Bridgeton pioneer., 1915-02-04

told them that there tile feeling wa
divided. there being many southern
Eympathizers.
Having made up my mind that there
was no hope of the southern people
accepting any terms that the Federal
government would offer, I left nv
boarding house, giving out that was
going to my home, a plantation on the
James river. intending to go there with
view to striking Fortress Monroe. in
possession of the United States forces.
From there | could easily proceed
north by sea in a government trans
port.
| succeeded in finding a steamboat
carrying freight that was going down
the river from Richmond as far as the
boat could proceed without encounter.
ing any Federal force. took passage
OH her. finding few other passengers.
1t was on this boat that | received my
first and only scare. Up to this time
no one | had met seemed to have the
slightest suspicion of my sex. Being
suspected was not the cause of nv
trouble on the boat. but that was too
attractive to a man.
On the guard as we left Richmond.
standing near me. was young fellow.
a typical sOutherner. who from his
glances | judged was quite struck with
my appearance. When / went into
the cabin he followed me and in order
to scrape an acquaintance offered me
some books to read. Thinking that II
might be more dangerous to repulse
him than to accept his attentions, |
accepted a novel and i'll order to get
rid of further devotion pretended to be
absorbed in it. This did not serve.
for, though he was considerate, defer
ential and all that. he insisted in tax
ing advantage of every opportunity to
converse with me. Finally concluded
to favor him and permitted him to do
SO. Since he seemed to be smitten
with me, there was surely no reason
to fear that he would suspect me of
being a man and my true errand. At
last. remarking that the air in the cab
in was sitting, he insisted on my going
out on the guard with him.
We sat together, passing along the
yellow stream, with its banks nearly
as bare as when the settlement of
jamestown found the peninsula will
derness. My companion at first said
he was opposed to secession. but Oh
my asserting that any man who did
not stand by the south was traitor to
his country he veered around and ad-
mitted that he was in the Confederate
service. To draw him out l pretended
not to believe his last statement, and
he confessed that he was a lieutenant
in Virginia regiment.
Then why are you not in uniform?'
/ asked, with feigned suspicion of the
truth of his statement.
i This was too much for him. He
confessed that he was going to Fortress
Monroe on secret service He was the
bearer of dispatches to prominent
southern sympathizers in the north
and intended sailing ON any vessel he
could find to take him there.
This confirmed Mr.. Pinkertons story
that the routes between the north and
south were full of Confederate spies
| was seized with the fear that one OF
them had suspected me and had made
my acquaintance with view to trap
| ping me. ! nerved myself to an effort
| and gave every evidence of my appre-
| citation of one who was about to risk SO
| much for the Confederate cause.
1t was hard for me to believe that
| one bent on such an errand would thus
| give himself away to stranger, yet.
| on the other hand. he was still in Con
! federate territory talking to one who
| professed to be wrapped up in the sue
| cess of the south. At any rate, |
should soon know whether he was de-
ceived by me or was playing a game
| to trap me.
thought it best to leave the boat at
landing some distance above the end
of her route. | babe my friend good
by with my best wishes for his sue
cess and. going ashore. hired a man
to drive me in his buggy toward the
point | wished to reach. In one way
or another l got as far as a Federal
outpost and asked to be taken to the
| commander.
l had kept sewed up in my clothing
an order, signed "a. Lincoln" to all
in the Federal service to give me aid
and comfort and showed it to the gen,
eral commanding. was at once pro-
vided with mans clothing. and an ord
nance officer furnished me with a re
volver. l wished this weapon in case
/ should meet my admirer with whom
l had Travelled. did not wish to give
him away, but l wanted to get the dis
patches he carried. so l could give
them to President Lincoln. had not
been at the fort two hours before /
saw the young man passing across the
parade. | approached and accosted
him. He did not recognize me at once
but as soon as it broke in upon his
brain that he had given himself away
to man thinking him to be a girl he
turned ghastly pale.
Don't fear anything for yourself"
l said, 81 have just come off the same
boat with you in more respects than