Chapter XXVI: An Adventure in the Confederate Capital

After the battle of Fair Oaks, the Union army moved forward from a quarter to three-quarters of a mile and there entrenched itself in the position it occupied very nearly during the whole of the siege of Richmond. The army was divided into five corps, three upon the Richmond side of the Chickahominy River and two upon the other--one of the latter afterwards crossing to join the other three. The entrenchments were very strong, the nearest being within five miles of the heart of the Confederate capital, and the line of the besiegers was about four miles long, with guards at either end reaching out still farther.

But if the entrenchments of the Union army were strong, so were those of the Southerners, who had gathered nearly a hundred and fifty thousand men to prevent their principal city from being taken. For many months the Confederates had been afraid of an attack upon Richmond, and they had spent all the time to be spared in building fortification after fortification, reaching from the city itself to from three to six miles in all directions. A Richmond newspaper of that time enumerates twenty-eight of these strongholds, each well manned and each with its guns placed in the most commanding positions. Small wonder was it, therefore, that General McClellan sent out his calls for extra troops, troops which he never received, for reasons which have never to this day been satisfactorily explained.

The ground which the Union army now occupied was in a fearful condition. Mud and swamps were everywhere, bushes lay torn up by the roots, and thousands of trees, half cut through about five feet from the ground, so that the trunk falling over might block the passage of artillery and wagons, made even the regular roads all but impassable. As many as could be got at of the dead had been buried, but the swamps were still full of bodies, awful to contemplate. Added to all, the soldiers were exposed to swamp fevers, and soon out of less than a hundred thousand men nearly twenty thousand were on the wounded or sick list.

The scene in Richmond was scarcely a more happy one. Emergency hospitals were opened by the score, and all day long on Sunday and Monday the ambulances rumbled along through the streets. Business of all kinds was practically at a standstill, and the citizens gathered in groups to discuss the situation. The wounding of Johnston was looked upon as a great calamity and everybody wondered if General Lee would prove equal to the emergency into which he had been thrown. On Monday a rumor started that McClellan’s army had been vastly reinforced, and this nearly caused a panic. Many began packing up their household goods and valuables, in order to flee southward as soon as the Union army should move forward.

But no immediate movement upon either side took place. Worn out by the fierce fighting at Fair Oaks, each army was now trying to reconstruct itself, while the great generals were looking over the ground and making their plans for the future. Thus about three weeks slipped by with only a few encounters, which were of no great importance. But those three weeks were full of interest to both Louis and Andy, as we shall now see.

* * * * *

We left Louis at the time he allowed himself to drop from the second-story window of the temporary Confederate prison in Richmond. It must be acknowledged that the young Union soldier’s heart was in his throat as he let go of the window sill. There was no telling where he was going to land and what sort of a reception he would meet. All was dark, only a few dim street lights here and there brightening up the blackness of the night.

Crash! He had landed upon a number of packing cases, thrown together in a rough-and-tumble way. Down he went through several thin boards and rolled over on his back. He had just leaped to his feet when Hornsby came after him, making a greater racket than before.

“Louis, are you safe?”

“Yes. Come on!” And the young soldier extended his hand. Hornsby took it, and side by side they sped forward to where a board fence separated the yard from the street. As they reached the fence they heard a commotion inside of the pork-packing establishment. Their escape had been discovered!

“Up ye go, lad!” whispered Hornsby, and gave Louis a boost. The youth gave one glance over the fence and dropped back into the yard in a hurry. Clapping his hand over Hornsby’s mouth he drew his companion back.

“Two guards out there,” he whispered into the old soldier’s ear. “We must find some other way. Let us try the back.”

“But there are nothin’ but buildings there,” cried Hornsby. “I’m going to try the street and trust to my legs,” and ere Louis could stop him, the old soldier had disappeared in the deep shadows of the cluttered-up yard.

Louis stood motionless, his heart almost at a standstill. He was left alone. The alarm was growing more general. “Two prisoners have escaped!” he heard somebody call out. Which way should he turn?

There were many boxes and barrels in the yard and he might readily have secreted himself in one of them. But such a course, he reflected, would be foolhardy. Sooner or later every box and barrel was sure to be examined. Besides, to remain in the yard, a prisoner without food, was out of the question.

Noiselessly but swiftly he moved to the extreme rear of the yard. Here was located a two-story building, probably facing the next street. The lower windows of this building were shuttered and barred, but an upper window was partly raised and the room beyond was totally dark. From the window of his late prison Louis had seen that this building was not a dwelling, but a store or warehouse of some kind.

Close to the open window ran an iron pipe, connecting with the roof to carry off the water when it rained. The pipe was held to the building by metal clasps, and catching hold of these Louis raised himself up until he was on a level with the opening. Without hesitation he entered the window, just as several Confederate guards, with lanterns, entered the yard below.

“Sure both of ’em didn’t jump the fence?” Louis heard one of the Confederates ask.

