Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-02-27
SOME uypUBrIsugD HISTORY.
A Glimpse at the Cost OF Being q
Union Man In tho South.


ED. JoURNAL:-I will here relate m
experience OF Union man that took
place In North Carolina more than 20
years ago, aud will give itasn near verbatim
as possible, as it was told me by the party
interested.
James Jones il the mans name, and he
was then young man Of 90 years, and
then lived in the same neighborhood where
he now lives, some 25 mies north Of
Winston, N. C. / stayed all night with
Mr.. jones', and IN the way Of conversation
he said; "Us Union buys had to do some
pretty tall dodging through the last days
OF the war to keep from being conscripted
in the Confederate service. There we've
abont 80 Of us that had been hiding and
skulking around from place to place. The
rebels know Of our presence in the neigh
borhood and were continually following us
up, now aud then killing or wcanding
some Of us. At length we made up our
minds to get together and make our way
through to Eastern Tennessee to the Union
forces. Consequently we set time, met
and started on our march to join the old
flag, the most Of us on foot myself and
two or three more riding mules. We
would march all night through the woods
and by-raths and hide ourselves in some
mountain glen through the day. We got
OH all right for two days and nights, and
until the afternoon of the third day, when
we became impatient and thought we
might march through the afternoon, as
struck out, but had not gone more than n
mile when We ran plump Into a squadron
Of Confederate cavalry, that were out
patrolling tie country Tor Union men,
We broke for cover and they began firing
on us lively. Our crowd had only three
guns and live revolvers IN all, 40 you see
we cuull not fight them. We scattered.
| every une for himself. II 80 happened
that VIM. Wylhe aud Charley Dean took
| the same course that did. We ran down
the slipping aide of ~ buihy mountain till
we came to iavine, t"ok up this ravine
| about mile till we came u some heavy
| laurel brush. There we hid ourselves. l
should have told You that jumped from
nav mule when we first discovered the
Jhnnies-the mule didn't wish TO 20 AZ
| fast az did. From our hiding place in
the laurel bush we coul'l hear firing all
around us and knew that some of our huys
were going under. We lay there that d ",
that night aud all the nexi day, for we well
knew that the rebel soldiers would be
guarding every foot ot ground. The next
night, NJ soon M il was dark, we crawled
ont and started on our way very slow aud
cautiously. As near AZ We cOnld tell We
Travelled to the northward md only made
about five miles that night, A. day began
To dawn we crawled away into some iallen
rocks and lay there in the burning ",n all
day. We suffered terribly for water. II
seemed lhs, the friendly night would never
come. But ii did come and we crawled
from our hiding y ace and started down
the sloping mountain TO the valley where
| we found water. There we drank ard eat
our surpers aud went on our way rel 'ici q.
Made pretty good time that night Til
about two O'Clock, ~ near AZ We could
Judge. The night was very chilly and we
became very cold. We came ont in an
old field where We found a Large pile #
leaves in little clump Of bushes, and d s.
covered that there were lot Of hogs -le, p
ing in lhea. Ne drove out the hugs ar'
crawled in to get warm. We sabn got
warm and fell to slee,. We slept and
when we awoke, the sun was shining ful,
in my face. was alarmed aud looked
around cautiously and Ju.t liule way "ii
discovered two boys aud some women
working in field. There was open ground
l,.lt
could not move without being seen. We
concluded to stay where we were, and
buried up in the leaves aud lay there snug
ly TIL night. BY this time our provisions
that We brought were all gone. Al dark
on we went, marching all night and at the
break Of day we hid On the bnshy side OF u
mountain. just below us was II house and
we Judged by the talk that they wer.
negroes. About noon we had got very
hungry and made mp our minds that on,
of us would steal down to the house amd
see II We could not get sonnet ing To ea'
So stole away and crept up near the
house. found it 10 he occup pied hy u family
of negroes. soon found uut that | cUuli
trust them, and let them know whore
wanted to go. They gave me -omeihimg &,
eat and one young buck niger said h,
coull pilot ms through 10 the Uuinn force-
in one night. NJ he had often been through
That night ut dark We sI,rted, AMI al
break of day the next morning We lonu'
the Yankee pickets, and yon het we wer,
exceedingly happy. Of the balance of IN
crowd they were either killed or c. ptmreri
But seven in all made their way through
in II night or two after our arrival.
LEWIS liENNING.
Hoyisville, Feb. 23. 1885.