The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-26

shores or tho Potomac were hard
frozen. and the boats of tho Confed-
erate secret service could not make
the passage. Tho channel OF the river
was with difficulty kept open By the
vessels of the United States. However.
l waited several days in the hope OF
being able to cross. staying during
that time at a farmhouse in sight of
the Potomac. where / received daily
reports OF the conditions of the river
and OF the prospects of getting across
AT the same house was staying an in
teiligent. attractive woman. whom. be-
cause of some of her actions. / sus-
pected Of being Federal spy. II
spent my time In acquiring ali avail
able information that might be OF any
value. but when realized that there
was no prospect of being able to gain
the Maryland side within n reason
able time, / determined to return to
Richmond. This 1 did. delivering to
Major Norris tho papers and docu-
ments that had beer .n.-uptcd to mo
by him.
About the last week in March
was called upon by MINOR Norris to
make another start AS In the former
instance. he gave me considerable pri-
Fate correspondence 10 be disposed OF
as had been instructed on the coca
sion OF tho former attempt. and the
Official correspondence which was tho
purpose OF my journey. and which
was to deliver personally in England
Ihat which 1 thought was the prin-
cipal dispatch was addressed to Hon
colin j. MacRac. In the care of
Frazer. Trenholm &. CO. at IiverpooI
Mr MacRae being the Confederate
treasury agent at that port. / was to
go to Maddox Creek. on the Potomac
river whore the Confederate govern
ment maintained signal service
station see there a Mr.. Norris. who
mad charge OF the Confederate limo p,
communication at that point. and ar
range with him for crossing the rivcr
In secret service boat. After cross-
Ing tho Potomac | was to mako NV
way as best l could. and as tho cir
cumstances might indicate. either ia
washington or to Baltimore Major
MOTIFS also furnished me with Tho
names OF several persons on the Mary.
land side along the line of nv orob-
able route. to whom might apply I'm
case Of trouble or need of assistance
among whom the only one l can now
recall was that OF John Risdon. at
Aliens Fresh, Nd.
saturday morning. April !, 1866.
was ready TO undertake the tourney
sha was standing at Broad and
seventh Streets. then tho station or
the r.. F. & r. X, Railroad. waiting
tor tho train TO start me on my wav
~heh was accosted by a CAPTAIN
bott q have forgotten his initialgD
VINO introduced himself 10 me indi
eating by his manner more than any
'nins else that he had some knowl-
eose OF my mission. he Informed me
that his wife, who was daughter
of DR.. Herndon. Of FredericksbtI,.p
and Miss. Sally Stevenson. sister of
General {. l.. Stevenson were on
ueevoring to get through the lines TO
Nanade' ana requested me TO aid them
SO tar as TO see them safe across the
fotomac and Try TO place them in
friendly hands in Maryland. This, OF
course. i readily agreed to do /
found that these ladies fully under
stood the dangers OF the journey. but
were bravely resolved to overcc,me
any obstacle and contend with any
triai that might confront them Wn
went ny way of the r.. F.. & p Rail
road TO Milford. having considerable
tFouole at both North Anna and south
Anna Rivers. owing to destruction of
the bridges, thence by private con-
Neyance through Bowling Creep to
Fort Royal, there fcrryinc across tho
Rappanannock 10 Port Conway, from
winch point we travelled across the
Northern Neck by private conveyance
10 the point of land where Maddox
Creek makes into the Potomac There.
In an abondened residence owned I
understood. by surgeon in the Con
Ieoerate army. we found number OF
refugees seeking a way out of Con-
fedcrate territory
our secret service boat was nowhere
visible, and the ladies accompanying
me made the best OF none too com
portable situation while looked up
the Mr.. Norris TO whom had been
directed. found that the boat had
been taken far up the creele and
hauled Into the bushes to avoid can
ture by scouts OF the Federal.s who
had been watching the point. After a
wait OF some hours the boat ap pearcd.
in charge OF the signal officer. Mr..
wins ana tHell our troubles of one
Kind began. The crowd we had already
FOUND at the point began to raise a
clamor 10 be taken across the river,
urging various reasons in support of
their claims. one lady, with two or
three children. because she was thc
wife OF Confederate Congressman
from Kentucky, others because OF con-
nections of various kinds of their
husbands or relatives with our govern
ment. Mr.. Norris declined to recos
nize any of these claims, despttc
vigorous protests At the first oppor-
tunity took Mr.. Norris aside. inform
ed him OF my authority. and explained
my wishes with reference TO n transfer
OF the ladies who were with me to
the other side of the river After
meeting the ladies. who made o. favor
able impression upon him. he agreed
to allow them to accompany me in the
poat, promising that an attempt to
cross would be made at midnight. If
everything was favorable and advis-
ing n