The Boy Spy A substantially true record of secret service during the war of the rebellion, a correct account of events witnessed by a soldier   By: Joseph Kerby

THE BOY SPY

A SUBSTANTIALLY TRUE RECORD OF SECRET SERVICE DURING THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. A CORRECT ACCOUNT OF EVENTS WITNESSED BY A SOLDIER ATTACHED TO HEADQUARTERS

THE ONLY PRACTICAL HISTORY OF WAR TELEGRAPHERS IN THE FIELD A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE MYSTERIES OF SIGNALING BY FLAGS, TORCHES, AND ROCKETS THRILLING SCENES OF BATTLES, CAPTURES AND ESCAPES

BY

MAJOR J. O. KERBEY

CHICAGO. M. A. DONOHUE & CO. 407 429 DEARBORN ST.

COPYRIGHT BY

J. O. KERBEY.

1887 88 89 90.

PREFACE.

The following unpretending narrative of some of the actual experiences of a boy in the War of the Rebellion is fraternally dedicated to my comrades of the G. A. R.

Part of these adventures were recorded in the press of the country at the time of their occurrence, and more recently, in detached and crude form, in different papers.

Through the kindly interest of many friends, and especially that of my relative and comrade, Col. J. H. Madden, of Danville, Illinois, the revised and collated Story is now offered to the public and corrected from the original notes and MSS.

Yours in F. C. & L.,

THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

[Transcriber's Note: Chapter XVIII was duplicated in the text. The Table of Contents has been changed to reflect the chapter numbers given in the text.]

CHAPTER. PAGE

I. Introductory 9

II. On Duty as a Spy at the Rebel Capital, Montgomery, Alabama Living in same Hotel with Jeff Davis and His Cabinet Conspirators from Washington Interviewed Bounty Offered by Confederates before a Gun Was Fired Fort Sumter and Fort Pickens 19

III. Pensacola, Florida In Rebel Lines Fort Pickens Admiral Porter and the Navy 28

IV. Crossing the Bay to Fort Pickens, etc. 38

V. Rebel Newspapers On Admiral Porter's Ship 52

VI. Admiral Porter Saves the Boy's Life Interview with the Rebel Flag of Truce Officers, Who Claim Him for a Victim Scenes on Board a Man of War Return Home by Sea Reception in New York Telegraph Acquaintances New York Papers Record the Adventure in Full Page 65

VII. Reporting to the Secretary of War, at Washington Ordered on Another Scout to Virginia In Patterson's Army, in Virginia, before the Battle of Bull Run 80

VIII. A Night's Scout in Johnston's Army Rebel Signals Visitors from the Union Army Headquarters Report to Rebel Headquarters General J. E. Johnston's Escape to Beauregard Reported to General Patterson Fitz John Porter Responsible for the First Battle of Bull Run, as He Was Cashiered for That of the Second Bull Run An Important Contribution to the War History of the Time The Story since Confirmed by the Century Historians of Lincoln, Secretaries Nicolay and Hay 94

IX. Reporting to General Bank's Headquarters for Duty The Life of Jeff Davis Threatened Captured at Harper's Ferry Interesting Personal Letters Corroborating the Supposed Death of the "Boy Spy" 114

X. At Beauregard's Headquarters On Duty at Manassas 125

XI. Important Documents Intercepted at Manassas, which Established the Fact that the Rebel Army had no Intention, and Were not Able to Advance after Manassas The Rebel Army Demoralized by Success, and Twenty five Per Cent. Absent from Epidemic On the Field after the Battle Observation Inside Rebel Camps Talking with Richmond by Wire Captured by Rebel Picket in Sight of the Signal Lights at Georgetown College 134