Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-05-31

| When we met / babe him good evening,
and conversed for a few minutes upon the
weather, or some other subject, IN which
did not feel any very profound interest.
| Then he passed into headquarters, and L
went on. Yet few yards further / en-
countered third Rebel named Smith, who
was entirely familiar with me, and whose
| quarters, inside the garrison, were within
! twenty feet of my own. There were not
| half dozen Contederates about the prison
who were familiar with me, but it seemed
as if at this time they were coming together
| IN a grand convention.
| Not daring to enter the Rebel hospital,
| where / was certain TO be recognized, l 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 a sergeant, with file of rebel soldiers,
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 wi is about them, that | had
no more right there than in the village 1T
self | suppose their thoughtlessness 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 in full sight of the
sentinel, who, seeing us come from the hos
pital, supposed we were Rebel surgeons or
nurses And then, on that dark rainy Sun
day night, the first time for twenty months,
we found ourselves walking freely in apublic
street, without rebel bayonet before or be-
hind US.
So on that cold night, when we were
so stiff and exhausted that we could barely
keep our seats on the mules they had so
thoughtfully furnished, those friends con-
dncted US fifteen miles, and left us in a u MON
settlement we were seeking.
1t was now five o'clock in the morning.
Leaving my companions behind, L tapped
at the door of a log house
For many months, even before leaving
prison, we had been familiar with the name
of Dan Elisa famous Union guide, who
sinse the beginning Of tie war, had done
nothing but conduct loyal men to our lines.
Ellis is hero, and his life a romance.
He had taken through, In all. more. than
four thousand persons. lie had probably
seen more adventure-in fights and races
with the Rebels, n long journeys, sometimes
bare footed and through the snow, or swim
ming the rivers full of floating ice-than any
other man living.
He never lost but one man, who was
swooped up trough his own heedlessness.
The party had travelled eight or ten days,
living on nothing but parched-cor Dan
insisted that man could walk twenty five
miles day through srow upon parched-cor
lust as we'll as upon any other dlet--lf he
only thought so. | feel bound to say that
[ have tried it and don't think so. This
person held the same opinion. He revolted
against the parched-corn diet, vowing that
he would go to the first house and get an
honest meal, if he was captured for II. He
went to the first houes, 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 On Sunday
night. one hundred and thirty-four miles
from our lines, greatly broken down, we
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 5 lines,
and escaped prisoners. About thirty CT
them were mounted and twenty armed.
Like most men of action, Dar was per-
son of few words When our story had
been told to him, he said to his comrades
escaped from Salisbury, and who are almost
dead from the journey. They are our peo-
pie. They have suffered in our cause. They
are going to their homes in our lines We
can't ride and let these 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.
To-day when we came on the hot track of
eight guerrilas, 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 prison.
er.
Then Dan went to the nearest Union
house, to learn the news; for every loyal
family in range of many miles knew and
loved him. We, very weary, lay down to
sleep in an old orchard, with our saddles tor
pillows. Our reflections were pleasant. we
were only seventy-nine miles from the Union
lines. We progressed swirnmingly, and had
even begun to regulate the domestic affairs
of the border
Before midnight some one shook my arm.
rubbed my eyes open and looked up. There
was Dan Ellis. m
BOYS, we must saddle instantly. we
have walked rightin to- nest of Rebels; sew
eral hundred are within few miles,; eighty
are in this immediate vicinity They are
LAYING in ambush for Colonel Kirk and his
men. It is doubtful whether we can ever get
out of fhis. We must divide into two par
ties. The footmen must take to themoun-
tains; we who are riding, and in much more
dan ger-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 Fhng-
ing our saddles upon our weary horses, we
were on our way almost Instantly. My