The National tribune., 1893-03-30
DAN ELLIS'S STORY.
The Adventurous Career of a LOYAL
East TennesSeeaH.
DY CAPT. DANIEL ELLIS, 18TH TENN. cav
EIlZABETHToH, TENN
CHAPTER MINI.

So to carly a packag,
for them, while the soldiers would give me 81
and sometimes 20 cents, while some gave MT
nothing Bat / took the soldiers letters a
though had been paid good price, and DENY
cred them to the wife, mother or father, whlci
ever it might be directed to- Nearly all th'
letters contained money, and l had at tins
time in my care and keeping about $1,000
This amount Of money caused all extra LOAD O
anxiety on my mind, for it must be delivered
at all hazards, and / was compelled to trave
altogether after night, in ORDER to insure great
er safety.
The first night Travelled 90 miles without
any trouble. and the second night made =:
miles. / had now reached the neighborhood
where some of the soldiers families lived, and
began TO leave Il part Of my loao.
My route and stopping places were we'll
known among the Union people and they soon
spread the news that i was on my return home.
and by this means the news would get ahead
Of me that was coming, and early in the day
the Union people, mostly women, would come
10 me in the mountains, where / would give
them their letters.
Another nights travel brought me to my old
place in Shelton Laurel. where | had such a
hard time getting my men through without
being captured. The rebels were still in the
valley. but l could get along without any fear
of being captured by them. as l was alone.
The first house that went TO here was Mary
Shelton's, as her husband had asked me to de-
liver his package to her IN person.
WHEN I GOT NEAR THE HOUSE
saw 2 light, and in answer to my call the wonl-
en- told me to come in. They had heard / was
coming, and were expecting me, for before en-
fering the door | heard the woman say Get
up. children the Old Fox is here again. and we
VIII hear from father"
The first question had to answer was, How
is my husbamd?" ] told the wife her husband
was well and all right, at the same time hand
ing her letter. telling her there was letter
and $50 in money he had sent her; also, some
pins and needles The poor woman was SO
much oyerjoyed she could not speak for some
time. But one of her little boys broke the
silence 10y saying: Mother, we can get some
bread now"
Yes" replied the mother, with tears trick
ling down her cheeks" for we have not had
any for two weeks. All we have had to eat was
hominy, without any salt or seasoning"
In this house there were eight children for
this woman to take care of, while her husband
was lighting in the Union army.
My next stopping place was at Sally Heton's,
who lived near Mary Shelton. The rebels had
burned her house. and she had gone farther up
the mourtain and built her camp by driving
four forked poles into the ground and covering
them over with bark, and setting up bark
around three sides, to protect her and her chill
dren from the cold. ] could see her fire be-
fore got near the camp, and when ! got near
il called to her. Before answering me she
called TO her children to get up, that the Old
Fox was here again. ] then went to the camp,
and after few words handed her letter,
saying: Here, Sally, is letter and $50 in
money for you from your husband
when viii lie be home, aud when viii the
Yankees be here?" was her next question.
She said: The rebels have taken my horse
and cows. burned my house, and destroyed
everything ] had to live upon, and here / am
with nay six children in this camp, and can't
tell how / ain 10 get along ii the Yankees don't
soon come to relieve u.s."
left this camp. and proceeded on my Jour
ney, stopping at several places during the
night TO deliver letters and 10 leave letters for
those who did not live OH my route. ] found
that these people had suffered great deal at
the hands of the rebels during their raid in
this country trying to capture me and my men,
AND FAILING IN THEIR PURPOSE
they had taken their revenge on these poor
women and children.
] travelled all night and reached the red
banks of the Chucky at daylight. Here ! had
hard day for the news soon spread that was
there, and was besieged by the Union people
all day giving them letters and answering
questions. They all wanted to know when
the Yankees were coming to East Tennessee.
staid here talking to these people all day
without getting any sleep, which ! so much
needed after travelling hard all night and now
] must start on another nights journey of %
miles IN order TO reach my next resting place:
tor could not remain in one place longer than
one day with any degree of safety for the
rebels could soon tell by the money being spent
by the Union people that / had come, and
would at once make search for me.
] started before il got dark and soon reached
Chucky River, which had to cross ! went
to q good Union man who had a canoe He
told me everything was all right, and at once
set me across the river ia his canoe ! bid
him goodnight and started on. The night
was very dark, and thinking 10 one would be
travelling on such night, and as was alone, /
Travelled through the fiat woods until j came
TO the house of Tom Brunnit. where had sew
era! letters to leave. I soon had Mr.. Brunnit
up. ] gave him letter and 500 in money
which he said he was glad to receive. but
my boys" said he, how are they? That is the
first thing want 10 hear; and the next thing
is, when are the Yankees coming up here TO
relieve us from this awful rebel oppression 20
j gave him all the information / could in
short time, and proceeded on my journey, and
when day began to dawn j was on little pine
mountain near my own home, and very soon
tho wives, mothers, and fathers of the soldiers
then absent lighting for their country came to
me TO hear from their absent ones Some had
Letters for. but for some had nothing. They
would say 10 rne: You have seen our dear
ones. and we may never see them again, and
VIC want you TO tell us something about them"
] could not answer all their questions
The tears would fall from their eyes like drops
OF rain. let the news be good or bad. felt so
sorry Tor these poor women that the tears
came from my eyes aud fell TO the ground !
did not get TO sleep any that day, but as did
not travel any the next night / slept all night
on the mountain, and the next day went TO
johnson County TO deliver the balance OF nv
mail, aud then returned home
THE REBELS HAD FOUND OUT
that ] was back, and were now watching for
me. They had already taken several of the
letters aud money from the Union people that
! had brought back 10 them. There were sey-
eral men who were scouting in the mountains
waiting TO 90 through the lines with me. /
had five Spencer rifles and one Henry rife hid
IN the mountains, near my home, which / used
IN case OF danger OF being captured. Some of
the men were armed and went with me all tho
time when i was at home. / got my guns and
men and went farther into the mountains. /
had plenty OF ammunition and was ready for
the attack, ior knew the rebels stationed at
Lizabcthion would he after me by morning
and intended Ia 20 farther into the mount
airs. SO that might be ont OF their way before
daylight came.
We rested until the chickens began 10 crow
tor day, when got the men up aud went down
the side Of the mountain until we came to a
path that led the way we wanted TO GO j
stopped when we got 10 this path, and We were