When I went to Mrs. W——s's to board, I took with me a yellow boy that had been in my Captain's employ nearly a year. I had trained him so that he understood me perfectly, and, being naturally of a smart, ready turn of mind, and quick to comprehend my meaning, was of great assistance, when I was visited by rebel friends, in helping me to carry out my assumed character.
On this occasion, he represented to perfection the character of a negro waiter. I called him "Spence." Whenever his name was called, he would promptly enter the room, with his hat under his arm, and approach me with as much manifestation of profound respect as if I had been a king, receive my orders with marked attention and execute them with wonderful agility, and then immediately retire from the room.
I had procured a supply of whisky, and Spence was frequently called in to exercise his masterly skill at preparing slings, punches, etc., for which my guests had a peculiar relish.
From my rank, my companions seemed to regard me as possessing peculiar advantages over them, and all seemed desirous to secure my advice and my personal assistance in their individual projects. By that means, I was enabled to find out very much that was going on, that I otherwise would not have done.
Among my guests of that evening was a man that had been in the Confederate army, and had been severely wounded in the shoulder in the battle at Fort Donelson. On account of his wound he had been discharged. As a sort of compensation, to enable him to make a living, for which his disability had seriously disabled him, General Price had given him a paper authorizing him to trade and sell goods in the Confederate army.
After showing me his paper, signed by General Price, "Now," said he, "Major, you can render me some assistance, if you feel disposed, that will be of great help to me in my circumstances."
"Indeed! I should be very happy to do so; but you must remember that I am under bonds to the Federal authorities, and I have to be very careful what I do; if I am caught in any scrape, they will surely hang me."
"I am well aware of that, Major, but I think you can do it, without subjecting yourself to any great danger."
"Well, what is it that you want I should do?"
"I'll tell you. I have been engaged, for some time, in purchasing, in small quantities at a time, various articles of goods, to take through the Federal lines to sell, and I have now got about four hundred dollars' worth. The military authorities are beginning to suspicion me, and I have got to move the goods to some place for safe-keeping. Your boarding-rooms are not very public, and you could keep the goods here without exciting suspicion."