Department, and when he returned he carried with him a commission
which made Lafayette Baker an agent in the secret service of the War
Department. From that time until the close of the war he participated
actively in the work of both the War and State Departments. He was
recognized by President Lincoln and became intimately associated
with Secretary Stanton. As the result of all this he was made Provost
General and later was promoted to the post of Brigadier-General in the
army.
XVII
THE MYSTERIOUS “F” AND THE CAPTURED TROOPERS
A fan, a glove, a whiff of perfume, an unknown female spy, and a
troop of captured soldiers, taken unawares, constitute pretty good
ingredients for a romance, and yet they have been part of the actual
history of more than one war.
During the Civil War the Union troops occupied the territory known as
Fairfax Court House for a considerable period. It was in Virginia, and
might fairly be said to be “the enemy’s country.” It was one of those
army outposts where the men are called upon to do a great deal of
watchful waiting. The Union soldiers and the residents of the community
came to know one another pretty well, and in the course of time there
came that familiarity which breeds contempt of danger. There were
social affairs and the people came and went as they pleased.
General Stoughton was in charge of the small Union force which was in
control of the town, and there is nothing in the official reports to
indicate that he was remiss in any way. But some of the men began to
feel that everything was not as it should be. It was rumored that at
least one of the women in the place was supplying information to the
enemy. Just who it was could not be determined, but presently the word
went around that the mysterious spy was known only by the letter “F.”
Mosby’s raiders were performing sensational feats in many parts of
Virginia at that time, and it was hinted that they were in the vicinity
of Fairfax Court House. One day one of the charming Southern girls of
the town went out horseback riding with one of the Union officers. It
was a delightful trip and the soldier greatly enjoyed the conversation
of his companion, who was a cultivated woman, who, while naturally
having much love for her own people, insisted that she had no feeling
against the “Yankees.” During the return home she became separated from
him, and when he rejoined her, found that she was talking to a man by
the roadside, in civilian attire. Not much was thought of the incident
at the time, but later it was reported that the stranger was not only
connected with the Confederate Army, but was actually on the staff of
the famous Mosby.
The house occupied by General Stoughton at Fairfax Court House was one
of those Southern mansions which are so familiar in Virginia. It was
of brick, with a porch, and covered with creeping vines which gave it
a most picturesque appearance. The halls were wide and the rooms large
and airy. It is not hard to imagine that the ample drawing-room must
have been the scene of many festivities in ante-bellum days. In a word,
it was just the sort of setting that was necessary for the remarkable
adventure in which a girl, a famous scout and a captured general were
to be the central figures.
One day a young Union officer entered the drawing-room of this house,
and looking about him discovered a fan and a pair of gloves upon the
large center table. There was the scent of a faint perfume in the
apartment and following it he came across a beautiful girl to whom the
articles belonged. He returned them with a gallantry which it might be
supposed was foreign to a Northerner, but which as a matter of fact was
quite as common as it was in those living south of Mason and Dixon’s
line. He was fascinated with the girl and she betrayed just enough
interest in him to make him want to dance attendance upon her. His
duties were not particularly trying at that time and as a consequence
he managed to spend a great deal of his time in her company.
Her name—well, he heard it, but it did not make much of an impression
upon his mind. It is enough to say that from that time the war seemed
to be of secondary importance compared to the ardent affection he felt
for the young woman. They walked together and they talked together and
he lived in a Paradise of his own making, none the less attractive
because it happened to be a Fool’s Paradise. Even after the incident
which caused such a stir at the time, he defended her from the charge
of deceit, so far as he was concerned. But it is very evident that
information concerning the conditions about the outpost began to filter
into the Confederate lines. Through some mysterious agency all of the
details concerning the topography of the camp found its way to General
Stuart, the Confederate cavalry leader, and then one evening the thing
happened which caused consternation in the North, and was received with
joy and laughter in the South.
