The Washington herald., 1914-09-16
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
September 16, 1S64Rbeeea Wright Young Quaker Schooms
ing Winchester Va Sent Gen. p H. Sheridan Military Information
that Led Him Fight the Winchester on September
cwrltten expressly for The washlngton Heralda

pealed to Sheridan's warm imagination,
and as he turned 1t over in his mind
the thought occurred to him that this
young woman might perform a great
service for the union cause.
Sheridan greatly wanted to known
the strength of Gen. Earlys forces,
which had been represented to him as
greater than his own. In a hostile
country 1t was difficult for his scouts
or spies to obtain reliable information.
The FEDERAL general particularly
wished to confirm a report he had re-
ceiVed to the effect that Gen. Early had
sent back to Richmond a considerable
body of troops under Gen. r. H. Ander-
son. OF Longstreet's corps that had
been sent him by Gen Lee after Sheri-
dams arrival in the valley.
On September Is Sheridan decided to
seek this information from Rebecca
Wright. The means of doing so. with
out compromising the safety of the
girl, was problem that some of Sheri-
dams scouts were able to solve.
Letter Sent by Negro.
Between the Federal and Confederate
lines there lived an aged negro who
held pass from Gen. Early admitting
him to Winchester for the purpose of
peddling vegetables. Sheridan's scouts
had approached the old negro and had
found him loyal. They now proposed to
Gen. Sheridan that the negro be made a
| messenger to convey a letter to Miss
Wright, whom he knew.
The letter was duly written on tissue,
! rolled into a pellet, and this rolled in
tinfoil. 1t was as follows:
Sept. Is, 1854.
learn that you are a loyal lady and
still love the old flag. Can you inform
me of the position of Earlys forces,
and the number of divisions in his
army, and the strength of any or all Of
them, and his probable or reported in
| tentions? Have any more troops ar
rived from Richmond, or are any more
coming, or reported to be coming?
! am, very respectfully, your most
obedient servant, P. H Sheridan.
Maj. Gen. Commanding.
You can trust the bearer.
When given the tinfoil pellet the
negro was instructed to put it in his
mouth, and IL searched at the Confed-
/ crate lines to swallow it. He was not
searched, and on the morning of Sep
tember 1s, appearing at the back door
OF the Wright home, he delivered his
important message, and watched Re-
becca as with trembling fingers she
slowly unrolled the tinfoiL.
Took Mothers Advice.
Agttated and alarmed by the contents
Of the letter, the girl at first knew not
what to do. She had never sought mill
tary information. The strife of war
was repugnant to her religion Yet her
| impulse to help the union was stronger
than creed. She consulted her mother
as to her course, and the good woman
advised her to obey her heart and an
swer the letter IL she would.
At first Rebecca thought she had no
information to impart. Then she re-
membered something a convalescent
Confederate officer had said the night
| before when calling at her house. 1t
was that Longstreet's men had started
back for Richmond and that no more
re-enforcements from Early were ex-
pected.
This she penned on tissue, which she
rolled in the tinfoiL That afterSoon
the old negro called at the house for
the answer. which before midnight was
in Gen. Sheridan's hands.
| Copyright. lslI)