The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-12-14
Experience of a Refugee in the Cot
ton States and in East Tennessee.

The Wheeling InteiHgcncer publishes the
following, written by young man who for
merly resided in Martinsvile, Ohio, to his
mother, who now resides in that town. The
letter is dated at Galloway Post Office, Harlan
county, KY. close to the East Tennessee line,
and is as follows
DEAR MOTHER IL suppose you have all
given me up for dead, but. thank God, l am
still alive, and may some day get back to see
my dear mother, sisters and brothers. have
been in the rebel army for three or fout
months. Was caught und threatened to be
hanged if did not enlist. enlisted, trust
ing to luck to get away having one of the
most Infamous oaths, forced upon me that was
ever taken by man. I'll commence and give
you the full details as far as | can on paper
The day after | received your last letter, a
young man, postmaster of that place (Tigcrs-
willie, LAD came to me. He had heard some
men say they were going to arrest mo for
being an Abolitionist, because was from Il
Northern State he told me to thy and get
away. / mailed a letter to you with $50 in it,
then went aud hid in a wood house until dark.
When the cars came | went to the town
spoke of in one of my letters (Brashcar City
When got there, there was no way OF getting
away without going back through the town |
had left.
SO fearing to go back I took passage on
the Mdiagorda, for Galveston. When | got
to Texas, they were taking up Union men
and hanging them like dogs. l got me an
old suit Of clothes, and hired myself out to
work on the III. 7. & b. X. r., until | could
get chance to get away. That was in the
month of March. ! worked there about three
weeks, when, in company with young man
from Ohio, started to walk to Red river, all
communication by sea being cnt off. 1t was
Il dangerous project, but better than staying
and being forced into the rebel army. We
had got within so miles of alexandria, on the
river, when we were stopped by band of
villains and forced to join company OF vol
| nntecrs, in a small town called Chcneyvlle,
Rapids Parish, La. We were Kept three
weeks, when we were taken to New Orleans
and mustered into the State service OF
| Louisiana. We were then taken up to
| Il town called Tanghiphis, went into camp.
were drilled three months, then mustered
into the Confederate service, and started for
the seat of war with the Eighth Regiment
| Louisiana rebels, on the last Monday in June.
Wednesday morning after we started through
| Huntsville, Alabama, where Miss E. F., was,
| kept awake al! night hoping the cars would
stop long enough for me to find ont if she
was still there, and have her let you know
where was, for | could not send letter
without letting our officers read it. But the
cars stopped only ew minutes, so had to &c
without seeing her. We travelled night and
| day until Friday morning at two O'Clock only
| stopped Tor wood and water, and then a
heavy guard around the train to keep the men
from running OIL. On that morning | pre-.
tended had the diarrhTa, and got out
My friend crawlcd from under the cars, and
we took to the woods and made our way
toward Kentucky. (The town where we left
the train is Bristol, Sullivan county. Tennes
sec.) We travelled until little before day
when We hid ourselves At II O'Clock VT
started again, and ran right into town called
BlountviIle before We knew it. We both haG
military clothes on, and were surrounded by {
| band of rebels and came near being taken
but we talked them out of it, told them VIZ
were on tnrlough, and were going back in ;
week. We left them talking about taking III
up as desertcrs. So soon as we were tairl,
out of sight, we changed our course anc
travelled different direction until we go
out of their reach. We then travelled ahou
sevcnty-s miles west into Sandville, Han
cock county. There are lots of good men there
who would not let us leave them to 60 int
Kentucky, as there were rebel soldiers guard
ing almost every road, and scouts scoutin.
the woods and hills 10 keep some Of the ieadin!
Union men from going into Kentucky TO lei III
United States Government knO,p mat there Uer
men in Tennessee ready, Milling, and anrions 1
fght for their country, and their count'y's lars
SO it Was great risk, if not an almost impos
sibility, to cross the mountains. The rebel
soon found out that were in the countr,
and formed companies to take us, when the.
were met by a company Of Union men ant
driven back.
We stad there until last Thursday, whc
ten mounted men started after me, fniy com
panion having started to Kentucky the da
beforeI They came up Clinch river, took
young man prisoner by the name OF b
and tried to make him tell where | was. IL
, refused, and broke from them in corn field
!. They then abused BIS wife and Mrs. l.
threatening to burn their houses if they di
not bring me out. Finally concluding l Wa
not th .ir, they started back, when they wcr
fired upon by four of my friends, shootin
, one in the hat, raising the hslc on the top c
!. his head, wounding another, and killing
, horse.
left Kentucky the next day, Methods
,, minister had been staying with thinking
, the best ! could do. j arrived here safe o
, Saturday morning. I am making up CON
! pany, with B, to go into the Unite
States service. He will be captain, | frs
lieutenant, il we succeed in making it up.
| The rebels are committing ontragcs ever
A day in Tennessee on the Union men, takin
their property from them, for speaking
n defense OF their country. / feel it solm
/ duty owe to these people for the preserve