The sun., 1889-11-10
eooD sronIEs OF TEE PRESENT DA1.
Guiding Refugees Through the Mountains
of Tennessee.

years previ0us 10 the war; hltnouRn resiulnR 10
Ohio whom hostilties actually began. knew
the country from Knoxville to the North Caro-
lima line on the east. and from Knoxville to the
Kentucky line on the north, very thoroughly.
had eono over almost every mile OF every high.
way, and knew many OF the mountain trails
and short cuts. | had been surveying and
mapping public and private lands, and this was
work calculated to famlllarize mo with the
country. was in RoRersville only three
months before the opening gun. and knew
that strong Union sentiment pre-
vailed among the mountaineers. 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, Thoy argued so we'll and 80 per-
sistently az 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. Whom they realized that
war was inevitable. and that they must take
sides, there was general movement to escape
TO the North and Join the Union forces. The
hardBhips, perils, and tribulations OF these
refugees have only been family outlined.
Where one got through the lines five were
killed by the soldiers on watch to intercept
them. Where one family reached the Union
lines entire. y dozen were broken and scattered
never to be reunited.
In the summer OF 1862. acting under military
orders. I made my way from Richmond, Ken
tucky, into the Blue Ridge Mountains to gather
and bring out as large band as possible
After more or less personal peril. mostly from
guerillas and bushwhackers, l reached the
locality ! had In view. which was neighbor-
hood In a cove on one OF the branches OF the
Tennessee River. A few young men had been
recruited for the Confederate service but as
yet no force had been used to secure recruits.
Several men OF local renown were beating up
the districts for recruits for guerilla cavalry
companies. and every avenue OF escape to the
North was closed and carefully guarded.
went into the mountains in the guise Of q pur-
chasing agent for the Confederate Govern
ment and as had been literally supplied with
both Confederate money and gold, was In a
position to carry out my role. Those who knew
me personally did not know what my ,senti-
ments were until secretly informed. and as !
appeared to be busy looking after horses and
mules, the Confederates seemed to have no sus-
Within week after my arrival found that
attempt to reach the Union lines in Kentucky.
The matter had been talked over previous to
ny srriuHi put NO doetded steps taken az bct Ihs
named Joe Penfeld. He had been married only
about four months before my appearance at
the cove. While uneducated. he was fntelli-
gent far beyond his class. and he realized that
the struggle would be fierce and bloody and
@ eapaSle f Of bSares @ arms G must @ take sides. Snd
as his love for the Union was strong he was
sss ot 9Ps Of s tSs
fact that a. @ least half the y men wanted to
before us. As we should be obliged to
travel the distance would be, fifty more. and
would De over mountains, through forests and
thickets across creeks and rivers, and exposed
to al sorts tp d weather and hardships' ahd op,
women would be certain to prove: OF the
thigteen who wanted to 60 nine had from two
such party. knowing that we should be cap
tured and shot within a day or two. This
named Henderson. who had wife and four
children Of his own. agreed to lead those hav-
s IssdG apss q sr, While Sd SGk s6 the anS When
men we're Mrs, Penield. Mrs. Graham and
robust Heath. Each OF one % dressed in Hme mems
clothing and carried a shotgun.
other. It was tlcklish business holding meet
inGs and DerfeStinE n arrangSm1ents 11e for there
WITH he 8nonsts and soderPP
were marching and riding over the county.
In most cases the men disposed of their live
Some OF them had good crops and cosey homes, |
and had worked hard for score OF years to ae-
hear one single regret expressed at having to |
the Confederate Government might profit |
on the evening pfA Of Aug. @ i5 % We % had s appointed @
Q rendezvous on the mountain. and at dusk !
Each person carried bundle containing cloth.
ing. blankets, and provisions. and each had a
been told from the men @ BY their dress. and each each
bad on q pair Of new stout boots. purchased
LOT 9th the @ occasion. % Every family would be
case would be such as to encourage every ef-
fort for recapture.
Of march and given instructions bearing unon
emergencies took the lead straight up the
spurs of the AlieGh hanies beginning near Gin
ton and running into Kentucky and Virginia.
hHd three Of these spurs to cross 6efoES
state line. and between each spur was q VAL
ley and river. Our route ior the FIRST twelve
We had no alarms. We had made about six
teen miles and had descended the spur almost
It's base ThsP We had first
men were composed. We were following the
mountain trail, walking by twos and every one
Q bend in the trail ahead OF us. Penfeid crept
forward to investigate. and after quarter Of
picket, He had only seen one man, and he
vas M asleep on his post, but from the looks of
b. Tne sSoDed GsPeP
tereept refugees, and further progress by the
trail WAS blocked
After consultation we turned to the left, but
before we could flank the picket we met with
guch sheer descent that we had to turn back
Pe4aeld and two others were sent to the right.
and In a little time returned and reported the
way clear, and we soon passed the danger. De-
ScendinR almost to the valley we turned to the
left and entered dense pine thicket lust as
day was breaking. 1t was only after / had
seen blood on Penfeld's clothes that he ex-
planned that In scouting to the right his party
bad stumbled over soldier wrapped In his
blanket. and the outcry he had been about to
make was prevented by a thrust from a hunt
Ing knife which reached his heart This oc-
be blamed for 1t. We retired into the
sentinels. and the others ate their Bread and
meat and lay down TO sleep. The forenoon
passed quietly away,. and at l O'Clock three
others and myself relieved the sentinels. at
,nce made my way to the northern edge OF the
hicket where i could overlook the lroad
descending into the valley as we'll as a part OF
he. valley itself. and a brief observation salts
led me that we were being pursued. saw a
'core of mounted men riding down the road:
md another body in the valley below and
heir actions showed them to be in u state OF
Excitement. We had no doubt been tracked rs
ar as the picket post. but from that point our
were uncertain whether We had
pushed on or S0Cret6Q ourselves. |