Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-09-02
| VIRGINIA EPISODE,
By HARRIET cAMREY.

During that period when the armies
of the Confederacy and of the north
were swaying back and forth in Vir-
sinia. while in command of the -th
New York volunteer infantry, was
advanced one evening into territory
that had been previously held by the
enemy. Near me was q house. and
from the inmates I received an invita-.
ton TO supper / accepted and found
Il lady a. q her daughter, the rest of
the family. consisting of two sons. be-
ing in u Eonfederate army. ! will
call them Mr.. and Miss Bates. Con
sidei'ils that the blockade had de
cept such as could be raised in the
south, they gave me very fair meal,
made up of the only chicken left by
the "Johnnies" and the delicious hot
bread that southern women know so
well how to make.
] was then twenty-eight years old
and considered myself passably attrac.
tive to women. There can be no i'm.
modesty in my now saying so, since
the wrinkled. white headed old man
of today is not the same bodily person
as the young soldier of 1863 had
seen those southern girls fall precipi-
lately in love on sight with our Yam
kee boys and was not especially taken
aback when Clara Bates showed sud-
den admiration for me-
The young lady confined the express
sion of her attraction for me to her
eyes and her speech. She would not
permit me even to touch her hand.
She seemed troubled at the proximity
of two hostile armies. declaring that.
though her sympathies were with the
Confederates, she hoped they would
retreat farther south. | set myself to
work to draw from her any informa.
ton she might possess of the enemy's
intentions, and she told me that a
southern general whom she spoke of
Familiarity as Bob and who had left
her only that morning had expressed
an opinion that it would be some time
before he would see her again. Con-
sidering this to indicate n further re.
treat, | was about to take my leave
Tor the purpose of reporting it at once
to my general when heard from the
next room the words. spoken in Mrs.
Bates own voice:
Kiss me again. Bob"
Darling glance at my companion,
| saw the blood rushing into her face.
Then she started up to leave the room;
but, grasping her wrist. | detained her.
Immediately from the same room as
Miss Bates made another effort to free
herself, but laughingly held her, say
ing:
This is far too interesting to lose
Please sit STILL"
CLARA. Sweetheart" came another
voice, this time a mans. but sounding
rather as if it issued from Il phono-
graph than human being. followed
by lot of unintelligible croaking.
Miss Bates writhed, but by this time
l had both her wrists in my grasp,
and she could not get away. | held
her for perhaps five minutes. waiting
for something more from the adjoin-
culine voice:
"All together! Surprise 'em! Two
O'clock"
At this the heightened color left my
prisoners face, and she turned pale
| would not BOW let her go on any
account. 1t must have been five min
utes before more came. Then it was:
"Goodby. sweetheart! Goodby. Good.
by" .-..- .. ... . ..-..
There was a long wait after this.
and | was beginning to fear there
would be no more when l received an,
other installment, still in the mascu.
line:
Bob, turn their right! Turn their
right! Turn their right! Ohio. Good,
by, Clara. Kiss me-
Releasing my prisoner, left her
with derisive "Goodby. Clara" and.
directing that a guard be Immediately
thrown around the house that there
might be no communication from it
with the enemy, rode at once to the
corps commander.
General" said, 81 have just pass
I'd through an experience which i in
nrpret as follows: have been enter
tanned by southern girl who pur-
posely gave me false information that
the enemy in our front would again re-
treat. There learned. doubtless from
IL parrot in an adjoining room, which
had been used either for council of
war or from which orders were is
sued, that we will be attacked before
daylight in the morning; though what
morning I can't inform you. Tomor
row seems most likely" -#
Thanks, colonel" replied the gen.
eral. We'll take the precaution to be
under arms every morning"
1t was half past 2 the very next
morning that an attack was made on
cur right. re-enforced by artillery, fol-
lowed by infantry. all along the line.
But as soon as the enemy saw that we
were under arms and ready for them
they ceased firing and gradually with
drew. We followed and gained sub
Gtantial advantage.
q What interested me after the fight
was to learn the name of the Confed-
crate general who attempted to turn
our right This l had no difficulty in
doing from prisoners captured on the
field From them learned that the
general was one of the youngest and
most attractive i'm the Confederate
service, that he commanded division
in corps commanded by his uncle
and that his first name was Robert.
Ten years after the war ended.
having occasion to visit Virginia. |
sought ont thp house i'm which the