The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1863-01-29

rant of the Staib attached TO their birth !;
that they had been educated and brought
mp "as white f,lks;" their master, whose
children "soms folks reckoned dey &hAr."
had lately died. and "dat he din't leab no
freedom papers for them" and that they
were seized upon as part Of the estate,
and we're about being taken TO Richmond
for safety; that they were to leave that
hight, In company with some other slaves,
under an Escort from Ashby's rangers.
Here was d dilsmmai What was to
do? Take the girls away with ms?-
If so. | would be charged with negro
STEALING, and denounced as false to the
Constitution and the Union. Allow theih
10 be taken to RicErtond? II SO, l
would be false to my manhood. l
thought Of Jennie. and could not do it,
NJ, they must not 10 10 Richmond. PhAy
must escape froth the life that there await.
ell them, even at the expense of my COM
mission, which had but few days be.
fore received. ' '..F 1tgf'
Ny cothpanions III arifis were men Of
intelligence, and | resolved to lay the
matter before them. This l proceeded to
do. Whom I.had fnished my story they
10 a man swore that il WAS my duty TO
prevent the girls from going to Richmond.
III did not do SO | would be giving aid
and comfort to The rebels. This was part
y my own view Of the case.
My plans were soon decided upoh; ahd
when our horses were refreshed we lefl
the house without even communicating
our irtsntions to the sisters, for fear they
might be whispered to others aud there.
by reach the enemy. Taking a circuit.
Gus route so as to deceive those in the
house. We cattle TO narrow part Of the
road, admirably suited for an ambush,
and along *hich the rangers would pass,
aud there posting my little force as ad'
vant"gaously as possible. we quietly a.
waited their approach The evening was
clear. enabling us to see a considerable
distance and pick of the rangers with our
earbines without stdSug-riug those uu.
der their guard. .
We awaited in this spot nearly thres
hours before the word was passed around
that the foe were approaching. On they
came totally Unconscious Of their danger,
and we're taken completely by surprise
Several OF their number were slain, three
taken prisuners. and :hree Or four sue
cerded in effectihg their escape. The
slaves. among whom were some intelli
gent men, we're uninjured, and were re.
joicsd at their deliverance. But what to
do with theth Was s question. We could
NO, ehtuihber our future movements with
them, that was certain, and it would mol
do 10 leave them where. they nigh. fall
an easy ptey to the rebels. 1t was final.
ly decided that ali we could do was 10
point out the direction of our lines and
bid theih make their best speed towards
freednth. This we did. fs.-
Alter this event began to feel that I,
as a member Of the human family, had a
greater interest in the war than l had
hilhorto SUPPOSED. My whole demeanor
changed; my bucyahs spirits gate way
TO terrible earnestntss Of character as
I began to realize the under strata of this
rebellion. l now fertehtly prayed God
:ha, in this dpheaVing ci political bodies
the whole social system Of the South
In ght b. swep, away and the Union re-
INSTRUCTED oil basis that would be pre-
petual-- one that would never cause
blush to mantle the cheek Of an Amer
can citizen. This charge Of cbaracte,
WAS noted not only by my company bu
by the regiment. and 1t was generally at
tributed to disappointment In love.
had been nearly year In the service
and during that time had not heard from
Jennie. But though We did not CORES
pond shewas not absent from my thoughts
II was just on the eve of an important bat
tie that learned from an officer who hal
returned TO the regiment after severa
weeks absence, who know was some
what acquainted with the Tracey family
that Jennie was to be married. This in
formation Iobtained in course of casus
J conversation. lie gave isas a piece G
} gossip among his female friends. Fl
further remarked that she had made par
/ tcular inquiries Of him concerning Nj
} ---- mentioning my feal name--l ba
, enlisted under my middle name only,
hath lie MAS unable to give her any satit
! faction: l.4d
That hight dreamed of Jennie. l sa
> her the bride of another, and the tormsr
, | endured | can not deecribe. The npj
. day found fie In the midst Of battle. car
less Of lifsi dashing on where danger seen
, ed greatest and death more csllain. Nigl
I found mo on the battlefield sevefel
}. wounded. Great God, what a night ",
9 thall The storm ragged furiously; but h
above lis raging l could hear the moan
a skrieks, and cries Of wounded and dyiu
8 comrades. AS lay there l thought th
the hour for my departure from earth WI
Q fast approaching NV mind wandere
: bach to my boyhood's days. Then m
l whole life seemed to pass panoramiCal
before me, There was Jennie, Rose, az
Y Blanche. / beheld Jennie as the wife
an ugly, vicious looking man, and Ro
It and Blanche in slave pen. Then the pi
}, ture passed on. and beheld Jennie ,Ro
~ and Blanche together iu one group gu
b rounding by smiling faces, and / ma
J. sn effort to rise and join Them; but l
's effort was too much Tor my strength, a
70 / fell back exhausted and saw no % orc
h When I Ewoke to consciousness
n found myself in a hospital. Here
70 passed three long and dreary weeks,