Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-07-01
= so we shall reach our lines sure.

He did so and came back and reported
that the black scoundrel had gone to sleep
aud done nothing for us. We thought we
had better be getting away from there, 20
we left in a hurry. About l o'clock this
morning We came across a flock of geese,
and il did not take Us long 70 copfiSticate
q couple of them. We had lucky escape
this morning from being discovered. Two
white men, elderly gentlemen, passed
within twenty steps of Us, but did not see
u.s."
On Nov 16, when they were going about
HOma Path, negro woman who was at
spring saw rs and called to Us. We stop
ped and one OF our party started towards
her, but she became frightened and would
not allow him to approach. We started
on again. I'VE fear" continues the diary,
that she may tell of seeing us, and that
il may lead to our capture"
They reached Wallahalla about 3 O'Clock
in the morning and tiptoed it through the
town without being discovered. cold
spell struck them in few days and it was
with difficulty that enough tre could he
had to keep them warm. The records for
Nov. % iu the diary read: Passed
miserable night. We had good fire, but
il was difficult to keep warm, and We got
but little sleep. Had slight snow about
noon to-day. We prospected up and
down the rivers bank, and found
the only chance of our getting
across was TO ford it. 1t had TO be
done, 30 about o'clock p. m. we I'M
dressed and went into it, We found 1t
about waist deep and 40 yards wide. 1t
might have been an amusing sight to have
seen Us crossing that cold stream with
clothes in one hand and cane In the other,
| but it was a terrible undertaking Tor Us.
| On the Other side we saw drove OF sheep
near Us, ard we had quite chase after
them, hoping 10 get one Of them, but they
were SO wild aud the mountains so steep
we could not succeed.
Mayor Davis recounts with no little en-
| thusiasm the adventures of Captain Dimlck
at about this time. He was very much
worn out with his long tramp, and when
the party started on their next instalment
towards home Captain Dimick WAS IN such
bad condition that he was about ready to
give up. For days he had been trampiDg
without any protection for his feet over
rough roads and through wooded lands aud
they were in such sore condition that IL
seemed almost impossible for him to use
| them. So he called the men around him,
and there they talked the matter over. III
they waited for him to get well, they would
endangsr the lives of the whole company,
and it would probably be several days be-
fore he could get along fast enough to keep
I'D with them.
$50 'good-by" WAS said and the five
soldiers started off again on their north
ward trip, leaving Mr.. Dimick sitting
there on . log alone. They went about
twenty miles that night. and were just
about going into camp for the day, when
they heard some one behind them. AT
once they Jumped aside into the woods,
waiting and fearing. Bat their fear was
tnrned TO Joy when they recognized in the
follower CAPTAIN. Dimlck. He had sum-
moned all his pluck and started after the
quintet when he found himself alone, and,
toOtsore and weary, had tranpsd the TWEEN
| ~ miles hoping that at the end OF each
| succeeding mile he would catch up with
his brethren. After that experience they
all promised never to leave one another
again il it went 80 far as to compel them to
| take one Oh tucu nuuoei oh e"oh 9hV'
ders.
NOV. % I Wednesday, 1t was clear
and freezing cold when We started out last
| night. We had goue but a short distance
when We came to another stream nearly
A wide rs the one Just crossed. 1t was
.iiscouraeing sight to us, but to 20 to
Knoxville il had to be crossed, and there
| All being OF one mlQd II did not take us
| long to get orr clothes off and to jump
into it, We were soon across. Ii was 80
cold that our breath frOze to orr NOUS
tlches and our canes we're covered with
| ice second after our getting out OF the
water. We dressed again and started and
we're sOon feeling finely. After travelling a
few miles further on we came 10 another
stream over which we constructed q foot
bridge | was unfortunate enough in
crossing II fall Off the leg and to get into
the water nearly 10 my knees had to
march the next few miles with wet feet
snd my pants covered with ice.
Nov. p friday Ny birthday, %
years cid. Lost our road last night, be-
came bewildered aud had to 20 into camp
after having travelled only about five miles
| Had hardly become settled before a man
aud boy passed within 20 steps of us. We
have had to remain very quiet all day.
We can keep warm by wrapping mp in our
blankets and lying close"
When within tour days march of KNOX
Vile, Major Davis writes: 1--WE will try
aud make il if VIZ have 10 crawl the dis
lance. We are 80 surrounded by farms
that we cannot build fire. Our mental
~ we'll ~ our bodily suffering is intense.
Our greatest trouble now is with our shoes.
The hard, frozen ground has worn them all
out. Que OF the party is entirely bare
tuoted and the rest are nearly so. One OF
my feet is on the ground and the other will
soon be-"
Arrived at the town of Franklin, a
hamlet thanked on one side by the noun
tsins and on the other by the river, the
travellers prepared to steal through rs best
they could. Their luck was good until
they had surmounted hill in the centre
Of the place, when a voice, which they re-
cognized "a that of an old man, cried
"Haltw Quietly they reversed their
steps, walking backwards, as they remark
ed that if he didn't want them to 90
through the town they would 90 back, un-
til they had passed below the knoll, when
they faced about and made for the noun
tains. After wandering about three days,
lost, they found house where Mr..
Grant lived. Mr.. Grant himself was not
at home, as he had not slept in the house
for months, for fear of being caught. His
wife, however, and a son, who was home
on q forty-eight .hours' furlough, were
there. The family treated them very
kindly, and Major Davis wrote about it.
"a happier set of men there never was.
l think it Is the hsppiest day l ever ex-
perieneed."
The boy returned from furlough the next
day and kindly guided the wanderers
through the mountains, past the guard
that was all about there, and put them on
a good trail for home.
The diary conc udes the trip thus:
"Dec. Monday. Happy day. Moved
into the city of Knoxville at out / l o'clock.
Reported to General Carter, Provost Mar
shall, and he furnished Us quarters in one
Of our hospitals, where we found mum.
Der of officers that had escaped the day be-
fore. and at the same time as ourselves"
4