Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-08

| Rebel officer who knew me better than any
other-who came into my quarters frequent,
| ly-Lieut Stockton, the post-adjutant. Oh
| serving him in the distance, | thought
recognized in him that old il-fortune which
had so long and steadfastly baffled us.
When we met, bade him good evening,
and conversed for few minutes upon the
weather, or some other sueject, i'll which
did not feel any very profound interest
Then he passed into head quarters, and
went on Yeta few yards further encoun-
tered a third Rebel named Smith, who was
entirely familiar with me, and whose quar-
ters, inside the garrison, were within twen-
ty feet of my own. There was not half a
dozen Confederates about the prison who
were familiar with me, but it seemed as if
at this time they were coming together IN
grand convention.
Not daring to enter the Rebel hospital,
where | was certain to be recognized, laid
down my box of medicines, and sought
shelter in little out-building While re-
manned there, waiting for the coming of
the blessed darkness, | constantly expected
to see sergeant, with file Of rebel sol
diers, come to take me back into the yard ;
but none came. 1t was rare good fortune.
Stockton, Smith, and Davidson all knew, if
they had their wits about them, that had
no more right there than in the village it.
self. ! suppose their houghtlessuess must
have been caused by the peculiarly honest
and business-like look of that medicine
box
At dark, my two friends Joined me. We
went through the gate i'll full sight of the
sentinel, who, seeing US come from the
hospital, supposed we were Rebel surgeons
or nurses And then, on that dark, rainy
Sunday night, the first time for twenty
months, we found ourselves walking freely
in public street, without a Rebel bayonet
before or behind US.
X
For many months, even before leaving
prison, we had been, familiar with the
name OF DAN ELLIs-a famous Union guide,
who. since the beginning of the war, had
done nothing but conduct loyal men to our
lines.
Ellis is a hero, and his life a romance
He had taken through, in all, more than
four thousand persons. He had probably
seen more adventure-in fights and races
with the rebels, in long journeys, some
times barefooted and through the snow, or
swimming rivers full of floating ice than
any other man living.
He never lost but one man, who was
swooped up through his own heedlessness.
The party had travelled eight or ten days,
living upon nothing but parched corn. Dan
insisted that man could walk twenty-five
miles day through snow upon parched
corn just as well as upon any other diet
if he only thought so. | feel bound to say
that | have tried it and don't think So
This person held the same opinion. He re-
volted against the parched corn diet, VOW
ing that he would go to the first house and
get an honest meal, if he was captured for
it. He went to the first house, obtained
the meal and was captured
After we had travelled fifty miles, every
body said to us, if you can only find Dan
Ellis, and do just as he tells you, you will
be certain to get through"
We did find Dan Ellis. OnSunday night,
one hundred and thrty-four miles from our
lines, greatly broken down, we reached a
point on the road, waited for two hours,
when along came Dan Ellis with party
of seventy men-refugees, prisoners, Reb-
el deserters, Union soldiers returning from
their homes within the enemy's lines, and
were mounted and twenty armed
Like most men of action, Dan was ID per-
son of few words When our story had
been told him, he said to his comrades
"Boys, here are some gentlemen who
have escaped from Salisbury, and who are
almost dead from the journey. They are
our people. They have suffered in our
cause. They are going to their homes in
our lines. We can't ride and let the Sc
men walk Get down off your horses, and
help them up"
Down they came, and up we went and
then we pressed along at terrible pace.
x
To-day, when we got on the hot track of
eight guerrillas, the Rebel-hunting instinct
waxed strong within Dan, and, taking
eight of his own men, he started in fierce
pursuit. Seven Of the enemy escaped, but
one was captured and brought to our camp
prisoner
Then Dan went to the nearest Union
house to learn the news for every loyal
family in range of many hundred miles
knew and loved him. We, very weary,
lay down to sleep in an old orchard, with
our saddles for pillows Our reflections
were pleasant. We were only seventy
nine miles from the Union lines We pro-
gressed swimmingly, and had even begun
to regulate the domestic affairs of the
border !
Before midnight, some one shook my
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 a few miles ;
eighty are in this immediate neighborhood
They are lying in ambush for Colonel Kirk
and his men. 1t is doubtful whether we
can ever get out of this. We must di-
vide into two parties. The footmen must
take to the mountains we who are riding,
and in much more danger-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
beasts, 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 enabled
me to follow him with ease.
We galloped along at Dams usual pace,
with the most sublime indifference to roads
up and down rocky hills, across streams,
|