The national Republican., 1861-10-30
fC'omniunicate,l1


FUGlrlyE FROM BERKELEY Co., VA
young gentleman, who has felt tho oppression
OF Virginia secession, has sent us the following
am one Of those who have been oppressed
and vlctimized by the minons of the Virginia
slave power. Formerly from Maryland, though
latterly transplanted to tho "sacred SOIL" and
amid the loyal people of Berkeley county, Va,
| could not prove trailorous 10 the blood in
herited from revolutionary fathers, and thrice
purified by the rigors of Valley Forge. Not
thinking as Jefferson Davis thought, took
every opportunity to further the Union cause
in old Berkeley, and, thank God, have received
from the lips Of secessionists, as well as
Unionists, the avowal that l was, in q great
degree, instrumental in causing Berkeley to
cast such an overwhelming vote against thai
| accursed ordinance Of secession. This, cou-
| sidered by myself as az unfading laurel, was
thought, by Southern chivalry, to be an un-
pardonable crim,, In consequence OF which
was daily and hourly hunted, and we'll nigh
| received passport TO The fihy dungeons OF
the Richmond prison. Compelled to leave
| MartiDsburg, !, for time, sought refuge among
| staunch and Union lovIng-citizens in the coun
| ty, loa,h to leave Virginia's SOIL and daily ex.
|
having taken possession of our county seat
| Here, in my retreat, 1 was pursued by the
Ghosts of Dixie" and was reglled contin
ually with the music of the rattlng of hempen
halters, and the threats of the more ignorant
portion OF our population. One morning last
month, was honored by having special
guard OF "Dixe's soldiers" sent to my resi-
dence for the purpose of taking my body into
custody, to be conveyed. amid brutal jests to
the Jail at Winchester, there to be incarcerated
until 1t suited the convenience of my enemies
to hear my defence of having been Union
man." Luckily | was not home at the time,
and the guard, failing to eXtort from the ladies
of the house Qhe gentlemen being absent) any
Information Of my whereabouts, they retired
Acting upon this hint, two young ladies', whose
loyalty and patriotism rose superior to all dan
ger, sounded the noe of alarm, aud personally
visited number Of Union men, to warn them
of their danger, in consequence of which, many
effected their escape Let me here remark
that these young ladies deserve all the honor
that could possibly be heaped upon them, and
their names may yet fnd place among the
heroines of this war.
by and through information given by thes 9
| ladies, band Of US were enabled to escape 10
land Of freedom. One entire night our tired
limbs toiled DER mountain roads, and our
wearied bodies soon bore testimony to the fact
| that there was an earnestness IN our iuurn. v,
The solitude was indeed felt by all, aod tue
deep stiffness Of those dark and gloomy noun.
tains hung DER the heart like the pail Of death
| Not knowing but that the picket guards
lined the roads, We pursued our journey noise
lCssly and stealthly, until we reached proud
and noble Maryland. Midnight is solemn
hour for flying refugees, and we felt the awful
solemnity in all its force. We dreamed. in
silence, over our lost liberties, aud yet, through
the darkness Game glimmerings of the return
ing wings of our angels of freedom. Berkeley
county stands first in the line of honor for 10y
alty,-she feels and proves 1t et,--though how
tardily comes the force to her rescue. Her
citizens pray for the things they've lost, and
will hail conauering legion with ecstatic joy
If it ever comes. Lisping tongues are taught
by loyal mothers, to fran, our nations by.
words, and the sivery voices of guileless aud
patriotic maidens sill counsel our young war
rors to noble achievements in the Union
cause. Come, then, under the command of III
cbivalrous and noble citizen brother, Col
onel Ward H. Lamon, and We will give YOU
such welcome as Scipio received from CRATE
ful Rome, when he brought the spoils OF Car
tbape to the capital Al