Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-10-16


dence who had so far guided us Alright.
CHAPTER XVI
We found a road, which Liz directed
us to, and which she assured US ran
plum est foh bout ten mile" Along
this we fairly ran, holding each others
hands to keep from stumbling. Who're
the road turned we left It, and trusting
TO luck, took to the woods and fenceless
fields.
Now and then we saw camp-hres to
the right and left, but we avoided them,
for we dared not run the risk of an in
vestigation.
1t was near daylight, and we must
have travelled fully forty miles from
our last stopping-place, when from the
crest Of what was considerable eleya-
tion for that region we saw campfire
beneath US. 1t was so near that we
could see men in long overcoats grouped
about the fire, with their rifles stacked
within reach
This seemed 10 be a reserve picket
post. The men had built the fire among
the branches OF a large tree that had
been uprooted by the wind Keeping in
the shadow Of the great mass Of earth
still clinging to the roots, we made our
way to the tree.
',Stay here and I'll see If ! can learn
who they are said Howard. and before
could stop him he had left me.
lie crept along the trunk, but he had
not gone far before stick broke under
him. saw the men Selling their rifles,
and heard the command: HALT Who
goes there?"
Don't fire; ! am a Yankeer' called
out Howard. as he rose 70 his feet and
advanced towards the fire.
ave belong to the Twcnty-First Vir-
ginia, and arc out searching for you
fellows" This / heard in response 10
Towards question. My FIRST impulse
was TO run, but with a flush at the
meanness of the thought of deserving
my gallant young friend, | walked up
to the fire, and was greeted with cheer
and a roar OF laughter.
81 am sorry you didn't make it, gen.
tlemen. said Lieutenant Brown, the OIL
Ger in command Of the post
He made us sit by the fire and one of
his men brought us some bread and
bacon, but our appetites were gone
During the hour preceding daylight
Howard SCOTS pale face took on the
ago OF many years, but the light in the
enc, brave eyes did not flicker for an in
slant.
With the first light Of day our guards
formed about us; we were faced towards
the west, and the return march TO Libby
began. Now we realized, for the first
time, how cold and weak we were, and
how swollen and blistered were our feet
We climbed the slope from which we
had first seen the campfire, and on the
instant, with cries of surprise and alarm,
our guards broke away from us and fled
through the wood.
Forward Trot! Gallopl Charge" Like
a bugle blast we heard the familiar COM
mand in our front. Dazed and trernb-
ling we sought the shelter of a tree and
chung to each others hands.
We heard hequick poundingo of hoofs,
the clinlxing of scabbards, the hoarse,
deep cheer that followed the order
Charge" Thenglcaming sabres flashed
before our eyes, and horsemen in blue
swarmed about MS.
''Friendsl Friends! Thank Godr
Nv arms were about Howard S neck
and ] was kissing him and crying with
the weakness Of an emotional woman,
for the terrible strain was over.
It was General Butler who, hearing of
the escape, had sent these men to our
rescue. It would take volume to re-
cord the kindness Of our friends from
the time Of the rescue till we entered
Fortress Monroe and exchanged our
vermin-covered rags for decent gar
ments.
The day we reached Washington |
read the following dispatch in a morn
ing paper:
''SANDUsKY, O., February 10, 1854.
Captain Frank Brent, the Confed
crate Partisan Ranger, who was con-
demned to death last November for the
wanton murder of John Harding, re-
spected Union citizen of Perryville,
Ky, and who was respited by the Pres
ident for ninety days, will be returned
tomorrow to Camp Dick Robinson,
where the sentence will be carried out
Much OF Howard SCOTS bitterness
against Frank Brent remained. but he
was too manly to permit even hated
foe to die ANONYMOUSLY for crime of
which he knew him to be innocent He
did not require much urging to 90 with
me to General Holt That gentleman
greeted US cordially, heard our plea for
Frank Brent, and at once took US to the
President and stated our case for us