The age-herald., 1900-09-16
Idea Originated With Jarboe


 the movements of the Northern troops.
 Idea Originated With Jarboe
 It was w. A. Jarboe of Upper Marl- boro, who in the summer of 1863 first con ceived the idea of making suitable pres ent to General Lee, and after discussing the matter with limited number of his friends, whose sympathies were the same as his own, it was decided to send to Gen eral Lee a pair of gold spurs as a token of the love and esteem in which he was held by the people of Prince George County, Maryland. It was necessary, however, to conduct the affair with the utmost secrecy for the old Capitol prison at Washington held many Maryland suspects. Only a small number of those who could be ab- solutely trusted were permitted to sub scribe to a fund for the purchase of the gold spurs George M. Graham, then prosperous farmer in the county and secreteiy an ardent secessionist, gave $50 toward the project, but the greater portion of the purchase price was defrayed by MT. Jarboe. who was the register of wills of the county.
 A firm of manufacturing jewellers in Bal timore was entrusted with the work of making the spurs, into which there was placed $450 worth of gold, and nothing was charged by the firm for doing the work. The spurs were of pure gold, with only enough alloy to make them hard enough to be durable. They were made by a skilful workman and engraved with an inscription in Latin. The manufacturers then sent them by a trusted agent to Jarboe in upper Marlboro. Jarboe was then living in what was known the Surratt district, bordering on the Birch swamp, and every morning rode from his home into Marl- boro returning at night The whole coun- try was alive with Federal soldiers, chiefly cavalry, but he was never suspected of be- ing in sympathy with the Confederate cause. His home had never been searched, aIf ,,eyI, hn anti ioin tnH Iah ot time. If the spurs were hidden in the house he knew that upon search they would be discovered. and for this reason he gave them to his wife, admonishing her to carry them about her clothing until an opportunity offered to forward them to the commander-n-ch of the Confederate army. Jarboe knew in just what manner such an opportunity would present itself
 Captain Gay wood, the GuerriIl,
 Prior to the outbreak of the -s- cae of the noted characters on the Potomac was Captain Charles Caywood of Charles Coun- ty, Md. He had early joined the Confeder- ate army, but after several months service his company was for some reason dis banded. and he took to guerilla warfare, blockade running and seeking information for the Confederates. One of his stations and hiding places when north of the river was at Jarboes house, and unless in some manner prevented he usually made his appearance there once every two or three weeks The place was admirably situated to Caywood's convenience and safety.
 It was but twelve miles from Washing ton from which place communications were received almost daily from friends of the Confederatcy concerning the move ments of the Northern army. In addition to this immediately adjoining Jarboes home was a dense forest of cedar, pine and undergrowth and q swamp extending over several square miles, without human habtation and entirely impenetrabie by cavalry A dog would have had great diff ficulty in following a rabbit through many parts of it, and thus 1t afforded an ideal hiding place. CayWood was brave and ad- venturous and admirably suited for the calling he had taken upon himself. He was man of strong physical ability, agile and active, sagacious and capable of great endurance He continued successfully in his occupation until the end of the war.
 Always slept in Open Ar SIT
 Shortly after Jarboe secured the spurs from the Baltimore manufacturer Caywood paid one of his periodical visits to Prince Georges county and went to Jarboe's house. All during the war Caywood, when outside of the Confederate lines. declined to sleep within any inclosure, but always remained out of doors and slept in the open air. For six weeks after Jarboe received the spurs Caywood was blockaded in the swamp in hiding, as the presence of Union soldiers prevented his escape back to the Confederate lines. Had the troops known of his presence they would have fired the timbers to drive him out, as he was a much-sought-for man. Jarboe provided him with food during all this time, taking it to an isolated spot, which served as a meeting place at the hour of midnight.
 At the expiration of a month and half a large portion of the Unoin soldiers were withdrawn from the surrounding country,