The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1911-02-08

gravely for teaching me something.
I had noticed BY daylight that .
vide sweep had to be made % that ~
could strike the bridge 1t right angle
to the stream. When al Vas ready !
rode to the leading mule, and taking
it BY the bride rein, swung around On
. vide curve. It vas dark, but We hit
the bridge in the center. the mules 60
ing down hill At gallop, and the lead
mules were nearly over the plank road
on the farther side, when suddenly
something happened in the rear. The
re Was . quick stop, and the mules
were jerked back ON their Launches
with great force. l rod back and
found the high wheels Of the carry.log
had cut through the bridge and into
the mud underneath. the gun resting
on the bridge. We lacked it up and
tried another start, but there was no
more pull in the mules that night; .
dozen pairs would pull forward, but .
dozen more would pull back, and after
seesawing for . while. 1 sent the mules
back to Petersburg. The day was
breaking, 50 We cut green bushes and
twined them about the high wheels Of
the carry-log to deceive the enemy,
ard returned to the camp, arriving
ab.ut sunrise.
l had been sleeping in my tent for
an hour or two, when / heard General
Lee asking for me. I went out and
found him sitting on his horse. He
asked me if l had gotten the gun out,
and l explained. Then you failed"
he said. I went on to say that if he
would give me two hundred men who
would pull together when ordered, I
could get the gun out that night, the
bridge having been strengthened. He
turned away. saying. mo, sir; you
have failed. l will send Captain W.
to report to you"
Captain W. came in the course Of q
day, and | rode down and showed him
over the ground. He made rather
light of it. He had moved the heavy
guns from Fort Sumter. and therefore
had experience. ! cautioned him that
moving guns over the Eaved streets of
Charleston vas . different proposition
from this. He tried it that night, but
did not move the gun six feet. The
next night another officer tried it and
failed. On the third morning General
Lee rode up to my tent and said:
"What was it you said to me about
moving that gun with men?" l said
that with two hundred men who would
act with intelligence and pull together
at the word of command could bring
the gun out. He WAS turning away
when / said: IAN l to try it tonight,
general?'' mo you failed; l will not
give you another chance. l will send
an officer to you"
During the day another officer call.
ed, and I went with him and his two
hundred men that night, and by 2
o'clock the gun tas in Petersburg and
loaded on the car. When I knew that
the surrender was = fact, I mentioned
to Colonel Baldwin, my chief, that the
secret service money of the army was
in our wagon, and asked for instruc.
tons. The secret service money of the
army was used in paying spies and in
formers who ran the blockade and en-.
tered the enemy's lines in search of in
and to obtain such supplies
q were not obtainable in the South.
Up to the time when Overton Price,
clerk At the ordnance Office of the
chief of ordnance, left the box contain.
ing the money Was in his keeping, and
he paid out al moneys. No books or
were kept. When an order
was presented, the money was paid to
bearer and the order was instantly de.
stroyed. Nothing was kept that could |
incriminate any one.
Colonel Baldwin asked General Lee
about the money, and he replied. Il
know nothing about it." Colonel
Baldwin said, But, general, am
asking for instruction." General Lee
replied, Colonel Baldwin, | know
nothing at all about the matter, and