Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1903-11-13
Ole COLONIES
as- ORDERLY

Ieuefates l was detailed as Colonel
McCllntock's q don't give his real
Aamel orderly. We were especiaIlv
anxious to conceal our weakness from
the enemy, and no one was permitted
TO pass our pickets
Colonel McClintock became infotu-
ated with woman who lived with her
mother within our lines. l rode ont
with him on his visits to her, which
were mostly made in the evening. 1
round the woman too city bred for that
region and learned that she and her
mother had arrived soon after our
force. There was young man on the
place called Dick, who acted as sort of
butler, with wholii l became friendly.
de was sharp, keen fe.iox, and after
a bit he let out the information that
instead Of being an old family servant
ne had been hired to come down from
Washington for few weeks.
There were other things to set me
thinking, and the colonel hadn't paid
more than four visits before l became
suspicious. The colonel was piled with
liquor at every visit, and he was al
ways "gabby" as we returned to camp,
anu pO1lSt1ulSS f1olDlJ Tie luuu-
ence of drink In waiting on them
Dick had overheard the woman ask
ing many questions, and the colonel
seemed willing to answer them all.
After the seventh or eighth visit,
which covered period of less than
three weeks, l was satisfied that the
colonel was being worked" but l was
helpless in the matter. l could not
speak to him about it, nor did dare to
go to the brigadier without the plainest
evidence. Dick and | were in full ac-
cord, and we determined to find out
just how matters stood.
1t was in summer. with all the win
dows in the house open at night. One
could station himself under the sitting
room windows and hear every word
spoken insif, listrK ttias Tie. pexa
haps, the widow had always had col
Ored servant OH the watch against
eavesdroppers, but on the night of the
colonel's ninth visit Dick saw to it that
this servant, who was a middle aged
colored man, had too much applejack
to awake, and the field was left clear
But for the issue at stake the act would
have been contemplate. When | had
crept beneath one of the windows
found tie colonel telling all that ne
knew under the widows cross ques
tioning. He had drunk until lis tongue
was bound to wag. He gave her the
exact strength of our force and the
strength of our artillery, and mentioned
that the latter arm was short of ammu
milton, as one of our wagon trains hat
been captured. He told her how far III
the gap our vedettes were stationed
and what sort of defensive works w
had erected, and in half an hour sh
Ead cot all the information wanted
was bad enough to give away his owl
force. but the chattering officer wen
further He gave her the strength O
the force at Bronson's pass and a
Derby's gap, lying east and west of Us
After hearing what 1 did, l judge
that the woman would have some on
at hand to carry the information t
the enemy. / had hardly left the wiz
dow when she came out TO look for tn
servant who had been made drunl
Seeing his condition, she expressed al
ger and disappointment, but was afra1
to trust any one else with her MESA G
She returned to the colonel. and Ia
an hour later we rode back to the caml
It was easy to figure that word woul
he got to the Confederates next NOR
ing at the latest, and the brigadier ha
only finished his breakfast when to