Year: 1874

sack, ulleu nearly luli VI oilNolOpoS, VIII
ting paper, inkstands, and other articles of
stationery, and the conclusion was that he
was one of the peddlers who were to be
met within every camp Of both armies.
The goods were just what wanted. In
moment 1 abandoned my idea of playing
the role of farmer, and determined to be-
come camp peddler. If stole the fell
lows stock, as l intended, l must get out
of the vicinity before he woke up. Securing
the haversack, rose up, mumbled some
thing about the chilliness of the morning,
to satisfy the sentinel, and started through
the grove down along the Bluff. Keeping
close to the edge of the Bluff, walked
along half a mile without observing any
Notifications whatever, although there
were plenty of soldiers all the way. This
convinced me that Colonel Devins was
in error about the earthworls, and jotted
it down in my memory as one point of use
full information acquired. There were bat
teries of light artillery parked here and
there, but nothing formidable. The Bluffs
were so high and steep that the Confeder-
ates were reasonable in supposing that no
Federal force would ever attempt cross
ing. Had they thrown up earthworks, the
guns could not have been trained to bear
upon foe crossing the river. The force
along the Bluff was very weak, but as it
grew to be broad day, saw that quite a
respectable army was encamped along the
base of Little Kittoctan Mountain, which
is a range shooting out from the larger
mountain, running from northeast to
southwest, behind Leesburg. This range,
which has creek running along its north
ern base, called Snipe Greek, hid Leesburg
and the ground to the south from my view,
so that had no means of knowing the
force beyond.


AS strolled along through the camps,
came upon two men carrying a camp-kettle
full of water from spring to fire, they
having been detailed to cook breakfast
They wanted to know what had for sale,
and on being told, expressed regret that
they had no money. / was hungry, and
wanted a chance TO "pump'' some one, and
so informed them that would give them a
dozen sheets of note-p paper for breakfast.
This they readily agreed to. Proceeding to
the camp, / counted out the paper, and
then sat down in tent to await the meal.
The soldiers were just crawling out, and
soon had score around me, most of whom
made some purchase.


"Tve good mind to turn soldier, too,"
| remarked to one of the men, as we sat
eating. "It's all pay and no work"


added the last words with hope that
if any earthworks had been erected, he
would complain of having to labor with
spade and barrow; but he replied that ne
did not fancy soldering, and wished the
war over. He then turned querist himself,
and asked


"Come from Leesburg, did youP Well,
I s'pose they're getting heap of soldiers
together over the range9 heard that
there were ten thousand there the other
day."


This.was just what was after. Any
force of soldiers at Leesburg could be NOV
ed to any point along the Bluffs in quick
time. was just about to reply to his in
terogation, when looked up through the
camp and caught sight of the man whom ]
had stolen the hayersack from. knew
him, because he had on ragged suit, and
/ had noticed, when l stole the haversack,
that my sleeping victim had long hair and
heavy chin whiskers, just as this man had
Besides, he was stopping at the tents, as il
making inquiries. He was not over ter
rods away, and bearing directly down upon
me- Flinging another bunch Of envelopes
to my entertainers, and telling them that
was in great hurry, crawled out through
the back end Of the tent, and hastened of
at lively gait. A few minutes after
hearing some one shouting behind me-
I ran back behind one tent, in front Of
another, turned around third, and dove
straight into a fourth, knocking the cardl
from the hands Of four soldiers who were
having game of euchre.


"Excuse me, gentlemen-I fell over the
ropes. have some paper and envelopes
here, which / will sell dog cheap"


l put in this before the soldiers had re
covered from their astonishment, and the
words entirely disarmed their Indignation
Just as opened the haversack, heard
some one running by, and congratulated
myself ON having escaped my pursuer
The soldiers must have thought me dealing
in "dog cheap" stationery, for l gav'