Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-06-18
veterau,. Career Wa. Uui.u..

Veterans Career Was Unique.
A unique military record was that
OF John II. Brooks, the aged civil war
veteran, whose funeral occurred Thurs
day afternoon. According to his niece.
Mrs. Julia Porter, Mr. Brooks was one
OF the most famous scouts In the war
Of the rebellion. He had guarded this
fact from his friends In Sioux City,
ana no one here knew Of his career as
a spy. Mira. Porter said be had re-
| quested her to make known the facts
! after his death, and she has Just relat-
ed the interesting story of the old
mans career.
Mr.. Brooks early life and his COM
ing as government pesmster to the
| site of Sioux City before there was
any town here have already been
| traced in the Journal in connection
with the old mans death
A short time before the civil war
| brokr out Mr. Brooks and his family
| moved To New Orleans He had the
| Northern spirit strongly, ON attempt
/
WHO was beating negro Mr., Brooks
was arrested and locked up I'm the New
| Orleans Jail, He remained there for
nearly six months. In the meantime
the war had broken out and on prom
Use OF Joining the confederate forces
he was released, and for three months
fought side by side with the confeder-
ate forces. He told his niece that he
| never shot his rife once during this
time, although he was in number OF
| engagements He said that he alwaye
either cbewed up the paper shell OF
threw ii away.
At the close of the three months
service he had won the confidence of
the confederate officers, and at his OWL
request became spy in the army II
order that he might have an oppor
tunity to escape to the union forces
with which he sympathzed' During
one Of his expeditions, In which he wal
sent to ascertain the strength OF tn,
union forces stationed in certain 10
cality he found the opportunity FOL
which he was seeking A long line al
sentinels q the union forces was sta
toned outside the main forces. and
approaching one of these, he told him
! who he WAS and that he was serving
in the confederate army PRACTICAL
! under compulsion. lie was taken Ia
headquarters. where the commanding
general realizing that he had the conn
-. 4 ~
nat be was In position Ia gain much
valuable news IN regard TO their
forces, proffered him the position as
scout in the union army. The offer
was accepted and from then To the
close Of the war he acted as scout
Mr. Brooks returned 10 the confed
crate forces. enjoying the peculiar pc,
| sition OF being a spy in both armies
re remained with the confederate
army as a spy for fifteen months long
or. when he was suspected of giving
ont information 10 the union forces
and sentenced 10 he hanged On big
OAK tree which stood just outside 81
camp rope was tied and moose
hung dangling 10 the ground. Mr..
Brooks was taken 10 the tree. the
moose adjusted, and MI was ready for
the execution when tremendous
storm came up, driving the would be
executioners TO their tents The pris-
0ner looscned the bonds that held his
hands, and Selling luckily upon tho
generals horse he dashed away 10 the
union lines Later hc was placed nj
the head Of detachment ~ twelve
scouts. II" was regarded rs one 81 the
most valuable union scouts in the war
! Sioux city Journal