The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-12

We went rapidly on all night, and when
morning came we were OIL the side of Meadow
Creek Mountain, where we stopped and built
fires some of the men being nearly frozen. We
had waded all the branches and creeks which
came in our way. and our pantaloons were stiff
with ice up to our knees and cracked together
like rocks whenever our legs would strike
against each other Some of the mems feet
were frost bitten, and their shoes were frozen
on them, which occasioned great deal Of suf-
fering.
i went to Union mans house near by and
made arrangements to have something cooked
FOR US to eat. The family exhibited good
deal Of kindness, and commenced cooking di-
rectly after told to what terrible eXtremities
the men had been reduced. / returned TO the
men to wait until the food was ready and also
to tell them of the good luck which had
crowned my efforts
We were Just about to start to the house to
get our provisions when we saw the internal
rebels preceding to the house. They were
following our trail, and the mountain was so
rugged they had dismounted from their horses
and were now pursuing US on foot. We could
see the balance of their company down in the
valley below leading their horses. The reader
may be well assured that we were not long in
leaving that place behind US without even call
ing at the house to obtain our provisions, which
were doubtless
APPROPRIATED by THE REBELS.
Although we were all very weak and hungry
we travelled rapidly and soon put several miles
between ourselves and the despised rebels.
We continued to travel upon the mountain
until night, when we got to French Broad
River, which we found to be entirely too full
to wade. We travelled along its bank until we
found canoe in which we crossed over and
struck for the mountain again. When We got
up to high elevation we could see the rebel
campfires at various places above the point
where we had crossed the river. The mount
ain was now SO steep and rough and so thickly
oNRrown with laurel bushes that we had
great difficulty in getting along. We CROPPED
our way through the bushes, which were bent
down with snow and ice, until about oclock,
when some of the men declared they could 90
no farther. We therefore began to rake the
snow away as well as we could, to make fires.
With good deal of difficulty we at length got
the fires to burning. and then we all lay down
upon the cold ground to sleep until daylight
The next morning we made an early start,
and after we had gone little way some OF the
men happened to look back and saw the rebels
coming in hot pursuit of us. / at once con-
cluded that they had found out by some means
where we had crossed the river and had thereby
got upon our trail. 1t was a company of in
fantry which was now in pursuit of US, and
therefore led the men on into the roughest parts
of the mountain, aud the rebels, just as ex-
pected, soon got tired and turned back. The
snow was about six inches deep upon the
mountain and the weather was very cold, which
doubtless urged the rebels to give up the chase,
which, if they had continued, / have no doubt
would have proved to them altogether fruitless.
We travelled on at slow rate until it got dark,
when, perceiving that there was a house near
by, we stopped, hoping to be able to get some.
thing to eat After stopping the men | went to
the house and halloed and
WOMAN IMMEDIATELY CAME OUT.
1 told her that / wished to get some provisions
for q company Of Union men who were en-
deavoring 10 get through the lines and had
been so closely pursued by the rebels that they
had had no opportunities of getting anything
to eat for several days and nights. To my
speech she replied as follows:
"Oh, you need not tell that sort of tale to
me, for ] know that it is impossible for any
person now to 90 through the lines. The
militia have come from North Carolina and are
now guarding every pathway through the
mountains and it is supposed that the rebels
will take Knoxville in the course Of a few
days"
told her that did not care about the reb-
els but wished to get something to eat for the
men who were with me, for they were in a
starving condition. But she was inexorable,
and again replied as follows:
81 cannot let you have anything to eat Ny
husband is in Kinks regiment, at Knoxville,
and the rebels have taken all that had to live
upon"
went back to the company and teld them
about my ill-success, when two of them de-
clared that they would 90 and see if they could
not have better luck. They went TO the house,
and soon returned with a bushel of corn in
the ear, for which they paid her 81 in green
backs. We divided the corn, and then started
and travelled until 2 o'clock, when, coming to a
deep and lonely hollow, we stopped, and after
raking off the snow in several places built fires
and lay down upon the cold ground to try to
sleep. The ground was so cold that many ol
the men could not rest upon it at all. but were
compelled 10 rise up and lean their backs