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""SJTjflH V AN INDEPENDENT FAmLY NEWSPAPER. f'JJSK'
Vol. VIII. New Bioomneld, Pa., Tuesday, April 28, 1874. INo. 17.
18 PUBLISHED EVERT TUESDAY MORNIHO, BT
FEANE MOBTIMEE & CO.,
At New Bloomfleld, Terry Co., Ta.
Belnff provided with Rteam Power, and large
Cylinder and Job-Presses, we are prepared
to do all kinds of Job-Printing lu
good style and at Low l'rlces.
ADVERTISING KATES I
TraniUnt 8 Cents per lino for one Insertion
13
15
' two insertion!
"three insertions
Business Notices in Local Column 10 Cents
per line.
.For longer yearly adv'ts terms will be given
upon application.
ADVENTURES OF A SCOUT.
F
OR five years previous to the breaking
out of the war, I was in the employ of
a wholesale house in the East as an agent
to lntroducecertain articles to the attention
of Southern business men, and in this ca
pacity, I traveled over a large portion of
the Southern country. I canvassed Vir
ginia, especially, as close as a missionary
would with his tracts and Bibles. In addi
tion to traveling by rail, I took stage
routes, rode horsoback, and sometimes
trudged along on foot ; and when the re
bellion broke out, I thought myself well
acquainted with almost every gap, moun
tain, turnpike and cross-road in Northern
and Western Virginia.
The advent of civil war ruined my pros
pects as a commercial travelor in the South,
and one day in the fall of 1801, I found my
selfcin the hubbub aud confusion of Wash
ington, short of money, short of hope, and
lacking many of the other qualifications
necessary to mako a man feel contented
with himself aud the world. I was out of
a situation, and was iu Washington to see
what chances there wero' that the great ex
citement would bring mo a job. The
clerical force at the various departments of
government .had been augmented, mer
chants had increased their force of dorks,
bookkeepers, were commanding their own
price, but somehow a whole week slipped
away without my securing a situation.
On e day, as I was wandering up Penn
sylvania Avenue, I ran across an old friend
of mine from New York State, wearing the
eagles of a colonel on bis shoulders. I had
not seen him for two or three years, and the
meeting was a very pleasant one. After wo
bad discussed the subject of food and drink
until neither wanted more, the colonel
shoved his feet over the table in front,
squinted his eye at mo, and bruskly re
marked :
" You are rather greon, you are. A man
who can't make a fortune out of this excite
ment has no bead on him."
" What can I do ?" I responded. " I am
not a colonel, I don't want to be a soldier,
and I don't like the situation offered. Just
you show me the road to fortune, and see
how quick I'll travel it !"
The colonel took several strong pulls at
bis cigar, dove his hands deep into bis
pockets, got bis feet a little higher, and
for two or three minutes was buried in
thought.
" I bavo it 1" he suddenly yclled,drawing
down his logs and jumping from his chair.
" I know who has been looking for you for
a whole week." '
"Who?"
"General McClollan."
"What for?"
" See here, my innocent friend from the
suburbs, don't stop now to ask me idle-
questions. The boats leaves for down river
in twenty minutes. If you have any bag.
gage to get, get it right away. You are
going down on the boat, and after we're
aboard, I'll tell you Just what is to become
of you."
lie did toll me. He was aware of the fact
that I bad travelled extensively in Virginia
and he was going to make a scout of me.
A great part of the army was then strung
out along the Potomac, in a line extending
clear down to Tobacco Point, the river
separating the two forces which were to
grapple with each other in many a bloody
battle during after months and years. The
Confederates were in heavy force around
Leesburg, and opposite this point the
Union forces bad been massed in consider
able strength. With a wide deep river
separating the two armies, there was little
show for a battle, and so the respective
forces wore coutent to exchange occasional
shots, aud to spend tbeir-time In drill and
. practice for the movements which were to
come bvfore the sppefuauce vt winter.
