The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-06-29

from our service named Davidson. who
recognized and bowed to me. / rather
thought he would not betray me, but
was still fearful Oft ! went on, and .
few ya:d> further, coming toward me
in that narrow lane, where it wss im
possible to avoid him, l saw the one
Rebel officer who knew me better than
any other-who came into my quarter I
frequently - Lieutenant Stoc.on the
post misunderstanding him in the
diatance, | recognized in him ,hst old
ill.fortune which had SO long and stead.
fastly baflied Us. 'a
When We met babe him good
evening, and converted for 4 few mi
nutes'upon the weather. or some other
subject, in which I did not feel any
very profound interest. Then he pas.
'ed into headquarters, and went on.
Yet few yards further l enc 'nntered
. third rebel nsmtd Smith, who waa
entirely familiar with me, and whose
quarters, inside the garrison, where
within twenty feet Of my own. There
we're not halt dozen Ccnfederatea
about the prison who were familiar
with me, but it seemed ~ IF at this
time they we're coming together in .
grand convention. '
Not daring to enter the rebel ho.pital
where ] was certain to he recognized I
laid down my box Of medicines, and
sought shelter in = little ou,building. =
While | remained there, waiting for
the coming of the blessed darkness, /
constantly expected 70 ace sergeant,
with file of R..Lel soldiers, come 70
take me back into the yard; bnt none
came. II was rare good fortune.
Stockton, Smith, and Davidson al
knew, ;fthry had their wits about them
that | had no more right there than IN
the village itself. l suppose their
'ho"ghtlessness mnst have hccn caused
hy the peculiarly hencst and business
like look Of that medicine boxi
Al dark, NY two friends Joined me.-
We went through the gate in full SIGH,
1t the sentinel. who seeing us come.
from the hospital, supposed we were
rebel surgeons Or nurses. And then,
on that dark, rainy Sunday night, he
first time for twenty months. we found
ourselves walking freely i" . public
street. without Rebel hayonet before
or behind ::ns.
81. on that cold winter night, when
we were 80 stiff and exhausted that we
c"ull barely keep our sea's on the
m"Ies they had 40 tn ,n.htfnily far
nished, those friends con.lmc,p! ns IS
miles, and left us IN Union set,le,len,
we were seeking.
II was now FIVE o'clock IN the morniag
Leaving nay companions Lehind. [ tap.
ped at the door Of log house, 4 frw
feet from the road. where, the ground
being covered with snow, we could no.
hear approaching foo,a,ep..
. =
Fer many nsonths, even hscre leaving
prison, ne had been familiar with the
name Of Dan Eliia-a famous Union
guide. Who sisce the beginning of the
war. had done nothing but conduct
loyal men Ia our Ines
Ellis il \ hero, aad his life : rom ance
He had taken through, il I'll more than
four thousand pcrsons. lie hal proba.
bly seen more a.lveatare lin fights and
races with the 'sp'.e's, in long journeys.
sometimes bare, ,tn.se.i AMI iiso.s.h the
5, ow, o. swim,rin. rivers fun of floating
ice-than any other man living.
He never h.t but one ,nan. who was
swooped nr ,l.r.'aye sis own i.+.ed,%se
ness. TIE tAr,y had Travelled eight az
ten days, living upon nothing '.s' patch
ed cor~. Dan in.istcd that Z man
could walk twenty I've miles = day
throwyh enow apo~ parnhed c"rn jset
"a wrll as ar4.a aay other Aiet-6 ke
only thM.ht 81. fcel bownd "a cay
that I haSe tried i, a~d dent ,Niak 40.
This pt-eon hetd the same opinion. He
rcv"a'eA sca;ast the parcs,ed corn diet,
vowi~s stat I've ~oaid ge te the 6ret
ho~ae and get AZ honest meat. II he = -
cap,ms-l fr ,t.-iie went q the Sf-
house, obtained tlse lneal. ssAl sae esp
turcd.
After we kad travelled kfty ss7,.>s, cv.
crybody said to ~. If yen can crty
find Daa Kills, a~d do Just ~ he ten.
yOn. yc~ ~.9 he oestain 1. get ttronyh. :
We did end Dan Ell,s. On Suada,
night, one Aandrel thirty fn,w a,iie,
from orr G>es, g~eatly brokeM dOvn