Mosby, the Confederate Guerrilla, from time to time, obtained
information concerning the outpost at Fairfax Court House, and he
finally determined to raid it in the hope of making some sensational
captures. His little band, which had been recruited from Stuart’s
Cavalry, was eager for the venture, and held themselves in readiness
for the order from their chief. Mosby, who had the loyalty of his men
in an intense degree, was one of the remarkable men of the Civil War.
He weighed only one hundred and twenty-five pounds and was about five
feet, eight inches in height. His face was clean cut and smooth shaven
and he had straight, firm lips and a nose that has been described as
resembling an eagle’s beak. He was just the type of man who might be
expected to engage in dangerous adventure without the thought of the
consequences.
The affair took place on the eighth of March, 1863. Mosby had been with
his Rangers only a month, but already he was gaining a name for himself
in all parts of the country. Fairfax Court House at this time was
surrounded by large numbers of Union soldiers. Centreville, only a few
miles away, contained a brigade of trained men. Still another brigade
of mixed troops was located on the pike, near the town. This would seem
to be pretty dangerous territory for a small body of raiders, but Mosby
had not been receiving information for days without understanding the
situation fully. He knew that there was one weak link in the chain of
defenses and he knew precisely where to look for it. He proceeded in
the direction of this weak spot, followed by twenty-nine of his most
daring men. It was pitch dark and impossible to see more than a few
feet ahead. Presently they found themselves in the Court House Square,
in the center of the town. A picket coming out of the darkness called
out:
“Who goes there?”
“A friend,” came the reply in a muffled voice.
“Advance and give the countersign,” came from the sentinel.
Two of Mosby’s men did advance, but they did not give the countersign.
On the contrary they threw a coat about the man’s head, and before he
realized what was going on he had been tied and gagged, and placed
near the roadside where he was not likely to do any damage to the
expedition. The men were now given specific directions by Mosby as to
their duties. The proof that he had been in receipt of confidential
messages from the outpost was shown by the fact that he was able to
direct each of the men to the particular place where he would find
a particular Union officer. They separated and went in squads to
different parts of the city. Mosby was particularly anxious to capture
Colonel Wyndham, because that officer had sent him a tantalizing
message only a few days before; but when he arrived at Wyndham’s tent
he discovered that his man was not there. As a matter of fact the
officer had been summoned to Washington only that morning and thus
escaped the humiliation of being captured by Mosby.
In the meanwhile, as his officers went about their various assignments,
the chief raider made for the headquarters of General Stoughton. The
large front door was unlocked, of course, and Mosby proceeded upstairs
to the room which he knew was occupied by the Union officer. He tapped
at the door and in a little while it was opened by a young lieutenant
who was only partly dressed. He rubbed his eyes and demanded to know
the cause of such a visit at such an unearthly hour. Mosby, who seemed
to be enjoying the situation, took him to one side and ordered him
to take care not to speak loudly or he would shoot him instantly. He
demanded to be taken to the bedside of General Stoughton, and as the
young man was unarmed, and startled into the bargain, he complied with
the request. Once by the bedside the Guerrilla Chieftain gave the
sleeping man a terrific whack that awakened him and brought him out
of bed in a hurry. He was furious, but before he could say a word the
invader said in a tragic whisper:
“Did you ever hear of John S. Mosby?”
“Certainly,” was the quick rejoinder. “Have you captured him?”
“No,” was the laughing reply, “but he has captured you.”
It was humiliating, but General Stoughton was unarmed and perfectly
helpless. He was compelled to dress and to go with his captor, who by
this time was reënforced by a number of his men. They went in the
direction of the Court House Square where they found the remainder of
the raiders, with a large number of prisoners lined up and ready for
departure. There were in all, fifty or sixty prisoners and fifty-eight
horses. In the darkness some of the prisoners escaped. As the party
passed a dwelling in the town a voice from an upper window demanded
to know who they were. It happened to be the Lieutenant-Colonel of a
New York Regiment. Two of Mosby’s men were sent into the house to add
him to the prizes already in hand but he managed to elude them and to
escape.
But how did Mosby and his men get out of Fairfax Court House without
arousing the soldiers in the vicinity? Let that be told by Mr. John W.