General McClollan, as well as the half
dozen minor generals holding command of
forces stationed along the Maryland shore,
bad been anxious for some time past to gain
something like accurate knowledge of the
force of the enemy in and around Leesburg.
One scout bad been drowned while crossing
the river, another bad been shot by the
Confederates, another captured and sent to
prison, and in one way and another, all at
tempts to ascertain particulars in regard to
the enomy had been failures. One or two
deserters from the Confederates hod esti
mated the number of troops, the number of
earthworks and pieces of artlllery,but their
information was worth littlo. For a full
month before the fatal 21st . of Octobor
which witnessed the fearful slaughter at
Ball's Bluff, McClollan was unceasing in
his attempts to secure such particulars as
he did finally receive, and that caused hiin
to order over the force which was slaught
ered, he acting on the belief that the Con
federates hod no real strength in that vi
cinity. Tho colonel's regiment was stationed at
Conrad's Ferry, above Leesburg, on the
Maryland side, and we finally arrived at his
camp. Before night I was introduced to
Ceneral McClollan, who was passing along
the Bhore on a tour of inspection. Ho ques
tioned me long and closely in regard to my
knowlcdgo of Virginia, and particularly as
to my acquaintance with the country about
Leesburg; aud when he bad been convinced
of my loyalty, he at once engaged my ser
vices at figures which would have boon
princely in any other occupation, where the
employe was reasonably sure of having a
month's life ahead of him. I knew the
hardships and dangers which were a part
of tho duty of a scout, and it was not with
out hesitation that I bound myself to the
adventurous life.
For the next week I was busy preparing
maps and marking out roads for the benefit
of the generals, and several days moro in
making a map for my own guide. However,
I at length received orders to report to Col
onel Devius, who was in command of a few
hundred troops stationed on Harrison's
Island, a bank of sand in mid river, and ex
tending from just below Conrad's Ferry,
down to within a mile of Edward's Ferry.
The troops were a sort of advance picket
to kcop watch of the movements of the ene
my on the Virginia shore, and their princi
pal duties were drilling, and exchanging
harmless shots with the Confederate pick
ets on tho Bluffs opposite. I found the
colonel a quick-spoken man of very plain
speech.
"So you are the new scout, are you?" he
inquired, as I entered his tent and reported
myself.
"Yes sir."
" Well, sir, I want you to cross the river
to-night, count the Confederate force from
the Bluff to Leesburg, and report to me at
daylight. Take your own way of doing it,
but don't bring me anything but reliable
news."
"Very well, sir," I replied, as I backed
out of the tent, but I wanted to ask him
why he didn't order me to go to Richmond
and back in twenty-four hours.
The task assigned me could not be ac
complished by any scout living, but I must
try it.
I spent the afternoon in observing all
that was to be seen on the other shore, cal
culating tho force of the river current, at
tempting to locate the Confederate pickets,
and only commenced my real work after
sundown. It was too long a distance to
swim to the Virginia shore, aud I deter
mined to make tho crossing in a small skiff
which had come into possession of the sol
diers. Tho boat was a frail littlo thing,
probably used by some duck-hunter, and
the only means of propulsion was a rough
paddle. But, any conveyance was safer
than swimming, and. I bad no doubt that
I should make the passage in safety.
Just at dark Colonel Devins pointed out
to me what he thought my route should bo
to ensure a safe landing on the opposite
side, and gave me some further instructions
as to securing the Information which he de
sired. He believed that the actual strength
of the enemy had been greatly over-estima
ted, and he wanted reliable news from
every camp. I know afterwards that bis
theory was to cross a force, if the enomy
were not too strong, drive them back, and
open communication with the Union troops
by way of the Draiusville turnpike, but of
course be gave me no bint of this at the
time.
