Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1898-03-08

mounted men to protect those with
weak and less agile steeds, when COM
ing to ditch in the field, my horse
bounded over, slipped on the ice and
fell, throwing me. In an instant
Bony was up and gone, and poor me,
at the mercy of fast advancing foe.
Just south of me spied a rail fence,
which in an instant 1 leaped and,
while the yankees were pulling it
down to get over, made the best run
of my life, across a wheat field, with
bullets knocking dirt over and around
me. Before they got through the
fence reached theKeerl house, (now
belonging to my friend Levi Porter, }
ran in the front door aud out of the
rear, down into the garden, and fell,
exhausted, under gooseberry bush.
Soon eyed the yankees in the yard
around the house, and before / could
recover breath for another run, they
rode into the garden, spied me under
the bush, (poor protection in Febru-
ary,) and took me prisoner. My
horse carried off my pistols and sa-
bre and bore them safely back to
camp. With the posse that captured
me was Lieut.. Hill, an exceedingly
gentlemanly fellow for a yankee, who,
learning my name, treated me with
much kindness and consideration
While standing in the garden talking
with the party, up rode a big lager
beer dutchman, in an excited man
ner leaped off his horse, and giving
me good dutch cursing, placed his
carbine to my breast and said: "kill
the damned rebel" Just then Hill,
pointing his pistol in the dutchman's
face, said: '.if you shoot him I'll
shoot you" This brought the cow
ardly scOundrel to his senses, and he
sneaked off like a sheep-killing dog.
The attacking party was squadron
of the 18th Pennsylvania cavalry,
under Major Gibson.
The further pursuit of our men was
abandoned at this point, and Lieut..
Hill and five of his men took charge
of me, taking me to Porter's pump to
allow me to wash some of the mud off
of my face.
Col. Porter, learning was pris-
oner, kindly came down with bottle
of OldRye, offered me drink, which
was declined, then offered one to my
captors, which they accepted
Thoughts of escape then entered my
head, and gave Col. Porter the wink
to offer them another drink, which he
did, but they all declined.
Not having an extra horse 1 was
placed on blanket behind one of
the yankees, and the party started
for Charles Town, by way of Fea-
gans' Mill, and the Summit Point
and Charles Town road. When the
gate opposite the Isler house (now
Carrell's) was reached we met Tom
Rockenbaugh, neighbor, going
home. Spoke to him, and was about
to request him to tell my mother 1
was prisoner, but not hurt, when,
putting whip to his horse, started in
a full run. My guard shouted halt
and fired couple shots, but he never
slackened pace. When 1 saw him
next l inquired why he had acted so
strangely? Why, said he: eff had
recognized you they would have
killed me sure
Charles Town was reached about 4
p. m. / had entered this place so
often as victor, felt my humiliation
so deeply, covered my head so that
my friends would not recognize me.
NV escort kindly permitted me to
stop at my cousins, the Rutherfords,
on the eastern limits of town, where
L borrowed twenty dollars for use
during prison life. which 1 antici-
pated would be long, as at that time
there was no exchange of officers
On resuming our journey, Hill kind
ly offered me his horse, quite nice
animal, but, like most yankee horses,
not hridle-wise. He was anxious to
get ny opinion as to its qualities, so
started off down Hunters hill in
lope, and if the guards had not fol-
lowed 50 close with their carbines
drawn on me, calling me to halt,
would have given his horse a good
trail through Tate's woods, down the
KabIetown road, and away to free
dom. Those fellows were evidently
mind readers, and frustrated my
plans.
Hill now mounted his own horse