The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-07-18

been stolen from the United States | re
quested him to load it for me, as wa,
not posted in that sort of thing. He did
so. Those fre charges are still in the
barrels, aud so help me, they shall heseI
be fired off until they are discharged into
the body Of the Sergeant who loaded it.
/ got away from the armory, and bur.
rled home where found Powers making
Preparations to 60 North BY the next
train, which left at half past ten that
night. l told him that | must get away
from Augusta that night at any cost. 1
olked him to take my carpet sack on
board the tram, and if I did rot cell for
it in certian time, to send it to my fam
lily in Dubuque. He said he would do
so.
locked up my store and house, the
one completely furnished from top to bot
tom, aod the other containing some So
600 worth Of goods, which | was obliged
to leave behind to fall into the hands of
the rebels.
then repaired to the depot nearly an
hour before the time for the departure Of
the train, and secreted myself uuder the
rear car. on cross piece which connect
ed the wheels. Grasping my pistol in @ ,
hand, and resolving to shoot the first ma n
who should discover me, l waited for e.
vents. Soon after l gained this position
the Vigilance Committee came into the
depot. They were party of men D.
pointed to see that no Northern men went
away on the train, end to exercise gen.
ersl surveillance over all suspicious char
acters. II they discovered Northern
u an be was taken out, whipped and other
wise q Internationally shot; SO | knew
what my fate would be, if was detected.
AS tbe, hour for starting drew near, my
suspense was agoBiziug in the extreme.
Finally a little incident occurred which
probably Insured my salvation from their
clutches. The committee went through
the cars after the passengers were seated
and closely questioning and scrutiuizing
every individual. In one car they found
an old can who answered to the descrip-
tion of a man who had been tarred and
feathered and shipped off. Appended to
the despatch describing him, was the
christian injunction, elf you catch him
give him hell"
One of the rufians lifted his gray locks
and saw the tar still adbering to bis brow,
where be had been unable to remove it.
He fairly yelled with delight, "Hero's the
old devil. We've got him y etc, etc.
They howeled and then dragged hin from
the car to the platform outside, although |
they did net know of anything be had
done aDiss.
"Gentlemen," said the aged man res
pectfuIly, Il am an old man, and do Dot
know l ever did any man wrong
All ask is for the privilege of getting
home to my family. | beg you will re-
lease me"
They laughed his entreaties to scorn,
and bore him away in the dark, screach-
ing and yelling like dem ons, doubtless to
torture him with scourges, and perhaps
to murder him as they have so many be-
fore him. During all this time lay with
in dozen feet of some of the party ex-
pecting every moment l would be discov-
cred by some unlucky friend. 1t is we'll
for him and me be did not, for that ms
ment would have been a signal for bis
death. | would have shot as many as l
could and died dearly.
At last the train moved out Of the de-
POT slowly around curve, and when 1t
was out of the range of the depot lamps
l dropped from my perch and clambered
upon the rear car. Going into the car |
sat down in the darkest corner, aud drew
my hat over my face in order to escape
recognition. By feigniDg sleep l escaped
the attention aud remarks of my towns
men, many of whom were on board of the
train, until morning, when We reached
some two hundred miles from
Augusta. II could get beyond there
knew [ vas comparatively safe, as there
was no telegraph between that place and
Chattanooga, though there was oDe from
Augusta to Atlanta.
1t was daylight when we left Atlanta.
SO that further concealment was impossi-
BILE. My fellow passengers expressed
considerable surprise at seeng me, and
we're anxious to know where | was going.
| informed them that was going to Cha
tsnoogs, as usual, to purchas a large
quantity of bacon, in which | was dealing
extensively. Men of my acquaintance,
whom | knew to. be in the same business,
we're also going after bacon, beef, pork,
-four, and grain. and such other provis-
ions as we were forced to purchase in the
more Northrrn States.
We all talked secession loudly; and
wore coskades and invoked destruction
upon the Federal Government, and none
we're more violent in the discussion than
l. 1t was my only alternative. | was
fleeing for life and the merest hair night
turn race against me. When We arrived at
Chatanoogs, We found the markets almost
as high a. at Augusta. so We concluded to
go on as far as Nashville. On our arrl-
val there We found that the Commlssary
of the Confederate Army and fairly skin-
ned the town of everything worth having
=: ~ - f orovisions so there was