The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-22

into the skillet and rake Goals under u
and on the cover. The bread Is eaten
warm. This and water we had "ad
libitum." We remained here overnight.
the guard sitting on bench by the fire
before which we were stretched. In the
morning We were crowded into an old
stage with a Guard-0ne OF the old
Louisiana TigeFs"-and several other
paasengerH-tWo ''reb" OhiceTs and q
couple Of ladies'. The foremost Feb-
who evidently belonged TO the signal
cnrps-fOr he had his fiags with him
wished to know II the hat which wore
-an old PanHma-WaS the Kind issued In
the Yankee" army now, thinking he
had quite Joke on me. informed him
that It was not: but that I supposed It
was the sort the Confederate guerrilg
las wore, as got Il in exchange from
''reb."
From Newmarket we were sent by
stage to Harrisonburg, two little troop
ers Of the Third Massachusetts, Cavalry
being added to our number. At Harri-
SOnburE we were lodged In q rather
primitive building, said to have served
as q jail. Our arrival was greeted with
the cry, fresh lish." from other
...Yanks." These were Sergeant Jason
Smith and Private Charles N. Phil
brick After short stop here we were
sent to Staunton by stage. and from
there to Midway" a village half way
between stnunton and Lexington, on
foot. From Midway through Fairfax
we walked, reaching Lexington that
night. footsore and weary. The rebel
sergeant major. James Van Pelt, In
charge Of the party Of guards and pris-
oners, foraged for US among the farm
houses or we would have had nothing.
At Lexington we found lot Of rebels
put in the guardhouse for being absent
without leave from their commands
and "darlkies" arrested to keep them
from running away to the Yankees.
While here we heard from some OF
our own men who had been sent as
prisoners to Lynchburg, and returned,
OF the advance Of our forces. Among
these prisoners was Private Napoleon
BOnap0rte POmeroy, called for short
''BonY" Pomeroy, Of Company *. First
New York Q4incolnl Cavalry. 1t was
here that, encouraged by this news, we
began to put our heads together TO
plan an escape. The opportunity came
while at a little place called "zollman's
Store" a deserted country store on the
banks Of Buffalo Creek, near the forks
Of Q road.
There were. altogether. fourteen Of US
prisoners including the Confederate
ApSenteeS anu our COlNhlSsCeit ALAAS
troopers Of the Third Massachusetts,,
and eighteen OF the rebel guard Our
reliable fighting force" was only nine
or ten for any attempted break"
At o'clock IN the morning, at the
signal, "True blues the word" spoken
with apparent carelessness by one Of
our party, big "Dlcl" NOrrish, we
sprang from our blankets upon the
guards at the door, seized their guns,
made rush on the others outside, and
captured the whole lot. We marched
them twelve miles, crossing one creek
four times owing to Its winding course.
and finally halted at Buffalo Creek, at
ferry owned by an ardent sympathlz-
er with the Confederacy. 1t consisted
of great fiatboat moving by wire
stretched across the stream. We parted
the guard on either side the stream.
abandoning our first intention to take
them with us, and gained the noun
taIns on the other side just as the sun
was rising. We lay in hiding all day
and got our bearings. Philbrlck climb
ing tall pine and getting the LAY OF
the land"
After a number of narrow escapes
from Te-capture or death, threading Of
mountain paths by night. and Lying
low" by day, we reached Lynchburg In
from the Union commander. who was
kind enough to say that nothing Is too
good for you men,"
But what would we have done after
leaving Zollman's but for Fatty Nit
chelI. Of the Anderson Zouaves. from
New York City! He had been taken
prisoner a year or so before. escaped
hanging by Ruerillas on taking the
OATH to JEFF Davis. and had worked
for some OF the farmers. He knew the
country like book" and guided us to
good Union farmer named Coin, Just
outside OF Lynchburg. 1t was at an
unseenly hour we knocked at his door,
but ne came down and took US in. His
women folks raked away the ashes
from the great open fireplace and pre-
pared US substantial meal OF hOecake
and bacon, and gave us the cheering In
formation that our men were in Lynch
burg. From Lynchburg We were sent
by rail to City Point, and some went by
boat to Washington, and all got fur
loughs."