Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-01


been the enemy7 I heard no sound and
the moonlight falling directly upon the dead
men, and gray weird-like rocks, produced
an effect that was sickening and horrible
/ remembered the man l had slain. l
searched for his body, but it was gone. l
searched for others Of the enemy, but all
had disappeared. There were no dead left
on that battle-ground but the five fallen
scouts. Yet, that others had perished there,
was obvious from the blood lying in little
pools among the rocks, behind which the
ambushed foe had lurked and poured upon
us his deadly fire.
My wound began to bleed afresh, which
I brought faintness upon me, and sank to
the earth. a burning thirst was consuming
me, and groaned in agony.
After little while 1 made another effort
to rise but failed and then falling back,
as calmly as possible, yielded to my fate.
l thought of past days, when, in early
youth no cry for blood had yet awakened
that inherent ferocity that turks unseen in
the heart of man, until the fearful scent
rouses it as it does the blood-hounds, and il
springs forth with a swiftness that appalls
and strength that desolates.
CAPTURE.
voices. Then came that of approaching foot
| steps. AS it drew nearer new life seemed
! to quiver through my veins, like the fresh
gush of virgin spring. The most savage
foe, to whom the torture of captive were
an unapproachable delight, advancing upon
me with the menaces of a demoniac, would
at that moment have been welcome as an
angel of light in comparison to the loneli-
e Al. - IL
and its bloody and unburied dead.
In a few moments a dozen armed men
were on the spot, leaning on their rifles and
gazing round upon the dead. Some stopped
and examined the bodies with careless
scrutiny; others merely stirred them with
| the foot, OF turned them over with the
muzzles of their guns, with the brutal iu-
difference bloodshed engenders in the heart
They're dead. Let them rot |" said one,
who appeared to be the leader of the party.
"Not all dead" replied.
Had a voice actually issued from the
tomb, as mine undoubtedly seemed to do,
its effect would not have been much more
startling. Each man, for an instant seemed
changed into statue. Then the whole
| group made simultaneous movement to-
| ward me.
"Thats the fellow that bayoneted Ike"
! exclaimed one of them, cooking his revolver
and thrusting the muzzle between my teeth.
In another instant should have been in
eternity, but for the sudden jerking back Of
my would-be destroyer's arms by one of his
comrades, who calmly remarked: "If he's
got through the rough work he had awhile
ago, well not kill the poor devil now.n
| With a muttered curse the rufian replaced
! his weapon in his belt and withdrew.
"Where are you hurt2" inquired he whose
interference had just saved me; 'can't you
! get up" l told him had been shot in the
hip, and was dying of thirst. Here he
called a member Of the party to him, and
taking from his hand canteen, poured
some of its contents-brandy and water
down my throat. My wound had entirely
stopped bleeding, but my whole side was
stiff and painful. With much difficulty l
arose to my feet, and by the aid of two of
my captors for such they were, managed to
move along with the rest of the band,
through what appeared cleft in the noun
| tain, pursuing q new path to that had
hitherto traversed in the company of those
who had fallen, and whom / was now
leaving behind me forever.
For some time we followed this road, rum
ming at the base of two declivities almost
perpendicular whose dizzy SUBMITS L
could not scan, and whose rugged sides of
gray, at intervals were shining coldly be
meath some starry CLEAN of moonlight, that,
even in that cavernous pass found its way
and smiled amid the gloom, like the good
glance of visiting angel.
Suddenly we emerged from the gloomy
defle, and found ourselves in what ap-
peared almost level country. Here
where some tents were pitched-we halted,
and l was a prisoner in a guerrilla camp.
A week elapsed, and | had recovered
from my wound. The chief of the party
who had captured me offered me my liberty,
on condition that L gave parole not to bear
arms against the rebels again during
twelve months. This had sworn never to
in the event of my becoming prisoner to do
the Confederate Army. | was equally re-
solved now to adhere to my oath.
From that moment was closely guarded,
with the vigilance known but to an angry
foe. No sleepy sentinel ever lounged with
heavy limb and weary eye, in mock watch
fulness, near the rugged couch whereon
lay. But, sleeping or waking, some hawk
! eyed watcher kept guard by my side, mark
ing all my outgoings and incOmings.
! In that camp was another prisoner besides
| mySel1j mlSeraOle CREATURE apparently
only waiting the certain death that the Ca
price Of a merciless band would, in some
unexpected moment, hurl upon his head,
and whom nothing but the same caprice
permitted still to move upon the earth a
living thing. This wretch had been captured
some days after had, in the act of robbing
the dead after a skirmish. His crime, in
the eye of the soldier, is q deadly sin. He
is the pariah of his class. A vulture toe
foul for an honest shot, from whose blood
the bright steel would receive disgrace
deeper than its stain. A thing too worth
less to hang; one whose loathsome life
should be crushed out suddenly, with stone
or club, as a reptile should, and the con.
taminated weapon then flung from the hand
forever.
He cringed to his csptors, and they drove
him from them with curses and kicks, anG
when he faWned they spat upon him.
AN ESCAPE.
, One night, after unwearied watchfulness
and ceaseless planning, L broke from tn
bondage that held me. The night wa
cloudy and threatened rain. had hear
enough from my captors to know that de
tachment of Northern troops was encampet
to the eastward, within five miles of u'
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