The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-01-10
How He Became
Chief of Scouts
for.rinaLl

wherefore Of their advancement dur
ing their term OF active service. All
gave accounts creditable to themselves
IN II was the last mans turn. wher he
told the following story:
] enlisted In the ranks with the rest
OF the boys / knew in 1861. didn't
seem to have been cut out for a SOL
dier. ] was not easily disciplined. I
was always struggling. and drills were
to me intolerable. The only time
could be relied on to show mp for duty
was when there was fighting, and then
II was not because liked II, for didn't.
hut because dreaded the sneers of my
comrades. Nobody ever thought for
moment Of my even being made non
CON-. much less decorated with shout
der strap.
Well, one day when we were cavort-
Ing around in Virginia, marching in
one direction one day. another the next.
never still forty-elght consecutive hours.
not having had regular rations for some
time, I got hungry and took the first
opportunity to drop out and do little
foraging. passed house beside the
road with door leading down into
cellar. tried It and found 1t un-
locked. So ! opened 1t and went in.
There was nothing in the place but
girl. one Of the southern girls Of the.
period, with an olive complexion and
hair cut square around her neck. She
was washing something.
what d'y' want?' she asked.
"rln looking for something to eat"
l replied. 81 saw the door opening on
to the road very convenient. SO |
thought I'd just step in and see what
l could find"
That's just the way that door has
looked to all the stragglers in the
army" she replied. There's not been
less than 5000 men come In here. At
first We had some provisions, but
they were soon eaten up by soldiers,
SO we didn't put any more here. We
don't keep the door locked because 1t
would be kicked open. Are there any
OF your men near byY'
Guess not" l said.
"Well, II there amt l don't mind
showing you where we keep our eat
ables. Do you see that wall? That
shuts Off part of the cellar. Come
upstairs and I'll show you how to get
into It."
went up to the floor above, and the
girl opened trapdoor. went down
and was looking about for a snack
when heard the door shut and locked.
There was no getting out, SO after
awhile ! stretched myself on table
and went to sleep. was awakened
by q tramping above. The cellar was
dark, SO knew 1t was night. Hear
ing the clank Of a saber. listened to
discover II some Of our men hadn't
come in. They were not Federals, but
Confederates of high rank. could
hear every word they said. II was
council Of war. When at last they set
tied on plan to concentrate and at
tack our forces, they went over each
detail again and again to be sure there
should be no mistake. While they
were doing 1t was fixing 1t all In
my memory 80 that II Isgot out In
time could warn our general.
In the morning the trap was opened
and couple Of Confederate soldiers
took me in charge. The girl wasn't
there. but an old man and woman
seemed to know all about my having
been trapped. doubt II either Of them
knew that their living room and kitch-
en- had been used for conference. I'm
mot sure they knew was there when
the conference was held. The soldiers
took me away, and on the road we met
the girl who had trapped me. asked
to speak to her and told her I had u
watch in one Of my pockets and would
give 1t to her If she would get me Off.
Her eyes sparkled, and she agreed to
try. She sent one Of my guards to
house where she said they had stock
of hams and while he was gone man
aged to get the other ones musket,
which she playfully fired at q tree.
ran up and took it from her. she only
pretending to resist The owner, see
Ing that ! had the advantage Of him.
ran away. Then l gave the girl my
watch, as had promised, and took to
the woods till ran across some Of our
men.
While was on my way to the gen.
eral with my information wondered
how would explain my being made
prisoner without giving away the fact
that had been struggling. Then 1t
occurred to me that my story wasn't
very probable anyway. Why didn't the
old folks tell the generals that Yam
kee soldier was Imprisoned in the eel
lar7 Why didn't the girl ask the sol
diers to take my watch instead OF get
ting me away from them in order to
get IT. ] can't to this day explain the
first and the only explanation can