Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-30
The Argus Daily Story
Honest ABBEY Captain F. A, Mitchell
Copyrighted 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau

the peninsula to the same point and
a third to pursue a northeasterly
course to the mouth of the Potomac.
Miss Green told them that the James
river at points was guarded by the
Confederates and they would find
difficulty in going from Confederate
territory to Union fortress. II they
went by the peninsula, since 1t was
narrow, If they were stopped or pur-
sued they would be pent in. She
therefore recommended the route to
the mouth of the Potomac.
After resting all day and receiving
what provisions they would need in
the immediate future they started the
same night. Passing over the battle
fields that had been fought over by
Lee and Mcclellan during the seven
days fighting around Richmond, they
passed through fields and woods. guild
ed by the girl, who knew well the ter
ritory near the Confederate capital.
Afterward she directed her course
from the north star keeping it over
her left shoulder. Before dawn she
stopped at the house of a Union man
which she had had in mind for the
first relay. She went into the house,
while the men took to the barn. At
nightfall they started again, having
been provided with fresh supply OF
provisions. Fortunately most of the
night was clear, and their compass
star was visible but before dawn the
sky became overcast, and, coming
upon a negro hut, the girl approached
a.
thettc the party entered the cabin and
went to sleep on the floor.
The next day the colored owner of
their retreat kept watch from morning
till night TO warn them If any one ap-
| preached. But a negro hut was in war
times the safest hiding place for an
escaped Union prisoner of war, and
hosts Of Uncle Sans boys awaited
themselves Of these retreats. When
night fell they started again, without
a supply of provisions but with their
host as guide over a strip of territory
with which Miss Green was not famil-
| lar.
But the next night. partly through
her own knowledge and partly by
knowledge acquired by inquiry-for
Miss Green was not In the same dan
ger as her companions-she led them
to the York river, where they appro-
prfated a boat for crossing and the sec
ond night after that reached the Rap
pahannock. Here they did not meet
with the same luck as at the York, and
during the day instead Of sleeping,
were obliged to construct a raft on
which to float themselves. 1t was
ready by evening, and as soon as the
darkness fell they started, propelling
themselves with fat pieces of board
they had picked up. Though the dis
lance from their starting point to the
Potomac was but sixty miles, nearly
a week passed before they approached
its shore. 1t was not only debatable
ground for the armies, but most OF the
white people living on both the Mary
land and Virginia shores were Confed-
crates. The river itself was dominated
by the Federal government.
At dawn on the sixth day after their
departure, the contour OF the coun-
try indicating that the river was but
a short distance ahead, Miss Green
went forward while the men kept
back. If she saw the river she was to
drop her handkerchief If the Confed-
crate flag was visible she was to hold
the handkerchief suspended in her
left hand. If she saw the stars and
stripes she was to wave. They watch
ed her till she reached an eminence
where she could get good outlook,
and a food of joy sprang up in their
hearts. They saw her wave.
will tell the rest Of the story as
was mentioned in my introduction In
the words of the secretary of wars as
sistant:
Zone day Mr.. Lincoln sent for me
, to come to the White House. My boy
said he, there is a letter l would like
to have you look at picked up the
letter and found it was from General
Dix. conveying the information that
several Federal prisoners had escaped
from Libby prison with the aid OF Alb
bic Green, a woman famous during
the war. The letter also said that as
the fact of Abbie's assistance to es-
capped Federal prisoners was we'll
known she had been obliged to fee
I from Richmond and was on her way
' to Washington on the flag of truce
= boat. Now. my boy said the presi-
a dent. 4 don't know what | should say
a to any rascal who would steal that
l letter and have bill passed through
T congress to grant $4,000 to the relief
S of Abbie Green
] 81 stole the letter. and the next day
b both branches of congress passed the
bill to grant $4,000 TO Abbie Green.
e The following morning Honest Abe
t sent for me again. L told you did
5 not know what l should say he said,
/. with a twinkle in his eye. to the ras-
S cal who would steal that letter and
Y have congress act on it. Now I've
d made up my mind. You go down to
u No. - street, get Abbie Green. take
her down to Chase at the treasury,
/, and don't you let her go till she gets
e that money"
!, Jan. 20 in American