JUL it 4 i j ie",VA- Iff i I1L!1 Of II A II 31 III '41 It I hi IE"9'rrc?r''"j AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER; . WJS.1S' Vol. VII. , New Bloomfiold, 3Pa., Tuesday, &optcmlei- 23, 1873. . TXo. 38. fet gloomfitlb fimts. IS PUBLISHED EVERT TUESDAY MORNING, BT - PRANK MORTIMER & CO., At Now liloomfleld, Perry Co., Pa. Being provided with fiteam Power,' and large Cylinder "d Joh-Presws, we are prepared to do all kinds of Job-l'rlntlng lu good style and at Low Trices. 'ADVERTISING RATES I ' ' TrantimtH Cents per lino for one insertion 13 " " two insertions 15 "three Insertions Business Notices In Local Column 10 Cents per line. For longer yearly adv'ts terras will be given upon application. . . THE SCOUT'S ADVENTURES. A' BOUT tlie middle of April I recoived orders to report at the front. I Lad been working at the headquarters of anoth er division, further caBt, and was glad of the order to Bond me up the Rapidan, the more so as I received a hint that a scout had been planned for mo. Reporting at Stevensburg, or in the Federal camp oppo site, I was turned over to two scouts who bad served several months with the gener al, and told to secure from them such in formation as I desired in regard to the country south of us. When I came to think the matter over, I found that they could only aid me in one way ; which was to give me some idea of the Confederate force in Stevensburg, and along the road, jleading past Pony Mountain, and thence running southwest, or nearly so, to Old Tavern, Mine Run, etc., points celebrated after wards as hotly contested battlefields. I had .traveled the road once, had bceu at Cbanoellorsvillo, Old Tavern, and other points on the pikes, and only wanted . to know what was required of roe by the gen eral, and something of the forco of troops around Pony Mountain and at points be yond. ' I was told by one of the scouts, who had crossed the ford, passed the mountain, and been five miles beyond, that the enemy was in heavy force along the road, as it seemed the idea of the Confederate commander that the Federal troops, on the opening of the campaign, would force the ford, and endeavor to advance toward Old Tavern by the regular route. The general informed mo that I was to cross, enter Stevensburg, and not return until I was thoroughly competent to re port the strength of the enemy guarding tho road between the town and Old Tav ern, making the longest aud most danger ous expedition which I had ever under taken. It was not to be a scout, for scouts seldom entor the enemy's camp, but a reg ular spy expedition, where I muBt con stantly carry my life in my hand, the road being lined by Lee's troops in winter quar ters. While -acting as scout and spy in the army I always made it a rule never to un dertake an expedition without first count ing all the chances for and against me ; and after I bad canvassed the prospects of this 0110 I came to the conclusion that I would . bo arrested, tried, convicted and hung as a spy within twenty-four hours after crossing the river. However, I was there to obey, and the chances being against me made no difference with the general. lie wanted information, and I do not suppose that the news of my death while trying to obtain It for him, would have occupied his mind more than five minutes by the clock. This is not intend ed as a reflection on the humanity of tho army generals, for they had no such fool lug ; at least that is my experience. Many a private soldier forgot that there was such a word, and mado war and Its ghastly attendant horrors his sole study ; and as for commanders, a soft heart would have resulted in a court martial for neglect of duty. However, I gave no thought, after my resolution was taken, to what might bapien, and on the afternoon of a certain Wednesday had recoived all the instruc tions which the general saw fit to give. He had some idea of the route and Its dangers, aud did not add that I was to make the journey with the speed which might be expected of au express train. " You will cross the river as you choose, plan as you see At, go as fast or as slow as you like, and come back, if possible, within a week." ' Such were his words as he waved me out, and there was no need of more. I had tli ice hours of daylight left, and these I used in making my final arrangements. I learned from the pickets at the river as near as could be the location of the Con federate pickets opposite, and how deep the water was on the ford, and this was all I wanted of them. I then gave my revol vers a thorough overhauling, brought out and put a keen edge on a fine knife which had been presented i me a few days before, and my war preparations were complete, I next brought out my boots, a pair which I had "constructed" to order in Wash ington. The heels wore made to screw on, the soles could be sprung open to admit a paper, there were pockots in each boot-leg, and, altogether, the boots were "wonderfully and fearfully made," and had stood me more than one good turn. I gave them a thorough greasing, drew them on, and then thore was only one more preparation. 1 wanted the uniform of a Confederate officer. Of course, any reader will understand that I could not have moved about in the Confederate camps lit' a Federal uniform, and I would not be hung any quicker if ' caught playing Con federate than I would if arrested in plain clothes. As I said before, it was to be all spy and no scout. A few days before a Confederate lieuten ant of infantry had been captured by somo Yankee raiders, and was then in camp, waiting to be forwarded to Washington. Ho was in full uniform, as well as in a now one, and I was conducted to his quar ters. Ho had rofused a parolo, and was confined as closely as any of bis men would have been. Being admitted to his pres ence, I prevailed upon him to exchange his uniform for a suit of blue. Ho murmured considerable at being forced to don gar ments so entirely misrepresenting his sen timents, but, as the alternative was no suit at all, he made the exchange like a sensi ble fellow, and I walked out of the hut a Confederate officer. I never saw the gen tleman afterwards, of bad a chance to beg his forgiveness, and so I do it here, desir ing him to understand that the suit came as near causing my death as he could have hoped for, and that I bear him no ill-will for the epithet which he hurled after mo ! as I went out and left him trying to solve the question as to what us'e he could make of the extra two feet of pant legs with which he was provided. . If that particular pair of pants were two feet too long, Uncle Sam had thousands of other pants two feet too short. , The pickets at the river were of the opin ion that I could not cross at the ford, ow ing to the vigilance always exercised at that point by the enemy. There had been a lively rainstorm a day or two previous, swelling the Rapidan until I should have to swim for it, and so it mattered very little whero I crossed as far as the getting over was concerned, naif a mile below tho ford the banks were high and covered with brush, aud taking a . last observation just at dark, I made up my mind to shun the ford, aud risk my chance below. By land ing on the south bank, anywhere below the ford, I would not find the pickets at the water's edge, and would have a little time to recover myself after the cold swim. The night came on all that could be de sired. There wus half a gale blowing, tho sky was covered with black olouds, the air was damp and full of mist, and one could not see a white tent over three rods away. It was just such a night as 1 wanted, and an hour after dark I was on the bank ready to cross. One of the scouts and the general's orderly were with me to assist me in my arrangements, but there was lit tle to do. All I wanted was something to float me as an aid in crossing tho river, and this we had brought along, in the shape of two wldo boards made fast to gether, forming a raft about seven feet long and four feet wide. The water was cold as ice, and I could not dip my hand into the stream without a shiver. How ever, I removed my uniform, rolled it up in a tight bundle, bad the scout lash it to the top of my bead, and in a few minutes was ready to take to tho water. " You will be back before morning, be cause you can't even get Into Stevensburg," remarked the scout, as I stepped Into tho water. " If you are not back, we'll know that you woro captured and put through." Tho good-by did not warm the water any, for the first moment after I pushed off, I thought I should speedily freeze. My legs were so numb that I could hardly move them at lirst, bnt I got a little used to the sensation before I bad drifted far down, and headed my float diagonally across the stream. It was the coldest job I over had, reaching the other bank, and if it bad not been fur my float I should have gone down like a bag of saud. As it was, J kept my head and shoulders above water, gripped the boards tightly, aud floating and swimming, at last bumped the south bauk. When I went to raise myself up I was so chilled that I could not stand, and had to crawl from the water and up tho bank on all fours. Had there been a picket on the bank, I should have been captured then and there, for I could not but help cry out as my knees camo in contact with the sharp stones. However, I got over the bank, crawled under a small tree, and in a few minutes had donned my clothing. Quite sure that there was no one in the im mediate vicinity, I danced up and down until my blood got to circulating again, and then was ready to move forward. The reader will have noted that I meant to play the role of a Confederate officer. Knowing that I might be asked the loca tion of , my regiment, and for what reason I was travelling around, I had writton my self tho following pass : , . i . . .'.' . - "April 10th, 1864. "Pass George M. Chapin, 1st Lieutenant Co. B., 10th Virginia Infantry, to Rich mond and return. Good for thirty days. Lieutenant Chapin is hereby assigned to duty iu the Quartermaster's Department at the , headquarters of Goneral Long street's division, and will report at the ex piration of his leave of absence." I bad seen the signature of General Leo several times, aud I put his " fist" to the document with a grand flourish. I had also taken care to write the pass in a cramped hand, so that I was hardly able to read it myself when finished. Of course the document was informal, and drawn up altogether unlike a regular furlough or leave of absence, but I dopended almost altogother on the influence which the sig nature would have with pickets, sentinels, or any one else who had authority to de mand my document. On a similar pass, signed by Goneral Grant, I oould have made the round of the Union array, and passed every picket. Much more would depend upon my conduct than the sight of the pass. ; , I was ready at last to proceed on my way, and stepped off in the darkness toward the town. . I knew that the village was held by a strong force, there to guard the ford, but I plodded along with the step of a soldier safe within his own lines, and soon entered tho eastern outskirts of the village, without having encountorcd a sin gle person, as (here were no pickets Out in that direction, or I was lucky enough to pass them, if any were there. Getting into tho town, I found plenty of soldiers and civilians abroad. The hotel was full of men, thore was a saloon or two whero sol diers were drinking, and I ran across them at every point. Passing by the hotel two or three times, and seeing that the bar room was crowded, and hearing the men talking in loud tones, as if arguing some matter, I concluded to go in. There was nothing hazardous in the project, for it was not likely that any one would give me particular notice so long as I was a listener and not a disputant. Waiting near the door until I saw two soldiers about to pass in, I joined them, and we all went in to gether. The room was full of tobacco smoke, nearly every one was drinking, and I took a seat by the stove, without attract ing any notice. "The war" was the topio of conversa tion with every one. Some believed that peace would soon come, others that the South was getting badly worsted, and must quickly submit, and some of the disputants displayed considerable temper. A little ragged darkey stood near me, and I sent him to the bar for some cigars. When he returned I offered one to a sergeant of cavalry who sat next to me, aud after we had commenced smoking a conversation began. He addressed me as "Lieuten ant," and bad not the least suspicion that I was other than a Confederate officer. However, my face was new to him, and he presently inquired " You are from up the road, are you not ? I do not remembor of having seen you down here before." "Yes," I replied, "my regiment is in quarters near Old Tavern, and I am on a furlough. Do the Yanks over the river bother you much this winter ?" " Not much, but we look for lively times next month. It seomi to be generally un derstood that Grant will try to go to Rich mond by this route when tho campaign opens, aud if you have just come down the road, you saw what preparations have been mado to defend the route. I was up at Mine Ruu a few days ago on furlough, and I think the Yankees will have hot work when they come this way." It was evident that the Confederates realized the necessity of holding every foot of the road, and tho sergeant's talk led me to believe thut It was being forti fied, and tho number of defenders increas ed. He told me tho strength of the forco in Stevensburg, the location of various corps, tho number of troops in the im mediate vicinity, the number of batteries, and during our hour's conversation I gained much valuable information from him. He had said that he must return to camp, and all tho commissioned officers bad left the hotel, when two half-drunken soldiers got into a hot dispute about the battle of Sharpsburg, and one of them ap plied to me to decide if the battle was not a victory for the Confederates. I re plied that the fight had always been con sidered a "draw," when he immediately blustered up and shouted : . . "Who in are you? I never saw you before !" . " I don't want you to talk that way . to me, sir 1" I replied, rising up, and looking at him in a threatening way. "You don't, eh?" he replied, being just drunk enough not to care what he said or did. " Well, I will talk that way, and I should like to see you stop mo !" " If you repeat your words I will have you arrested and court-martialed I" I ex claimed, looking around as if about to carry my threat into execution. "No you don't I" he replied, throwing off his overcoat, and getting nods of en couragement from half a score of his com panions. " You don't belong here and I don't know as you are a lieutenant, at all ! I'd as quick believe you to be a Yankee spy !" It needod only this declaration to set nearly every one in the room against me. While the man had no reason to believe me a spy, and did not utter his words from any such belief, the rank and file of the army always had a certain antipathy for officers, arising, perhaps, from jealousy, and the men in tho room hoped to sco a fisticuff fight betweeu us two. " That's it, Tom ! Go for him 1 Smash his noso ! ne's a Yankee 1" were ex pressions heard all around tho room ; and I saw that serious trouble was coming. " The men are drunk, lieutenant," whis pered the sergeant, " and that follow is going to make you trouble. Back iuto the corner, and I'll stand by you 1" Ho drew his sabre, I drew out my " Colt," and we retreated until it was not possiblo to attack us except iu front. The movement put every man in the room against us. Some had guns, some sabres, and nearly all bad revolvers, and the wea pons came out with haste. Holding a heavy sabre in his hand, "Tom" . headed tho crowd now advancing aoross the room, and a row seemed imminout. " Tom Ferguson, you'd better look out!" warned the sergeant, as their sabres were about to cross. " It will be doath to you and all the rest if you strike the lieuten ant 1" The words were timely, and the men no sooner realized their force than they ceased to crowd forward, and there was a chance for a parley. Seeing an opening, I was not long in taking advantage of it by saying : " As for this man, 1 shall have him ar rested and court-martialed. The rest of you are not so much to blame ; and if any of you behove that I am a Yankee spy, as ho bos assorted, here is the proof to the contrary." I put up my revolver, brought out the pass having the signature of " Uuclo Rob ert," handed it to the