Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-08-13
Civil War Stories
The Captured scout.


and, the famous scout. and his escape
shows the sort of courage this hazard.
Gus calling required. The story is
given in Rowands own words.
Well he went on, I was captured
that raid-for the first and last time.
Four Of US were started in the late
/ afternoon, about dark. to get through
breekinridge's lines and bring back
General DUNE. whose brigade had
been sent TO go around Lynchburg We
did not know then that Hunters
scouts had tried 10 go Though and
had been driven back. We rode for
some hours, and then. about half past
10, spied light in house; we rode
up and asked for something to eat
Offering to pay. There was woman
sitting up with a sick child; she look
ed at our gray uniforms; then. her
eyes shining "Pay?" she said. Il do
not charge our boys anything," The
other two were left outside to watch:
Townsend and | went in The woman
gave us bread and cold meat, and milk
to drink; We thanked her and went
out TO take our turn at watching while
the others ate. The men were gone.
There was fence about twelve feet
from the house, and from behind the
fence came the order TO surrender; II
was very dark but we could see
dozen heads above the top of the fence
and the CLEAN OF the leveled carbines.
Are you Yanks?' called.
"Oh'-as though relieved That's
all right. then; we surrender They
came In and took away our revolvers.
Then l remembered that in my pocket
there was pass, naming me as scout
and passing me through the Union
lines at all times; | managed to get
the small pocketbook, and by a flip
of my fingers shoot it up my sleeve
and hold It in the hollow OF my arm.
Then they took us into the house and
the inquisition began.
See. he said getting to his feet
and moving swiftly about the room.
Here is the fireplace, big one and
there is a window-there where that
one is; and there another one, and
here Is the door into the hall--open.
and there is one into the next room
that is closed And here am l with
the light strong on my face, so that
they could see the flicker Of an eyelid
or the twitch OF muscle and the cap
tain, with his back to the light, sits
facing me. with our chairs close to-
gether. Townsend and scout, close
facing, too. are over there more In the
shadow.
Townsend and l never even
glanced at each other, but each strain
ed his ears for the others answers II
We had been examined separately, we
would have contradicted each other In
something. and-been hung. But we
kept our stories straight. Townsend
was in grave danger, because he was
a deserter from the Confederate Gen
eral Jenkins command, and the man
who was questioning him was one of
Jenkins scouts; but that very fact
saved him, for he was so well posted
that he quickly allayed suspicion.
I'VE were couriers from McCaus-
land-I told the captaln-with verbal
messages Why were they not writ
ten?-ask McCausland that! AS 10
what the messages we're. that was diff
ferent; they we're for General Breck-
inridge at the Rockfish Gap, and
could not be told TO any captain met
in the road who asked for them De
scribe General McCausland? Certain
ly: and the number OF his regiments
and the number OF guns chat was
easy; ! had been In his camp two
nights before!)
1.-The scout examining Townsend
called over. This man is all right.
Captain But the captain shook his
head over me--he was troubled; some
thing did not ring quite true. Where
are you from? he sharply asked
Lewis County-West Virginia" | told
him. In Weston? Yes: / know Law
yer Jackson, and old Doc Hoffman.
and Describe them Sure (You
see. we bad been camped there in Au-
gust and September, G2)
My name is Hoffman, the captain
said. Lee Hoffman. OF Hampton's Lee
gion He was still looking at me
with a frown Of perpleyity. and /
laughed in his face. You think am
4 deserter?' ! asked No. / don't I
don't understand y0u--ycu puzzle me.
You are a Southerner you are no
Yankee, ! am sure OF that Then to
make sure what We are, YOU had bet
ter send us under guard to Breckin,
ridges headquarters II was that
that shook down his last doubts I
hive letter he said, abruptly. 70
General Breckenridge Take }, and
get through as quick as you can
Hurry
Hurry ! sneered Wen iced |
to. you've kept us here an hour and
half now We took the letter Il
Is the one found on page $50, vol !
xxxyii, Of the Official Record. # he |
gins. tNeVr Fairfield Va INN, -