The National tribune., 1893-02-16

around to head me off as endeavored to get
out of the hollow. They now made the third
charge on me. l was now so perfectly tired
down that could scarcely move one foot after
the other but could not think of falling into
the hands of my boodthirsty enemies while /
had any breath left in my body. / started on
up the hollow, running with all the strength
that had left, and the rebels after me crying
as loud as they could: "Shoot him Shoot
him Halt Halt" But 1 thought they had told
me to halt often enough to know that had no
idea of obeying them while life continued to
animate my body. And their incessant shoot
ing SO far, had availed them nothing, for kind
and benefcent Providence had protected me
from injury by their bullets; and while life
shall last / shall always thank and adore my
heavenly Father for His protective care which
was thrown around me in that awful hour, and
shielded and saved my life.
As struggled on up the hill i caught hold
of every bush, log and stump that came in my
way to assist me in getting along in my devious
pathway. The rebels were now pursuing me
on foot, and by exertiug all my remaining
energies l soon Outstripped them. They be-
gan to think, presume that would get away
in spite of them. and all of them fired another
volley at me- The bullets fell around me like
hailstones. cutting the saplings and tearing
the dirt up at my feet and making the leaves
the forest; but / hurried on as rapidly as
could get along upon my weary limbs. while
the rebels were yelling and shooting after me
like wild and infuriate gang of Indians
They continued shooting and halooing
at me until i got about 300 yards up the
mountain. / was now so completely tired
down that / did not believe that l could go
much farther. This was the first opportunity
that / had during the race to shoot at them,
and l turned twice around to fire at them.
Throughout the whole fearful race / held to
my 16- shooter, thinking when l could run no
farther, il my enemies should continue to pur-
sue ME, that would then stop and sell my life
ont to them as dearly as possible. But when
made the attempt to shoot found that / was
so nearly dead that
1 COULD NOT HOLD MY GUN UP.
now got behind some rocks that / thought
would serve me for q defense, and just at this
time the rebels fired their last voley at me,
aud one of their bullets struck and passed
through the leg of one of my boots and stopped
when it struck against the flesh of my leg. If
this ball had not been so far spent when it
passed through the leg of my boot, it would
certainly have broken my leg.
| do not believe that / could have run any
farther if the rebels had continued to pursue me-
/ looked back. and the glorious sight met my
observation of the rebels returning down
chase in despair. / Immediately lay down
OH the ground, hardly able to breathe; my
heart WAS beating as if it would burst out of my
bosom from the terrible excitement and exer-
tion, aud my throat and lungs were entirely
dry. l still had my canteen around my neck,
in which generally carried water or brandy,
anc at this time there was nearly gill OF
brandy, which ] happened to think about. /
had barely enough strength left to raise the
canteen to my mouth / swallowed enough
of the brandy to wet my throat, and l really
believe that it saved my life. | was yet able
to breathe, and with another effort turned up
the canteen again and swallowed small por
tion of the brandy. pulled off my vest and
shirt and fell down behind the rocks again. /
thought that / would die upon that mountain,
alone, where no kind friend could wipe the
cold sweat from my brow in my last moments,
but thought that would be far better than to
have been horribly massacred by the vile des-
peradoes who had been SO long and SO auxiously
thirsting for MY blood.
laid my head upon rock, being almost
entirely unable to breathe, believing that the
few remaining sands in my hour glass of life
were rapidly running out. | waited for some
minutes i'm constant expectation that the shaft
of death would soon put out the quivering
light of my earthly existence. and precipitate
my soul upon the great ocean of eternity. But
the summons did not come, and still lived.
did not think that a man could be so near the
door of death and recover his physical energies.
1t seemed that my work was not yet done. 1t is
true. there were very many poor Union men
who were still scouting through the mountains
an xiously waiting for me to conduct them
through the lines, aud for this purpose
thought that my life had been miraculously
spared. 80 as
After lying behind the rock for several hours
got up and put on my shirt and vest. aud it
being late in the evening | crawled into a large
hollow log, where / eudeavered to compose my
self TO rest as well as could. Late in the night
a hard storm OF wind and rain came on, and the
rain leaked in upon me so badly that crawed
out OF the log and sat down by the side OF a tree
until morning. now started down the mount
ain toward the house from which had been
chased by the rebels oil the previous day, and
when / got near the foot of the ridge / called
out, ard one of the girls who lived there i'm
mediately came to me. / told her
WHERE I HAD DROPPED MY PISTOLS,
and she at once went to the place where had
thrown them down when was running where
she found them and brought them to me, to-
gether with my break fast. Some one of the
family had also found my coat, and had taken
care Of it and presented ii TO me. / had lost
nothing in the race that the rebels succeeded in
getting.
paid the girl 81 for her trouble in bringing
my break fast 10 me- and returned home through
the woods. being very we'll satisfied with my
adventures for one day and night. 1t WAS
a long time before recovered from the terrible
effects of the race which was forced to take
on this occasion by the rebels, who had labored
SO ardently to take my life. If ! should live
to be an old man the terrible scene which /
passed through on this day can never be effaced
from my memory; for my remarkable escape
on this occasion will always serve to afford my
own mind the most incontestable evidence that
truth is stranger than fiction" The rebels
who gave me this dreadful race were the Home
Guards and some other rebel soldiers from
johnson County
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
In the month of December, 1864, a most
infamous scoundrel by the name of B. Ii.
Duvall, who took his first lessons in the re-
belio.s in the city of Louisville, KY, was sent
iuto Carter County with "A company of reckless
soldiers, and it was the 1st of January, 1865,
before l could get my company ready to start
through the lines. The last of November and
all of the month of December WAS very cold,
and the mountains were full of snow and icc,
which made it an awful task for men to scout
in the mountains, for they could not come
ming the risk of being captured or killed by
some Of the villains who were controlled and
counseled by Duvall This gang of thieves did
nothing but rob houses and search the country
for Union men, to kill them in the most bar
barous manner. So perfect had they become in
the business of house robbing, that nothing