The night was a starlight one, but yet so
dark that in looking out on the rlvor, I
could not see above thirty foot in advance
to distinguish any object. I did not believe
that anything would be g'iiigd by waiting
for the stillness of midnight, and so, an
hour after it was fully dark, I got into the
boat and shoved off. Tho trip was not to
be a scout, but a spying expedition. I must
enter the Confederate camp, and if dis
covered, would meet with a spy's fate. As
it would make no difference in case I were
arrested, I did not exchange my citizon's
garments for the uniform Of Uncle Sam.
I bad never been over the ground betweon
the Bluff and Leesburg, but I bad a gener
al idea of what it was, and about bow large
an army could encamp on the strip of ter
ritory. The first thing was to make the crossing
and a landing. I wanted to land some
where along the Bluff for two reasons.
First, no pickets would be stationed at the
edge of the water, or so I hoped, and next,
the Bluff being at loast a hundred feet
high, no picket posted in the grove above
could catch a glimpse of me while on the
river or landing. I therefore headed the
skiff directly for the opposite shore, calcu
lating about how far tho current would
drift me down in making the passage. I
had to use the paddle very cautiously, and
therefore made slow progress, but at length
found the shore close ahead of me. Dip
ping the paddle as carefully as an Indian, I
gave tho skiff a jump, and was noarly
knocked overboard by its running on a
rock, the collision producing a sharp gra
ting sound which could be heard many rods
away. The boat had hardly stopped be
fore I heard voices on the Bluff speaking
In excited tones, and knew that I had
given the pickets the alarm. I tried to
shove the boat off, but it was on too hard,
and tho bow laid up so high that any ener
getic movement at tho stern would tip me
overboard. ' So, after tho one effort, I sat
perfectly still, not daring to grasp for the
paddle, which slipped from my hand and
went off down stream. Just where I land
ed, the Bluff was not so steep as at other
spots above and below, and through the
darkness I thought I could make out that
a path which was used by the soldiers in
procuring water ran up tho bill. I hod
scarcely arrived at this conclusion, when
the voices came plainer, and I distinctly
heard footsteps and the rattle of arms.
"No, I'm not mistaken !" exclaimed a
voice, a moment aftor. " I heard the noise
as plain as I hear that drum down there."
" Well, perhaps you did," replied anoth
er voice, as the footsteps came closer,
" but I don't see what could have mado
it."
The next moment I caught sight of two
objects on the path about thirty feet above
mo, and know that a couple of Confeder
ate pickets bad come down to investigate
the cause of the alarm. Looking up, antt
having tho clear sky above them, I could
distinguish the soldiers quite plainly, but
it was an interesting query whether they
could see me.
" Well, now where's the Yankee brigade
which frightened you?" inquired one of
the soldiers, as they both moved down
noarer me.
" I don't see anything, but I won't give
up that I did hear a noise, like drawing
boards over a rock," replied the other, and
thon thoy stood and listened.
I was quite sure that they would not see
mo unless they came closer. The boat was
of durk color, my garments were dark, and
the shore and river must look like one dark
spot to them. I was sitting down on my
foot, a band on either rail of the boat, and
I trembled for foar that I would upset the
frail craft, which seemed to be balanced on
the rock as evenly as a pair of druggist's
scales.
"Are you satisfied now ?" inquired the
doubting one, after they had listened two
full minutes without bearing any sound be
yond the ripple of the waters.
" Yes let's go up," replied the other,
and both turned to go. JuBt at this in
stant there came a crisis. I bad been suf
fering terribly in my back and logs, owing
to my having assumed what might be bet
tor termed a " squatting" position, and my
mind was so relieved when they turned,
that I Involuntarily raised np a little. As
I made the move, the craft went over, and
I was emptied out with a loud splash. The
splash was enough to betray me, but I ad.
ded to the calamity by giving utteranoe to
a loud " Ob-h-h 1" as I went over. I re
alized my peril as fully as any one could,
and the prompt aotion of the next moment
saved my life. The soldiers were greatly
surprised, and perhaps somewhat frighten
ed, shouting and jumping around, as if ex.
pecting that at least a regiment was land'
ing at their feet. As I struggled up from
the water, I jerked the skiff out from shore
and made a long jump with It for deep
water, pushing it ahead of me, A, this
moment the pickets opened fire. Their
balls went over me, around me, splashed
water into my face, and I had no other
idea than that I should got a bullot in my
head. I think each one of them had a re
volver, and folt sure after getting safe away
that they fired every charge they had with
in a minute's time. I was kicking and
splashing to get into deep water, telling
them by the noise where to aim, but I
struck the current after a few plunges, and
bad sense enough to grip the skiff and float
without movement.
