Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-03-25
CHAPTER XXVI.
WHAT A LETTER REVEALED


Just as after Antietam. the cabinet, the
committee on the conduct of the war
Chat remarkable annex to our mill
tary SYSTEM and countless critics all
over the north, stormed at the Army of
the Potomac because il seemed to fol-
low at respectful distance. content TO
let the erring brethren so in peace.
The man who felt il most that the
beaten enemy should again succeed in
getting away was the one who said
the least-Lincoln had no rebuke for
Meade who. smarting and sensitive
.nder the lash of Haileck and Stan
toil. asked in his turn to be relieved of
that veNatious command, but could not
De accommodated. The plum was SO
ripe. was AL that the patient president
could say, lit seemed a pity not to
seize II. But no one save those that
tried it knew the cOSj OF Selling con-
federate plums. Stern and defiant the
disciplined ranks in gray turned and
faced every, essay to mo. est them. and
another winter CiuseG in On the armies
IN Firsinia.\w with the s. me old stream
the Ra2iGan-for their dividing line.
Then came the final resolution of the
great war president. taat as he and
Hallack and Stanton had long tried.
without success. the business of boss
ing armies in the field. it was time to
turn the whole tning over to a single
stage manager Then came Grant and
the beginning of the end. At this time.
Fred Benton, twice honorably men
toned and recommended for the brevet
OF MAJOR, found himself again sum-
moned to Washington. this time a wit
ness before 4 military commission for
the trial of one Peter jennings. civil
ian, for whose apprehension with a
whole skin the First Vir inia cavalry
STOOD ready to pay a round sum and the
StoneWaI 10 supplement ii with an
other. each claiming prior right to per-
torate or scar that $ In at sight. The
NlrSlnlans Swore that he sold informa-
ton TO the federals. and had BETRAYED
Ladue, of the Eleventh Alabama. into
their hands, even while Stanton and
Others at the war department were
ready to swear the tall Nirginian's life
away 20 the charge of giving iniorma-
ton 10 the rebels.
Among the papers in poor Ladue's
possession was the original draft of the
report he had written the command
ing officer OF the Eleventh Alabama
+ot his ~ .'as.s->.cySes the Potomac and
capture by union cavalry near Matthias
Point Not until he reached certain
farmhouse near Port Tobacco did he
know who were the officers escaped
from prison camp near Annapolis. and
xt-h
appeared among them. He and Chill
ton were ferried over on a dark, wintry
night, and landed at a fishermans
house three miles below the Point. and
there, TO his infinite concern Paul
found that he had lost his pocket mem
orandum book. we'll nigh filled with
notes concerning the troops, also
sketch maps of field Notifications. all
OF which he felt confident would be of
value to Gen. Lee. Then there were
private papers in the book of vast i'm
portance TO him if TO nc one else A
racking chill had come on as the re-
suit of exposure TO the raw night wind.
and Jack and the fisherman secreted
him in a barn. Then Chiffon delibe-
rately went back To- Maryland in search
III lhC lhlSSiiiS pIOpSTly. hereby ne
escaped capture by the cavalry piloted
by Jennings. When searched, Ladue
was found to have no discriminating
papers about him-a disappointment TO
mis- captors and obviously puzzle to
Jenninss-for Ladue heard him whis-
pering with the officer in command.
The last Paul had seen of Chiffon was
that December night, but later he
learned that he had been compelled
20 remain in hiding many weeks in
Charles county before the vigilance of
the FederalS was again relaxed and he
could finally effect his escape. Then
there was a letter. unfinished, for Eli
nor, which red had sealed and sent
10 her, and it was through her, four
weeks later, that he learned that Paul
well knew he had not long to live and
had really hoped TO meet a soldiers
death in front of the charging line
One lonsing he had. he owned, that
would probably never be gratified-that
of branding McKinnon as a liar and
thief, for young Larry O'Toole he that
used 10 sweep out and sprinkle the
store and had enlisted as drummer
IN the MontSomeryS after Pauls ban
ishment, had strayed in search of for
hidden ldXuries just before Chancellors-
vile, and Stuart's men had nabbed
him and run him OFF to Richmond
where Ladue was favored with
O'Toole's account of McKinnon's brib-
ing him to purloin those st. Louis
letters. With this confirmation of his
theories burning within him, Paul had
gone TO Charlottesville, spending one
day with the Chiltons and hearing
from the doctor a strange story of
McKinnon's generosity to them and
kindness to the imperiled sor. Rosalie
had listened in silent acquieScence IN
til Paul burst in with vehement de-
nunciation of the whole story-told
them of McKinnon's treachery to him
and his hatred of the Bentons,-tol
them of Fred's devoted friendship, and
then came a STRANGE mart of lattar