The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-03-28
A sTRAGGLER's STORY.
From Harper's Ferry TO Warrenton Under DIM
cuItieS.


culties.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: It was in the
Fall of 1862, after the battle of Antietam, in
which the 10Th Ind. suffered severely, that sew
eral new recruits had been enlisted at Indian
apolis to fill the broken ranks. The writer
had been member Of the 10th Ind, enlisted
for one year, and also three months in the 61th
Ohio, and was captured at Harpers Ferry.
Being anxious to get to the regiment i lett
indianapolis without leave, and had to report
TO my company to save myself from the charge
of desertion. That was a case of desertion to
report to the regiment, and could be easier fixed
up than desertion to leave the regiment to go
home. After making the circuitous route from
indianapolis via Richmond Cincinnati, Column
bus, Wheeling and Clarksburg, w. Va, and
thence to Pittsburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore
and Washington, learned that the regiment
was at Harper's Ferry. On my arrival at that
historic place, where | had been held prisoner
but few weeks previous called to see Miss
Emma Sponsler to claim a wager made at the
time of the surrender, that the Yanks
would never get Harpers Ferry again" But
Emma, who was famous fortune-teller, mad
become disguised with Northern soldiers, and
had left for some secluded spot farther down
the valley. Setting out to hunt my regiment
l was Informed that Harpers Ferry was simply
a garrison, and the main army was nearly 1OO
miles south, with headquarters at Warrenton,
Va. l decided at once to follow the trail and
overtake the army if possible. The army had
crossed at Berlin, six miles below the Ferry, and
had passed up the valley Immediately east of
the Blue Ridge Mountains.
had some idea of the lay of the country,
from the service and marches made the Spring
before while still member of the 10th Ind. l
knew where Winchester, Smokers Gap, Will
mot Aldie Hay Market, Thoroughfare Gap and
| Warrent0n junction were, and it seemed to me
to be but days walk, so l started through in
in citizens dress and 81 in my pocket.
On my first advance l soon met squad of
cavalry, and heard cannonading in the dis
lance. They informed me that it would be i'm
possible for me TO reach Warrenton by this
route. / returned to the Potomac and wrote
letter to friend that l was going to my
regiment, and as the route was through the
guerrilla country of Mosby and near the gaps
of the Blue Ridge, guarded by rebel forces, it
was q dangerous undertaking, and If l was
never heard from it was to be reported to the
regiment. The letter mailed, | started again,
and when near Waterford | met more stray
gers returning to the Maryland side of the
river. Continuing my course | met more cav
airy, with single piece of artillery, and man
in citizens clothes leading very fine horse.
The officer in charge said it was no use, could
not get through; that rebel bands were capt
uring everything they could find struggling in
the rear of the army. l simply answered that
| would try it, capture or no capture. The man
with the horse said, Good for you; I'll go
with you"
He had started the day before, but seeing
everything coming back, he concluded to do so
too. The horse had been kept back on account
of sickness, and belonged to Gen. Couch, and
became the means that day by which we made
our escape from the enemy. At Philomont we
met a rebel face to face in the street. lie had
pies and cakes and was starting to the camp
near by. The picket-line we could see quar-
ter of mile down the Winchester pike. The
smoke of the rebel camps near Smokers Gap
was curling in the rays of the setting sun, and
just then every appearance was against us l
approached the man in gray and coufdentially
told him he had better return to camp, for we
were on our way home, and had seen about
1900 1anks camping not more than mile
north. He took me at my word and hurried
away. The women of the town, peeping from
their doors, inquired whether we belonged to
the Northern or the Southern army? Our an
sWer was, Neither; we are on our way home,
further south, putting on the Southern dialect.
We cOurted no conversation, but travelled on,
and was soon over the hill and out of sight of
the town. One of US jumped the horse and the
other ran, until out of breath, and then q
change, rs often as the case demanded, until
dark came on and made our travel more diff
cult. 1t was now about o'clock p. M, and,
having had neither dinner nor supper, and tTav
cling all day on excitement we felt somewhat
exhausted, and as we plodded along in the dark
we counseled as to the propriety of camping or
going on, when suddenly picket-fre was seen
a short distance ahead of US. We stole as near
as we could, in order to discover the blue or the
gray, if possible; but the fire was very dim,
and it was impossible to tell which it was
friend or foe 1t is not worth while for one to
try to describe his feelings under these crCum-
stances, because he cannot do it. But the
strangest incident Of the whole trip occurred
just at this critical moment, and that was the
firing of gun from the hill behind US, the
minie-ball passing over our heads in the direc-
ton of the fire in the road. We concluded at
once that we had been pursued, and, halting
had allowed the enemy to overtake US, and the
camp ahead was our own troops. So we made
ourselves known and surrendered. We found
ourselves in the hands of small Union guard,
who had charge of hospital or church filled
with the wounded from the battle that had been
fought few days before. 1t took us some time
to assure them that we were not the party who
fired the shot. After good nights rest, and
plenty of good coffee for breakfast, we continued
our journey toward WarrentOn, reaching that
place before shutdown, stiff and sore. l have
never heard from the man with the horse since
that time, but if he or any of the boys in the
temporary hospital. waiting for ambulances
can remember anything about the incident
will be glad to hear from them.-F. NJ. HUFF,
Co. B, 18th Ind, Hartford City, Ind.