Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-05-13
SOME UNwRITTEN HISTORY.
How Pair of Pretty Eyes Helped to
Win a Southern Victory
washington Post.)

| dents that go in the make up OF seye-
raj conflicts during the civil war, but
are not recounted in any OF the Off
cial reports of the grand battles that
have been written. One of these was
told by an eX-officer of the Confede-
rate army who had personal knowI-
edge of what he was talking about to
few friends who had gathered at q
small dinner party one evening last
week.
"The circumstances that ! am
about to tell you," said this gentle
man, happened just before the first
battle of Manassas Cor, as 1t is gene
| rally known, Bull RUM. This town,
as many of you will recoliect," he
remarked, referring to number of
elderly persons, both gentlemen and
ladies, who were present at the en-
| tertainment, was over-crowded then
| with soldiers, and shoulder straps
were thicker than bees in clover
| field. The wearers Of these military
adornments were from almost every
class in life, ranging from the ardent
country boys who had never witness
ed a drill until they enlisted into
the army, to the dashing young
blades from the West Point Military
Academy, who were chatting at the
delay in getting into fight.
MANY of the youngsters OF the
town had already gone South and
left behind them q whole lot Of SYM
pathizing sisters who were not afraid
at that time to declare their senti-
ments.
"Now the truth is that not every
one then thought there would be
clash Of arms, at least not so far
from Washington as the first fight
proved to be, and these young OFF,
GERS, particularly the young fellows
from the military school, were hav-
ing whole lots Of fun. Army rules
were not so rigid as they came TO
be later on, and there was a great
deal of dancing, merriment, and love
making going on all over the town.
The girls, Notwithstanding their
Southern feelings, were not averse to
flirting with and treating courteous
| ly these young officers and making
friends of many Of them, and the
soldier boys were simply delighted at
the admiration and homage that was
paid to them.
Nov there were some very wise
girls among the many bellies Of this
old town, and these kept their pretty
eyes as we'll as their ears open nearly
all the time, and one of these demure
little damsels, well known in army
circles then as she still is, for she Is
yet residing in the Capital, and is a
very happy 81 ,ndmother, had more
than one of tn Sc gayly-adorned sec
ond lieutenants on his knees before
her. She was a very lovable and
kind-hearted Dung creature, and
treated all her suitors alike and what
is more she learned lot of things
concerning army operations, which
she determined to place where the
knowledge would be Of very great
value.
"Beauregard, the great Southern
general, was known to be in the
neighborhood Of Manassas with his
forces. One Of his outposts, the most
extended one, was in charge OF Gen.
Bonham, of South Carolina, who was
in command Of brigade. This young
lady knew Bonham very we'll. He
had often visited her fathers home
when he was in Washington. The
lady learned directly from one Of her
epauletted admirers that about a GER
tain time a large al ny force would
move into Virginia and strike blow
at the Southern forces.
Just at that time she was stricken
with a yearning to visit some old
friends who had fine home just in
side the Federal lines on the south
side Of the Potomac. Securing a
pass from the military authorities
was an easy matter for her, and she
made the journey without any de-
! lay. She was determined to see Gen.
Bonham, and there was little or no
| trouble about that.
"There was a good-natured old fell
low who sold milk in that section.
He had passes in all directions vised
by military officers on both sides.
He didn't think anything about war.
All he cared for was to sell pure
country cream, and he was doing a
thriving business. This lady cap
tured the old milkman at one glance
from her beautiful eyes. or course,