest.
Every time our raft would strike the cur
rent of the Potomac it would wheel around
and drift down toward Bellep'ain At last
We got shot from shore. then another, then
several, and some came pretty close.
When we We're making up our minds to
give up all hope, the steamer Wyoming
turned the bend and the Confederates renewed
their efforts to kill us. The steamer kept
toward the Maryland shore. but we managed
to signal to her. She lowered boat and
pulled right for us.
One man in the boat halIooed ''Who are
you?o Magec answered "Gen. Grants
scouts
We were taken on board and the Captain
took our names, and we were surprised when
he osked for Knight, Hogan. Cline, Ans.
Karucy, Jim IIatton, and some Others.
We got to Washington and went to the
Surgeon General with his dispatches first;
then TO Gen. Meigs and the Secretary Of
War. The Secretary was glad to sec u.s. and
asked n great many questions, which we
until Magee tried to explain some
thing to him, when the Secretary got inn
patient The Secretary asked him ii he was
a soldier, and Magee said no. Before he had
time TO ask me, said: Mr.. Secretary, /
am asoldier." "What regiment 2" asked the
Secretary. Sergeant, e Troop, I'd ORA
goons"
The Secretary replied: There is no such
regiment" / said: There was such regi-
ment, and l served five years in it, and re-
enlisted in November, 1860; but Gen Nc
Cleilen changed the designation to cavalry"
With grunt the Secretary said: :" 1t is
not the first thing he changed" So he tap
ped his bell and messenger came. Ask
the Major to send me those dispatches
quick" Turning to me he saiti: want
you to 90 down to the 18th street wharf; find
the Wharf-master This name is Allen), and he
viii see you off in short order" To Magee
he said: +" You remain here; ] will need you
ater.''
In came the dispatches asked for, and the
Secretary handed them to me to hand to Gen.
Grant. When we both got to the door lead
ing into the hall he called me back; he
was writing on a slip of paper, which he
banded to me, telling me to hand it to Capt
Allen at the wharf 1t read: "Capt. Allen:
You will put this scout on board the gunboat
Tempest, TO proceed down the river TO Belle
plain. or any point he may desire to land"
When got to the wharf and found Capt.
Allen, he read the note and said there was
no such boat aflOat, handing me hack the card
said: Capt. Allen. this card was handed
me by Mr.. Stanton himself, and he wrote it,
tOO." Capt. Allen said he didn't care who
wrote it; there was no such boat.
So back to the War Department / went,
md was in the act of ascending the stairs to
zee the Secretary, when Gen. J. A. Hardy
anne down stairs He knew me and spoke;
70 ] told him all. Gen. Hardy said the tug
Tempest was meant. Just then Gen. Rucker
,ame in and Gen. Hardy told him.
The upshOt OF the matter was that l was
,oon afterwards landed ut Belleplain. On
'eaching the main road I found the Com
of Prisoners, Gen. William
Hoffman, with a squadron of the Sth ILL., Cav,
Waiting for the wounded and prisoners.
vas given more dispatches, and off went
did not see person till got to the Phillips
House, Gen. Burnsides Headquarters at the
,attle OF Fredericksburg in December, 1862
happened to look to my right. and noticed
lust risi:ig; then heads commenced to APP
,ear, and instead Of crossing at the Lacey
House ! took the Falmouth crossing, got
'ver al, right, dismounted in the hollow near
he Mary Washington Monument, frightened
ny girth, and led my mare up the hill till
Ould SCI no one was following.
mounted and rode to the plank road. l |
net a regiment of cavalry, and was stopped
Until gave an account of myself, when /
vas allowed to proceed. This was the day |
len. Sedgwick was killed. got to Head |
uarters and handed the dispatches to Gen.
leo. II. SLarp-PATRICK MCENRANY,
cout for the armies operating against Rich
lond, 1911 18th street northwest, Wash
ngton, d. G.
mn INfJENU QuTTEOV