f, on the far side,
covering view of us until the train was again under headway.

We separated and I went ahead, across fields, until I was so far away as
to apparently have no connection with my men, who were following; we had
about three or four miles to go thus. Finally, when I reached the
Inglenby house, my boys were near enough to be in sight, yet concealed.

At the house I introduced myself and presented my letter. For the
purpose, I represented myself as a Baltimorean, of course--a "hack
driver at Barnum's Hotel," I learned that Gilmor had been there, but
only recently had gone down the valley. I told them of the sword, that
the donors wanted to learn how to reach Colonel Gilmor, accurately;
hence my trip. They treated me very nicely, prepared a good meal for me
with true Virginia hospitality; finally I departed.

When I arrived where the boys were concealed, I found them extremely
anxious to get away from that section. While they were laying there a
man had approached them, saying that he knew they were "deserters from
the Yanks"; the boys admitted it. He asked them if they wanted to go
South. They told him "yes." He told them he knew it, and after it got
dark he would take them. He told them that some of Mosby's men were just
over on the road. My boys were not really hungry to go South, but wanted
to start across the country for Harper's Ferry without delay, which we
did, arriving there late in the evening, in the custody of our own
pickets, who had captured us at Halltown.

Had I reached Gilmor I believe I might have tried to capture him, had I
found the odds favorable. He was a giant in stature. How game he was I
do not know. I will give you a reproduction of his photograph, which I
have.

Upon my return to Baltimore I arrested the representative fair donor of
the sabre, as General Wallace has told. She resided in the ultra
fashionable neighborhood, not far from Monument Square. After I had
searched her house, she accompanied me to the sidewalk, but absolutely
refused to enter my carriage. I informed her that it would be much more
agreeable to ride than to walk, but still she refused. I then told her
that I would be gentlemanly if allowed, but I insisted that she must get
into the carriage. She finally complied.

The lady was tried before a military commission of which Lieut. Colonel
J. H. Barrett was president. She was sentenced to five years
imprisonment at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and to pay a fine