nearest mau, aud iu two minutes they had mo at tho bar drink ing,aud were nearly crowding me on top of it. Not one of them doubted the genuine ness of the signature, but all saw that I must be In good standing to be able to se cure a pass directly from General Lee. AU was excitoment for the next fifteou min utes, and not until I would agree to forgive and forget, would they lot mo go. Just as we wore getting roady to leave a soldier came in with the information that the man Tom Ferguson, who had caused all the trouble, had boon shot. Fearing that I would carry out my threat to have him court-martialed, he had sneaked out of the hotel, mado for the ford, and was shot by the Confederate pickets while in the act of desortlug to tlie Um'ou linos, When the meu had all loft I bad a short conversation with the landlord, who claim ed to be my friend all the way through the trouble, and then I was tucked away for the night In one of his best rooms. I had made my debut, had passed an "examin ation," aud, as I could see little of Stevens burg during a dark night, I hod made up my mind to have a rest, aud to prosecute my observations by daylight. For expe rience had convinced me that a bold " brassy" course was the best course for a a spy iu the enemy's camp. After a round sleep and a fair breakfast, I went out upon the street, informing the urbane landlord that he might expect me back to dinner. I intended to make a thorough examination of the town, and to do it openly. Tho main thing was to see what works had been thrown up along the river. Sauntering down the main streot, I pres ently came in sight of several earthworks mounting guns, and noticed a line of breastworks and a number of rifle-pits. Walking close down to the ford I was en tirely away from cover, when a bullet from a Yankee musket came singing close to my ears, and a soldier' shouted to me to jump behind the breastwork. ' "You must be new here, lieutenant," he remarked, as I sought cover. " Why, it's a great wondor that you did not get a bullet in your body." I explained to him that I had recently arrived at Stevensburg, and was not aware of the danger I ran in approaching the ford. The gun from across the river pro voked a return fire, and for half an bout the pickets wasted their ammunition in attempting to do each other injury. Dur iug the firing a lioutonant-colonol came along down behind the defences, and com-, ing over he shook hands with me and be- gan a conversation. Ho' asked after my -regiment, division, commanders, etc., and I thought I had answered all his questions, satisfactorily, when ho suddenly turned, upon me and remarked : "There's nothing strange in your bofag granted a furlough or being assigned to other duties ; but our location here, right in the face of the enemy, compels us to carefully scan such faces as we do not know. I suppose you have your document with you ?" ' k "Certainly I have,'? I replied, lugging out my pocket-book, and preparing to open the paper. " . " No, lieutenant, beg pardon ; I da not mean to question your word. Of course you are all right ; and I hope you will have a pleasant visit to your friends, and find your new position all that you hope for." , I had mentioned to him in our conver sation that I was going to Richmond, had been transferred to the Quartermaster's Department, and that I had many friends iu Richmond. The alacrity displayed in producing my document seemed to disarm his suspicions, and he invited me to lunch with him at his tout at 2 o'clock. After promising to be there on time, I explained to him that I was looking around to grat ify my curiosity, and resumed my stroll, taking mental notes of all I saw. Tho place was very well defended, and it was certain that the Confederates, who had much advantage in the make of the ground, could hold the ford against superior num bers. A large force of men were then busy adding to tho defences, aud with several soldiers with whom I conversed I found that they were every day expecting that tho Union force opposite would make an aggressive movement. It was noon when I hod completed my examinations, and I returned to the hotel for dinner, calculating to leave tho town directly after and proceed up tho road. There were very few people about tho hotel, and no one seemed to give me any thought. While eating, I found that some of my notes were slipping from my mem ory, and so I wont to my room to write them down. Procuring paper, I made a drawing of some of the defences, jotted down all that the goneral would care to know, and then folded np the paper and prepared to seorete it. I had unscrewed the heel of my left boot, deposited the paper in the cavity, and was about to af fix the heel again, when I caught a sido glance of some one at the doer. Concluded next week. 1 Durability of Diffcreit Woods. Experiments have been lately made by driving sticks mado of different woods, each two feet long, and one end one-half inch square, into the ground, only one-half inch projecting outward. It was found that in five years all those made of ck, ' elm, ash, fir, soft mahogany, and b rly every variety of pine, were totally rotten. Larch, hard pine and teak wood were de oayed on the outside only, while acacia, with the exception of being slightly at tacked on the exterior, was sound. Hard mahogany and cedar ot Lebanon were In tolerably good condition j but only Virginia" cedar was found as good as when put in the ground. tW Lovo matches are ofton formed by people who pay for a month of honey with a life ot vinegar.