“Yes. Griffith saw him. The other must be around here.”

Louis waited to hear no more, satisfied that before the search was over the open window would be noted and an examination in that direction would ensue. Leading from the window was a passageway between a great number of boxes and loose piles of clothing, and down this he moved cautiously, for it was so dark he could not see a foot in front of him. Presently his hand struck a railing leading to a pair of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a door, and from the crack above this streamed a dim light, showing that the store below was partly lit up, even at that unseasonable hour of the night.

Wondering if he could escape to the next street before the alarm was given in that neighborhood, the young Union soldier slipped down the stairs and entered the store, which he found filled with a miscellaneous collection of articles, including clothing, firearms, jewelry, crockery and woodenware, and farming implements. There was a counter near by and on this lay some business cards showing the place belonged to one Simon Davidstein.

As Louis was advancing towards the front door he heard several men come up to it from the other side, and then a key was inserted in the lock and the door was thrown back. Louis had barely time to secrete himself behind a counter when three men entered.

“It vos lucky you vos found me at der hotel,” said one of the newcomers, in a high-pitched German voice. “I ain’t dare all der dime, no more.”

“If we hadn’t found you, Davidstein, you’d ’a’ lost a good bargain,” came the reply, in a voice which sounded strangely familiar to Louis. At the risk of being discovered he peered out from his hiding place and saw that the man who had spoken was Caleb Fox! With him was Sam Jacks, while the third party was the owner of the establishment.

Louis was both astonished and mystified. What had brought Fox and Jacks to that place at this hour of the night? Fox carried a heavy flour-sack and the mission of the two thieving guerrillas was soon explained.

“We’ve got a fine collection of watches and jewelry fer ye this trip, Davidstein,” said Sam Jacks. “Must be at least five hundred dollars’ worth in the bag.”

“Fife hundred dollars--in dese dimes!” cried Davidstein. “You must pe crazy! Of you dinks I gif fife hundred dollars you ton’t petter open der pag at all, ain’t it. Maybe you vos mean baber money?” he added suddenly.

“No, we ain’t takin’ nothin’ but gold,” said Caleb Fox. “Just you look at the rings and watches, and we’ve got a fine pin or two; ain’t thet so, Sam?”

“Best Davidstein ever saw,” joined in the second guerrilla.

“I ton’t vos got no fife hundred in gold to bay out dis night,” said Davidstein, stoutly.

“Well, you handle the stuff an’ make an offer,” concluded Caleb Fox. “Remember, we have got to divide with the rest o’ the boys.”

The trio moved to the center of the store, and here the single light that was burning was turned up. At the same time there was a clatter from the rear and a sleepy but somewhat excited young Jew appeared, pistol in hand.

“I dink it dime you voke up, Jacob,” cried Davidstein, sarcastically. “Der mop could rob der blace und you schleep on like von rock, hey?”

“I heard you come in,” was the abashed answer. “I vos listening py der shudders on der pack window. Dere vos droubles py der brison, I dink.”

“Dot ain’t our bees’ness, so long dey ton’t come here,” concluded Davidstein. “You can lay down again,” and Jacob retreated to his cot behind a pile of packing boxes.

By this time Fox and Jacks had the flour bag open and a miscellaneous collection of articles stolen upon the battlefield were spread out on the counter. With a well-trained eye Davidstein ran over the lot in a careful but apparently careless manner. Some talk followed, and he finally offered a hundred dollars in gold for what was there. To this Fox and Jacks demurred. They would take three hundred and not a cent less. Davidstein told them to pack the articles up again. This brought on another talk, and finally a purchasing price of two hundred dollars in gold was settled upon, and Davidstein proceeded to get the cash out of a secret hiding place in the cellar.

Louis listened to the talk with keen interest. He understood that Davidstein was a receiver of stolen goods, and he felt sure that his own things must be among those Jacks and Fox had come to sell. “If I get the chance I’ll have them back again, see if I don’t,” he thought, and continued to keep as quiet as a mouse.

Davidstein had hardly disappeared into the cellar when there came a sharp rapping on the front door. At once the Jew came running up again.

“Who is dot?” he questioned, and went forward. An officer and two guards from the prison presented themselves.

“I haven’t seen or heard noddings about any escaped brisoner,” answered Davidstein, in reply to the officer’s questions. “Jacob, haf you seen anypotty?”

“Not a soul,” answered the sleepy clerk. “I heard somedings going on ofer by der brison, put dot’s all.”

“Your window upstairs is open,” said the officer. “We think he may have climbed up to it. We want to make a search.”

At first Davidstein demurred, but at last he consented to have the officer and guards take a look around. He went upstairs with the soldiers, and Jacks and Fox followed, while the sleepy clerk stood watch below.

Louis scarcely dared to breathe. The clerk moved forward to the front door and looked out upon the street. Then he came behind the counter and walked slowly towards the spot where the young Union soldier was in hiding. Louis felt that a crisis was at hand.