The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-03-03

presence OF fhlAN "ett t"e- ah-4
every day IN the army IN 0aicer
OUT IN charge Of forogers, or OF re-
eonaoisssnce. would be suddenly AZ
tackled. Presence Of mind aided bin
10 form BIS men for defense lie bad
pgoscnce Of mind. even though bis
face as white az -four a0d LIS cain
shakior Brase men were common
enough IN the ranks Cal for me1
% certain death, and q hundred pri-
Yates would step out at oaee yet.
re-. their "nsrve, ahd they bad
none
Among two OF three eases IN m,gd
tha. OF John Meleose, a trooper in
the Sixth Michigan cavalry, IS re-
called. he was an unders.zsd, quie,
spoken man. and be had tha. won
derful nerve which not three otbe-
men ia the whole brigade possessed.
Wolfe acting as a scout in tbc Sheu-
andoah valley, be WAS one day eat
ing dinner a. a farm h0ue, Wbe1 IN
walked seven c5tIedefate soldiers
They knew him for a UalOa scout,
aud be kuew them for c1niedsrates.
A brave man would have made a
rush CT bad a 6gbt Me.rosa simply
looked up IS they fIed IN, smiled over
his 6x, and called ouE
"Ssy, old woman, put on more din
ner here, and xe'll ali have g square
meal together
"You are my prisoner ~ said the
sergeaa, Of the squad as be ad-
vaaced.
"Yes, l know IL. bu. IIl pay for q
dinDer for you sod your men just the
same. Sit right down and make your
selves at home"
His nerve opse. the soidieFs and
after moment they took seats a. .Ls
table, forming 8 complete circle
around the board. As soon IS they
began 10 eat be began to think Of es-
cape !, vas summer, aud the via
dow behind him and ten feet away
was opeu IF he stood up all eyes
would be fixed on him, and any cx-
cuse % leave the room was not to be
thought Of
The neal was abou. ba'f fnisbed,
and capsors aud captive We're chat
ting away when Melrose suddenly
fuag himself backward. upset his
chair and bounded through the win
dow. The soldiers ran out ired q.
and pursued him, bat ne made good
bis escape.
In the Luray valley Just bsi5re the
affair known IS Woodstock races.
Melrose aud bis companion fell out
q ranks 10 forage Afrer securing a
supply Of ,nea. they pushed 90 at-er
the column, and were riding at gal
lop when five bushwhackers, well
mounted, came cut Of the ctoss-road
about twenty rods ahead Of them
eve are dead men, said the
scouts companion a. they came 10 q
ha.,.
Looking back they saw four more
bush haekeEs climbing the fence %
take position on the highway Mel
rose calmly viewed their situation,
and foeliy said:
ave will charge them, FaIl IN
behind me and there viii be less dan
ger. Draw your sabre and strike
hard :"
The other dared not try i, though
be was 8 braye msn lie therefore
KEEP. his place as the scJae dastea
forward. Meirose rode straight NJ
the mea with draw1 sabre, and toe
vollev thev fired went ever bin. lie
struck the line, sabred a u,an az be
passed. and soon rejoined the cOiumn.
His companioa was never heard Of
again. probably being murdered in
cold blood
In 1854 Melrose end three other
fofsgers were captured IN tbe Sheu-
audoah valley, taken TO small en-
and the four placed il 2
log house under guard an-il their
cases could be disposed Of. They
talked the situation over, and the
bravest Of them could see 20 hope Of
escape. Melrose quietly listened 70
their discoursCing remarks, ana as
quietly replied that he |ou.e be IL
side Of the Uuion lines before mid
night. There was circle Of seu-i-
nels around tie bailding. which had
no door. The seDtinel5 paced within
six lee, Of the bGi.ding, and the one
IN front could see the prisoners tho
the doorway. Melross said that If
all would rush together The seatineis
would be confused. and either hold
their fire or FIRE wild TIE three men
had participated il more thai t1enty
battles. and were known az brave
fellows. bat here they wanted some
nerve, end nerve was VITA. they had
not got
"Very well, I viii 20 alone" vas
the quiet announcement, and as night
came on Melrose wss READY. Stand
log il the doorway, be asked the sen
,iael hat tine il was.
"Tou gi. back thar, or III shoot -
wss the proDP. reply.
"Yes-Im going righl back - said
he scout, aGd ne dashed gp9n ihe
man. hi. BIN a sranning blow, and
made fer he woods. lie bad 30 ran
across an open field 10 fuil sighl Of
camp. and, though il aas do K, be
could be seen quite plainly for half
ne distance. More than di.y shots
we're fred a. hin. and ihel pursuit.
began, but De reached the woods aud
made his escape
He ans one day scouting up the
valley having on mixed uniform,
when be suddenly came up0n TAO
rerocious looking gnerriliss Ehie
q thick wood They we're
seated ca & log, backs 70 hin, bu. az
he sound OF bis step they sprang 70
srd covered him win their csfbines-
Il would have been bold 10 bolt a1d
axe the chances Of being BIT Mel
-ose never slackened his pace nor
changed countenance. bu- walked
iirecily up TO The men AID quickly
iaid:
1--WE got news for the coiOnel, a1d
want ycu both to 20 along and
bow ne the way
"Who said s. =" asked one q. The