The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-03-09
md theh through the camp Of North

and then through the camp Of . NoftA
Caroline regiment to my own companJ.
Quistly and, without disfurbipe anyone
rot my prisoner into into my dog
tent and told him - II down and wait.
I then took his blAah hst end blouse,
dipped up to another tent where The
occupants were asassp end quietly ex-
| chaneed them for aa old Rsay alouch
and . gray jacket. WITH 49, Z ~
bacA vitheut disc6vsfy and Atted out
my prisoner. I knew II would BE- linz
possible "a dodge The aentx1ss Win sny-
body elad y bluA slthoNgA tAesA were
many Of our own sold3era aA that Mme
who were By nessssty compelled 70
wear any eoasf they could get. Our
dirty gray was % near The color a. We
dead leaves and ~ ground that II
would Be slmost impoaible to see any-
one who wore tAem creeping but . few
yards away. When l returned I told
my Yankee friend 70 get up and come
along - quietly - possible. Stepping
thropgh the camp Of the North Caro-
linianS, we got into the shadow Of the
slope Of the HILL and erept down into
the dry bed Of narrow creek which
was overhung With bushes. Caution
ing my companion to be careful, we
crept on our hands and knees fully 200
yards along the creek, passing within
ten or fifteen steps Of three sentriea.
The little rivulet ended In q larger
branch not 50 feet away from where I
had stood when captured him. II was
at this point where the utmost caution
had TO be used. After q few minutes
we succeeded in getting around the vi,
dette.
"'God bless you, Frank 1--WE had ex-
changed names long before). 4 will
never forget you, and my mother aud
sister, who shall know of this, will re-
member you as the best friend they
ever had, although they never knew
you. hope we will meet again when
there is no such thing as war;
81 don't remember what said in re-
sponse, but when let go Of his hand
and crept back to camp somehow
went with q feeling that had bid good
by to my own brother.
II never saw or heard Of my 'Yank'
during the war, but often thought of
him. When the war closed at Appo-
mattox was a captain, and went home
after my parole q broken man. The
old farm had run down from neglect,
and my old parents were in need. By
energy and economy l in time sue
oeeded in clearing the old homestead
of debt and building up our fortunes.
It was years before could breathe the
free air Of independence.
"Ten years ago concluded to take
q trip out west. Ny eldest son. Henry,
who had worked faithfully, accom-
panied me. It was in the spring that
we started. While crossing . broad
prairie in one of our new western states
our engine jumped the track many
miles from the nearest station to which
we could apply for help. We were in
formed that at least seven hours would
elapse before assistance could possibly
reach uA About three miles to the
south we could see large rancho build
ing, with the usual string Of stables
and little houses about It. We arrived
at the rancho gate, where an old, griz-
glsd herder or cowboy invited us in,
after we had explained our situation.
"'Who Is the owner Of the ranche?'
inquired.
Maj. Henry Vance, sir, and he will
be glad to entertain you. gentlemen
was the reply.
"The name somehow struck me a. ia
miliar, but I had known so many
Vances that thought but little Oft.
"An hour or so later, while seated
at dinner with the major and his fam
lily, his good wife happened to remark:
"'You are Q Virginian. sir. are
your
"'Yes, madam. we live in sight Of the
Blue mountains, in what consider the
prettiest part Of the old state
The major often talks of that part
of Virginia. she replied. -.He served in
the union army under Mcclellan and
Grant. You look like soldier yourself,
sir. Were you one. may ask?'
"I was, madam; q soldier for the
lost cause. and served during the war
under Lee and Jackson replied.
"'Indeed! DID you hear the gentle
man, majorf' she INTERCEPTED.
"'Were you therer I inquired, now
deeply interested. although not in the
least anticipating what was coming.
"'Yes. was. and one night, the one
after the second days battle. while
wandering about in search Of some
thing to eat, got outside our lines and
was taken prisoner by q young confeil-
crate wdette-
'What!' exclaimed, rising to my
feet, struck with astonishment. You
are not the young Ohio. soldier took
that night, and afterward slipped out
of our camp back within his own lines?