Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1865-06-21

reached point on the road waited for
Two hours, when along came Dan Ellis,
With a party Of seventy men-refugees,
prisoners, Rebel deserters, Union soldiers
returning from their homes within the
enemy's lines, and escaped prisonsrs.-
About thirty of them were mounted and
twenty armed. @"
Like most men of action, Dan was a
person of few words When our story
had been told to him, he said to his COM
rade s.:
'Boys here are gone gentlerten who
have escaped from Salisbury, and who
are almost dead from the journey. They
are our people. They have suffered in
our catise. They are going to theit homes
in our lines. We can't. ride and let
these men walk. Get down off your
horses and help them up .,.,s =.
Down they came, and up we went; and
.hen we pressed along at a terrible pace
= ;. ~. s.; - %, = =, =.
To-day whsn We came On the hot track
Of eight guerrillas, the Rebel-huntiug
instinct wazed strong within Den, ard,
taking eight Of his own men, he started
in fierce pursuit. Seven of the enemy
escaped, tut one was captured and brought
to our camp a prisoner. as
Then Dan went to the nelfest Union
house, to learn the news +; for every loyal
family in range of many miles knew
and l1ved him. We, very weary, lay
down to sleep in an old orchard, with
our saddles toy pillows. Our reflections
were pleasant. We we're only seventy
nine miles from the Union lines We
progressed ssimmingly, and had even be-
gunto regulate the domestic affairs Of
the border g.. ~. :.
Before midnight some one shook
my arm. l rubbed my eyed open
and looked up There vas Dan Ellis
"Boys, we mus. 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 laying N ambush for Colo
mel Kirk and his men. It is doubtful
whether We can ever get out Of this
We must divide into two parties. The
tcotmen must go to the mountains we who
are riding, and in much more danger-as
hUrses make more noise, and leave so
many traces-must press en- at once, if We
ever hope to reach the Union iines.'
The word was passed in low tones
Flinging our saddles upon our weary hor-
ses, We were on our way almost instantly.
My place was near the middle Of the cav
al cade. The man just before me was ri
ding 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 over fences-everywhere but
upon public :horoughfares.
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 lady"
"The young lady who is plotting us"
| had thought Dan Ellis !Sas plotting
us, and rode forward to see about the
young lady.
There she was, sure enough. could
not scrutinize her face in the darkness,
but it was said to be comely. l could see
that her form was graceful, and the ease
and firmness with which she sat on her
horse would have been o lesson for a
She resided in the Union house where,
Dan had gene for news. The moment
she learned his name she volunteered to
pilot him out of that ne:ghborhood, where
she was horn aud red, 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 saddled. She mounted, came at
midnight, and was now steadily guiding
Us, avoiding farm houses where the Reb-.
lis were quartered, going round their
camps, evading their pickets.
She led us for seven miles. Then,
7hile We remained in the wood, she rode
forward over the long bridge which span
ned the Nolechucky River, to see if there
Eere any guards upon it; went to the
irst Union house beyond to learn wheth-
y the roads we're picketed came back