The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-12-01


mountain we would be safe from the rebels if
we should observe due precautiOn. But we
could have no fire yet for fear Of being seen
and therefore hurried on until we came to
water We here took off our shoes and stock
ings and washed the mud off and wrung the
water out of our dripping garments. 1t was now
about 3 o'clock in the morning and 50 perfectly
dark that we could 90 no further, as the
mountain was very rough and completely
covered with dense thickets of laurel bushes
We were vet afraid to build a fire, for fear Of
being seen from the valley, for the citizens
| who lived there were all rebels and, felt very
we'll convinced, would at any time take as
much delight in pursuing and shooting at
stampedcrs as they would in hunting and
shooting at pack of wolves in the mountains,
and at the same time think they were doing
deed that deserved great praise.
This was in Lee County, Va, where some OF
the most unmitgated and heartless scouhdrels
resided that ever disgraced the form of human
| beings They loudly boasted that they would
take no prisoners, and numbers of Union men
who had the misfortune Of beng captured by
them were at once most foully and inhumaRiy
murdered by them jnst because they were eh-
deavoring to escape from the oppression and
tyranny of the rebel Government. But have
the consolation of knowing that none OF the
men that | engaged to conduct through the
lines ever had the misfortune of falling into
bhelr bloody RltHOuSh coHieos
that / made many very narrow and almost
miraculous escapes from being captured by
them, and for which good fortune shall ever
tender my perpetual thanks to Hin alone
who sees amid the darkness of night as III the
noontide's splendor, and who rides upon the
whiriwind and directs the storm.
Morning at length came, clothed IN her beau
tifui robes of oriental splendor. We were wet,
cold, tired aud hungry, and, worst of all, we
had nothing TO eat. Notwithstanding all these
serious impediments, we pushed on through
those dreadful laurel thiekets, and on the even
ing of this day we crossed the Union lines, that
goal of which brightest expectations were
immovably fixed through all the days and
nights OF
OUR long AND PERILoUs JOURNEY.
We now felt that we were free. which greatly
revived our dropping spirits We continued to
travel on until night. when we came to house
about two miles within the lines, where we
stopped and staid all night. The people were
poor, but they treated US as well as they were
able and we had a good fire to rest by. Early
the next morning we struck out for little
mountain, called the Black Mountain, in Har-
land Co., KY. The Home Guards were sta
toned on Cumberland River, and by night we
| reached their camps.
1t would be hard for me to describe the JOY
of the party when we arrived among the friends
of the Union where they could rehearse the sad
tales of their tolls and troubles beneath the
dear old flag of their country, which in their
native land they had seen torn and trodden
down under the feet of rebel desperadoes.
As for myself, / felt like bird released
from its cage, for il was a great relief to ME
when l succeeded in conducting the party
| through safely from region of country where
| they were threatened with danger and death
| on every side, to land of freedom; and the
! bare thought that / had faithfully served my
suffering fellow men in escaping from the rebel
despotisn. afforded me the most pleasurable
emotions.
After resting for three or four days, / pre-
pared to start back home. / went to the resi-
dence of my old friend Clark, where / remained
all night and procured a supply Of provisions
| for my journey.