The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-02-28
THE BATTLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The BIue and the Gray Review Incl
dents of the Late War, and in q
Graphic and Interesting Manner

dents of the Late War, and in q
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.
At the outbreak OF the rebellion Bal
timOre was a turbulent and dangerous
city. There probably never was a time
when the secessionists outnumbered the
Union people there, but the former
class We're noisy, fierce, and full Of
eagerness to commit the State of Mary
land to the cause of the Southern Con-
federacy. The mobbing of the Sixth
Massachusetts Regiment In the streets
Of that city as 1t was attempting to
pass through. on its way to Washing
ton, showed the temper and despera-
ton Of this dangerous element, and
there cannot be the slightest doubt
now, that had Abraham Lincoln not
needed the warning sent him by Dean
Richmond (who had learned of the
conspiracy through his great railroad
connections) and passed secretly
through Baltimore, the great martyr
dom would have occurred four years
before it did.
After General Mcclellan had ar
rested the Maryland Legislature, put
ting 1t out Of their power to do any
mischief, and General Butler had laid
the heavy hand of military government
on the city, there was quiet there, and
no more talk was heard about taking
Maryland out Of the Union. Hundreds,
probably thousands. of uneasy spirits
made their way to Richmond, and
Joined the Confederate army. There
were plenty remaining in Baltimore
whose hearts and sympathies were all
enlisted in the cause of revolt; but
they found it prudent to keep their
tongues still, and not make any open
manifestations of their desires.
Some there were, even SO late as
July, 1861, who fingered about that
city, watching keenly for a chance to
strike blow in aid of the Confederacy.
One Of these men was the author of
an exploit about this time, that de-
serves. by its holiness and cleverness,
20 be preserved In the minor literature
Of the war. The story has been often
T;oid, but usually without those full de-.
tails that show the cunning and au-
dacity of the man who planned and
executed the successful scheme.
Captain Thomas, widely known as
the French Lady, from a certain
feature of his exploit, claimed to hold
commission from the Confederate
government. If this were true, it is
difficult to see why, upon his capture,
in the manner that will be related, he
should not have been tried and exc
cuted as spy; for he was certainly
lurking in and about Baltimore, car
rying on war by stealth far inside the
Union lines. But military justice was
not summary and thorough at that
early day of the war, as in its later
years, and sending such a man as
Thomas to confinement In Fort Lafay-
cite, in New York harbor, was thought
to be the correct thing.
The Baltimore American Of July 2,
1861, gave a long account of Thomas
exploit, from which, and from the rec
objection of the writer of the reports
Of this daring mans doings that sum-
mer, as they were published at the
time, this account is made up
Among the many passenger steamers
plying on Chesapeake Bay was one
named the Saint Nicholas. She was
fast boat, and the secret Confederate
agents in Baltimore had their eyes on
her as desirable acquisition to the
slender navy OF the rebellion
A day or two before the account was
published in the American this steam
er left Baltimore on one OF her usual
trips down the bay. She had aboard
about fifty passengers for various
points along the shores, and party Of
twenty-five men in workmen's blouses
and overalls These men carried car
penters' and other tools, and talked
freely of the job they had been hired
to do at some place on the eastern
shore. Their appearance was that Of
Baltimore mechanics, and there was
nothing about them to excite the least
suspicion. In fact. nobody dreamed of
the slightest danger from public ene-
mics to a steamboat running out Of
Baltimore on a regular route.
Shortly before the boat left the
wharf, a lady was helped aboard. She
was yelled so that her face could not
be seen; but her attendant told the
captain of the steamer that his mis-
tress was French lady. whose health
was very delicate, and that she would
like to retire to her state-room at once
Captain Kirwan, full of politeness and
sympathy for his fair and suffering
passenger, hestirred himself to make
her comfortable. The stewardess and
the chambermaid were enlisted In this
labor of love, and they were profuse i'm
their attentions. They did think it
rather strange that the lady kept her
veil on as she lay in her berth but be-
ing women themselves, they knew that
woman will sometimes do unaccount-
able things without any reason for
them, and this incident did not make
them uneasy. Besides. this was
French lady," and for aught they
knew, it might be the style for that
kind of travelling women to keep
yelled.
The morning hours wore away, the
Saint Nicholas steamed prosperously
over the blue waters Of the bay, and
Point Lookout was in sight. The
French lady observed the progress of
the boat and her indisposition sudden
ly disappeared. She rose from her
berth, unveiled herself, kicked off her
crinoiine (for those were the days of
hoops). stripped of her dress-waist,
and was transformed into man with
two revolvers in his pockets. Captain
Thomas, who had been thus cleverly
disguised, had no sooner appeared on
deck than there was another transfer
nation Scpna" The twentv-f1va mo-