Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-05-13

between the railroad and a wagon
road running alongside. We went
into the center of the bushes, took a
lunch, put one man on guard and
went to sleep. We expected to be
hunted the next day; but nothing oc-
Cured till afternoon, when small
pig came close to where we were "
ing, land close behind him was small
dog followed by two boys, aged, per-
haps, ten years. - They came almost
upon US before they saw us, but when
their eyes fell on us they were terri
bly, scared and started on a run. We
called to them to stop, but they kept
on and Adams and | ran and caught
them. They were scared, but we
succeeded in making them believe we
would not harm them. We had
long talk with them. They said their
| fathers were in the rebel army as
conscripts, though they were Union
men. They claimed that their moth
ers were Union women, and had Sc
creted Union soldiers. We finally
gave them s. to s'keep STILL and tell
nobody that they had seen us. They
informed us that the guards were
hunting us up the road with hounds.
We were in fear that the boys would
betray us, and in a short time we be-
held a woman approaching US. She
came to US and we had long talk
with her. She claimed great friend
ship and besought us to go to her
house, where she could care for us
and secrete US. She said we were be-
ing hunted with hounds and should
soon be overtaken. We did not think
best to go to her house and she left
us, but in q few minutes she was
back again with another woman who
was the mother of one of the boys.
They both insisted that we should go
to the house, and we finally agreed to
go and take supper with them if they
would send the boys to guide us out
Of the woods to the house. The boys
came at the appointed time, and we
found good supper awaiting us, and
four women instead of two. Three of
them had husbands in the rebel army,
and one was a mother of ole of the
women. After supper they persuad
ed us to remain with them three or
four days, until the search for US was
ended, when we could better make
our way toward the land of the "Stars
and Stripes There was an old
building beside the road that had been
used as store, but it was now shut
up and unoccupied. Here they prom
ised to feed us and to permit us to
hove a fire during the night time. We /
accepted the proposal to remain few
days, and were most kindly cared for
by the Union women. We decided |
to start on our uncertain journey, land |
set out under the direction of a negro
guide, whom the women vouched for |
as being true and bright, and man
who would give us all the information
needed. We were loaded up with |
provisions, and, bidding adieu to the
true and kind-hearted women, set out
again. The remembrance of the kind
ness of them and other Union people
we found will always be held dear.
After going some three miles the
negro wanted to call at house some
little ways from us and Norcross went
with him. After a deal of racket
they awoke the man, who, sticking
his head out of the chamber window,
drove the negro off under threat to
shoot him. Some farther on the ne
gro hid us and started off to find
Union man we had been directed to
consult with. The darkey not re-
turning for some time, we concluded
there might be trouble, and struck
out on road leading north and to-
ward the mountains We made good
time till near morning, when we went
into deep woods, where we built a
fire and slept quite securely most of
the time till the next night. We were
at sea in regard to where the road
led, but set out as soon as it was
dark. AS we passed house | heard
it might be well to creep up and see
what was going on. [ travelled around
the house, could see little within, and
was at loss to know what was going
on within. There was big crack
under the door, and I got my eye
down and saw woman within run
ming some sort of spinningwheel.
l concluded to go in and see if | could
not get needed information in
regard to our whereabouts. 1 Trapped
babe me come in. AS | entered [
glanced around the house and saw
there was only one room below, and
in that, besides numerous other things,
were three beds,one of which appear
ed to be occupied by some person.
The woman asked me to sit down and
offered to fill my canteen. 1t was
not long before we fell into conversa-
ton, and she asked me where | was
going. I told her | was from the
army and was going home on fur
Tough. [ ascertained that we were
really on the right road, as directed
by our women friends, and were not
very far from the point where it was
reported that rebel cavalry compa-
ny was doing duty. | asked her how
for If WOO IN the Dlacp where the cav