Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-05-29
THE NAMELESS HEROINE.
ONE INSTANCE OUT OF MANY OF
woMAN's DARING.

, nv southern Unionists-Piioted 20 Safety
NV a Unionist Mountain Maid.
In his book, -Four Years in Sscessla'
Junius Henri Browne. who was war cor
respondent for The New York Tribune,
relates this story of his experiences WINE
escaping from Salisbury prison, North
Carolina, to Tennessee, in company with
Richardson. of The New York Tribune;
Davis of The Cincinnati Gazette, and
one other, piloted by loyal Tennessean'
Dan Ellis;
Fairly in the afternoon of Jan. 10 we
hear five or six of the hostile cavalry are
in advance of us only few miles. Ellis
Immediately calls for those who have
arms to follow him, and away they dash
! in pursuit of the foe, while the rest of
us. who are ON foot and weaponless'
trudge along the road towards kellys
Gap in the Nolechucky mountains, arrlv-
ing there just before sunset.
That was the appointed rendezvous,
and Ellis and his party reached there
about dusk, after long and useless
chase. and we prepared to camp for the
night. Dan went TO one of tie Union
houses. few miles distant, and returned
with the information that we were almost
surrounded by the rebels; that 1t would
be necessary for the horsemen 10 separate
from the footmen, so that in the eventof
pursuit the latter would not be taken.
An was activity at once. Those who
had lain down in the deserted and di-
lapidated cabins of the abandoned plan
tation to which we had repaired were
aroused. Horses and mules were saddled,
fires distinguished and every preparation
made for speedy departure.
The cavalry were 10 move first, the
infantry TO follow after the Others had
gone far enough in advance. Ellis Of
fered me a Richardson and Davis
were mounted-but as it had no saddle,
and remembered a partial dissection en-
dured on bare muleback the night we
iourneyed to the Union settlement in
Wilkes county, respectfully declined,
preferring to walk rather than 70 un-
dergo a repetition of those fortunes. |
even gave Davis my quilt TO use as a
saddle cloth and babe my friends good.
BY, fully expecting TO see them again IN
lie morning at the furthest
After they had been gone about half an
.,our a scout named Treadway, who had
been placed in charge of the footmen,
bold us to fall in; that we were TO cross a
mountain and descend into ravine
where we would camp until the next
night.
"But where are we TO meet the other
partysr inquired |. "oh, we won't see
them again until we reach Knoxville, II
we ever have the good luck TO get there.
We had learned the day before that
stories about our forces being at Green
vile and other adjacent points were
without foundation; that our lines were
at Strawberry Plains, fifteen miles east
of Knoxville. and that we must go there
before we could have any hope OF freedom.
That was nearly hundred miles far.
Their. and the intelligence was rather dis.
heartening. for we had been imagining
our Journey was nearly at an end. NJ
doubt many Of US felt like the North
Carolinian OF the party. who had been
in prison nearly three years, when asked
if he was tired. "Tiredg echoed he, with
a mingled air Of disgust and contempt
why, this would wear out am iron man.
The reply Of the scout: I'VE won't set
them until we reach Knoxville smote
on my heart like the sound Of my death
knell
Separation from my friends-the three
companions with whom | had escaped
with whom had endured SO much il
prison and on the march to freedom
seemed calamity could not bear. Il
foreshadowed to me everything gloomy
and horrible; recapture. dungeons, de.
spair and death.
And while | stood there in the dark
ness-not TO advance for twenty-foul
hours-they were every minute hurryins
away. making tile distance greater be
tween us. They are going to freedom
, ! | Thought, and | am left behind. My
doom is written. Liberty is not for me
) | shall perish here in these mountains
and the few who feel an interest in ma
will never know my fate.
Materially considered, too, | had los
my quilt, which had saved me much suf
| fering. ami was penniiess, my BONE
milan brothers having all the money Their
was in our party.
The record in my note book is: Il hav
no more hope now of getting through
vet viii do my utmost and compel th
/ strong spirit to rule the weak flesh.
| will march till fall fainting on the roa'
from hunger. cold and exhaustion. | an
| resolved never to give up. Still am
! most worn. weary and wretched, ana al
r my dark views of human life and expe
! rience come up mentally darker AM
, grimmer than before"
, The pedestrians proceeded to the ravin
and built big fire; the weather was to
cold to sleep We were hungry, havin
had nothing 70 eat for twenty four hour.
and there was little prospect of gettin
q anything.
: The scout went off somewhere and LEI
r us alone, most of the party being ignol