The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-12-05
Adventure of a Snake-hunter.
A correspondent Of the Wheeling

A correspondent W iuo w neeiluE III
teAlgencer gives the following:
Capt. Bags vas crippled With the
rheumatism and the Surgeon of Col. Ty.
ler's regiment advised him to 70 home a.
while to recruit his health The Cap.
tain left as with the Colonel. While
gone. the Colonel sent for me to know il
| could get over to Floy 'ds advance, and
see What their force was. &c., ct the
same time cautioning mo to be careful.
| told the Colonel that that was what |
was there for; at the same time I asked
hiu IL he would let Sam Drake accom-
psDy me. He .sid for me to do az
wi.hed. but to te careful.
SAN" say Cummings, "are We 60.
ing 10 this unifor nj"
| told him We bad better Try the far
mer's disguise, for that vas the best in
the mountains.
We started up the Gauley river, and
as We we're then above the bridge. We
knew we must cross the river. Here we
were in dilemma. told San to come
on, soaetbins would turn up so We could
get over. We kept on our way. now
climbing up the rugged steep of the o'er-
banging rock- Of the N mountains the Gau-
ley 6ow- through. then again diverging
into narrow valley. We crept along
the base of the IN mountains, for fear Of sur
prise. We had got up the river as far as
We cared about ventu'iDg on that side,
and we stopped to bold council of war.
Down SaD!" | said, "do you hear
that poisel''
We both got down in the bushes and
listened Some fellow was going down
the river in dug out singing Dixie. We
crept to the river shore, and here We saw
the fellow. whom | knew to be q Secesh,
padding along at hi, ease singing bis fa-
voritc song.
Ire~srked to San "Ill change that
tune to Yankee Doodle"
Sam cautioned me against firing. but |
told bin there was no danger. as We must
be six miles from their camp.
"I'lI have that dug out, at any rate: so
berc goes"
l took good sin. and Dixie was hush
ed, and old Secesb tunbled into the riv-
er.
We'll Cum nings." said Sam, "tbst
was good -bot."
"Never niud, Sam. you get the canoe
and I'll watch for more of them"
Sam got the boat, and We crossed the
river.
l vas somewhat at my wits end to
know how [ was to get into their camp.
| hadn't made up my mind when the
pickets hailed u-:-
Halt therei which wsy!'
| had my old HiDt-lock horse pistol
pointed at Sam, and told them this vas a
Yankee prisoner had brought along,
and wanted him put 10 Jail, for be bad
been the terror OF the neighborbood since
the tarDal Yankees had come out there;
that be had killed several loyal men. and
I wanted him dealt with accordingly
This wa- sufficient for passport, SO
we went on i0.
l delivered San up. bad him put in
the guard house, loafed around camp a.
while waiting for -omething to turn up
so I could relieve Sam A Rebel Gap
tain. named George W. Stull, came along
and asked me where lived. told him
[ lived on the Peters creek road.
How far from the Yankee campl" be
a-ked
About 6se miles"
"Are sou we'll acquainted with the
country tberel"
told bin very we'll He said:
You are the mau want. | have been
LOOKING for you zone time"
| then told bin | bad friend in bis
Jail for getting druok and raising fuss,
and | ~auted him to 20 along He went
TO the guard house and took Sam out to
90 with me He then detailed eight men
OF his compauy to 70 on scouting exps
dition.
We all started for reconnaissance Of
the Yankee camp; vent down the river
with the rifles the Captain had given Us.
until We came to where we had left it in
the dug out After three of Us got in one
of the chaps said:
"CbarlIe, don't thi- look like the boat
Alex Taylor started scouting in. this
morninsl"
told hin that canoe belonged to old
Bill Hendricks. that lived down the river
a couple of miles They were satisfied.
ferried them ell over. We travelled a
long until va we're descending g high
bluff SheD Sam ooticed a smoke.
| bad posted the boys before left to
look out for ue when | came. no matter
who va. with ne.
We advanced cautiously to where tho
fire wa; they asked Us who had csmped
there; told them the Yankee Snake
Hunters. and that they were prisoners.
Just then the Snake Hunters raised all
around at a charge bayonet The 'Robs
sckuo ~ledged they bad. been sold, so We
ID arched them of to tho suard house. and
subsequently they were sent to Coium-
bus Ohio.