The National tribune., 1883-05-10
GOODBYE TO DIXIE.
The Prisoners Reception in Craig Val.
ley---JOining the Union League.
[By John F. Hm, Co. Il. ssh or. II

Feeling satisfied that we would not be fur
ther pursued by the bloodhounds, we now
ventured to take an hours rest and it was
only when we attempted to get under way
again that we realized what we had gone
through. Our joints were sore and stiff and
we felt as if we had been travelling all night.
But, nevertheless, we pushed on Our route
lay over a small mountain, called. / think,
" "Catawba," and having fortunately discovered
"A good road, it did not take us long to reach
the summit We were beginning to suffer,
however, from the chilly atmosphere, for our
clothes were damp with perspiration and with
wading in the water of the brook which we
had crossed, and as we approached the foot of
the mountain we concluded it would be unwise
TO continue our journey further at the time.
Accordingly, we set TO work to find the mate
rials with which to build fire, but no dry
wood was at hand, and we were forced to aban-
don the idea. In this dilemma we were fortu-
nate enough to come across a bed of hogs, all
snugly ensconced among the chestnut leaves, and
routing them out of their quarters, we forclbly
took possession of them ourselves 1t was an
exact fit, and curling ourselves up spoon fashion.
we soon dropped off TO sleep. And what a sweet
sleep it was! Give me hogs bed in prefer
ence to the comforts" of a rebel prison every
time
Daylight found us up and stirring, much re-
freshed by our nights rest, but with ravenous
appetiteS for breakfast Leaving our quarters,
we took our way to a snug little house in the
vicinity in search of something to eat. As we
neared the door we heard the voice of some one
within, engaged apparently in reading psalm.
Presently the end of the chapter was reached,
and then, after short pause the reader began
to pray. 1t was evidently woman, and she
prayed that God would open the eyes of the
blind and deluded people of the South and
bring back the prodigals to the Union. She
prayed, too, for the President of the United
States, and asked that victory might be granted
TO the Stripes and Stars. AS we stood there
and listened to the supplications of this pious
and patriotic woman We were all deeply affected.
WIDOWED BY THE WAR.
+ Her devotions having at last came to an end,
we advanced to the door and raped. A pleas
ant voice said, Come in," and entering, we
| found solitary woman and seven children, rang
/ ing in age from fifteen years down. We told her
who we were and the extent of our wants, and
| she said she would do the best she could for
u.s. She kept her word and the food, though
coarse, fully supplied our needs. She told us
| her name was Brilliant, and that her husband
had been conscripted, and had died in the rebel
army. They We're Pennsylvanans by birth,
and had only come to Virginia the year before
! the war, to take possession of small piece of
property that had been left her by an uncle.
We learned, also, that we were in Craig county,
| West Virginia and that there were some de-
serters from the rebel army up the valley, who
| would probably like to go North with us.
The distance to the nearest deserter's house
was nine miles, and the road lay through a
sparsely settled country, SO our good hostess
sent her son, q lad about twelve years old, to
| act as our guide Before we started, Freddie
was cautioned over and over again to take GER
tain paths, and to keep all the time on the
lookout for strangers. He was also to precede
US a short distance, and if he saw any danger
to instantly let US know it, To this little
| twelve-year old boy three stout men for about
four hours trusted their fate, but he brought
us safely to our journeys end. As we ap-
preached the house from small piece of woods
two men were seen escaping from it by the
back way, making for the timber on the oppo-
site side We hailed them, but they only ran the
faster. On entering the house we found there
| two women and some small children, and hav-
ing been introduced by our young guide, who
was well known to the family, we told them who
we were. Indeed, we rehearsed our whole story
to them, but they were firmly convinced that we
| were spies, and refused either to tell us where
| the men We're or send for them. At last ouI
guide remarked that he had not seen any fire.
arms about us. and they then declared that il
ON being searched no weapons were found in oul
possession they would be more inclined to be.
| lieye what we had told them. We willingly
! agreed to let them search us, and they accord
| ingly made thorough examination but with
| ished, apparently, with the result, one of the
women now went to the woods to bring in the
men, while the other proceeded to prepare
dinner. In the course of an hour the woman
and two men came in. They were fine-lookins
| fellows and their names were Charles and Davi6
| Crockett Surface. They were brothers. and haG
been impressed into the rebel army, but hat
deserted, and were hiding in the woods neal
their homes. After pleasant talk and late
dinner they agreed to go with US to one of th,
| most noted and popular Unionists in the vale,
"a Colonel John e. Trout. Where he got his
military title l never knew.
ANOTHER SAFE ASYLUM.
An hours walk brought us TO the colonel'
large farmhouse. 1t was evident that he wa
a man of considerable means He owned
large farm, picturesquely situated in a cove
surrounded on three sides by small mountains
and, on the fourth side, by as pretty stream
of water as | ever saw. 1t had very gentle
flow, and was as clear as crystal. The eolone
! being absent we took seats in the tool-house t
| await his return. Towards night he arrived
portiy man of sixty summers. He was first in
terviewed by our two guides, the Surfaces, ant
then, comingoyer to where we were, gave us
hearty welcome. AT first he seemed to be les
| enthusiastic and jealous than our old frient
Yates but we discovered afterwards that he wa
one of the firmest of the firm, and that hi
patriotism was as deep as the river and as loft,
as the mountains that surrounded his natiy
homestead We sat there together for NOR
| than an hour and talked. He examined u
from head to foot, and when he came to ou
feet, and saw them sockless, bleeding, and tie,
. up In rags, he ordered pan of warm soft water
[ some ointment, and a good pair of socks apiec
to be brought to u.s. My companions wer
t easily fitted, for they had small feet, but whel
! it came to my turn / found there was not
single pair of stockings that / could get m
heels into. Finally, was provided with pal
belonging to Uncle JOSH" one of the colonel
colored men, and in their ample proportion
my No. IL feet found plenty of room l ais
got Uncle Joshs best linsey shirt. Indeed
Uncle Josh was my counterpart!
Supper was announced at SIX and at tn
: table there was much discussion ON al
points relative to the war. The colone
: told us that he was representative ma
of two parties. In one he was loyal; i
) the other hypocrite. He said he was to
:. old to be pressed into the Confederate army
but it was necessary to mask his opinions il
order, to save his property from confscatio
and his person from insult or Incarceration i
some prison. He had helped to get many recruit
into the rebel army, but managed secretly [
get more out of it than he got into it, He ha
!, helped many poor fellow-Unionst and dt
serter-to reach our lines.
% Not having slept at all during the day, "
asked to be allowed to retire early, and wei
presently shown to bed in the hay in til
c barn, with plenty of blankets for coverin;
All snug and warm, we soon dropped off into
pleaSant Sleep foroetful alike of blood houDf