The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-06-07

SkulkGN by without reporting 10 nllH we shouid
have lost the respect of worthy officer. We
had to give him description of our journey
from Danville until we reached the lines, and
| he appeared to he particularly interested i'll
what we had to say in regard TO the town Of
Salem. on the Virginia and East Tennessee
Railroad.
He reouerted. indeed. that should reduce to
writing ali that we knew about the people
ard country from that place to Fayetteville,
/ describing as accurately rs we could the roads,
/ towns. streams mountains passes or roads
across the mountains. the feelings and senti-
ments OF the people of the country, the probable
/ number of troops at Salem and between there
the character Of the commissary supplies and
4 the supplies n the hands Of the people through
the country, and l did as he requested. His
object he said, was to send out General Kelley
/ with 2 brigade Of infantry, mounted, and some
cavalry aud artillery, and strike blow Oh the
rebels at that point and elsewhere through the
country. This was done as every one knows
who is posted in the history of the war.
4 General Kelley made a forced march into the
valig4 struck the railroad at Salem, captured
many prisoners, destroyed large quantities of
/ rebel stores, and made safe retreat The raid
was planned and executed on the strength ofthe
| information which we had impaired to Gen.
! eral Seanlmon.
We spent the afternoon in the generals
/ Office. lie made several propositions to US to
remain with him and enter one of his cavalry
/ scouting companies, and said he would see that
we were properly transferred, but we could not
1 give up our bright prospects of getting home,
and so We declined his offers.
Before we left the general gave Us letter to
Governor Todd, of Ohio and also passes from
the Department Of West Virginia to the De-
! partment of the Cumberland. After spending
the evening with Or. Scott, the post surgeon, of
Chillicothe, Ohio, we took passage on the
4 steamer Viola, and at night steamed down the
/ Kanawha and reached Galiipolis late the next
day.
HOME AT LAST.
twas with hearts OVERLOOKING with gratitude
4 TO an All-Wise ruler of the destines of men that
VIC tTod once more the soil OF our native State.
The telegraph flashed ahead the news Of our
4 coming, and at the depot in ChiHicGthe we
were met by General Rowe and a host Of our
former friends and acquaintances. We were at
! home-grand, glorious old Northern home!
! No more dreams of hunger, but a success
sion OF hountilul dinners; no more the soft side
/ Of a pine board, but the downy depths of the
bed al the old homestead
After few days rest, the writer reported to
Governor Todd, who was just then on the eve
of retiring from the gubernatorial chair. He
said that Is his administration was, just closing
he had neither time nor opportunity. he re-
GREETED to state, to recognize our deeds as they
! deserved, but would refer the matter to his
successor, Governor Brongh, who would come
into Office the following week The CiroleeSiIc
Onion, q local county paper, whose columns
were occasionally filled with my scribblings,
noticed my arrival as follows:
/ "0n Tuesday last we had the pleasure of a
cali from Ar. John T. Hill, one of our brave
Ohio boys, and correspondent of the Union.
lie enlisted in the Eighty-ninth Ohio about six
teen months ago. and has been with the Tegi-
| ment in ali Its marches and battles. until its
unfortunate capture on the Goth of September
/ last at the battle of Chickainauga. Mr. Hill
was then taken to Richmond and confined in
one Of the Confederate prisons, then removed
| TO Danville, and, not liking the fare there,
/ which was even worse than at Richmond, he,
together with some sixty others, planned and
executed an escape on the 14th OF November.
Along with two comrades, he traveTsed the
enemy's country ON foot by circlitous route,
from DanYille TO Fayetteville, West Virginia,
a distance of 800 miles.
All along the route they found Union men
and women, who treated them with great kind
ness and hospitality, and bid them Godspeed on
their journey They made the trip in twenty
three days, travelling after night and hiding
during the day. Several times in their noe
turTal ~anderIngs they approached rebel en-
campment5 and barely escaped recapture. When
they reached Fayetteville their shoes were
worn CUT. their feet blistered and SORE and their
clothes in Iags Colonel White treated them
with great kindness, furnished them new suits,
and. after a few days rest, forwarded them
home, where they arrived on the Sth of Decen-
Der. On Wednesday, like true soldier, Dir.
Hill reported to Governor Todd for duty
Immediately after the Inauguration of Gov
ernOr Brolgh, We reported ourselves IN person
at Columbus. The Governor gave Us cordial
reception, and procured from Secretary OF War
Stanton furiough for Us until the LIST OF March,
1861. He also engaged that as reward for our
services VIC should receive commissions as lieu
tenants in our regiments as fast as vacancies
might occur.
nEPoRTING FOR DUTY,
Accordingly, on the 1st day of March, we
again reported at the Executive chamber at
Columbus ready for duty. Governor Brough
asked if there was anything else he could do
for u.s. We replied that we had one simple re-
quest to make, if he thought it could be COM
, piled with. We had regained our freedom
without aid or assistance from tine Government,
J and as we should otherwise have remained
prisoners until exchanged, and the Govern
lDent would thus have been entirely deprived
OF our services we asked 10 be asst ned to some
. detached duty III Ohio. The corpulent old
Governor, wheeling his chair around SO as to
look ne in the face, smilingly, said: THAT
: would not do; the front needs too many such
: men as you arc" That settled it! We cheer
; fully acquieseed, and asked for special trans
: portation to Chattanooga. 1t was furnished us,
and before the sun rose the next morning we
, we're ca route for the front.
! AtChattaH00ga we reported to General Stead
msn, Ut was he who commanded our division
t when captured commanding the post at that
: place. lie received rs kindly and gave us
c the freedom OF the city" for two days. From
: hIla we learned that after the capture Of my
? regiment at Chickamauga Major Jolly who was
t in the rear al the time of the fight, had come
: up with some e0nYahescents belonging to nav
5 regiment and that, with some OF those who
: were but slightly wounded and the siraggiers
S be bad gathered q handful OF men together
and was trying to keep Up the organization Of
orr regiment, and on further inquiry / found
l | that Major Jolly aud his handful OF men were
> then cut at Ringgoid, Georgia, on duty.
: Two days afterwards on the 9Th OF March
| we arrived IN Ringgold, and as we passed NJ
: the streets OF the camp Of our fragInentary
regiment the first words that greeted our ear.
were: Fresh fish Fresh fish," That after
4 noon we reported IN person to Major Jolly, after
an absence from the 20sh of September, 1868, f,
I the sth of March. 1864, during which time ".
! had been reported on the muster rolls and il
I tie company morning reports as Z" prisoners il
i Dixie!p
q THE OTHER FUGITIyES.
e From all the information we could after
c wards obtain of the sixty prisoners who ESCAPED
o that night from DanYiile, only one besides cur
e selves got through IN safety to the Union lines
a This was young man by the name of Franz
= Lofts, If / am not mistaken and if renenlbe,
tvT~f I~~ 4ar~fI Il r