The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-06-30
TESTING A SPY. !
Fearful Ordeal Through Which
One Passed.
BY WILLIAM w. JEFFoRDS.
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sands of soldiers under CTaht anu
Sherman fighting our way northward
toward Vicksburg. Spies were neces-
sary and 1 was called upon to do spy
service.
Col. Raymond said he wanted ~
young men who had nerve, and who
would 90 into the enemy's lines, ready
to de if necessary, without whimper-
ing or divulging of secrets. he also
informed me that several confederate
spies had recently been hanged at
Corinth and that the enemy would
surely retaliate on federal spies. i
agreed to go.
That afternoon each of us was in
structed in the particular information
he was to get, and the respective part
he was to play as civilian in the enc
my's camp.
l was given the task of observing
some Typographical facts and seeing
what artillery Gen. Johnston's army
had. l was instructed to be deaf
mute. The ..:rreon On Gen. Grierson's
staff had been the head of deaf and
dumb school at Cleveland. and he spent
several hours in drilling me as a
dummy.
I was to go over to Jackson with a
satchel full of shoe backing, shaving
soap, paper collars and notions, APP
parcntly earning my livelihood by sell
ing my wares to confederate soldiers.
A pencil and slate were my mode OF
communication.
l started out from the Grand Gulf
late on the night Of Nay S. I knew
that | would be srs~ected of being n
spy. and that the least indication that
my hearing was at all good would for
felt my life.
I was within the enemy's lines by
noon the next day. I ate under cow
shed while the rain drizZled down.
In the afternoon was going along a
road near a hamlet known as Griggs-
bys. I heard a troop of cavalry com
ing down the road behind me- Iput or
a blank expression and trudged along
with my black satchel over my Shout
der.
A lieutenant rode up to me and
called:
Hello, here! where are you going?"
l had had time to prepare myself for
this test. I 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 Sec
ond l had my pocket slate out, and
handed it courteously to the officer
The others in the troop laughed and
said:
30, he's d-n TOOL dummy"
The lieutenant wrote on my slate:
"Who are you and where are YOU 60
ing?"
l wrote that I was Daniel Freeman,
and that I was peddling for a living
Several of the troop remarked that
it was foolish to waste time on such a
dumb mutton-head as l, for I'd be
caught anyhow, and the troop gal
Hoped away.
l saw camp OF fully 1000 confeder-
ates down in valley. knew that my
presence would be reported at head
quarters by the cavalryl1en, and it
would be folly to go past camp if
were really seeking trade. 1 was
stopped by a sentinel about ths, camp.
l wrote for him my name and business
on my slate. He growled something
about lunkhead dummies wandering
about in war time, and, catching me by
the coat sleeve, led me to the officer of
the guard. The sentiael explained that
was deaf and dumb, and went away.
The officer had evidently known that
the role of dummy was not uncommon
with up-to-date spies. Stand over
there second, till 1 finish this" said
he to me in the most artful off.hand.
easy manner.
My knees did move slightly, and 1
almost stepped a foot. But caugh.
myself while the cold chills chased up
and down my spine at my almost for
getfulness, and l resolved not to risk
my neck so easily again. "Your hand
Is bloody said he, turning carelessly
to me. l stood like post, looking va
cantly at him.
He's about as dumb as they make
en- said the officer of the guard.
when it was seen how obvious / was
to ali their tests of my hearing. Isn't
1t strange that such poor cuss should
go peddling around the lines of war
fare. He'll get over the Yank lines and
it'll go hard with him some of these
days."
Two days later I was seven miles
farther in the enemy's country. had
met hundreds of confederate soldiers
on the way, but the fact that I had
passed an outlying camp all right was
an indication that I was genuine fool
dummy.
l was standing in the door of
shanty cookhouse in camp. and with
out moments warning down came
about five gallons of cold water over
my head and shoulders. l shudder now
when think how near came to cuss-
ing the confederate soldiers who stood
about to watch me.
instead of saying word I.gurgled a
lot of inharmonious sounds of fright
and looked the more like a thing of
wood.
In another camp l was squatting on
the ground, mechanically showing my
soaps and tobaccos. and playing deaf
TO the thousand and one questions art
fully put to me, when saw by SOL
dier's eye that some test of my hearing
was to be made.
That moment I heard the. click of a
pistol being brought to a cock. The
weapon was discharged within three
inches of my ear.
never had to hold myself together
more than then. I slowly turned my
hRqd nd lraf, l-nxl