The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-02-07

and IL has come. sea Gods hand In
this war. His wrath must be quenched
In blood. We are given over to our idols
- . nation, and he will consume them
In the furnaces Of war. Brother Brad.
ley IL about right, and I shall pray that
his lapse from grace may be brief"
For two weeks after this the crowds
kept away from the blacksmith q shop,
and there appeared to be quiet in the
hills, but every one felt that IL was the
quiet that preceded the storm. News
came that Het Magoone, who had for.
merly lived in the Tennessee noun.
tains, had gone south with band Of
his followers, and some people drew
comfort from this, but Bradley would
shake his head and say:
They're a-comin. Zollicoffer is rails
in o army down thar by the border, and
they're a-comin." 7" And the blacksmith
was right.
In the latter part Of November. 1851,
the mountaineers Of southeastern Ken.
tucky were again in O state Of great
alarm. Rumors Of q Confederate inva-
sion along the line Of the Cumberland
river were rife, and wild and entirely
baseless stories Of the cruelties perpe-
trated by Zollicoffer's men, at Zollicof
fer's order, were firmly believed. Now
and then q ragged refugee from farther
south found protection and stopping
place with Bradley, and these men told
their stories Of suffering and escape
only to increase the horror and indigna-
tion Of their brethren along the upper
Cumberland.
One day a Union man, who lived
about 10 miles south of the Crossing,
came running down to the blacksmith's
shop with the news that Het Magoone,
with company of men who called him
''captain," was in Laurel county, and
that he was either killing or forcing
into his ranks every Union man he
met. As Bradley had been expecting
this, he could not be surprised. In an
ticipation Of just such an occurrence,
and the better to assemble the Union
men within reach, he had caused piles
of dry wood to be gathered OH the high.
est hills for miles round, the smoke by
. day or the flame by night being the sig.
nal to the Uuion men that they must
gather at the Crossing.
As soon as the sun had gone down
that night Bradley and few of his
friends went up to the peaks and light
ed the fires. On his way back he stopped
blunt way:
''The time TO- fightin hez come, thank
the Lor, TO- hit can't be noah KILN
than the worryin and waitin. Now,
git together all the things we ken tote,
and We'll fotch EN- down to my place.
Thar'll be no use in lockin up what's
left behind, ef the doggone ours ez is
a.comin har wants to steal 'em. Now.
let we uns hurry"
Father Peters and his family saw the
necessity for action. There was no nerv-
business on his part. no groans or out
cries from the women. They gathered
up each change Of CLOTHES and the few
little things that are precious because Of
association rather than for their intrin.
sic value. The blacksmith prepared q
great load Of meal and bacon for him.
self to carry Then the stock were turned
out Of the Enclosure. 80 that they might
be able to find water, II need be, fol
themselves. The doors were closed, but
not locked, and then, with the great
fires burning ON the hills about them,
the little party started down to the
Crossing.
By 10 O'Clock that night 81 men and
half as many women, the latter wives Of
sweethearts, had assembled in the black
smiths shop. Those from the farthes
points south had seen the Confederates
and there could be no doubt as to thei
purpose or their destination.
Bradley sent out pickets-''spies, p" HI
called them-to give warning of the ap
proaon of the enemy. Then he started |
fire in the forge, fastened few tallov
dips to the black walls, and, having
commanded attention, he stood up Of
the anvil block and shouted;
boys. what shall we uns do, retrea
TO- the moth or stand and fght?"
This was followed by few second
Of q silence SO intense that every maj
could hear the beating Of his own heart
and with frightened eyes the wome
looked from face to face. At length
strong. clear, familiar voice rang out.
I'm the name Of the great Jehovah
we will stand and fight!''
All eyes turned in the direction Of tn
sound, but not to ascertain the speaker
Into the full light Of the FORGE which
e lAzI,
NH|ZS9Ei4;, IS +