Peregrine Phillips
The Cincinnati Daily Enquirer, 22 Dec 1862, page 2
NEWPORT NEWS
A BIG SCARE-The cities of Newport and Covington were thrown into
a great state of excitement, about eight o'clock Friday night, on account of the
startling news brought in by a courier from the fortifications on the Alexandria
pike, that a large force of rebels were near at hand and that the magazine and
siege guns would be captured, if reinforcements were not speedily furnished.
The courier proceeded direct to General Wright's headquarters in Cincinnati and delivered his dispatches. The General immediately sent for Colonel Lucy, General commanding the forces around Covington and Newport, who was at one of the theatres, and immediately dispatched him with orders to the scene of the apprehended attack. In the meantime, the news had reached the Covington barracks on Greenup street, and the Captain commanding that place, had started on the "double quick" with one company of the 115 Ohio Regiment, and the remaining nine companies followed as fast as they could go.
The entire force at the Newport Garrison also turned out and proceeded with all possible haste in the direction of the magazine, on the Alexandria Pike. The news of the approach of the rebels spread like wildfire, and the most astounding stories of the force of the enemy were circulated. Hundreds of people remained up all night, expecting every moment to hear the opening roar of the big guns.
The night wore away and daylight dawned, but brought no signs of the foe. The whole affair was a "big scare" and circulated in the following manner; A returned rebel soldier named Peregrine Phillips, in riding along the Alexandria Pike, saw the soldiers guarding the magazine and fell into a conversation with them. He asked how much powder was in the magazine and a great many other questions in regard to the fortifications &c. Finally he remarked that he could bring three hundred men in an hour and take the magazine and parole all the guards.
The soldiers got excited thinking that perhaps Phillips was a rebel scout, and ad if to confirm their suspicions, a short time after he left, several of the guard, who had been warming themselves in a tavern near by, came back and related that Philips had been there and talked in the same way, and that the proprietor of the tavern declared that he was personally acquainted with Philips and that he was a Colonel in the rebel service.
This was enough and the Sergeant of the Guard instantly dispatched a messenger, as stated above, calling for reinforcements. The 115th Regiment, after shivering in the cold from nine o'clock at night until the next morning, returned to their camp, bringing with them the author of all the mischief, Mr. Peregrine Phillips. The men were strongly inclined to lynch him. Phillips is the individuals who took oath before Colonel Burbank a day or two ago, and gave bonds in $1000 for his future good behavior.