The Portland daily press., 1870-09-17

put we mad not yet found our friends. How
ever, we knew something of the geography OF
the place we were IN, and making detolr
north of Waterloo, we next approach War
renton, nice little town situated upon
gentle elevation of land overlooking the sur
rounding country. As we urged our weary
horses on, a faint glimmer of light was per-
ceived in the east, by which we saw just out
side the town, the familiar outline of canvass
tents, forming a military camp.
Weary and worn by our long travel, this
was most welcome sight. Our hearts beat
high with anticipation, and we hoped soon to
be resting our tired limbs, and more weary
horses.
The column halted near the encampment,
and an officer rode into it. 1t was the first
| flush of day as have said, and with all quiet
around, the customary watch had been with
drawn, possibly. At any rate he dismounted
without meeting any sentinel, and seeing
drowsy soldier accorded him, "Hallo COM
rade! what regiment is this? The man
seemed 10th to turn from his easy position.
"What regiment he echoed sleepiy, turn
ing half way round and browsing again.
"Yes; what regiment is this, ask?"
sob! regiment-yes; the TWELFTH
"Twelfth what? Come wake up land an
swer civil question will you?'
"Twelfth what! Why twelfth Virginia
you blasted fool! so .alongw
GAIL right;" said the officer catching his
breath. II will put my regiment right along side
ofyours. A good position"-he said, ga cap
ital position" He continued congratulaiing
himself in a smooth tone as he walked gently
out of camp, looking around as if with a salts
fed air.
"There on the left guess, he added as a
| parting remark ut will suit you suppose
my boy"
"Ye-e-e-s," drawled the sleepy soldier half
opening his eyes and lifting his head for the
| first time.
"Rebs, by Heavenw was his startling salu-
tation to the first officer he met, and "rebs,"
rebs," passed from lip to lip. You may mag
inc that we walked up from our satisfied posi-
ton right soon. He sprang with his informa-
ton to Col Smith, and as speedily and quietly
as possible, it was passed along the ranks.
Every man was astir by this time. What
fix indeed was this; right in the mouth of the
rebel camp, and the broad east already fresh
ening with morning light A little time
longer and the camp would be alive with ac-
ton and movement. We took to the woods
again right heartily-wound around the base
of Water Mountain, along COW paths,
across bitches, through swamps, AID
along the bed of creeks. We did not stay
to choose our paths you may be assured, but
at length we emerged into the pike leading
from Waterloo to New Baltimore. Along
this this we travelled until about 8 o'clock
A.. M.
"Wheww said one officer to another with
long meaning whist.e-"twice in the face of
the enemy, and here we are all unscathed.
Ii there is bravery shown in fight there is al
SO bravery shown in flight, and we shall act
up to orders, and get in our report all right, if
we don't meet third batch of the enemy who
| are wider awake to their interests than these
we have encountered" But we had still
weary way 10 go, and we halted here and fed
our horses With such forage as the place af-
forded, being the first rest for man or beast
since P. M. of the day previous.
After halt of about an hour we resumed
our dreary march to Gainesville, where we
found small force of Union soldiers-the
first we had seen since starting on our march
the morning previous.
From them we learned that the enemy had
advanced on Sulphur Springs about 10 o'clock
of the day we left there, and after a sharp con-
test of few hours, had driven our forces out,
and occupied the place. Our forces had re-
treated as far as Catlet's station.
From Gainesville we marched to Bristowe,
where we arrived about noon, rested few
hours, and continued our march toward Cat
| let's station, where we found considerable
force of our troops located. Here we bvou-
acked for the night. Next morning, the 18th,
we resumed our waEderings in search of our
brigade, and at length alter one more slight
brush at the enemy we found them at Fairfax
station on the afternoon of the 10th. 1t had
been five days since we left them at Sulphur
Springs int tending to rejoin them the follow
ing night.
They had given us up for lost, expecting we
had been "gobbled up" by the overwhelming
numbers of the rebel foe. When we arrived
in sight of our encamped brigade, the shout
that went up from glad hearts, was both long
and loud. Never were more welcome faces
than those of our Maine boys, seen after
i've days uncertainty and doubt. 1t is need
less to add that the Quartermasters Commits
sary Department received our immediate at
tention, after so long and furnishing delay.
! said that we dispatched Lieut.. Harris of
Go. +. with some few men on our arrival at
Little Washington, to report progress at Sui
phur Springs, where we supposed our forces
still to be. When near Annissville, they too
discovered that the enemy had taken possess
sion, without themselves being discovered in
return. Abandoning their horses, they fled
to the woods, crossed the Rappahanock, and
struck across the country towards Thorough
fare Gap, on their roundabout way to our en-
campment. Near there they we're met by a
squad of Mosby's men, who captured the
whole party. They were taken back to Sui
phur Springs,-now the headquarters of the
enemy. Arriving in the night they were
taken to deserted mansion for safe keeping.
From the hall of this mansion, like nearly all
southern houses of any pretentions, door
opened both in front and rear.
The captors and captured entered by the
front door, and arrangements were soon made |
for the prisoners to be held in safe keeping,
in room on the right of the hall. Lieut.. |
Harris, self-possessed and calm, looked about |
him, and strolled carelessly along the hail. He |
looked here, and looked there, and finally |
looklng out of the rear door, tried how it /
would do to walk out. The attention 3f the
captors was drawn elsewhere at the moment
and no suspicion of an attempt to escape on
the part OF the prisoners, occurred to Mospy's
men.
When they marched the prisoners into the
room now ready for them, Lieut.. Harris was
no where to be seen. He had even taken his
shadow with him. Night being in his favor.
he succeeded in concealing himself in the tall |
weeds and grass back of the mansion, and in |
little time made his way in the darkness
outside the enemy's lines, and after some
days marching returned to his regiment, for
tunate indeed in escaping the terrors of a reb-
ell prison. .C.E.D.H.
~ A SAFE,