Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-08

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honest ana I..staRen
men i'll the secession army, but do not
think it would be prudent to assume
that these are the kind of people who
will be sent to Bradley's Crossing.
Many of you have brought your
wives and children here, and while this
is natural l must believe it imprudent
If these had remained a. home or will
return home now, or if their homes are
destroyed will seek haven among their
friends i'll the mountains, the men will
be freer to act. Brother Bradley and
have prayerfully talked over the situa-
ton, and we have come to the Conclu-
sion that every day we spend here is
day lost to the cause, while our little
stock of provisions is being reduced. We
have therefore decided to start for Camp
Dick Robinson tonight. Once there,
those who are aLle to bear arms can be
regularly enrolled and mustered into
the service of the Union, while if we
fight here we are apt to be regarded as
guerrillas and for the present the govern
While my mission among you has
been one of peace and 1 have passed the
age when l might be of much use, even
if l were skilled in the ways of war,
yet, with Gods help, can and 1 will
fight if we are not permitted to reach
the Union lines in peace
81 will say to my good sisters and to
10 oh l,n nd
as their coming with US would hamper
the march, that it will not be long be-
fore the troops of the Union swarm in
these mountains as the Confederates do
now, and that their coming will insure
protection to all. We must move with
secrecy and rapidity, for there are spies
all about us. And now 1 ask those who
are willing to follow the lead of Broth
er Bradley to Camp Dick Robinson to
take their stand at the back part of the
smithy"
1t was as Father Peters expected. Ev-
cry man at the Crossing and every boy
who could shoulder a rifle, and these
mountaineers learn to shoot when very
young, crowded to the back part of the
building.
This meeting was held the day after
Christmas, 1861, and about the middle
of the afternoon. In order to keep their
movements secret, it was decided to start
north soon after dark that night AS
Father Peters was even more hated than
the blacksmith, and his wife and daugh-
ter would have been homeless and help
less if left behind, an exception was
made in their case, it being the old cler-
Eyman's intention to take them back to
the old home in the western reserve of
northern Ohio as soon as they reached
the Union lines.
There was little preparation to make.
Two of the blacksmith's horses were set
apart for Mrs. Peters and her daughter
to ride on. The 40 men in the party
were to carry their rations and ammu-
milton, the former being necessarily
light, first, because the supplies at the
Crossing were limited, and in the next
place because it was believed that Camp
Dick Robinson, 70 miles to the north
west, could be reached in five days.
In order to keep up the impression
that there were still men at the Cross
ing ready to resist an attack, it was ar
ranged that the women should light the
beacons on the hills as soon as Dick
Bradley gave the order to march This
was done so promptly that for hours the
fugitives could see the coppery glow of
the fires on the clouds to the south, and
this strengthened the hope that there
would be no pursuit.
Although at the best the roads in this
region were wretched and now almost
impossible. it was to their advantage
that the Cumberland river was at their
back and no formidable stream in front
How we moved in the right direc-
ton that night must ever remain to me
a mystery" says Miss Peters Before
we had been ON the way an hour we
were all as wet as if we had been soused
in pond, and mother and l, being COM
paratively inactive, were chilled to the
bone did not fear, because did not
care for myself. tried, with chattering
teeth, to whisper words of comfort to
mother as the men who led our horses
went splashing thigh deep through the
ice water of some swollen stream, but ]
always found her more cheerful and
hopeful than myself. Then would pic.
ture father walking ahead with that
giant, Bradley, through the darkness
and mire, and could not but picture
Continued on 7th page.