Just as I got fairly into the current, half
a dozen other soldiers came rattling down
the path and opened fire, but every one of
their Bhots struck the water beyond me. I
was certain that they oould not Bee me, and
feeling little fright, had only to remain
quiet a short time to make my escape. I
hung a doad weight on the inverted craft,
and soon floated down several reds. The
cuiTont was sluggish so near the Bhore, but
I dared not make a move. In two or three
minutes more the other pickots along the
Bluff got the word, and all commenced
firing until I could see flashes a mile below.
Some fired at the island, some down into
the river, and I heard several drums beat
ing the long roll on both sides of the
stream. No one could see mo, and all the
bullets coming down from the Bluff were
wasted, not one striking within twenty feet
of the skiff. In a little time, by cautiously
working my legs, I got the skiff into the
current, and then headed my course for
the island. The game was up, and I might
as. well go back and report. Having taken
the alarm, and ascertained the fact of my
landing, tho Confederates would not be
caught napping again. My only resource
was to return, and . either seek to cross
further up or down, or wait until another
night for another trial. Pushing the skiff
on before, and drifting down nearly as fast
as I progressed tho other way, a landing
was at last made, but at least a milo and a
half below the camp.
The colonel was not surprised at my want
of success, having seen threo or four pre
vious failures, but was considerably disap
pointed. Ho was nervous, ambitious, and
exceedingly anxious for active operations.
The union army on the Potomao had been
idle for weeks and months, and now that
there was some slight show for a battle in
his vicinity, the colonel, and indoed all
other officers, were impatient of delay.
"How do you fool now?" Inquired the
commander, half an hour after I had re
ported, and soon after I had exchanged my
wet garments for another suit of citizen's
clothing.
"All right I" I responded; for I felt no
bad effects from the trip except an anguish
sensation.
"See hero," he whispered, coming close
up to me ; "I believe you can go over there
and secure the information I want. I won't
ask you to return to-night, or to-morrow,
but hope you will get back to-morrow
night If you will make the trip, I will
give you two hundred dollars from my own
pocket the hour you return."
My failure hod greatly increased the
risks, but of course I told the colonel that
I would make a second attempt, and half
an hour aftor was planning the now trip.
It was pretty certain that I could not land
again that night anywhere along the op
posite Bluff, and I was soon determined
not to make the attempt. There were a
number of large skiffs on tho Maryland
side of the island, used by the soldiers to
cross to the main land, and it was arranged
that the colonel should give - me four sol
diers and a boat. Getting into the skiff
about midnight, the soldiers took the oars,
and the boat was headed np stream. It
was my intention to proceed to a point
above Conrad's Forry, and then take to the
water and make a landing on the Virginia
shore, striking the bank above the begin
ning of the Bluff, and working my way
down through the scrub forest behind it.
The current was stiff, the soldiers unused
to the oars, and it was nearly two o'clock
before we landod. We passed the Ferry
nearly a mile, and hit the bank just where
a small camp of Federals were located. I
explained my mission to the colonel in
command, sent the soldiers back with the
boat, and then began active preparations.
The colonel furnished me with two empty
cracker barrels, and these I lashed side by
side with ropes. I then emptied my pock.
eta, and left with the officers every article
I had except thirty-six dollars in gold, and
a jackknlfe. At last, when all was ready,
I pushed the barrels into the river, waded
In after them until only my head remained
above the water, and with a word of good.
by from the three or four men on the bank,
was off, The river being broad aud deep
at this point, the current was not so strong
and swift. Tho barrels made a fine float,
and by hanging to the ropes, I had only to
keep my logs going to got along at a fair
spcod. A Blight mist was rising from the
water, and it was impossible for mo to see
more than a rod in any direction. I did
not attempt to hold my course against the
current, but headed the barrels in a direc
tion which made progress easy, and which
I believed would land me something like a
mile above the Bluff.
It seemed to me that I was a full hour in
making the crossing, and when my feet at
last touched bottom, and I cautiously waded
to the grassy bank, I was shaking like one
with an attack of the Indiana ague. A rail
fonce ran along the river bank just beside
mo, and after a time I climbed up on this
and took a long look in every direction. I
could see further here than on the river,but
my eyes were not able to discern any signs,
of the Confederate encampments. This fact
argued well for a successful result to my ex
pedition. I took off all my garments and
gave them a wring to clear them from wa
ter, and when I had donned them again,
still fooling cold, I held a boxing-match
with an imaginary antagonist for . about
five minutes, the exercise thoroughly warm
ing me up. Just as I got through, I heard
the reports of several muskets half a mile
below on the Bluffs, which wero answered
by the Massachusetts pickets on the island,
and then I knew my location bettor.
What Colonel Devins most wantod was
information concerning the force of the en
emy opposite the centre of the island, just
whore the Union forces contemplated a
crossing and a battle. To secure this in
formation, I must work along down the
river through the woods. Just how I was
to enter the Confederate camp and secure
license to perambulate among the mon and
fortifications, I could not tell ; but,knowing
that I could not secure any news by re
maining where I was, I leaped over the
fonce and began advancing through the
field. After a short walk, I struck tho
Bluff, . and then made a " right oblique"
movement and got into the woods. The
colonel had told me before starting, that
the ground back of tho Bluff, opposite tho
centre of the island, was clear of trees for
the space of seven or eight acres, and that
hero I would find earthworks., lie believed
that no force of account was encamped
above the clearing, but that the great ma
jority of the Confederate camp was between
the clearing and Leesburg. Remembering
these suggestions, I made my way through
the trees with the intention of striking the
clearing, trylug in vain to form some sort
of programme as I walked along.
After progressing about half a mile, just
as I bad leaped over a log lying across my
course, some one sung out "Haiti" in a
loud voice, and I heard the click t click I of
an army musket. Knowing that I had en
countered a Confederate picket, I sank
down, crawled back over the log, and laid
quiet, waiting for further developments. I
had not long to wait. The picket shouted
to know who was advanoing, and threat
ened to fire if be did not receive a reply to
his challenge. After a moment, his loud
tones attracted the attention of some of
his comrades, and three or four advanced
towards me. I dared not rise up, and
knew that any movement would betray my
presence. I therefore hugged the ground
closely, and directly heard their voices close
at hand on the other side of the log.
"What did the noise sound like?" in
quired one of tho men, as the group
baited.
" Just like some one falling down on a
brush heap," replied the picket. " I didn't
see any one, but I'll bet it was a man !"
The next three minutes were passed in
listening, but I made no movement, even
holding in my breath that they should not
discover me. They came close to tho log,
one of the soldiers dropped the butt of his
musket down on it within fifteen feet of my
head, and remarked ;
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.
A Watch that has Cost $16,000.'
W. H. Gray, of Taunton, has a gold
watch that his grandfather, Capt. Wanton
Howland, of Dartmouth, bought in Liver
pool for 60 guineas, 70 years ago, when he
was 21 years old, aud, having carried it for
65 years, bequeathed it to its presont pos
sessor. The watch is still a good time
keeper, and Mr. Gray has a standing
offor of $500 for it. Reckoning at six per
cent., compound interest, for the invest
ment to the present titno, the watch has
cost about f 16,000.
tW Young ladios are now creating arti
ficial dimples by sacrificing their four mo.
! lurs,