The Washburn leader., 1910-02-18
The ! {; Wise ! /
Judge i !
Wv Story Of How President
sS Lincoln Rectihed an
Injustice.
BY JOHN JOYCE.

(
BY JOHN JOYCE.
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
hi D. It'd Association. 2
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In 1868 ! was with the cavalry In
! the Army Of the Potomac. confess
u never made good soldier. l was too
fond Of an irregular life. could never
be disciplined. When the command
was asleep ! would be of on some ad-
venture. There was q southern girl
/ south Of us, her home being most Of
the time within the southern lines,
who captivated my youthful fancy, and
4 was constantly absent without leave
{ VISITING her.
( On one occasion would surely have
I been captured by some Confederates
who called at the house had she not
\ pukme upstairs in one Of the bedrooms.
There l found some citizens clothing
! and, putting 1t on, went down and
/ mingled with the soldiers. i
I gained some very important infor-
! nation from them about the enemy's
Il movements, for passed myself off for
redhot Confederate. They belonged
to Jubal Early's command and told me
4 that they were the advance Of his
], force, intending to sweep around. in
our rear. IL.
As soon as they had gone l rode
away to my general and told him what
/ had heard. He sent out orders with
view to defeat their purpose. then
said to me:
"1've been wondering for some time
where could get a man like you.
want some one for secret service work.
( can get plenty of hired spies, but
dare not trust them. They will take
my money to bring me information
and take the Confederates' money to
I bring them information. But from
what you have told me you're just the
man for secret service work. Most
men have dread of being caught in
citizens clothes. with the penalty of
Swinging. You don't seem to mind the
risk at all. Now, l wish you to go
down on our left and find out what
the enemy is about down there. 1
ave reports that there Is no force in
that region at all. and have reports
that the enemy is concentrating there.
Can't you go at once?"
''Yes. general" said. "Shall re-
port your orders to my captainw
"You were absent without leave on
this little expedition. weren't you"
''Yes, general"
"Well, you can continue absent with.
out leave. If you report to your cap
tain the men will know that some
thing is up In your case and talk it
over I5don't like any talk ut all about
secret service work. Besides. II you
do well I shall make a regular secret
service man Of you. attaching you to
these headquarters"
won't my comrades think have
deserted? I've always been in trou-
BILE with my caiptain-my own fault.
Of course, because, being Of rowing
disposition, I always objected to regu-
lar duties"
'That's just what wish them to
think Of you. It will keep them from
thinking anything else"
"But, general, If should come back
saanto our lines and not find you to
vouch for me-
"I'll fx that
He sat at table and scratched of
!. an order attaching me to his headquar-
T ters and handed It to me.
There" he said, ''do what you like
with that. But don't get caught with
It on you In the enemy's lines or it will
hang you"
I took the paper. put it in the lining
Of my hat and, with godspeed from
my commander. rode away into the
darkness
The first thing for me to do was to
get citizens clothes. could do this
and see my girl again at the same
time. So rode straight to the house
where she lived with her <mother. q
8 widow, and family of younger chill
/ dren. Il awakened the household and
4 told the girl that wanted the cloth
Ing I had found upstairs and which
Z she had told me belonged to brother
Of her mothers who lived with them.
B but who was now in General Jackson's
army. Both mother and daughter were
rebels and wouldn't have given me the
clothes had / not told them cock and
bull story about Confederates being
after me. AS soon as was rigged out
4 as a Virginia farmer. leaving my horse
In their barn and my uniform IN the
S garrat of the house. marched away
{ on feet ia southwesterly direction to-
b ward the region was to look into.
had no sooner reached 1t than
(. saw indications Of an important move
on the part of the Confede derates. The
!. location was swarming with troops.
@ Ny object was to return at once and
report the fact to the general, but ut
q there were several things about me to
lead them ITO suspect me. ]. couldn't :
d talk Ike y southerner. didn't look OF
3 act Ike 4, southerner and told contra
dictory storiss about my antecedents.
Il Seeing that they were uncertain about