Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-05-02
Tbe Perils Of the MiddIe Passage.
some Account OF a Journey ON Foot
through the Interior OF Virginia.

Mr.. Coleman, foreman in the Touring
mill of Detwiler Co., of this city, has
just returned from AIbemarlc county. in
the eastern part Of this State, where his
relatives reside, and as there are many in
cidenis connected with the peculiar cir
eumstauces of his journey home over the
mountains, aud afoot, that illustrate vivid
" the state of feeling in the country
through which he passed, We have obtain.
cd IRON him SEINE account OF the periIs
aud perplexities along the route, together
With other matters Of interest.
Mr. c. left here some time since With his
family, on visit to Albemarle and Rock
bridge counties. He went via Washing
ton, Alexandria and Gordousville without
interruption. everything being quiet then.
lie stopped in Albemarie county few
days, when be went TO Lexington, in Rock
bridge, passing through StnuntOn on the
way While at StauntOn = despatch came
there from Leicher to stop the trains on
that road, and the excitement began TO
raise. He was obliged to hire hack to
get TO Lexington. no stayed there sew
eral days and as the excitement got higher
every hour be concluded to leave and try
to get back TO wheeling with his wife and 4
ehildreE. But this was easier thought Of
than done. He went to Stanton and was
told that he.could not get through Alex
audria-thAt the track was torn up. He
then left his family there and went back
70 Roekbridge county and consulted his
friends as to the prOpriety Of going to
Richmond md procuring passport from
Letcher. This was thought inadViSable,
as ne would not be likely:to obtain one,
and his friends advised him TO stay there.
He concluded however to leave his family
there with bis friends and try. it alone, and
afoot, over the mountains, and nfter some
eight days of travel and peril he arrived
safely here in Wheeling. He describes the
country through which be passed as in q
state of wild excitement; crowds collected.
and companies organizing at all the towns
I through which lie passed. Everything
along the route va secessiOn-Or ut least
if there were any Union men they were
afraid to say anything. he was stopped
everywhere, wherever he came across half
a dozen men, aud everybody calechised
him. To all interrogatOrs lie told the
same story Of his travels-Where lie was
from and where he was going. He pissed
through portions of Ruckbridge, Bath,
Highland, Pendleton, Randolph, Barbour
and Taylor counties, which brought him
to Grufton and the railroad, which enabled
him to speedily terminate his journey
Tie first place he was interrupted was at
Williamsville, the first town he came to
after starting from Lexington. Here he
found II crowd of men drinking whisky,
and trying TO make up II military COM
pnny. The appearance of stranger in
their midst, was the the signal for the
crowd I'm gTIfltaP sk,a
did, and began to question him-everv
man acting the part of lnqUisitor On his
own hook. They took him before n Jus
tice of the Peace, and sort of grand in
quisitorial Pow-wOW was held to decide
upon his fate. The magistrate decided
that as he seemed to be peaceable, and
had told a very straight story, and there
was nothing suspicious about him, he
should be allowed 10 proceed. One ruff
ttau standing 10y, said that he ought to be
-stopped-that he was Il I'D Yankee, and
Northern spy" Mr.. C. assured them he
was no Yankee, bat was born in Virginia,
and had lived in the State all his life-thnt
he lived 10 Wheeling, and they knew as we'll
MS he did, the politics of thu. city. The
ruttiHns then proceeded to search him. but
as he had left all his baggage and clothes
behind, they found nothing, but one shirt
he had brought with him, and which they
mHgnauimously restored. Several pro-
posed that he should be lodged in jAil.-
Milder counsels finally prevailed, and he
was permitted to proceed. After leaving
WilliaInsville, the next morning. he left the
main road, aud taking by-road through
the mountains, got lost, and wandered
about till nenrly night when, by strip
ptug his clothes of aud wading river,
he finally came into the road again, not
m than v,,iIn &C.
set out in the morning. To make up
ltor this unfortunate delay, he walked
till about ten o'clock that night, when
he came upon lonely cabin in the
mountains. He called out, and an old
man with II rifle in his hand came to the
door and asked who was there. He an
swered, friend. The old man then came
out to tue fence by the roadside and asked
what he wanted. Mr.. g. told him who he
was, and that he was weary and hungry,
and asked for a nights lodgings. The old
man took him into tue cabin, remarking
''Tis well for You that yout old me who you
was when | asked you who's there, for
don't allow any one to pass here by night
or by day without giving AN account Of
themselves. II you had not told me YOU
was friend just as soon MS you did, 1
should have shot you with that rifle" The
old fellow said he had no ''larnin,m he
couldn't read nor write, and he didn't
know what was going on in the country,
but he knew there was war, aud that this
was his rule. aud nobody passed his cabin
without submitting to it. The host,
though he was rough old specimen Of
monntnineer, treated his guest kindly,
furnished him supper, bed aud breakfast.
and would take bat a quarter for his paw.
10 parting from his host in the morning
be was warned to be cautious, that L
was dangerous travelling in that rountry.
The next place Mr. C. met with any SCI
rtous interruption WAS at Beverly, RAN
dOlPh county, situated at the head Of the
Fygarts Valley river. Beverly is the coun.
itE seat of Randolnh. md Ia mite r,.,,1.,