Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-14
Tuned Shdans Certain Defeat Into Victory Shenandoah Valley

to allow the Confederates to stop at
Fishers Hill and fortify themselves there
as they had Always done.
what can do for your he asked as
he said goodbye.
Never tell of this until after the war;
I answered. And he promised.
January 10, 1857, three years later. |
received from Gen. Sheridan a beautiful
Inscription in the case Of the watch Is in
commemoration of my services in the
battle of the 10th Of September, 1854. |
wear these keepsakes constantly IN
closed with the gifts was the following
letter. which / prize even more than
do the gifts:
Headquarters Dept. Of the Gulf.
New Orleans. July Z, 1867.
My Dear Miss Wright: You are prob
ably not aware of the great service you
rendered the Union cause by the infor-
nation you sent me by the colored man
a few days before the battle of Opequan,
September 10, 1854 1t was on this IN
formation the battle was fought, and
probably won.
The colored man gave the note rolled
up in the tinfoil to the scout, who await
ed him at Milwood. The colored man had
carried 1t in his mouth to that point and
delivered 1t to the scout, who brought
1t to me.
"'By this note / became aware of the
true position of affairs inside the en-
emies' lines and gave the direction for
this courageous and patriotic action of
yours with gratitude, and beg of you to
accept the watch and chain which send
you by Gen. Forsythe as a memento or
September 10. 1894.
81 am very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
"PHIL. H. SHERIDAN"
Greatly as she valued the memento she
had received from the soldier whom she
had helped to victory, the present was
the cause Of much distress. Miss Wright
could not resist the temptation to wear
the watch and chain, and they excited
much curiosity. Her sister, Hannah, in
cautiously revealed the story to news
paper reporter, who published the account
in q Baltimore newspaper. A Winchester
paper copied it, and the town quickly
learned the story which had been kept
secret for three years. Miss Wright was
called traitor to the SOUTH" and SO
bitter was the feeling against her in the
town Of her birth and where she had
spent her whole life up to then that she
and her family We're forced to move
away. They went to Philadelphia. Times
were very hard for them. Then one day
Miss Wright recalled the words of Gen
Sheridan that he would like to serve her.
So she wrote to him, stating why her
family had been compelled to leave Win
chester and suggesting that he might be
OF assistance in obtaining a government
position for her.
Gen. Sheridan Immediately responded
with a letter. which she took to Wash.
ington. President Grant. during his first
term, appointed her to the position in the
Treasury Department which she still
holds. May 4. 1871, she was married to
William Carpenter Bonsal of Washington,
q Quaker. She left the department, re-
main ng out for eighteen months. after
which she returned to her former poo
sition. which she has filled continuously
ever since. Mrs. Bonsal Is now seventy
four years Of age, but one would never
suspect II. for her appearance IL that Of q
woman Of nifty. Nevertheless she Is
aging rapidly and 10 one Of that class OF
deserving government clerks whose
eventual fate seems to DO to be turned
adrift In old age.