The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-06-12
CHEATED THE
GALLONS
Meets Fellow Scout at
Chattanooga Who
Saved His Life.

One of the best-known and most
youthful-spirited of Confederate vet
erans inthese parts, Mr.. Shakespeare
Harris of Concord, a frequent visit
or to Charlotte, figured in an un-
usual episode at the recent reunion
in Chattanooga when he met on the
street Jim Sloan, not the Secret Ser
vice sleuth but a scout of the olden
DAYS who saved Mr.. Harris from the
hangman.
The Chattanooga Times tells the
story in this fashion:
Being tried and sentenced to be
hung at daylight the next morning
and then escaping about an hour be-
fore the execution, was the thrilling
experience of J. Shakespeare Harris,
now prominent business man OF
Concord, \. c. Mr.. Harris is one of
the regular attendants at the reun-
ions and there is probably no man
better known in the Army of Vlr-
ginia than he.
During the four years of the war,
Mr.. Harris seldom wore a gray uni
form, although he was of more aid to
the Confederate army than if he had
been a regiment of men. He was
scout for Hampton's command. He
posed during the war until his cap
ture, near the close of the struggle,
as an officer for the Union Army. Be-
ing admitted to the conferences and
having access to the plans and pa
pers, he proved himself a valuable
SPY. At one of the battles in North
Carolina he gave the information as
to the plans of the Union forces to
the commander of the Confederates.
A charge was to be made and during
the night the Southern forces con-
centrated their men. The charge was
made by the Union men supposing
the Confederates to still be asleep.
The first volley from the Confeder-
ates killed 220 of the Northern men.
throwing the regiment into utter con-
fusion and rout. A monument COM
memorating this battle now stands
on the field. During the battle Mr..
Harris remained in the rear in his
Union uniform and directed the bat
tie to the advantage of the Confed-
crates as much as possible.
How He Escaped.
"Near the close of the war, suspi
cion fell upon Mr.. Harris, and one
night by a prearranged plan he was
drugged and intoxicated and he then
admitted the truth. He was tried
with another spy, Jim Sloan, and
sentenced. Shortly after midnight,
Sloan, having small hands, freed
himself of the handouts. He jumped
into the river and swan for mile,
where he found skiff and was safe.
Not deserting his comrade. he went
in this boat into the lines again, and
after breaking the shakes off Har-
ris helped him to make his escape
in the boat.
AT the reunion in Dallas, Mr.. Har-
ris was walking along the street one
day when a very poor horse, hitched
to still worse buggy, came along
the street with one man driving. Har-
ris gave a mere glance at the man
and then went to him and threw his
arms about him and wept for joy.
The man in the buggy was Sloan and
it was the first time they had met
since the close of the war. Mr.. Har-
ris had prospered with an abundance
of fortune and Sloan was practically
penniless. Taking his money out of
his pocket he gave to his rescuer
$50, and then told him he would
give him home and large acreage
of ground for the rest of the mans
life in North Carolina. The offer was
not accepted, however, and now Sloan
and Harris visit each other often and
talk Of the eventful night in 1865.
Mr.. Harris will not talk any Of
his war record to anyone but a few
veterans, where this bit of history
was secured yesterday by Times re-
porter He is still strong and healthy
and is a modest man in every sense.
Pleasant and good-natured, he always
has a crowd around him listening to
the war tales he tells, but never a
word is mentioned about his part in
the struggle. If asked what part he
too, he merely answers he was in
Hamptons division. .'-Charlotte OBJ
server, Friday June 6.