Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-12-30
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
CAPTURED AS
SPIES
n Story Of fbs
CiUH War.
by THOMAS GRisWoLD.
by THOMAS aRlswoLD.
Copyright, 1905. by American Press
Association.



all torn up and the telegraph wires
cut! You boys had better get right
back TO Petersburg. I'm going there
to give the alarm"
A dust covered farmer mounted on
foaming horse, who had come tear.
Ing down the Richmond turnpike,
shouted this startling news TO two
barefooted newsboys who were resting
In the shade ON the side Of the turn
pike, few yards from the point where
II crossed the Richmond and Peters
burg railroad.
The time was In the early days OF
the siege OF Petersburg. when General
Benjamin +. Butler was operating ON
the James river.
The older of these two newsboys
was fifteen. will call him Jack. |
was the younger one and was eleven
years old.
We discussed the question whether
we should 30 home or so on toward
Richmond and endeavor to get Il
glimpse Of General Butler, whom Con.
federate boys at that time regarded
as sort OF monster.
We started at brisk walk along
the railroad, with our unsold stock
OF Richmond papers under our arms.
As we turned curve near the Swift
creek bridge we saw, about mile be.
yond, a sight that greatly excited us.
The air was full OF black smoke,
through which we saw an occasional
fash Of flames. Presently we came
close enough to discover that the source
OF the flames was great pile OF tele-
graph poles and railroad ties.
Buffers men did that" said Jack.
We'll have to be mighty cautious.
Let's get into the ditch along the track
and keep sharp lookout"
Just beyond Il slight risc OF the
ground north Of the house was I'm.
Ion encnmpment. The smoke lazily
rose from hundred camphres. and
the white tents cleaned In the bright
sunshine In n manner that was almost
painful to the eyes.
Gradually II dawned upon us that
the camp had been suddenly abandon.
ed-so suddenly, indeed. that the din.
ners were left cooking Oh the fires,
and all sorts OF camp utensils and pro
visions were scattered promiscuously
around.
We made straight for the big tent
In front OF which the dag was flying
Jack lowered the flag. With beating
heart | entered the tent. found Il
Uttered with torn papers and maps
In one corner was u camp chest upon
which were painted the words. Gen
eral b. +. Butler, u. S. A."
In tent IN the rear OF General But
ier's. which was probably used as I
kitchen, we found q stock of provi
sions that set us wild with delight
We had little to eat at home and now
had been for several hours withou
food.
A pot OF coffee steamed on the fir,
In front OF the tent. On the shelves In
side was u boiled ham, and about Il
lay Il variety OF canned meats and
fruits, while n chest was found To con
tain quantity OF freshly baked bread
oh" said Jack. IF we only had q
wagon we might carry home a lot OF
these things"
WELL" said I. 1.-THE next best thing
Is to tote home as much as we can Oh
our backs. What are we going &c
take"
Il reckon" said Jack. that the folks
at home would like tea and coffee best
They are scarcest."
We decided to load ourselves down
with those two articles. We fount
some empty sacks and divided thu
contents OF the sack Of green coffee II
General Buffers kitchen tent into tw,
parts Of thirty or forty pounds each
Then into two other sacks we poured {
chest Of Oolong tea. These were tiet
up and put inside the sacks containing
coffee. and Jack also stuffed into hi!
sack the dug In front of the generals
tent, which he had taken down wheI
he first entered the camp.
He suggested that ] give him a part
of my coffee In order to tighten the
load, and ut first | was inclined to dc
so, but when thought how the people
at home after many months use Of
chicory, parched corn, roasted sweet
potato parings and other poor substl-
tutes for coffee would enjoy the gen.
ulne article made up my mind that
would carry home the contents OF the
sack II had to drag II over the en-
lire 1--we miles.
We had been so much excited with
our discoveries that we had not no.
tlced that the sun was very low. II
would he dark before we could reach
home. We gazed longlngly at what
we were leaving behind and started
homeward.
We took the turnpike with the hope
OF getting a lift In some passing We
hIcle. AS we trudged along We saw
two Confederate cavalrymen riding to-
ward us. In our fear lest they should
rob us Of our precious possessions we
sIouched along as near the woods as
we could get hoping they would pass
without noticing us.
Vain hope! "Halt" we heard one
Of them shout just as they were
abreast Of us. One Of them, who was
a corporal. dismounted.
He was a cruel looking fellow. and
we soon discovered that his looks did
not belle him. Walking up to Jack
he gruffiy asked. "What have You got
there!" aud at the same time roughly