The National tribune., 1900-08-30
3M SPVRIOUS\
VeN CLERK !

By PROF. WIN. ]. DEWES.

About the latter part of July. 1864. the
writer of this article reached the Federal
military post of New Creek Station,
Hampshire CO., w. Va. With me were
three other Union refugees and our guide
a famous hunter and Union man of West
Augusta County. All Of the party were
from near Lynchburg. Va. Two were
brothers, Johnson by name, and were de-
serters from the cavalry force of Gen.
John ID. Imbodcn. then located at Harris
burg, in the Valley. They had been con-
scripted into the Confederate army. but
had secured permission to return to
Iynchburg to procure new mounts, the
brothers having previously purposcly dis
abled their horses by driving Il nail into
the under part of the horses hoofs
The brothers never again reported for
duty at the cavalry camp. | met them
at the pretty little village Of Mt Sydney.
about the middle of July, 1861. and, with
local guide, started on our march
through the lines to the North.
After passing through the hands of
three guides we were placed in the hands
of the hunter. James Todd, at Il point near
his house, at the little settlement of White
Oak Lick. i'll the extreme western part of
Augusta County. Va.
This Mr.. Todd was the Head Center of
the refugee route. as it was called, and he
guided us intelligently and safely toward
New Creek Station. For 80 miles we
Travelled along the summit of the great
North Mountain, and the walking was
much more agreeable than would be nat
urally supposed. We We're more than re-
paid for the small diScomfortS we endured
by the many magnificent views on either
side of the great mountain, embracing the
County of Augusta on the one side and
the County of Pendleton, w. Va, on the
other. This secret route had been estab-
Gshed by true Union men and unconditlon-
al friends of the Government and the Old
Flag. All refugees We're safely guided to
the Old Flag over this secret route with
out money and without price; and it was
difficult even to force n little change into
the hands of the children at the houses
of the guides i'll Augusta County or the
counties of West Virginia.
Besides, from Il military point of view,
the Confederacy was materially weakened
by the departure north of young and mid
dle-aged men, who would have been con-
scripted into the army had they remained
South. as the several conscript acts were
rigidly enforced and viciously so in the
ease of known Union men.
Thousands and thousands were thus
compelled, at the point of the bayonet to
take arms and fight against their own
Government and flag.
The plan of these devoted friends of the |
Old Flag was to pass the refugees from
one to another along the whole route, pro- |
ceeding at night and returning to their |
homes before day, in order that they |
would not be missed by their Secession |
neighbors.
This secret route was the only perfectly |
safe one to the North. On other routes, |
such as the Fort Monroe route, Freder- |
icksburgh. Petersburg. south of the James, |
and the Valley of Virginia, the refugees |
were frequently captured, placed in prison, |
then sent to the front to fight for the Con-
federacy, some being never heard from
again by their friends, while others made |
their escape to the Federal lines at differ !
ent periods of the rebellion.
TIE CONFEDERATE SPY.
On our arrival at New Creek Station, |
w. Va, the last of July, 1864, our party, |
after visiting the clothing store and bar
Der shop, promptly reported to the Pro- |
YoSt- Marshal Mai. Drake who had for