The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-07-04
THE Y.

comes the conviction that we had bet
ter keep within the strict limits of
duty. I once busted myself about
correcting an evil and instead of re.
ceiving thanks for doing got nothing
but kicks and cuffs. That was when
was very young man. Since then
/ have known better.
was a private In the Union army
operating in Virginia. While we
were in camp between marches and
skirmishes I was one day on picket
when l saw a girl up in tree making
signals to the enemy. She thought
she was concealed from our pic
ket line by the branches. So she
was, from every one but me. Between
her and me was an opening just big
enough for me to see her wigwagging
with a white handkerchief. Ishould
have called the corporal of the guard
and reported the matter; but, thinking
I might win promotion for myself by
attending to the matter personally, I
left my post, went to the tree, order
ed the girl down and marched her to
the headquarters of the general COM
manding.
The general took her in charge,
then rated me soundly for leaving my
post. 1 was arrested for a breach of
duty, but was soon after released with
reprimand.
A few weeks later came fight in
which, with others, I was taken pris-
oner. We were kept temporarily in
an open field waiting transportation
south when who should pass by on
the road but the girl I had seen wig
wagging to the enemy. She saw me,
recognized rue, but passed on quickly
without noticing me. "There's one
of your spies," 1 remarked to Con-
federate guard. ST saw her one day
in the Union lines making signals to
your mer. I turned her over to our
general and siannosed she'd been -put
damage. I guess she escaped after
ALL"
Without making any reply to me
the soldier called the officer command
ing the guard. I saw him point to
the girl and say something, whereupon
the officer went rapidly after her.
The next day the officer came to me
and thanked me for putting him on to
a Union spy. 1 asked him toexplain
and he said that Oh my information
the girl had been arrested. She had
been lettering about their camp, and
complete information was found upon
her as to every corps present, includ-
ing artillery and cavalry. The gen.
eral commanding was puzzled what to
do with her since she was woman,
and he revolted against hanging her.
told the captain that they were max
ing mistake since I had myself seen
her making signals to the Confeder-
ates. But he told me the girl stoutly
denied ever having been within the
Union lines. To this I replied that
the troops then confronting the Union
forces could not have been the same
as now. I think I impressed him
that possibly mistake was being
made, but whether he followed the
matter up or not I didn't know. I
asked him the next day what had be-
come of the spy, and he said she was
under guard awaiting information
from some one who knew her to be
good Confederate, but after the find
ing of the documents on her no one
doubted that she was a Federal spy.
The next morning at daybreak I
heard volley, followed by artillery
firing. Then I saw a blue line sour
rying across corn6eld, and then
we'll l hugged the ground to escape
a hail-storm of bullets. It wasn't
minute before the Federaltroops pass
ed over me, following the Confeder-
ates they had surprised, flying in every
direction. They rallied and made a
stand Just beyond the limits of their
camp and put up a good fight, but
they didn't succeed in recapturing the
ground they had lost.
was in the widest state of excite
ment imaginable, for had been saved
from what I dreaded most-a south
ern prison. While / was shouting
the general hurried past, and with
him, riding straddle on strayed Con-
federate horse, was the girl spy. She
caught sight of me and reigned in,
with flashing eye and scowling brow.
"Hold on, general" she said.
There sthe man who gave me away
Dismounting, she ran upto me, hit
me sharp blow with her fist and be-
fore 1 could recover from my surprise
knocked me down and stamped on me.
All the while she was calling me the
vilest names and swearing at me like
a pirate. The oficersofthe general's S
staff laughed immoderately at the
grotesque sight, but the general evil
IDENTIFY considered it serious matter.
"That'll do, captain" ne said at
last. "Ltet him up. He's only a
fool who doesn't know enough to at
tend to his own business and leave
others to attend to theirs. You're
lucky to escape halter, and you'd
have been dead before this if they'd
have found out you were a man.
Then, turning to me, he said "This
last blunder is too much. Report to
your captain under arrest. The most
can do with you is to try you for
deserting your picket post, but that
I'll do"
However, he thought better of it,