The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-03-29

Billy Bailey and Bob Morgan, both
Washington men, started on what we
all felt to be a rather risky expedition.
We were going to Leonardtown, Nd, a
favorite crossing place for -Confeds'
in those days, and from there get to
Washington by the easiest practicable
route.
MY first mishap was at a little
place known as Jacksons Greek, on
the Virginia side, where a little North
Carolina captain in command OF a
company on guard there arrested me
on the charge of robbing a jewelry
store in Richmond, Va. l couldn't
explain things to his satisfaction.
though | showed my passes, and vas
marched back and carried before
Gen. Lee. He understood the situa-
ton, and / was released, while the
'TarheeP soldier, though he was prais-
ed for his zeal, was ~admonished for
his lack of judgment in not p~erceiving
from my credentials and explanations
that 1 vas a loyal Confederate soldier
bound on a somewhat important mis-
sion.
I'm the meantime Bailey and Nor
gan had taken a steamer on the Poto-
mac and got away. My time came
when, with a number of others, 1
boarded a tub and started for Leon
ardtown. There was a Massachusetts
captain in command of the tug, and he
began a search of the passengers, sus-
pecting disloyalists might be on board.
By some means 1 escaped being search
ed How that happened 1 could never
satisfactorily explain to myself, but so
it was, and 1 landed with my Virginia
State cash, passes and credentials, and
got to Washington. Very few Of the
people who knew me were aware Of
the fact that 1 had gone South, and
l wandered about In an apparently I'M
concerned manner One of my first
strolls was in the neighborhood of the
old Capitol prison. l glanced at one
of the upper windows. and who should
l see there but the men who were to
have been my fellow travelers-Bailey
and Morgan. l made no sign of rec
ignition that could be detected, but 1
could not help grinning, and they smil-
ed back.
1T got out, however, that / was here
on a mission from the South, and an
old friend Of my father and myself,
the late William z. Howard, one of
Washington's most estimable citizens,
gave me a warning that agents Of the
War Department were after me.
The authorities were after one
Drew, however, and my father was ar.
rested he was taken to Col Bakers
Office and put through a sort of third.
degree process.
'In the meantime some Of my friends
arranged with Jim Humphrey. who
kept a livery stable on G street, In the
real of the National Hotel, to furnish
a carriage, and l FASTENED to the depot
and boarded a train for Baltimore
There l met a man named Riley, who
was going South. 1 had secured my
brass buttons, and Riley and myself
started with them for Leonardtown
where we purchased a sloop for So
and hired a man to take us across The
Potomac. We started out in a terrific
gale. 1t wasn't long before n of those
vigilant gunboats that were constantly
~patrolling the Potomac caught sight Of
us, though we carried no light. ant
the night was as dark as a pocket
The gunboat opened fire, and kept NJ
a long time, but we were not hit.
thought the old sloop would go to the
bottom at any minute, but luck was
with us. and we landed on the Vir
ginia side and left the boat to herself
we got into the interior without de
lay."-Washington Post.