Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1880-07-22

and tomahawk walked coolly around
and stabbed or Drained them one at a
time. in another instance, nine 9TH
ers were served in the same manner.
Of the four hundred gallant fellows
who went forth to defend their homes
only sixty escaped from that field of
slaughter; and when to these we add
the women and children that were
slain in every direction, with others
who died Of fright, fatigue, and star
walton in the wilderness, we swell the
list till the heart Of humanity fairly
sckens at the contemplation.
I'VE remained in our last place Of
conce ,lment, unseen aud unlnolested,
till the fires had burned down, and
savage thirst for blood had 30 far been
satiated as to bring sleep to the eyes
of those human demons; and then we
tremblingly crawled forth, and chafed
our water benumbed limbs, and stole
away among the shadows Of the trees,
past here and there a ghattly corpse
and so escaped to the mountains, where
overtasked nature forced sleep upon
us lust as another day dawned upon
the world.
1t would take me hours to describe
the scenes Of hardship, peril and suf-
fering which occurred even after our
escape from The field Of massacre.
'On awaking from our brief but
troubled sleep. we were joined by a
party CT three women and seven chill
dren, who had been concealed among
some rocks over night, and had com
menced their toilsome march at the
break of day. One Of these women
was a young, fragile creature, carry.
ing an infant less than week old.
Her husband and brother had been
slain in the battle, and she had risen
from sick bed and fled, to save the
life of her child rather than her own.
She soon after fell from exhaustion,
and died while we were trying to re.
viye her. We were Obliged to leave
her without burial, and hasten on to'
save ourselves. Ny mother took the
babe and carried it for several hours,
but during the day it went into con
vulsions and died also,
As we continued on We overlook
parties who had become exhausted,
and had sat down to lest, perhaps
never to rise again One white hair
ed Old man we found reclining against
rock. My mother took hold of hln
gently and spoke to him kindly,
| thinking he WAS only dozing. She
started back with a shudder, for the
cid man was dead
The first night following our flight
we slept on a bare rock, in a Wild,
gloo,ny place in the mountains, hav-
ing had nothing to eat since our es,
cape. Long before morning nay little
sister became, e,feversh and delIrlous,
aud be gan to call for her father. My
mother sat up and held her in her lapI
the rest Of the night; but it almost
broke her heart to see her in that
condition without being able to do
anything for her, and to hear her
plsintive calls for him who might nov
be filling a soldiers grave.
As soon as it was light we set for.
ward again--my mother though
scarcely able to stand, carrying my
sister in her arms. | plead to be al
lowed to relieve her, but she would
not consent to it. On reaching a run
ming stream, she made cup of leaves
and gave my sister as much water as
she could drink, aud bathed her in it
besides. This acted like charm, and
broke the fever, which troubled her
no more.
Before noon we came upon largo
field of whortleberres of which we all
ate ravenouslv; and these think saw
ed our lives; for without some susie
nance, | am certain we could not
have held out another day. This day
two women gave out and were left be-
hind, their fate | never learned.
Another night and another day IN
that awful wilderness; and then, 10Y
unspeakablel we reached a settle
ment, and were saved.
A month later my father joined us,
and such a happy reunion | never
saw. We had lost all eur wor' dly
goods, it is true, but we had all met
again on earth; and that; under The
circumstances, was I blessing ta thank
God for Tie rest ct our ljye7.
/ Alas, how few ofaiI The once hap.
nv hearts in the beautiful valley of
Wyoming could join with us in our
.l77n l-~ui-r;at