The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-05-26
WHOLE NUMBER 1852
Down they came and up We went; and
then we pressed along at terrible pace.

DoWn they came and up We went: an
then we pressed along at terrible pace.
.
., To-day, when we came on the no
track of eight guerrillas, the rebel-huntins
instinct waxed strong within Dan, ant
taking eight of his own men, he started in
fierce pursuit. Seven of the enemy eseap,
ed, but one was captured and brought t.
our camp a prisoner.
Then Dan went to the nearest Unior
house, to learn the news; for every Iowa
family in range of many hundred mile
knew and loved him. We, very weary,
lay down to sleep in an old orchard, wifi
our saddles for pillows. Our reflection,
were pleasant. We were only seventy.
nine miles from the Union lines. We pro-
gessed swimmingly, and had even begun
to regulate the domestic affairs of the bor-
der,
Before midnight, some one shook nv
arm. l rubbed my eyes open and looked
up. There was Dan Ellis.
BOYS, we must saddle instantly. We
have walked right into a nest of rebels;
several hundred are within few miles !;
eighty are in this immediate vicinity
They are lying in ambush for Colonel
Kirk and his men. 1t is doubtful whittier
we can ever get out Of this. We must
divide into two parties The footmen
must take to the mountains: We who are
riding, and in much more danser-as
horses make more noise, and leave SO
many traces-must press on at once, if
we ever hope to reach the Union lines"
The word was passed in low tones.
Flinging our saddles upon our weary
horses. we were on our way almost in
stantly. My place was near the middle
of the cavalcade. The man just before
me was riding white horse. which ena-
bled me to follow him with ease
We galoped along at Dams usual pace.
with the most sublime Indifference to
roads-up and down rocky hills, across
streams, through swamps, over fences
everywhere but upon public thorough
fares.
suppose we had travelled three miles,
when Mr. Davis fell back from the front.
and said to me:
THAT young lady rides well; does she
not ?"
What young lady7"
"The young lady who is plotting us"
l had thoueht Dan Ellis was plotting
lis. and rode forward to see about the
young lady.
There she was, surely enough. l could
not scrutinize her face in the darkness.
but it was said to be comely. | could see
that her form was graceful, and the case
and firmness with which she sat on her
horse would have been lesson for q ri
ding master.
She resided at the Union house. where
Dan had gone for news. The moment
she learned his need, she volunteered TO
pilot him out of that neighborhood, where
she was born and bred. and knew every
acre The only accessible horse Zone be-
longing TO a rebel officer, but just then
kept in her fathers barn) was brought
out and Sadtlled. She mounted, came to
our camp at midnight, and was now
Ste;llthily guiding us, avoiding tarn-hou>es
where the rebels were quartered. going
round their camps, erading their pickets
She led us for seven miles. Then, while
we remained in the wood. she rode for
ward over the long bridge which Spanned
the Noleellucky River, TO see if there were
any guards upon it; Went 10 the first
house beyond TO learn whether the roads
were picketed: came back and told us
the coast was clear. Then she rode by
our long line toward her home We
should have given her three rousing cheers
had it been safe to cheer l hope the
time is not far distant when her name may
be made public. Until the rebel guerril-
las are driven out of their hiding-placeS
near her mountain home, it will not he
prudent.