Apparently a little confounded, he replied, modestly:
"Excuse Me for Detaining You."
"Probably I have; but they are very strict with us, and I was not quite sure."
I gave to him this genuine pass belonging to my associate:
Head-quarters Confederate States Military Prison, }
Salisbury, N. C., December 5, 1864.}
Junius H. Browne, Citizen, has permission to pass the inner gate of the Prison, to assist in carrying medicines to the Military Prison Hospitals, until further orders.
J. A. Fuqua,
Captain and Assistant-Commandant of Post.
We had speculated for a long time about my using a spurious pass, and my two comrades prepared several with a skill and exactness which proved that, if their talents had been turned in that direction, they might have made first-class forgers. But we finally decided that the veritable pass was better, because, if the guard had any doubt about it, I could tell him to send it into head-quarters for examination. The answer returned would of course be that it was genuine.
But it was not submitted to any such inspection. The sentinel spelled it out slowly, then folded and returned it to me, saying: