The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-06-27

4 VXMN \Ns$As$% mined UnlOnlSts
%%sSS?SSSss M \N met at Union,
SS&S5ssSS4MlNN Sullivan county,
sSN S$SSsEYjSI yI. Tenn, intent On
&SsA Sfs<r ~ burning the
LS1~W' III, a5atcWI#ZISI bridge over the
k8 ssssasS fss:sss n: EOlston river.
x,,-e 49, This was part of
~ q general plan to
cut Off all communications south and
west and isolate east Tennessee from the
Confederacy and was carried out under
the orders of the United States govern
ment. Among the volunteers at Union
was a young man who had served in
Mexico with Scott and considered it a
duty to stand by the old flag. He was a
leader i'll the midnight foray and hence
readily marked by the few Confederate
guards, all Tennesseeans, stationed there.
These guards We're surprised and cap
tured, but permitted to so free after tho
bridge was ruin on their solemn oath
never TO reveal the names Of the bridge
burners. Bridge burning soon became
capital offense i'll the eyes of the south
erners, as was shown in the case of the
Andrews raiders. After the destruction
OF the bridge at Union and attempts,
more or less successful, upon others ia
the vicinity, the Confederates sent
force Of troops under the notorious Colo
the Unionists engaged in the work In
self defense the Unionists organized and
brought out their flintlocks, pistols and
swords Of Monterey OF Bunker Hill It
was to be war to the bitter end, bloody,
fratricidal civil war.
The young Mexican veteran, being a
mountaineer, at once alert, hardy and
Intelligent, was selected to form a COM
pany of mounted scouts for service in
front Of the enemy. Visiting his home
for the purpose Of better equipment for
this special duty, he was absent from
camp when Ledbetter's soldiers dispers-
ed the half organized and poorly armed
recruits who had reported for duty.
The chief Of scouts almost rode into the
enemy's hands, but receiving warning
in time concealed his horse and began
scouting on his own hook. Shortly
body OF men appeared some distance off
in the road, and the scout recognized
some Of his late comrades of Union
among them. Going forward confidently,
supposing all were his friends, he found
that he was at the mercy Of deadly enc
mics. The party was Confederate, march
ing back to camp with prisoners picked
up along the mountains. The new CAP
tive was sternly asked his name, and
several Of the band cried out in mali
cious joy, "Cap, that's Dan Ellis, from
Carter county, and a bridge burner
too, one of the wust on 'em.'' At the
mention "bridge burner" several of the
Tennessee gang in the party yelled,
"Shoot him, shoot him!'' He was the
first of the men in the midnight fray to
fall into the enemy's hands, the other
prisoners being simply recruits at the
Union camp. The officer in charge.
quickly called out sergeant from the
ranks and told him to keep Ellis under
strict watch, adding for the prisoners
benefit: "You shall not live two min
utes. will kill you right here.' The
captain was really only waiting to 20
through the Formally Of having his wit
nesses sworn and led the way to a log
house IN the clearing near by.
All stopped in front Of the house, and
Ellis, whose limbs were free, remarked
to the guard that he wished drink of
water and moved toward the porch heed
less Of tho challenge to halt The front
door was open, and also back door op-
posite. Making a break, Ellis dashed
through and cleared fence before any
Of the guards could shoot without en-
dangering the lives Of the people inside.
Beyond the fence was a dense cedar
th1cket, and into that the nimble noun
talneer plunged. Some of the soldiers
were mounted and Immediately circled
the house in pursuit, while the infantry
held back. But the fence and a swamp
between it and the cedars delayed tho
horsemen some minutes. Meanwhile the
troops became mixed and dared not fire
On the fugitive lest they hit their own
men. Some Of the foremost snapped their
caps, but the weapons hung fire. Bend
ing under the low pointed branches, FL
lis gained on his pursuers and reached
the mountains:
The bridge burning adventure and it's
consequences started Ellis on the career
for which be become noted-that Of a
Union guide and mountain scout. After
his escape he roamed the hills until he
fell in with others 'outlawed" like him
self by the Confederates, who had the
upper hand in the region and maintained
1t more than two years. The bridge
burners were singled out for vengeance,
and several met death for the part taken
in defense Of their principles. Anxious
ly the Union sympathizers in the moun-
tains looked for government troops to
march to their aid, but these didn't
cross the Cumberland until late in 1868,
and then in numbers barely able to de-
fend their lines and camps. Ellis and
several companions played hide and seek
with the enemy's hunting bands until
August, 1862. Then he set out alone to
pass through the lines and ascertain
what the prospects were for relief to the
loyal people Of east Tennessee. The Con-
FoIo o4oc