When the conscription law of the confederate government was put in force, young Reed was taken as one of the conscripts, and was enrolled in the First Florida regiment. He accompanied the regiment to Savannah, Yorktown, and Richmond, and participated in the battles of Williamsburgh, Fair Oaks and Seven Pines, though, he says, he took good care that no Northern man was hurt by his bullets. After the series of battles, a portion of the regiment to which he belonged was sent to Staunton, Virginia, to recruit.
Here he formed an idea of escaping, and managed to obtain the confidence of some Union citizens, who furnished him with the names of reliable Union men on the road between Staunton and Winchester. With the aid of his Union friends he succeeded in escaping, and in getting safely to Winchester, where General Dix, on hearing his story, furnished him with passes by which he was enabled to get home.
He reached Cleveland about September last, and found that his three cousins, who also lived on Wood street, had enlisted in the Seventh regiment. Reed determined to accompany them, and joined the Seventh regiment also. He is a likely young man and is spoken of by his comrades as a brave soldier. He says that he finds quite a difference between the Federal army and the rebel army, and that he greatly prefers the Federal service. In a recent letter to some friends here, describing the reconnoissance made by the Seventh regiment and some other troops under General Geary, he describes a personal adventure he had as follows:
Since you have got me you may as well have my horse. “So we walked round to the barn and got his horse, also a sabre and a carbine. We then proceeded to Charleston, at which place our boys had quartered themselves, I delivered my prisoner to General Geary, who after a short examination placed him in charge of the guards.” --Cleveland Herald, December 9.I was sent to search a house about eight hundred yards from the road. I came up to the house and walked in, but on opening the door could not see any body in the house. The table was set, ready for breakfast, the table-cloth hanging down, touching the floor. I first looked under the bed, but in vain. As I was about to go away I thought I would look under the table, so I lifted the cloth and discovered a pair of spurs and also a cavalryman attached to them. He lay there so quiet that I could hardly hear him breathe. As soon as I discovered him, I cocked my piece and presented it to his breast, at the same time ordering him to come out. After looking at me for a second, he complied with my order. As we came out of the house, he told me that he was a member of Ashby's cavalry, and had stopped there to get something to eat. He then said:
