SHE HAD THEM.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 148, 25 June 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

SHE HAD THEM.

How a Union Woman Captured a Squad a \

of Confederate Stragglers.

Dxtrisg the retreat of Lee's army fromrrtha j field,of Gettysburg to ■ the Potomac a greab • effort was made by the officers to«preyentoi straggling, but it would have requjire'dj aa,i ofiicer to a man to have carried? out the j programme successfully. We i had ■ beeal beaten and felt discouraged and" reckless. .■ We were on short rations, theweatner was ■ dismal and the rank and file were in no mood ■■ to be nagged by strict'discipline. ~ lvri i

The command' to which I .belonged' left Gettysburg about710. p^m.", and for the firsij"; three or four hours the'nieh!were kept well', in hand under the imp'fessiori that to were j only changing position'sto secure an advain-,' tage over the Federals. * As daylight broke; and we realised we were on .the wiy home i squads and individuals broke away at everyopportunity to forage for a- breakfast.1 lln company with two private soldiers belonging to my-company I'slipped away from'the' column about sunrise, arid, while 'a black-^ looking thunderstorm seemed close afrhMd,' we bolted into a piece of wood by the road- • side and then struck for a highway runnineji at right > angles,1 and-ons which we'^pbula'J make out; three or four farmhouses.^:*Wq ' selected the. first or-nearest, and>:;as'~wa ' entered the gate a woman' opened {the" door \ and stood waiting for us to approach:' !)Sha : knew we were Confederates, and asked many questions concerning'theibattle arid'did-nob attempt to conceal the fact that she was a thoroug-h Uiiionist -and an ardent -hater of Jeff Davis. ■">'' '"7-.".'-'':u:. •-:.;• ■• !'.!; .hayrij .

" Nevertheless," she added, as she-turned togo in, ■ "you men-are not altogether %j blame; and you shall have a bite to;eafc:as soon as I can get it." ' : ;' <J nrnn , > We went around to the backdoor, laid aside ■ our guns and accoutrements, "arid * had a good wash up in a rain barrel. • ' Then we sat down on the grass to wait for brealk- ■ fast, the odour of AVhich cameoufc t'b life. ! But for the suggestion'of one of my^cdih- ' rades -everything would have gone well. ' Not far from usl was a- stone smokehousp, ' and through the partly open door we could • see pieces of; meat hanging from the rafters. ■> He suggested that >we further investigate,."; with: a ; view or" gobbling" sonic ofI'the meat as we left, and'we got up and wStifc straight to the' houses and' entered^ it. There were two hams and two side rjieces hanging up, and at the back 'end of 'the building, which was about<l2ix 12, was :a ' barrel hlled withhold carpet, oii^the'tpp'of-, .which was a setting hen.: As we> came'near she began to exhibit the usual characterls- : tics, and wer were having considerable .^fuh at her expense," when the: door-was "closed witha bang, and w6"heard the" rattle of^a chain and,padlock. It:was'a clbse,; dark : place, and it AVas-a minute or«two before we reached: the !dooi- and understood7 the situation.:! We :began to' kick 'and' j shout, and presently the woman?s voice replied :' •' i " It's no use trying .to get out !> Youare my • prisoners, "and kicking ..won't doj any ■< good!" ' .'•-■-. ?„ , How nice and soft we talked to her; but' it was no go. «Thei^ we swore and blus- ' tered, but she only laughed at us.*" ■ After a ' while she passed us some bread aiid/biitter ' through one of the yeritilators,' followed by • a cupful of water, andi tlierei.we remained all day;iaU-highb andiuptoreigljteo'dook i next: day, • when wenw'ere: turned oVer1 ta'tHe < UnioncaYalry.-,<i:Detr6iiiiFr6ei^^;» ds;|■