The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-04-02
Written for the FRBFWASl
1 PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE.


It is the year 1868, the day before Christ
mas, and the location is Brandy Station, Va.
A high wind rushes amain through the tree
tops with a drowning roar where our
division lay encamped in the edge of the
woods
There was something uncommon afoot that
day in the camp of the white diamonds. War
worn veterans in faded uniforms, who had
smeled the battle-cloud under Mcclellan on
the famed Peninsula, We're standing around
in groups, engaged in earnest debate, decid-
ing for themselves whether or not to brave
the chances of battle for three more long,
long years Of camp, and march, and conflict
Camp in winter on the snow-clas hillside,
dotted thickly with the little dog-tent-covered
huts of the CHEEKY private-cheery even amid
dreary SHOWS, and wintry blasts, and camp
privatiOns Marching often to battle thro'
the thick mud and misty woods, while the
thunderiugs of the cannonade up ahead made
the very earth to quake and the air to shiver
Battle where the intervening thicket hid the
willy foeman, whose presence was known by
the invisible voleys of Kissing bullets only,
and where the yielding swamp afforded a
ready sepulchre for the fallen riheman.-
Night advances of the cavalry and infantry
into the inky depths of mist-shrOuded forests
till the advance guard is halted by the sharp
vOlley Of the hidden picket. Harrassing re-
treats where the startled and weary sleeper
is suddenly reused by the fearful thunderS
of the near battle all around. These sun
Drowned men in faded blue jackets had ex-
perienced all this, and the retrospect was
44v~9 --,1H t1,.s,.
decision was not long delayed and soon they
came rolling up to the CoIonel's tent in thick
surges, ready to record their names and plight
their vows 10 stand by their country amid
the smoke of battle for another three years
The writer stood back foT awhile and view
ed the scene as the hundreds of stalwart,
bearded and battle-worn soldiers filed up
the new ranks but being short of stature,
rather delicate, and not much Of a hero with
al, he hestated for some time to follow in
their footsteps. At length, however, the
mental die was cast, and another individual
was bound into the grand struggle for three
years, or during the war
That evening we bade goodbye to camp
and took the ears for home on thirty days
furlough. There was q great cheering and
hulIabaloo as we started off; and I remem-
Der that Jenny Peterson tried hard to get a
friendly rough-and- tumble out Of me before
] got into the cars, but l slipped through his
clutches, and evaded pursuit. That night
was a very cold one-so cold, indeed, that
when we got to the station at Alexandria we
were very glad to get in and crowd around
the glowing heater. More than one overcoat
was badly singed by a 700 close proximity
mine among the number, and Thereby hangs
a tale" other than an Ovcrcoat tail.
We remained not long in the grand city of
laws and magnificent distances after reach
ing there, but were soon whirling over the
iron highway, mid the darkness of night, on
toward the city of Penn. Some time after
midnight we woke up and found ourselves
in the lamp-marshaled streets of the great
river-environed mart-all quiet and sleeping,
save now and then the lonely echo of some
wandering footsteps on the resounding pave
ments. I had not forgotten the locality OF
my friends and the soldier-citizen, who had
passed through the sulphury war-clouds of
the many-battled Peninsula was soon in the
midst of a delighted and beflustered group
of half-drowsy friends, just aroused from
their slumbers.
remained in the Quaker City few days,
attending social gatherings prayet-meetings
lectures, etc, much to the edifcation and
pride of my friends and acquaintance, whe
were somewhat new-faneled at the idea OF
having real live soldier, fresh from the
scenes of war, in their midst. / had other
friends in Western Pennsylvania, and again,
on a dark frosty night in January, found
myself surrounded with blue jackets in the
front car Of western-bound train. After
we had been about two hours or SO on the
way, a man in citizens dress came and sat in
the same seat with me, and as | had been
handling about a well-stuffed wallet OF
greenbacks / coniectured he might have de
signs on the same for his appearance was
not prepossessing. This circumstance put a
new notion into my head-a notion which
had never on any former occasion had the
least idea of putting in practice. My plaT
was to get rid Of my unwelcome companion
by taking berth in a sleeping-car and
was soon snugly ensconced in the top tier
up against the roof of the car, sleeping a.
soundly as Morpheus on 4 bed of pOppies
! rad 2 knack % slpcpinc on HIGH nlaces