Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-03-09

r searching out the way in the darkness ans
giving due notice of danger. In this name
they travelled over twenty miles, avoiding al
, roads and dwellings Late at night the,
crossed the railroad running from Riehmone
: to Write House. As they crossed, Col. Yves
saw sentinel near 10y, fast asleep on his gun
They then made their way eastward, just be
f fore daybreak passing into the deep pine
woods a distance of four or five miles, where
they remained during the day. Rebel cav
airy were in force all through that vicinity
especially toward the river, and scouts heIe
flying in every direction Their bugle notes
fell quite too frequently on the ears of the
Travellers to permit them much OF sleep or
quietude.
That night Friday,) weary, hungry and
footsore, as soon as friendly darkness came
/ they started southeast, making their way
| from wood to wood, and otherwise avoiding
the farm houses as best they might About
/ twenty miles were passed over when daylight
| coming, again they retired TO cover in the
I deep shade of the forest. A woman passed
near them during the day, but happily they
were not discovered. Col Hobart states that
during all this toilsome march, but few words
passed between the fugitives, and these few
IN low whispers So apparently untiring
was the ealch, and so thoroughly alarmed
and watchful were the population, that they
| felt their safety depended upon bare chance.
| Saturday night the journey was resumed as
| usual. 1t was Col. Hobarts turn TO play the
part of picket and pilot. During the night,
incautiously emerging from the thick pine
forest, he suddenly found himself almost in
the immediate presence of party of rebel
cavalry. His surprise and alarm for the
moment welded him to his tracks. Not
doubling that he was seen, he felt his case
hopeless. Recovering his selfpossession,
however, he perceived that his presence was
unobserved. Fortunately no guard had been
stationed He was but three four rods
from his enemies and the slightest noise on
his pert might seal his fate. Cautiously put
ting one foot behind the other, he retreated
from the place. The party of fugitives feel
ing considerably confused as to the "situa-
tIOn," scarcely knew now whether to retreat
OF attempt to turn the enemy's flank. Yhey
finally returned a distance OF about three
miles, and halted for further consultation
They had lost their way, and being satisfied
that there was danger ahead and that it
would be LABOR lost to return farther toward
Richmond, they concluded to make an effort
at considerable risk, to obtain information as
to their locality. The others concealing
themselves, Col Hobart marched up to the
door of negro dwelling and knocked. The
voice of black woman responded, inquiring
who he was. Col. Hobart answered that he
was traveller who had lost his way. After
considerable parley, during which Col II.
fused to comply with the request to 90 to
another house for his information, the or
was opened, when is appeared that large,
good looking negro was inside and had heard
the conversation.
The negro said, 81 know who you is.
Youse one of dem escaped officers from Rich
mond." Col II. laid his hand on the negro's
shoulder and said . am, and you are just the
person | wanted TO see. | want you to help
me through. The negro askek if there were any
others with him. Col H. told him He said
they must not stay there, that the road was
picketed with rebel cavalry, who passed up
and down every hour looking for the fugitives
The negro woman offered Col. H. some milk
to drink which he said did him more good
than anything he ever took before III his life.
The negro proved a sharp and shrewd fel
low, and he invited Col Ii. to Il private spot
at a distance in the field where the party all as
sembled and held a conference. The result
was that the negro engaged to pilot them
round the cavalry pckets He then conduct
ed them through long cane brake path, then
through low swamp, then through several
fields and then directly over the road, cross
ing between the cavalry and their videttes-
the cavalry sitting on their horses not over
thirty or forty rods distant-and accompanied
them a mile further on. They asked him to
90 with them, but he said he would not go
was slave. As they were about leaving
him, he said to Col. II. Now, Mighty God
massa, how soon is you all coming down here?
We all want to go wild you :" Col. III. told
him he,,thought we should be along very soon.
daughter and cheers.) He said he had the
name of that negro, and he should remember
him, and his kindness TO his dying day and
should repay it if ever opportunity was given.
The line of the Williamsburg pike was
river" which was reached Just at light on
Sunday morning. To cross this river without
assistance from some quarter found inn
possible. They endeavOred to wade through
it, but failed. After a while they succeeded
in reaching an island in the river, but could
get no further. At this .juncture rebel cit
izRn was seen coming up the river in row
boat. with a gun. Col. II. concealed himself
in the bushes by the river TO get look at the
man. Finding his countenance to indicate
youth and beneyolence, Col. H. accosted him
as he approached. q have been waiting for
you," said the Colonel "They told me here
at these houses that you would take me across
the river" The end of the boat was toward
the shore ''There are three more of U.s."
said Col. H., having by this time got his foot
on the boat and his eye on the gun. The
other three approached. The determination
was to pass the river in that boat-peaceably
I II
do YOU all come from?' said the boatman,
seeming to hesitate and consider The party
| represented themselves as farmers from vari-
Gus localities on the Chickahominy. The
| officers don't like TO have me carry men over
the river" said the man who held the oars
THAT'S right" said Col. H., "you shouldn't
carry soldiers or suspected characters. Besides
| there are Yankees about here sometimes.
| But IRE farmers should be taken over without
| trouble" Suffice it TO say thatthe boat went
| and the escaping prisoners went in 1t, but in
! a short time thereafter a hue and cry was
raised, and the entire population seemed
to be out on the paths of the fugtives.
| Fortunately, the officers, instead of going far
| Their that day, misled the rebels by conceahng
! themselves near the river until night-a fact
to which their escape at this time was due.
| At dark, the flight was again commenced with
renewed hope, but pereeiving evidences OF
| continued pursuit, they returned to their
/ hiding places where they remained until to-
| ward midnight They then took fresh start,
going to the Williamsburg pike, where they
lay in ambush by the roadside for an hour
before venturing to progress.