The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-11-03
THE ESCAPE.

49, >Z~-S-~lSs---
THE ESCAPE.
in all the time, and were armed with such old
guns as the mountain people could afford.
Daniel Slower, citizen of Carter County, and
SON in law of Andrew Johnson, was elected
Colonel, and forthwith consented to act as the
leader of the Union force which had assembled
together assisted by Col. James Grayson. OF
johnson County and several other strong and
influential Union men.
They were now medtating the policy OF
making an attack on the rebel force which
was stationed at Carter's Depot, and therefore
a scout was sent out. They encountered a
small lot of rebels and drove them back with
rapidity, killing several of the party in their
retreat Intelligence now arrived that the
rebels were rein nforcing and our band of Union
soldiers moved their position and marched out
to the Big Spring. on Gap Creek, III Carter
County some three miles from Elizabethton,
and on the same evening the whole force
marched to Elizabethton. At this point they
remained for three days. receiving informa-
ton all the time that the rebels were constantly
reinforcing at Carters Depot preparatory to
making an advance and killing every man
whom they might find who had been concerned
in the rebellion in Carter County.
This was sad news indeed, for our little party
of undrilled mountaineers, who had been sud-
denly collected together to resist the tyranny
of rebel desperadoes. 1t was therefore con-
cluded that we should again change our posi-
tion whereupon all the guns, pistols and other
weapons of defense which could be obtained
were hastily collected and the party then
moved to Doe River Cove, six miles above
Elizabethton, in the mountains of Carter
County. .
Col. Ledbetter, than whom more blood
thirsty and infamous scoundrel never set his
foot upon the soil of East Tennessee. arrived at
Johnsons Depot with considerable force
under his command, and learning where our
party WAS stationed started in pursuit of US.
Our pckets. learning that the rebels were ad-
vancing upon US with a large force came in aBd
reported the news, and it was immed lately con-
cluded that we should "break up camp" and
every man take care of himself. This was late
in the evening" and next morning the rebel
forces reached our late encampment and cap
tured several stragglers and quite number OF
old fiintlock guns. They then robbed many of
the Union families in that settlement, driving
| off their cattle and hogs, and destroyed nearly
| everything in their houses which they could
| not carry away, returning to Johnson's De-
| pot-some by the road which they had come,
while some of them travelled the road which
| leads through the mountains down Doe River
| to Elizabethton.
/ have now arrived at the juncture in which
my own eyentful history begins. Col. Slower
| desiring to form company of mounted men
| for scout, had visited my home in order to
| get my horse that might join said company.
| | was not aware at this time that our forces had
| dispersed until on my way back to the encamp-
/ ment ] met with some OF our men, who gave
/ me the first information. stating that some had
| fed to the mountains, while others had returned
| to their homes to stand the threatened storm of
rebel vengeance controlled and directed by old
| Ledbetter / returned home, concealed my
| horse, and took refuge myself in cump of
| cedar bushes on a hill which overlooked the
| road, SO that might watch the movements Of
the rebels as they passed along the road.
| had not beeu in this position long when |
| saw large body OF men coming down the road
! and as they approached nearer to me saw that
] q number of our men were in the crowd. Some
were mounted upon horses. but the greater
| number were walking. ] thought at once that
| ii was our own party who had partially re-
| united again, and entertaining as / did this
very erroneous impression, left my place of
concealment and went down to them, when to
my utter surprise found myself in the hands
of the rebels These were two companies OF
| infantry and one company of cavalry, and the
men whom / knew had belonged to our own
party were prisoners, whom the rebels had cap.
| tured in Doe River Cove.
| They halted me at once and asked me my
| name, when someone in the crowd answered
for me (for they had brought men from Union
and Sullivan Counties to identify the men who
had been engaged in the burning of the bridge
at that place., telling them that was bridge
burner without any sort of doubt.
At the very mention of bridge burner their
| passions seemed to be greatly aroused, and
certainly would have been killed if had not
succeeded in making my escape; for. sure
enough, was the first bridge burner who had
the misfortune of being captured. The prisoners
whom they had were boys and peaceabe citi-
zens and the only charge which they made
against them was that they had found them in
our encampment
The moment that was designated as a
bridge burner many of the rebel gang said:
"Shoot him. Shoot himl" At this juncture an
officer stepped up to me and said. in "a very an
CRY manner, You shall not live two minutes
i will kill you right here" and placed mo i'll
care of a Sergeant directing him TO keep
strict watch over me until he could bring the
two men who had identified me ard would
swear that | was bridge burner. That there
were rebel citizens in that crowd who were
mean enough to swear my life away i could
not for moment doubt.
We were now in lane opposite to house
which stood some five steps from the fence. 1t
was double log house. with entry in the
middle and on the opposite side of this house
there was a cleared hillside, some 200 yards in
, extent, immediately beyond which a dense
thicket of cedar bushes had grown up. AS
, soon as the officer stepped away ! asked leave
! : of the fellow who was guarding me to 90 into
. . the house and get a drink OF water, and walked
. . off without awaiting his answer. was halted
! in very peremptory manner, but did not stop
until got to the house and in front of the en-
. J try. when, summoning all my energies for the
: trial, leaped over the fence and ran between
the houses and started up the hill. aiming for
the cedar thicket. Some bawled out at the top