The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-06-07

n SopyElBnt, l5lu, Dy American Press II
Association
In 1862. when President Lincoln fear
ed that the want Of cotton by the Eng
fish and other foreign manufacturers
might lead to Intervention, he issued
an order to his generals to give every
facility in their power to persons de-
string to purchase the article and per-
NIT them to ship 1t on the army wag-
ons going north empty for supplies for
the troops. At the time cotton could
be bought for song In the south, and
before the war closed it had risen to
a dollar a pound In the northern
states.
was then young and eager to make
money. Having some capital, / went
down into Virginia and rode among
the plantations In the neighborhood Of
the Union armies, buying cotton wher-
ever | found an opportunity to get 1t
within our lines and send it north.
One day had been out few miles
beyond the Union vedettes to planta-
ton where | had been told was stored
a large stock of cotton. There was no
enemy In that direction, and II there
were considered my vocation shield
against interference. for l was a citi-
zen engaged in assisting the southern
planters to turn their cotton into mon-
ey. l bought fifty bales on condition
that l could get transportation for
them and rode back to the Union lines.
Something about the arrangement Of
the camps looked different from what
] had left. Indeed, | found great
deal Of difference. While l had been
away the corps had left had moved
and another had taken Its place. The
officer of the picket post would not al
low me to go where l liked, but took
me to the provost marshal, Major
Campbell
vost marshal looked at me he gave a
family perceptible start. I told him
who / was and the business was en-
gagged in. He listened to my story,
then said he would report my case to
the general commanding. He left me
to do so and was going so long that,
tired of waiting, was about to mount
my horse and ride away when sentry
stopped me. asked him why he de-
tanned me, and be said that he had
been ordered not to let me leave till
the provost marshal returned.
Major Campbell rode up as l was
talking with the sentry. He asked me
the army demijohn. invited me to have
something. He chatted in a familiar
way, seeming much interested In my
cotton purchases and asking me a
number Of questions pertaining to the
business. He told me that the gen.
eral would like to see me. but was too
busy to receive me till the next day.
had left my belongings at a house
a short distance in rear of the army,
and when the conversation Jagged !
arose and said | would ride there, re-
turn In the morning and call on the
general. Major Campbell said that
there was 10 necessity for me to go
away, since he would be happy to give
me a cot in a tent with a subaltern
officer and my meals at his mess. But
l said ! wished some clean linen and
would prefer to 60 At that he told
me as politely as possible that the
general had directed him to bring me
to bis headquarters the next day and
he would not dare risk losing me.
This was equivalent to telling me
that ! was a temporary quasi pris-
oner. Nevertheless | did not think
much of the matter. for If permitted
to go / might find it inconvenient to
return. In that event the major
would be liable to censure for disobe-
dielce of orders. So | made virtue
Of necessity, saying that would be
happy to accept bis hospitality.
During the evening ! played the
army game with the major and sew
eral other officers in his tent, the
army game being draw poker. with
greenbacks in lieu of chips. Somehow
1t seemed to me that l was an object
Of interest Every now and again an
officer would come to the tent to look
over the game. But. glaneing up at
these gentlemen. | invariably noticed
their eyes fixed on me rather than on
the cards. ! was puzzled. What was
there about civilian engaged in cot
ton buying to interest officers of the
army? However, the game interested
me. and speculation of this kind did
kol- ;,, 70 MI ,...a
till midnight, when the party broke
up, and | was conducted by my tent
mate to my place of rest. | noticed
that he kept an eye on me while | took
off my outer clothing and did not take
it away till l stood in my undergar-
ments.
While going to sleep the circum-
stances of my detention, the interest l
had excited. this watchfulness Of my
tent mate, altogether found firmer
Judgment in my brain. Yet as pom
dered over the matter l could not
think of one act sufficiently noticeable
to signify anything in particular AS
for my visit to the general the next
day, it might be an advantage. ] had
expected to arrange for cotton trans
portation with the quartermaster. Pos
sibly / might derive some advantages
by interesting the general in what l
was doing.
The next morning waited till II
o'clock for Major Campbell to take
me to the general, when, becoming i'm
patient, asked him the cause of the
delay. He told me that the general
was busy. | inwardly cursed these
military nabobs who made every one
await their pleasure and were treated
by their subordinates as princes of the
blood, If not sovereigns. 1t was not
till 3 In the afternoon that the major
told me to mount my horse and go
with him.
We found the general about to ride
out on tour of inspection. and | was
invited to join him. | did so. and for
awhile he kept me beside him, asking
me what seemed to me lot of stupid
questions | tried to tell him about
my cotton buying, but he wouldn't lis
ten to it. He seemed more interested
in learning where | had been during
the day | had come into his lines and
the day before that and as far back as
/ could remember. Then suddenly he
ceased to take any further interest In
me or my whereabouts and, calling his
chief of staff. waved me back with the
others
Major Campbell rode with us-why
didr,k knnrr for ha ruaS mt of the