Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-02-03
Honest
Abe
How President Lincoln
Rewarded a Girl For
Union Service
BY Captain r. A. Mitchell

1t seems incongruous that the gaunt.
uncouth Illinois lawyer, Abraham Lin
coin, should have presided over the
most abundant crop of themes for ro-
nance that has ever been accorded to
American authors.
II 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
mans body passing through it and
leading out to a point beyond the wall,
then escaped in a body, has been told
again and again. The story 1 am about
to tell is connected with that escape.
feel bound to state, however, that,
since the heroine was a 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 shall
give in the words of the assistant Of
Edwin M. 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 in rags and the soles of whose
shoes tapped every time they stepped
approached a house a short distance
southeast OF Richmond, on the James
river. They stood In 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
a little corn pone furnished them by a
negro.
"I wonder If we'd better risk it,
boys?" said one of the three.
eff you do" said another, EVEN 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 a 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 hundred yards
from where they had been standing
and reined 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 horses. Presently he reappearedr-
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 If they're looking for u.s."
said Captain Porter. one of the fugi
tives
doubt it," replied Lieutenant Dob
son. "If they had been they'd have
sent few men through the woods
But didn't you see their captain
post men around the house when they
rode up to it?" said Sergeant Sweitzer
tits my opinion they were thinking
we might be there"
"Then why didn't they search the
premises r. asked Porter.
Meanwhile the sound of the horses
hoofs had died away A girls head
was thrust out OF window of loft
In the barn. She looked up the road
In the direction of the retreating horse.
men and listened. Then the head was
withdrawn, and the girl, perhaps twen-
ty years old, emerged from q lower
door and went to the house.
That's the party they were looking
for" said Dobson.
"a grip exclaimed the other.
Eyes, girl. And she must be
Union girl. They're Union people in
there for sure. Come on, boys. I'll
risk it,"
YOU'D better go and reconnoiter. II
the coast is clear you can call u.s."
Captain Porter evidently upon con-
sideration concluded to move cautious
ly. Some of the Confederates might
come back. So skullzing behind trees,
running along beside fences, he finally
made rear door and knocked The
woman who had talked with the Con.
federate leader came to the door and,
seeing wretched specimen of human
tty In faded blue uniform, said,
Come in here quick" Porter went
In, and she shut the door. In few
words he told how he and his compan.
Ions had escaped from Libby prison
and how the others were skulking In
the woods near by. The woman told
him they had nothing to fear from her
and babe him beckon his companions
to 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 as
1t was they we're made welcome to it.
While they were eating their hostess
went upstairs, and 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,
us Miss Green. She acted with some
of the men who have escaped with
you from Libby prison, and the Con-