Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-08-30

- - - 80 g
hOller, between the uo3s. air, about
twenty-sevsn miles fro Cumberland.
1t was February. VI had passed O
hard winter. sired bard. The
snow was on the gpnnd. an one
night we were ali htsln round the
FIRE. when all at ono. Jehnnie Fay an
Sprigg Lynn spOh ap-lthese two
boys lived in Cunbk bad, sir. an
used to slip in ths Yankee lines at
night to see theii nothsrs-shat's
what they d say. butws used to laugh,
cause Johnnie had skraetheart thar ]
Continuing. the u man said that
tyosnG Esy and ,zzk.sss,tLs firssto
devise the plan which afterward
proved so successful Major General
John B. Crook haa been assigned
command of the department in which
that station was embraced, and was
making his headquarters at the Revere
House. Major Geneal B. F. Kelley,
who had previously commanded, had
remained in Cumberland at the other
hotel of the town-the st Nicholas.
Both Of these hotels are on Baltimore
street, not far apart
We'll, sir, Fay ind Lynn sand we
could catch en-, a pd they watched
the points and mads the plan.
The following evening, about dusk,
with ffty-seven men, mounted and
well armed, Vandive started off on
his per.lous Journey The'snow was
two feet deep and drifted in many
places to a dangerous depth. They
rode hurriedly down the valley, crossed
the South Branch of the Potomac, and
passed successfully and without any
mishap Middle Ridge. Patterson's
Creek Valley and Knobby Mountain.
Here the snow was 30 deep and hard
that they were compelled to dismount
and lead their horses for a distance
of two and a-half miles, until they
reached the residence of Mr.. R. r.
Seymour, a wealthy old farmer, with
whom the Vandiver family were ac-
quainted. A great cracking fire in
vited them in the house, and soon
Of some dangerous undsrI(s4&51kins-a IL
We told old Seymour our eve
said Vandiver, AN turnin' to me thar,
in the fre-light-Ill never forget it
he said, in low, trembling voice,
wan, for Gods sake, your sake. your
mothers sake, turn back There are
over 5000 troops in and about Cum
berlaud; you have only handful; you
will never return alive!
But we are were determined, 81,
an when the old man saw it he turned
loose upon upon us whole barrel 'i
good old apple brandy
Leaving there they forded the
Potomac, which was running with ice
and slush, and in the doing Of which
every man became wet to the knees
and passed on up the Maryland side
in silence. Not word was permitted
to be spoken. They had now entered
the picket.lines OF the enemy ana
every step was fraught with danger.
\ gloomy procession they must have
made, these ffty-seven horsemen NOV
ing through the darkness, silent and
wondering what the next few hours
held in store for them.
Halt Who comes dereY ra1G 'ui
on the air.
Forward, boys, whispered NAnd'
yer. it's a Dutch sentinel.
They soon captured the fellow, with
two others, and now the difficulty Of
.
obtaining the countersign.
Your countersigul' demanded Van
diver.
Me no geef it.
Bring me my bride reinl 7ai'
Vandiver to one of his men.
The rein was brought and soon Ta'
adjusted about the neck of the stub
born Dutch man and thrown over th'
limb of a tree. 1t was only when tn
rein was tightened and the fellow wa
dangling on tip-toe, that he blurts'
; out in response to their repeated de
! mands: 'Boors Kaah! (meaning Bull
GAM Half the prize was now wOr
a then repeating the experiment wit
$ the other two, they were assured th'
> Bulls Gap was the password an
: moved on down the county roa
# toward Cumberland. They now eros
? "a what is know as the Old Pix
IS and were within mile from town.
Is Joe, ,lieve l saw q light throuI
re the trees yOnder.' said Van to cot
| panion as they entered the edge
IL small ticket.
as No. guess nOtl vas the reply.
n Uan5ivar was right, for 80