On this information you were relieved by the
department of your command. Later on it was discovered that the spy was
none other than your own wife, disguised as a mulatto; that, after her
arrest by your own soldiers, you connived at her escape--and this was
considered conclusive proof of--well, let us say--your treachery."
"But I did not know it was my wife until she was arrested," said Brant
impulsively.
The President knitted his eyebrows humorously.
"Don't let us travel out of the record, General. You're as bad as the
department. The question was one of your personal treachery, but you
need not accept the fact that you were justly removed because your wife
was a spy. Now, General, I am an old lawyer, and I don't mind telling
you that in Illinois we wouldn't hang a yellow dog on that evidence
before the department. But when I was asked to look into the matter by
your friends, I discovered something of more importance to you. I
had been trying to find a scrap of evidence that would justify the
presumption that you had sent information to the enemy. I found that it
was based upon the fact of the enemy being in possession of knowledge at
the first battle at Gray Oaks, which could only have been obtained
from our side, and which led to a Federal disaster; that you, however,
retrieved by your gallantry.
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