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ADVENTURES OF A UNION SPY. [From the Obkago Journal.j. Quite accidentally, yesterday, a lady friend called our attention to an invalid occupying a room at the Soldiers’ Home. We called upon him this morning and found him, philosonhizing hope fully upon military movements and changes. 2 portion of his narrative was so interesting that we ‘will endeavor to reproduce it for the entertainment of our readers, 38 . . . ‘My name is Joshua W. Wood. I am twenty- four years of age, and a native of Philadelphia, e nsisted in the 13th Illinois Infantry, Col. John B. Wyman, in April, 1861. After participating, with my regiment, in the action’ at Camp Jackson, Mis souri, and the battle of Pea ‘Ridge, I entered the secret service, ‘iIn order to ascertain the political statue of the Indian tribes, I was despatched to the Indian ren dezvous, about one hundred miles from our out posts. I succeessfully played the Tebel, and re turned in one month with the desire, information. My second trip was up the St. Francis river, and was devoid of sensations. “The details of my third trip are yet fresh in my Memory. In my state ment of facts, you will discover the reason it had proceeded without difficulty to Fayette- Ville, Ark., when I was recognized by a rebél, who knew me and was aware of m my rounion. He ap prised General Hindman of my preseace, who immediately posted a chain picket to capture me, carefully selecting my line of Tetrear, a negro was despatched from a plantation residence to inform me that I was upon the wrong road, and I was requested to dismount and tarry. I knew this advice could only emanate. ‘from a_ friend, hand near complied. The planter shook my : AY, au. 2, , ane.route for me to escape the Yir there eas,but miles distant being the key thereto. He accompa shed me thus far, and wished me success. I rode twenty miles as soon as possible. Here, in the mame of the Southern Confederacy, I demanded from a planter 2 fine bay horse, which he pos sessed. This was willingly exchanged for my exhausted gray, and IT gave my rich, black whis kers a hasty burial in the mud. Another ride [ twenty miles brought me to a hospitable mansion, where I stopped for the night. . '+*] was thoroughly conscious of the fact that a detachment of rebel cavalry was in pursuit, and an hour had scarcely elapsed era they arrived at my resting-place. Stimulated by excitement and maddened by my escape, they hastily asted infor mation relative to a Yankee spy with heavy black whiskers and a gray horse. My host was so deeply exercised by their incoherent questions that he en tirely forgot his guest.They informed him of my scope, and stated that the negroes owned by my benefactor near the gap had confessed, under pain of summary execution, that their master had aided me to evade their hospitality, whereupon he was shot at once. Receiving the answer that a norse soon had passed in great haste that afternoon, they spurred forward—first stating what roads had been guarded against my ultimate escape. ‘‘This reliable information relative to my pur suers ‘was quite refreshing to me. I started on ward after breakfast, but missed my intended route and came upon an ambush where about thirty rebels were in waiting. I dashed past them at lightning speed, receiving no injuries either from their bullets or curses. They pursued me, with no success. I reached Helena, St. Francis, and *tlst Little Rock, in safety. ‘there was inaugurated a distinct era in my his tory. I was immediately captured by the 12th Texas, having been recognized by one of the mem bers of that regiment. I was handcuffed, placed in a dungeon in the jail where I could not stand erect, and fed upon bread and water. After an imprisonment of three months I was court-mar rialed as a Yankee spy. Not appreciating my de votion to the Yankee cause, the court sentenced me to beh hung. General Hindman approved the sentence, and gave me fve days to prepare for ex ecutions. ~ . ‘+ On October 13, 1862, the scaffold was in readi ess in the State House yard. Nearly fifteen thou sand citizens were collected to witness my dying agonies, and the military were formed in hollow square around my apparent death-bed. I was so Wek that I could not walk to the scaffold, and was accordingly conveyed thither upon a dray. I fancy I sat upon my coffin with the usual grace, for I preferred death to a dungeon. I was helped upon the scaffold, and the black cap adjusted over my eyes. Further proceedings would have been indefinitely postponed by my acceptance of the oath of allegiance; but I was always national,and preferred to die thus. ’1At this Interesting period General Hindman appeared at the place of execution. He was ac companied by General Joe Johnston, who had just arrived to take command of the department. ‘The latter was an old acquaintance of my fam ily,and he at once recognized me. He asked my name and then informed me that I was from Philadelphia. He postponed the ceremonies for dour days, and ordered that I be conveyed to his eadquarters. For nearly six hours we had an interesting in terchange of opinion. He endeavored to ascertain if I were really a spy, but certain questions of him remained unanswered. He acknowledged that Slavery was the direct cause of the war, and ae re to be doubtful of the success of the wa_ on. «I was ordered to the jail, where I was placed in an iron cage and very humanely treated. After an imprisonment of five days I was released upon parole, with the city limits for my prison walls. Notwithstanding this leniency, General Johnston Privately stated that he believed me to be a spy. «Through the influence of the Provost Marshal at Little Rock, I was allowed to go to Arkansas Post for the benefit of my health—the finest oppor tunity to obtain information I could have desired. On my return I was paroled and allowed to pro ceed to Memphis. I was exchanged in January dast, but my siduous iibers have so impaired my health that I am yet unfit for duty.’
Newspaper Details
Philadelphia Daily Evening Bulletin
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Tue, Apr 12, 1864
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Tanisha C.
USA 01 Jul 2026
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