Munson, who was one of the famous raiders, and who has written a most
entertaining story of their exploits. “It was always Mosby’s care,” he
says, “to get his men out of the troubles into which he led them. The
troops in the town knew of his presence, but each man of them seemed to
be looking out for himself, and there was no concert of action. Mosby
started toward Fairfax Station to throw his pursuers off their guard,
and then suddenly turned toward Centreville. To pass that point meant
a great deal to him. The heavy guns looked down frowningly on him only
a few hundred yards away, and the Sentinels on the works with ‘Who
goes there?’ hailed him as he passed under them, but he made no reply.
Silently the little troop passed along by the big guns of the forts
with their prisoners and vanished into the darkness. Captain Barker,
one of the prisoners, made a dash toward the fort but was shot at by
one of the guerrillas and recaptured just as his horse fell into a
ditch.
“One more serious danger confronted Mosby. Cub Run, just beyond
Centreville, was overflowing. Back of the little band of raiders was
the fort with its brigade of soldiers, soon to be, if not already
alarmed; in front of them a raging torrent. There was not an instant
of hesitation but, plunging into the mad stream, the whole party swam
safely across, although many were carried downstream with the current.
Once on the other side pursuit seemed almost impossible and, as the
sun rose above the eastern horizon, Mosby breathed his first sigh
of relief. Even at that hour he knew that he had graven his name in
history never to be effaced. He had performed another feat entirely new
in the annals of war, and one that was never to be repeated. In time he
reached Culpepper Court House and turned his prisoners over to General
Fitz Hugh Lee, who was a classmate of General Stoughton’s at West
Point.”
In the morning Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston started in pursuit of Mosby,
but it was too late to capture him or to save the prisoners who had
been caught so cleverly. The news spread to all parts of the country
and was given an importance far beyond its military meaning. It was
humiliating, of course, but it did not have any positive effect upon
the remaining days of the war. The most interesting comment, as might
be expected, came from President Lincoln, who, when informed that one
of his generals and a large number of horses had been captured said,
dryly:
“I’m sorry about the horses. I can make Brigadier-Generals easily, but
I can’t make horses.”
But the Confederates were not disposed to look upon the matter so
lightly. They knew the value of such an exploit in stirring up the
enthusiasm of the people, and Mosby was advertised as a popular hero.
General Stuart went so far as to issue a special order proclaiming the
incident. It read as follows:
“Captain John S. Mosby has for a long time attracted the
attention of his generals by his boldness, skill and success,
so signally displayed in his numerous forays upon the invaders
of his native State.
None know his daring enterprise and dashing heroism better than
these foul invaders though strangers themselves to such noble
traits.
His late brilliant exploit, the capture of General Stoughton,
U. S. A., two captains, thirty other prisoners, together with
their arms, equipments and fifty-eight horses, justifies this
recognition in General Orders. The feat, almost unparalleled in
the war, was performed in the midst of the enemy’s troops, at
Fairfax Court House, without loss to Virginia.
The gallant band of Captain Mosby share the glory as they did
the danger of this enterprise, and are worthy of such a leader.”
Secretary of War Stanton was very angry over the incident. He felt that
it was the result of bad management in permitting Union secrets to
be discovered by the enemy and he was determined to know just how it
had happened. Secretary Stanton sent for General Lafayette C. Baker,
then Chief of the Federal Secret Service, and instructed him to make
a thorough investigation and to make any arrests that might be deemed
necessary. Baker had already made a survey of the grounds at Fairfax
Court House, and was familiar with the incidents of the raid. He was
perfectly satisfied that the Union soldiers had been betrayed by a spy.
And he came to another important conclusion.
It was that the work had been done by a woman spy!
How could he ascertain the identity of the woman and how could he prove
her guilt? These were not the sort of questions to be easily answered.
Baker suspected the daughter of one of the leading citizens of Fairfax
Court House, but he had too much experience in handling delicate
matters of the war to think of arresting a woman without having proof
of her guilt. It would not do to place the case in the hands of the
soldiers. Their methods were likely to be crude, and besides might
cause complications. He thought over the matter for some time and then
he made a momentous decision. He decided to place the case in the hands
of a woman operative in his own office.
It was to be a case of woman against woman!
The woman operative, who shall have to be known as Miss Clarke,
prepared for her part with the greatest care. She even perfected
herself in the charming Southern dialect so that she should be
immediately taken for a daughter of the Sunny South. It was probably
a week after the Mosby raid that a fine-looking and apparently
embarrassed woman arrived at Fairfax Court House. Finally she managed
to enlist the attention of the young woman who was known all through
the transaction as “F.” The stranger, with feminine impulsiveness, gave
her complete confidence to “F.” She said that she was greatly attached
to the Confederate cause, that she was really a friend and an agent of
the South and that she wanted advice and assistance in an effort to
reach Warrington. “F,” who was the spy that had betrayed Stoughton to
Mosby, literally received the newcomer with open arms. She took her
to her own home where she was given a warm reception. Miss Clarke was
given a repast which included corn muffins, and when they were placed
before her she exclaimed:
“This makes me feel that I am home again in the good old South. It has
been terrible to have to live in the North with those Yankees. I have
never seen a corn cake since I left the Virginia line.”
Everybody laughed at this and everybody was happy. It really seemed
like a family reunion. The visitor was petted and patronized and
made to feel that she was a person of great importance. And why not?
Wasn’t she engaged in carrying dispatches to the leaders of the
Confederacy—dispatches which might result in the downfall of the Yankee
Government? They forebore to ask her the nature of the confidential
information which she claimed to be taking to Warrington. Naturally she
would be reluctant to impart that even to such good friends as they had
shown themselves.
How did Miss Clarke feel under these circumstances? Did she have qualms
of conscience at the thought of eating the bread of the family she
might soon be called upon to denounce? Not in the least. She knew that
the young woman before her had already betrayed the Union soldiers
from a sense of loyalty to her section, and Miss Clarke did not have
the slightest compunction about betraying “F” in turn. But the thing
was to get the proof. She could give evidence that the family of “F”
sympathized with the Confederacy and was willing to do anything to aid
them, but that was not sufficient for her purpose. How could she get
evidence—documentary evidence if possible?
The answer came quicker than she had hoped for. “F” invited her to her
bedroom, and when they had closed the door said to the visitor,
“I have something I am going to show you. I think it will interest you
for we are engaged in the same cause.”
[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL J. E. B. STUART]
With that she reached under the mattress and brought forth a document
which she handed to her visitor. Miss Clarke read it with glowing eyes.
It ran as follows:
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, KNOW YE: That reposing special
confidence in the patriotism and fidelity of “F,” I, James
E. B. Stuart, by virtue of the power vested in me as
Brigadier-General in the provisional army of the Confederate
States of America, do hereby appoint and commission her my
honorary aide-de-camp, to rank as such from this date.
She will be obeyed, respected and admired by all lovers of a
noble nature.
Given under my hand and seal at the headquarters Cavalry
Brigade at Camp Beverly the Seventh day of October, A. D.,
1861, and the first year of our independence.
(Signed) J. E. B. STUART,
By the General: L. TIEMAN,
Assistant Adjutant General.
Here was evidence of a most damaging character. Miss Clarke could
scarcely restrain her emotions at the important discovery. “F” noticed
this and instead of suspecting that all was not well, took the actions
of her companion as the natural expressions of feeling under the
circumstances. She put a question to the other:
“Don’t you feel frightened sometimes—you are engaged in very dangerous
work.”
“I know that very well,” replied Miss Clarke, “but I am sustained by
the thought that I am doing it for the sake of my country.”
This was followed by an embrace on the part of the two women—both
spies, but only one conscious of the true conditions. It might be
supposed that having obtained proof of the identity and the complicity
of “F” that Miss Clarke might go on her way. But she remained
for twenty-four hours longer and in that time obtained a mass of
information, not only concerning the suspected woman, but also about
the location and the movement of the Southern troops. Finally she
departed—departed with another kiss and embrace.
Two days later Sergeant Odell, connected with the staff of General
Baker, called at the residence of one of the leading citizens of
Fairfax Court House and demanded to see his daughter. The young woman
came into the room.
“What can I do for you?” she asked calmly.
“You have been identified as ‘F,’ the famous Southern spy,” said the
officer, “and I have come here for the purpose of taking you into
custody.”
She submitted without a murmur and with a smile. Evidently she knew
the danger of her calling and expected to be arrested at any time. The
young woman was searched and in her possession were found a number
of letters and papers from Southern officers. Also was found her
commission from General Stuart which Miss Clarke had considerately left
behind. At the time Odell was placing “F” under arrest other officers
were making a search of her home which was still occupied by members of
her family. They found quite a number of damaging papers, and also a
large quantity of Confederate money. That same night “F” was taken to
Washington and lodged in the old Capital prison.
General Baker, in a report upon the subject which he made to Edwin M.
Stanton, the Secretary of War, enclosing this commission, said:
“This document, undoubtedly authentic and bearing the genuine signature
and private seal of General J. E. B. Stuart, is of itself strong
evidence of the appreciation of which ‘F’s’ treasonable services as a
spy and informer were held by her Rebel employers. The proof of ‘F’s’
former employment in the service may be considered indisputable; that
of her more recent services and especially in connection with the late
attack upon our outpost at Fairfax Court House is not less conclusive;
that proof consists in the voluntary acknowledgment and declaration by
‘F’ that she made herself acquainted while a resident within our lines
at Fairfax Court House of all the particulars relating to the numbers
of our forces there and in the neighborhood, the location of our camps,
the places where officers’ quarters were established, the precise
points where our pickets were stationed, the strength of the outposts,
the names of officers in command, the nature of general orders and all
other information valuable to the Rebel leaders; that such information
had been communicated by her to Captain Mosby of the Confederate Army
immediately before the attack on our outposts above mentioned; and
that it has been in consequence of the precision and correctness of
such information that Captain Mosby had been enabled successfully to
attack and surprise the pickets and outposts of our forces, to find
without delay or difficulty the quarters of General Stoughton and other
United States officers, to capture that officer and a large amount of
Government property and effect a large return within the Confederate
lines.
“‘F’ also stated to my informant that Captain Mosby had, but a short
time before the rebel raid at Fairfax, been a guest at ‘F’s’ house at
that place, that he had remained there three days and three nights,
disguised in citizen’s dress and that during such visit she had given
to him all the information and details which afterward enabled him
successfully to attack our forces. ‘F’ also stated that on an occasion
while she was taking a ride on horseback, accompanied by a member
of General Stoughton’s staff, they were met by Captain Mosby, also
on horseback, but in citizen’s dress and that she and Captain Mosby
recognized and saluted each other.”
The official histories of the Civil War are singularly silent regarding
the fate of the celebrated “F.” Was she tried and convicted? Or was
she acquitted and released? Her identity was proven, but it is not
written in the records of the war, and consequently it is not given in
this narrative. It is known that President Lincoln, with his shrewd,
common sense, and his wonderful ability to make the best of perplexing
situations, did not look upon the girl as a dreadful offender. But if
he was not willing to condemn her, he was not disposed to formally
condone her offense. What happened to her? Can it be possible that the
door of her cell was conveniently left open one night, and that on
the following morning she was not found in her accustomed place? Quite
likely. At all events the reader is free to draw any conclusion he, or
she, may like.
One thing certain is that she did return to her home in Virginia,
and that her descendants are to-day among the residents of the Old
Dominion.
XVIII
THE MYSTERIOUS MAN WHO ASKED FOR A LIGHT
One afternoon in the summer of 1898, a shrewd, bright-eyed looking man
stepped up to another man in a corridor of a hotel in Toronto, Canada,
and asked him if he would give him a light for his cigarette.
A trivial incident, one might say, and yet upon that insignificant
episode rested a movement which had for its object the ridding of the
United States of Spanish spies in the war which was then going on
between this country and the Kingdom of Spain.