Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-20
THE REFUGEES.


in Ohio when hostilities actually began, l
knew the country from Knoxville to the
North Carolina line on the east, and from
Knoxville to the Kentucky line on the north,
7ery thoroughly. l had gone over almost
very mile of every highway, and | knew
many of the mountain trails and short cuts
| had been surveying and mapping public
and private lands, and this was work cal
culated to familiarize me with the country.
was in Rogersville only three months before
the opening gun, and | knew that a strong
Union sentiment prevailed among the noun
tanears.
While the people Of other sections of the
south were enthusiastic for war, the noun
taineers of East Tennessee and western North
Carolina, with very few exceptions, were
against it. They argued so well and so per-
sistently as TO call forth the bitter enmity of
the Confederate government, and such of
them as entered the Confederate ranks were
forced to join under penalty of being shot
down in their tracks When they realized
that war was inevitable, and that they must
take sides, there was general movement to
escape to tine north and joint he Union forces.
The hardships, perils and fluctuations of
these refugees have only been family out
lined. Where one got through the lines five
were killed by the soldiers on watch to inter
cept them. Where one family reached the
Union lines entire, dozen were broken and
seal .ered, never to be reunited.
In the summer of 1862, acting under mill
AIRY orders | made my way from Richmond,
KY, into the Blue Ridge mountains to gather
and bring out as large band possible.
after more or less personal peril, mostly
from guerrillas and bush whackers [ reached
ihe locality had in view, which was a neigh
bOrhood 81 q cove OH of the branches Of
the Tennessee river. A few young men had
been recruited for the Confederate service,
bat as yet no force had been used TO secure
recruits. Several men Of local renown were
jeating up the districts tor recruits for
guerrilla cavalry companies, and every ave
que of escape to the north was closed and
carefully guarded l went into the mount
aims in the guise of 2 purchasing agent
.or the Confederate government, and, as |
nad been literally supplied with both Con-
26derate money and gold, was in position
20 carry out my role Those who knew me
personally did not know what nv sentiments
we're until secretly informed, and as [ APP
peared to be busy looking after horses and
llultS, lDe AOlll c8AGi dleS SSeIllGO 10 nave no
suspicious.
Within a week after my arrival | found
that twenty-one men were DESTROYS of making
an attempt to reach the Union lines in Ken
lucky. The matter had been talked over
previous to my arrival, but no decided steps
.aken. The leader in the movement was a
uan of about 50, named Joe Penfield He
had been married only about four months
before my appearance at the cove. While
lneducated, he was intelligent far beyond
ais class, and he realized that the struggle
would be fierce ana bloody and one to last
for years. He felt that every one capable of
bearing arms must take sides, and as his love
FOR the Union was strong he was impatient
e get away. One of the greatest difficulties
encountered at the outset was the fact that
1T least half the men wanted to take their
families along. We had n journey Of over
100 miles on an air line tcfore us. AS we
should be obliged to trasel the distance
would be fifty more, and every mile of it in
peril OF our lives.
Our way would be over mountains, througt'
forests aud thickc;s, across creeks and rivers,
and exposed 10 all sorts of weather and hard.
ships, and opposed the drag on our move,
ments which the women would be certain to
prove. OF the thirteen who wanted to go
nine had from two 10 five children. | fatty
refused TO lead any such party, Gnowing that
we should be captured and shot within day
Of two. This caused a division of numbers. A
mountaneer named Henderson, who had "a
wife and four children of his own, agreed To
lead those having families, while | took the
others. When ready 10 start | had ten men,
and three of them were to take their wives
along. The women were Mrs. Peufled, Mrs.
Graham and Mrs. Bross, and were all under
30 and in robust health. Each one dressed
in mems clothing and carried a shotgun.
Our party was to have two days start of
the other. 1t was ticklish business, holding
meetings and perfecting arrangements, for
there were plenty of Confederate citizens
mixed up with the Unionists, and Coufeder-
ale soldiery were marching and riding over
the county. In most cases the men disposed
of their live stock, but everything else had TO
20 be abandoned. Some of them had good
crops and coy homes and had worked hard
for a score of wears TO accumulate what they
had / did not. however. hear one single rA-
greet expressed at having to leave property
and comfort behind, except that the Confed-
crate government might profit thereby. Our
party got away soon after dark on the even
ing of August Is. We had appointed rem
devious on the mountain and at dusk every
body was there, fourteen of us in all Each
person carried bundle containing clothing,
blankets and provisions, and each had rife
or shotgun The women could not have been
told from the men by their dress. and each
had on q pair of new stout boots, purchased
for the occasion. Every family would be
missed next day, and tbs conclusion in each
case would be such SIS to encourage every eff
fort for recapture.
AT about 9 O'Clock, having planned the or
Ter Of march and given Instructions bearing
upon emergencies, | took the lead straight up
he side OF Smoky mountain, which is one OF
he spurs Of the AlleghanieS, beginning near
Nlu5en and running into Kentucky and Eir
MIA. We had three OF these spurs TO cross
>tore reaching the Cumberland mountains.
, ehe state line, and between each spur wa
'Nv go ~'ve-. 0rr route for the srS
Twelve nnrI@ was over a cc1nrrv r--a-v ~
habited, and we had 20 alarms. We had
made about sixteen miles and had descended
the spur almost 10 its northeastern base.
when We had cur FIRST encounter. and Isaw
OF what material the men were comnos.Si
We were following the mountain trails
walking by twos and every one on the alert
when we caught sight Of a fire at a bend in
the trail ahead OF Us. Penfield cFept forward
10 investigate, and after quarter OF en- hour