[496] Radical near by to give him a working suit and a valise as a disguise. He afterwards worked until he made money enough to buy him a fashionable suit, in Baltimore, and pay his passage from that city to Richmond. His escape was exciting and full of adventure. When he reached Richmond Lieutenant Meade and I dressed him up in our soiled military clothes, and a lady friend escorted him to the Provost Marshal's office, in the Baptist Female Institute. He there surrendered as a “straggler,” was paroled and given transportation to his home in North Carolina.
Lieutenant Wiggins was considered one of our bravest young officers. He specially distinguished himself at Spotsylvania Courthouse, on the 12th May, when our brigade, in its flank movement in front of our works, struck Burnside's corps, and his regiment got in its rear. I there saw him unarmed, in the woods, dare two armed Yankeesto fire upon him. He not only made his escape on that occasion by his boldness, but immediately afterwards captured the Fifty-first Pennsylvania flag, as stated in my official report of that engagement.
