The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-01-22

| Ing OF the lew elements OF the prODicm tildb
were within my reach, and then hurried flight,
was all time permitted. Most of my comrades
were in advance of me. Three of them had
| taken the eastern side of the railroad, the re-
mander the opposite side. In my Judgment
the latter was best, and, following their exam
pie, soon reached the cover of stunted pines
that grew near Feeling the necessity of get
ting some start before the enemy could arrange
| for pursuit, | continued to run at right angles
away from the railroad. A little brook that
| ran parallel to the railroad was soon passed,
| and / pressed on up the long, steep and open
| slope of hill on its opposite side. Running
up hill was too severe to be maintained long,
and was obliged to drop into walk in plain
view of the enemy. Each step was fatiguing,
and my limbs seemed made of lead. This
| greatly augmented my fears. 1t was moro like
| trying to run away from danger in nightmare
than any waking sensation. l saw three OF
my comrades not far away on the left, and,
! urging my failing strength to the utmost, tried
to overtabe them, but in vain. This was a
great disappointment, for l dreaded solitude
above all things, and wanted the support OF
sympathy. / knew that pursuit would be
rapid and instantaneous, and could hear shouts
from the pursuing trains, which had now
reached the spot and were discharging host
of enemies Every breeze that sighed through
the branches of the naked forest sounded like
the trampling of cavalry.
The country was rough and uneven. On the
bottoms and by the streams, as well as on the
steep mountains, were few pines; but on the
slopes and tops of the hills which here are q
low continuation of the Cumberland range, the
timber is mostly of oak and other varieties
which were not then in foliage. This was a
great disadvantage, because it left no hiding
place and exposed US to the watchful seye OF
our enemies.
As l struggled up the hillside the sense of
| faintness and exhaustion passed away, and with
| strength hope came again. Nothing In this
| chase seems stranger than the manner In which
my strength ebbed and flowed. When SEEM
| ingly utterly powerleSs, without rest, food, or
sleep, vigor came back again on more than one
occasion, and the new supply would last for
hours. My more rapid pace soon carried me
over the hilltop and down to the bend OF a lit
tie river, which subsequently learned was the
! Chickamauga,-the witness, afterwards, of one
| of the most desperate battles of the war. 1t
| was then swollen by the continuous rains, and
| for some time l searched along It's banks IN
vain for a crossing place. Believing that death
| was behind finally committed myself to the
| turbulent stream, and succeeded In getting
! over, but only to find that before me the bank
rose in an almost perpendieulaY preelpice OF
| shelving rock not less than 100 feet in hight.
| / dared not recroSs the stream, for l knew the
enemy could not be far behind, and therefore
clambered up the precipice. Several times,
| when near the top, did / feel Hy grasp giving
| way, but as often some bush or projecting rock
| afforded me the means of saving myself. While
thus swinging up the bare rocks could not
| help thinking what fine mark | presented if
any of the enemy, with guns, should happen to
! arrive on the opposite bank At last, after
imminent danger, l reached the top, again
utterly exhausted, pulled myself out of sight,
and sank down to breathe for while.
| | had been without breakfast or dinner, and
had spent not only that day but many preced-
ing ones in the most fatiguing exestion. Enc
| mics were on every side There was no guide
even in the direction of home, for the sun still
| fingered behind an impenetrable vail.
While musing on this unenviablc situation
! in which l found myself, dreadful sound
| brought me to my feet and sent the blood leap
| ing wildly through my veins 1t was the dis
tant baying, of blood hound moments
reflection would have made it certain that in
| the existing state of Southern customs dogs
| would have been used to track fugitives in the
woods. 1t was mere every day incident of
slavery. But this consideration brought no
comfort. Alone in the woods of Georgia, the
horror of being hunted with dogs was indie
| scribable.
A few moments listening confirmed my worst
| fears. They were after with their blood
! hounds not one pack alone, but all in the
country, as the widening circle from which
their dismal baying echoed revealed but too
| plainly. There was no longer safety in idle
| ness. Yet the fearful sound was not without
use in supplying a guide to fight, and / am
now convinced that throughout the whole
chase the dogs were of mere real service to us
than to our pursueIs, as they rendered a sur
prise less probable. But meme the less did they
add to the responsiveness and terror of our po-
stion.
Away across the hills and streams sped,
know not how far,-I only know that the noise
of the dogs grew fainter as the evening wore OH.
l had distaneed them and began to breathe
more freely. l even INDUCED the hope of being
able to work my way ultimately to the Federal
lines. Had the clouds permitted travelling by
the sun and stars, this hope might have been
realized.
AS l descended the long slope of a wooded
hill into q solitary valley, saw rude hut,
| with man working in a cultivated patch be-
side it. Believing that he could not yet have
heard Of our adventure, determined to risk
something in order to get information. / also
felt sure that one man could not arrest ME.
Approaching, | asked the road to Chattanooga.
and the distance. He pointed the way, and
| told me that it was eight miles. Adding this
information to the general knowledge had of
| the geography of that district, it gave me some
notion of my whereabouts. / did not wish to
get any nearer the rebel town, as | rightly
judged that IN its vicinity pursuit would be
| most vigorous, but | continued my journey in
that direction until out Of sight, when | climbed
! the hill at right angles to my former course.
The course was maintained for some hours,
when an incident occurred which would have
been amusing but for the fearful perils enyi-
roning me.
/ had often heard of lost persons travelling in
a circle, but never gave much credit to such
stories. Now, l had the proof of their credi-
bility. l believe philosophers explain the
phenomenon by saying that one side of the
body has little more VigOr than the other, and
that when we have guide 10 direct u.s.
the stronger side usually the right, by It's
tendency to 90 ahead of the other side, grad
uaiiy turns us in the opposite direction. In
other words, the right foot Outwalks the left
and thus, like a carriage-horse swifter than ita
mate in driverless team, can only describe
perpetual circles until the will-power again
takes hold of the reins. But at this time had
never heard of such theories, and the followi ne
experiences present themselves to my mind as
an inexplicable and terrifying fatality.
l had crossed road and left it for something
like an hour, during which time walked very
fast, when to my surprise | came to the same
place again. | was considerably annoyed thus
to lose my labor but struck over the hill in
what l now supposd to be the right direction
Judge Of my astonishment aud alarm when
after an hour more Of hard walking, found
myself again at precisely the same spot! So
much time had been lost that the barking oi
the dogs now sounded very loud and near.
was perplexed beyond measure and seemingly
hopeleSsy entangled. A few steps brought me
to a stream that was recognized as having been
crossed hours before. In sheer desperation
took the first road that appeared, and followed