The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-04-25
Honest,
Abe
How President Lincoln
Rewarded a Girl For
Union Service
By Captain F. A. Mitchell

coin, should have presided over the
most abundant crop of themes for ro
nance that has ever been accorded 10
American authors.
IL any one of these romantic incl
dents that occurred during the war be
tween the states may be selected as
standing out with especial prominence
1t is the making of the tunnel by Fed.
eral soldiers at the old tobacco ware.
house In Richmond, Va. that had been
turned into Libby prison. The story
OF how these men, beginning in an old
fireplace in the cellar. little by little
scooped the earth away, forming tun-
mel just large enough to admit of a
mans body passing through It and
leading out TO point beyond the wall,
then escaped in body. has been told
again and again. The story am about
TO tell is connected with that escape.
feel bound TO state. however. that.
since the heroine was real woman
and shall use her real name. only the
main features are given as they actual
ly occurred. In other words. they are
fiction founded on fact. But Mr.. Lin
coins connection with the story l shall
give in the words of the assistant Of
Edwin NJ, Stanton, secretary Of war.
as he told it at a dinner a number OF
years ago.
One morning three men in blue uni
forms that had faded through exposure
into a sort Of green. whose trousers
were I'm rags and the soles of whose
shoes tapped every time they stepped.
approached house short distance
southeast OF Richmond, on the James
river. They stood in a wood. where
they were partly concealed. looking
wistfully at the house. They were hun
cry almost TO starvation. They had
recently escaped from Libby prison
and had lain in hiding for fear OF
recapture. with nothing to eat except
little corn pone furnished them by a
negro.
II wonder IL we'd better risk II,
boys?" said one of the three.
IF you do said another, ''wc'll go
back to that horrid pen. and that
means death to me- I'll be carried out
with the regular load of dead"
| AT that moment there was clatter
OF hoofs Of many horses. and the trio
! retired from the edge of the wood. A
company OF Confederate cavalry passed
over the road not a hundred yards
from where they had been standing
aud refined up In front Of the house
| they had been looking at. The com
manding officer dismounted and went
In, while the men waited outside on
their hc-ecs. Presently he reappeared.
followed by woman. They were
talking together but the men in the
wood could not hear what they were
saying. Then the Confederates moved
on.
II wonder IL they're looking for us"
said Captain Porter one of the fugi.
tives.
Doubt It," replied Lieutenant Dob
son. III they had been they'd have
sent few men through the woods"
But didn't yon see their captain
post men around the house when they
rode up to it," said Sergeant Sweitzer.
Its my opinion they were thinking
we might be there"
"Then why didn't they search the
premises;" asked Porter.
Meanwhile the SCI pi,oo;s the horses
hoofs had died aw)oke6 1ow or lead
was thrust out OF q ret, ob Tho Loft
in the barn. She ben Eating = 6ad
In the direction O. Sfn. re beas oX,se.
men and listenelSed rr,eerhsbs was
withdrawn. and" hopoan .Ies twen.
ty years old. they lower
door and went TO IL s..4..s
That's the party~ were looking
for" said Dobson.
"A girl?" exclaimed the other.
Yes. a girl And she must he n
Union girl. They're Union people in
there for sure. Come on. boys. I'll
risk It."
You'd better go and reconnoiter. III
the coast Is clear you can call u.s."
captain Porter evidently upon con
slderation concluded TO move cautious
~. Some Of the Confederates might
come back. So skuking behind trees.
running along beside fences. he finally
made a rear door and knocked The
woman who had talked with the Con
federate leader came to the door and.
seeing wretched specimen OF human
ity in faded blue uniform, said.
Come in. here quick" Porter went
IN and she shut the door. In a few
words he told how he aud his compan-
ions had escaped from Libby prison
and how the others were skulkinr In
the woods near by. The woman told
him they had nothing to fear from her
and babe him beckon his companions
10 come to the house. He did so. and
within few minutes the three men
had found temporary abode.
The first matter of moment was the
satisfaction Of hunger. There was not
much to eat in the house. but such ms
IL was they were made welcome TO II.
While they were eating their hostess
went upstairs. aud they heard low
voices. Presently she came down. and
with her was the girl they had seen in
the barn.
This Young lady" said the woman.
is Miss Green. She acted with some
OF the men who have escaped with
I9E0 II.