Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-09-25
WAS ARMY NURSE
AND SECRET AGENT
MRS. MARGARET KIRKPATRICK
RELATES EXPERIENCES OF
THE DAYS OF 'e1

Enlists in the Union Army In First
Capacity and Later Becomes Skilled
In the Second-Will Leave Shortly
for Soldiers Home in MarshaItown.
Serving in the federal army during
the Civil war, first as a nurse and af-
terwarsd as a government secret agent,
Is the record of Mrs. Margaret Kirk
patrick, age 76 years, who resides on
Church street and who will leave soon
for Marshalltown where she will enter
the soldiers home.
Few women can lay claim to a
career like that Of Mrs. Kirkpatrick's
The incidents connected with that por-
ton of her life spent in the days of
thelwar, if chronicled would fill book
and surpass the widest dreams of the
war story novelist.
White with age and crippled from
fall she received few months ago. the
aged woman yesterday received re-
porter amidst the confusion of the
packing of her household goods With
her face lighted for the time with the
old patriotic fire, she related some of
the stirring events which happened
when she was young woman, devot-
ing her life to her country.
The career that Mrs. Kirkpatrick
followed during those bloody days of
the rebellion was one that many
stout hearted man would have shrunk
from. That Of secret agent or spy.
In those days it was dangerous occu-
patton, for if one were caught, it meant
certain death.
Enllsts as Nurse.
In the month Of September, 1862,
Mrs. Kirkpatrick who was then I'M
| married, entered the Federal army
as Miss Margaret Vinson at Indianapo-
lis, Ind. She had gone there to visit
soldier brother who was stricken
with the fever while in the south and
had been brought north to the hospi-
tai. 1t was while in Indianapolis that
she saw the need Of help in the army
and her patriotic nature caused her
to enlist as a nurse.
| She was stationed at the hospital In
Indianapolis for the remaining part of
the winter, when she was sent south
and into active service on the battle
fields, in the vicinity of Nashville,
Tenn.
Thinking that she was not rendering
enough service to her country the
young woman next entered the service
as secret agent. 1t was while in this
occupation that she had the trying ex-
periences which in many cases nearly
cost her her life.
Carries Dispatches.
| The OLD lady assumed a far away
look while relating her history and
said 81 remember one incident con.
nected with my experience as spy,
which at the time, made it look as
though my career was finished. But
have always trusted in God and I
knew that l was in the right and
| thought that if my time had come
would meet death calmly.
Il was commissioned by General
Hooper, then stationed at Sheldon, Mo,
to carry important dispatches to Gen
eral Merrill at Paris, Mo. Between the
two cities l had to pass detachment
of the rebel army Arriving in the
vicinity Of the rebels, pulled my veil
down over my face and cantered by on
my horse down the road passing sever
al of the rebel sentries OF pickets. At
intervals | passed them until l had
gone by eight of them. Finally, as l
went to ride by the last two, they com
manded me to halt, which I did and
asked them what they wanted.
Captured by Rebels.
"They informed me they thought
that was carrying information to the
union lines and meant to find out for
certain. Giving call on bugle, soon
the road was filed with rebel soldiers
who ordered me off my horse and de-
clared that l was to be searched.
told them that | was on an errand of
peace and only lone women among
crowd of men, and that I would like
to be shown little respect.
They took me to nearby rebel
home where they ordered the women
folks Of the house to search me for
dispatches and swearing that If they
found any, they would hang me to the
nearest tree.
| II was thoroughly searched, but they
did not find my messages which l had
taken the precaution to sew on the in
side of my skirt, perfectly concealing
| them
Watches QuantreiIs Men.
Another ocSslon," continued the
| aged woman, upon which very near
ly lost my life, happened one cold,
stormy night while l watched the en-
trance OF cave, studying the move
ments of detachment of Quantrells
men, who were hiding in the rocks.
Il had to make the distance to the
mouth of the cave on foot, and having
done so, lay concealed SO close to
them, that when the men came out l
could have put out my hand and touch
ed them.
81 saw them come out Of the cave
in companies of two and threes and
scatter in different directions. After
a large number had come and left the
vicinity l slipped up to the opening
and finding all quiet within, l drew
aside the covering for the entrance
and peeped in. Only one man remain
ed within and he was asleep. Search
ing around found his horse and rode
| the remainder of the night through