The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-02-18
THE ADVENTURES OF
A CONFEDERATE SCOUT
BY Judge E. c. Moncure, of Caroline

road by Carmel Church, the route
had just passed over. Just be-
fore sunset | found Gen Hampton
on the hills south Of Polecat Creek
with a regiment of cavalry and his
horse artillery. having a regular
artillery duel with the enemy on
the opposite hills from three-quar-
tiers to mile distant. told Gen.
Hampton that l had been acting as
guide to Gen. Lee from Spotsylvania
c. II. and that he was now at Han
over Junction, and ordered me TO
report TO him for duty. lie asked
me il ever secuted any. | tod
him a little. and then he asked me
my knowledge of the country. ana
| assured him that it was my ma
tive heath" He then told me that
he had two experienced scouts and
that he wished to send me with
them to Bowling Green that night
if possible II was then between
sunset and dark. SO leaving the
artillery and cavalry on the hill OPP
posite Polecat Greek he took me
with him back TO Chalk Level. tnow
McDuff p. o. where his other cav
airy were in bivouac. He sent an
orderly for his two scouts and in
troduced them to me (Mr. Walter
Scott Ashby. of Mississippi. and Mr.
John II. Liverman. Of Georgia. Our
directions were to go within the
eneInys lines and penetrate 10
Bowling Green and ascertain the
movements of the enemy, whether
any commands were sent down the
old stage road towards Hanover {.
II. or whether the main BODY
were pressing towards Hanover
junction or farther west We were
if possible to make the trip in that
night. get the information. lie IN
concealment the next day, MONDAY
and return Tuesday. We fed our
horses and proceeded TO flank the
troops in the road Immediately IN
front of Gen. Hampton TO the west
through the country towards
Wright's Chapel. on the road from
Milford TO the old Telegraph Road.
Just before reaching Wright's Chap
ell. the night being very light from
moonlight. We met two men. MI
John G. Burruss and Wade Loving
members of my own company. VINO
had been cut off by the enemy and
were trying to make their way 10
their command. They asked per
mission to go with US; we consent
ed little farther ahead l hearu
a loud talking at a farm house, ana
on approaching ascertained tha'
several OF the enemy were there.
We made a charge upon them, but
they were too quick for us and es-
caned We continued TO the home
of the Rev. Luther Wright and call
ed him out to get If possible some
information as to how the land lay
The old gentleman was very much
frightened and pointed to Wright
/ chanel a quarter of a mile distant
n look at the camp fires. Or course
we could not proceed by the chapei
bnt turning to the right flahA-
Cd their camp about half a mile'
and knowing that we couiu nOs
travel the public roads we "ouiu
cross them and pass through the
woods and fields. In passing the
road we would approach 1t very
stealthily. and would sometimes
find pickets in our way, which we
would have to avoid. Proceeding III
this way through farms ana Dymays !
we reached the road leading iIon'
Woodford's by Bethel church ~
Collins old mill. This road we mao
to cross. but Burnside's corps was
bivouaced along this road. mere
Mr. Ldyerman took the lead ana ui'
rected us to follow him and tha'
ba would be the spokesman. we
rode I'D to some wagon camps WIZ
good many men abaut COOKING @nu
eating. Mr.. Liverman, assunins
that peculiar Yankee pronuhcia'ion
and accent. asked an officer II ne
could tell him where Gen. Waro
command was. to which the olllcer
replied. it is on the Bowling Greeil
rosd and thus we passed through
these troops. We then wonho Oui
wav through Mr.. Lumpkins on
south river and went down lnto Tue
forks of the river with the Malta
nonv into quite a thick morass
Here MT Loving left US and stole
away TO his own home and so'
some supplies for himself and us
This was daybreak Monday morning
60 we tied and fed our horses anu
Ashbv and waded the MattaponS
and came to the edge OF the me-
about a mile above Milford STATION
On the Holly Hill farm. Here we
saw these fields covered with oeei
cattle a thousand head or ihoIe,
TOGETHER with the herdsmen anu
their camp eQuipage. TIE loau
ltaadine from Milford to BOWL
inc Green was lined with troops
steadily marching forward. we Sd"
thai we could do nothing more tna'
40, and returned TO our hiu
- mace TO rest Towards even
Inc Ashby and | went over the rl ,,,
cain and the troops we're sun
r1ovinp on the road and the wagons
we're being packed in the lieu lS
ond beef cattle also moved ioi or
Straoglers were continually goihl
3 800 90 the r. F.. & p. r. K. one
49, lef, the railroad track ah'
Ieilo" on the side towards us an'
AN an oSf his Announcements and Ia!
80 80, Under a tree near US 10 steep
NJ Ashby got a good sl]eu So so
an5 from our concealment ma" Cn
~ 40 a throw as David did at 20
a., 1s -, :, 20 evcent that he did not empe'
nan. -. h;s forehead, but struck mn
on the side of his face. me hero, mo,
0n out murder, on! wneI ,S o.,
severaI others came to MN anu anu 49,
$50 s Few shots into the healp.
gu hut we were not there .nen
Jus ~ vent around to the low
we 30 the field farther from .n
railroad and saw not lar LIN I'm in
bushes OF our concealment wv The
fantrvmen and a horse-man Con-
haa shot a hog belonging 10 U ITn,
F ,5a the owner OF Holy M
Mr. Ashby said that he could nv
stand and see that. so tnat VIC
started to run towards these men
there were no others in several nun
dred wards. When we got wi'nll
forty yards of these men the holse
man mounted and took fight AM
the infantrymen surrendered to us
We took them and their guns alonl
10 the bushes and threw their musk
ets into the river, then we searched
them and found six dollars and
49,. ~,otob which we appropriated