The National tribune., 1893-01-26

which we Won "a leave Deflnu us.
After travelling until some time after mid
night we came to public road, at which
time one OF the company bawled out at the
top of his voice:
"THE REBELS ARE AFTER Us
This. rs NAV be expected, furnished the sig
nal for another general stampede. 1 knew
it would be perfect folly for me 10 attempt
to stop the men in their sudden hlght py
exclaiming that there was no danger threat
ening them, until they had finished their
race. The laurel bushes were parted at
every point TO admit the passage of the
frightened men. Men jumped off their
horses, and away they went through the
woods. while in many instances these faith
full and sensible animals followed at brisk
trot after their retreatipg masters. L at
once knew that this was another false
alarm. for there WAS no sign of the presence
of rebels in any direction, After quiet was
somewhat restored called upon them to
come back. and told them that their alarm
was altogether imaginary. As soon as ihey
heard my voice they came back, stumbling
through the brush, with bleeding noses,
skinned sbins and bruised legs. while some
of them were cursing the man who gave the
false alarm. Some of the men became SO
dreadfully terrified that they never did re-
turn to the company, aud it was at least two
hours before | got all who did return to
start On heir journey. / told them that If
they were wicked men they had certainly
established the truth of that line In Holy
Writ which says: The wicked fee when
no man puIsueth!"
At lenth ] succeeded in getting them
started. and, as we travelled at a rapid rate,
we reached the Greasy Cove by daylight,
where we concealed ourselves, in order to
rest in security during the day. / enjoyed
q good many hearty laughs and jokes on
some of the men about their race through
the woods on the previous night, while some
of them had no joke or laugh TO exchange
with any one, for they were too deeply en-
gagged in meditatiDg about their deserted
homes They well knew that their now
destitute wives and children would be strip
ped Of everything that they had to eat, and
would he even deprived of their few articles
OF clothing by the rebel thieves, for the rebel
soldiers who were at this time prowling
through Carter County like devils seeking
whom they might devour. were entirely
oblivious to human woe or TO human suffer
ing, and were destitute of all the fine SYM
paihies Of the heart.
When night came we struck out on our
journey, aud after travelling short time we
arrived at Chucky River, crossing it in
canoe After crossing the river we went far
into the deep gorges of the toughest mount
aims, and when daylight began to make its
appearance
WE WENT Up on STEEP MOUNTAIN SPUR,
where We could rest during the day in safety
and where we could obtain water for our
horses. Every man who had horse was
provided with sack of corn or oats, which
served as very good substitute for a saddle
We rested here unit evening, when we
started on, making our way through i'm
mense beds of laurel and ivy bushes, through
which we had very great difficulty to get
our horses, and we very often had TO climb
steep spurs of the mountain, where we bad
TO pack the sacks OF corn and oats upon our
shoulders, as the mountain was so steep that
o sack would not stay on horses back.
When We got TO the top of lofty spur of
the mountain l STOPPED 10 look back at the
long company of men and horses as they
slowly toied along up the side of the mount
ain, and when / saw the company stretch
out its lo;ig length so far away down toward |
the foot Of the mountain, was surprised at
the extent of it, and thought that surely
good many more men had fallen into our
ranks as we were passing along. As gazed
back upon this large body Of men, became
very deeply concerned about their welfare,
and seriously wondered whether | should
ever be able TO get them all through the
lines without any of them being captured
by the rebels, who were now watching for
the fugitive Union men with the most per-
peiual vigilance.
waited until the men reached the sum-
NIT Of the elevation upon which had been
for some time standing observing them
toiling along up the precipitous ascent, and
then, after waiting for them to enjoy few
hours OF rest, we started on and travelled
steadily until we arrived at Carriers Bridge,
across The Cbucky River. I knew that we
would now have to observe a good deal of
caution in the prosecution of our journey,
as the whole country was full of rebels.
We reached the cleared land Just at dark,
and advanced noiselessly on toward the
bridge. The Inen seemed TO be very much
frightened at the idea of SO suddenly de-
scendng from the rough mountains onto
the level, cultivated farms. Just before we
got to the bridge the road made very
short turn, when some Of the foremost men,
who were ready to become frightened at
shadow, observed the rear of the company
coming around the turn in the road and at
once thought that
THE REBELS WERE CLOSE AFTER THEM
and away they went like gang of fright
ened deer. ] was afraid to call loudly for
them 10 halt in their unnecessary flight.
but by the immediate exercise of great ex-
ertion ! succeeded in collecting them all
together again, and we then crossed the
bridge without meeting with any further
disu sbance. / thought that the rebels
could not have been watching very closely