The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-05

at home who said he was familiar will
the mountains, as he had hunted upor
them since boyhood. When l told hin
we needed a guide and where we desired
to 60, the native at ioncei declined the pc
sition, but after a few stern words, tell
| ing him what the alternative would be, ht
doggedly consented.
The guide struck out across the foothills
| toward the mountains, and it was full five
| miles from where the ascent commenced
before the summit could be reached. 1,
was a toilsome march, for many Of the
places for long distances were so steer
that the men could only keep their foot
hold and draw themselves up by graspinf
bushes and small trees. Tired, torn with
thorns and branches, we reached the sum
nit, about two miles east of the Confed
crate batteries at the Gap, long after the
sun had gone down. We were apparently
above the world, for utter silence reigned
no sounds from the valley reached to such
hight, and the bushes and trees Of the
mountain were devoid Of animal life.
The ridge of the mountain was cOmpar
atively level. and a well-wOrn foOtpath led
along the summit, showing the COnfeder
ates had used this path in going to the
Gap and returning from it. Pure streams
of water gusbed out Of the rocks AND
formed pools along the mountain path.
l conducted my men along the path In
single file, and noiselessly, too, toward the
Gap, hoping to get near enough to obtain
the information that Gen. Burnside de-
sired As we marched west we suddenly
became aware of the twinkling lights in
the Confederate camp, and could plainly
hear the orders issued by officers and the
different bugle calls.
1t was necessary to wait for daylight, to
make better and closer inspection, and
l ordered my men to descend the noun
tain few yards from the path on the
summit and place themselves against trees
as they lay down upon the ground to sleep,
as there was danger otherwise of the men
being dashed to pieces by rolling down the
mountain.
A picket was placed directly in the path,
with the hope of capturing some COnfed-
crate but none passed during the night.
The day had been progressively warm.
but at such an altitude at night it was ex-
tremely cold. and the men suffered for
want of clothing, as blankets and over
coats had been left behind, and there was
nothing to do but sleep on the bare ground
as best they could. No fires were allowed,
and the orders were for every one to keep
silent.
The first ray of morning light found the
men awake, and taking their breakfast of
roasted corn. When the sun rose, one of
the most enchanting sights ever witnessed
burst upon our view. A white mist mad
risen in the valley, and when the sun
shOne upon it it was like silver lace spark
ling and undulating, creating fairy scene
for those who looked down upon it from
of the sun dispelled the mists an opening
would unfold, disclosing a farm scene or
the camp of a regiment, until the picture
presented all the features Of q kaleidO-
scope.
Daylight also disclosed that I had ap-
preached the Confederate batteries as near
as possible, for I had followed the noun
tain path in the darkness almost to the
point where it descended into huge ravine
and rose again on the other side, where
the guns of the COnfederates had a range
over the whole field. The timber had
been slashed so an enemy could not ap-
proach without exposure to the Confeder-
ate guns. With my field glass / could
look across this ravine and count the guns
in the Confederate works and make a
close estimate of the number of COnfed-
crate troops in the Notifications. fingered
here until about noon, and. after obtaining
all the information possible, commenced
the long march to the valley, and reached
camp about 4 p. m. and Immediately re-
ported to Gen. Burnside all the details of
the scout. ~
1t was found to be an impOssibility to
drag guns to the summit Of the mountains,
as proposed, and equally impossible to at
tack the Confederates from that side with
any more hope of success than to attack
directly in front. All who participated in
the perilous enterprise were cordially
thanked by Gen. Burnside for the informa-
ton gained, and also for their cheerfulness
in undertaking march that entailed SO
many dangers.