Year: 1867

| '--


speak in the first person, preserving his


language as nearly as possible.


| don't know exactly what it was that


gave General Custar so much conf.


dence ip me, l have always thought


the Colonel had something to do with it,


for he used to seud me out every time


with the skirmlshers for some reason or


other. The Sergeant Major always mems


toned my name to the Captain u"til the


boys repeated the WORDS for a joke


private Bartlett and nine men from


company c. One day, shortly after


Sheridan took command in the valley,


an order came down detailing me for


special duty at Custar's headquarters. l


went. and found that was to be scout


for the commando go and come when l


pleased outside or inside the picket. visit


the people of the country and pick up


information whenever ] could. It was


exactly the life that suited me, and I went


to work with a will, There was a kind


of freedom in it that pleased me after


living three years in the ranks, and l


don't think General Cuslar had any rea-


son to complain that was not active


enough. / was ia the saddle pretty


much all the time, scouting between the


lines, and had some escapes aud adveu-


lures which ! would like to tell you of
some other time. was we'll mounted,
armed with carbine and two revolvers,
and sometimes carried an old confede-
rate uniform wrapped up IN my blue
overcoat, strapped to my saddle. Some.
times 1 would ride out in the night,
change my dress, palm myself off for
rebel at the planters house, and learn
whatever could without exciting sus,
picion.


One night I fell in with two rebel
cavalrymen, at the house situated be-
tween the lines. The men Of the house
had plenty of applcjack, and l stayed
with them half the night, worming ont
of them all they knew about Early's
army, and pretending to drink every
time they did, until they both rolled un.
der the table, and then | rode back to
our lines, leading off both their horses,
reported to the General, and both the
Johnnies were safe in the hands OF our
Provost Marshal before morning But
| think that adventure | had with the
rebels on the morning of the Cedar
Creek fight, and for "A week before it, a.
bout as curious as any of them. think
it was about the twelfth of October that
l went out on scout towards Stras-
burg. Our army lay at that time, you
about three miles this side of
the town, and the enemy somewhere
near Woodstock, beyond Fishers Hill.
went out in the night and had two
other men along with me--something
which l did not usually do, but which
luckily happened so this time. 1t was
hardly dusk yet when we rode into
Strasburg, and as we rode down the
street at brisk gallop, l saw boy run
'ut in hurry from honse, unite two
iorses, and lead them around to shed
,ack Of the house. l understood the
hing at once, although l did not sup-
rose that any OF the rebel scouts would
De fool hardy enough to be caught so
lear our lines insthat shape. But l knew
hat dozens of the gl'ls in all the valley
owns had lovers in Earlys army, and
ny experience showed me that they
'ften ran great hazards to visit them
oil concluded at once that there were
wo of the Johnnies in that house. I
ent one Of my comrades around to look
tter the horses, left another in charge
# ours at the door, and dismounted my ,
elf and walked in without knocking.
uppose we made noise enough to alarm
ur vctoms, Tor as l walked across tho
all I heard shuflng and bustling
bout, and when opened the door of ,
he first room, there were only two girls, ;
nd handsome ones, too, sitting quietly
y the table, knitting stockings. They ,
ooked rather frightened though. ,


took off my cap and made one OF
ny awkward bows.


Excuse me ladies'. I said, but came