The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-01
A FRIEND WITH THE
COUNTERSIGN
Continued from first page,


the fact as fact. Walking slowly back
ward from the water, | assembled the slop-
ing bank of the stream. keeping my gaze
to the front. On top of the bank it was
worse: the boughs Of the bending trees
did not let me see even the surface OF the
river. | went on back, still seeking higher
ground, but the ground became no higher.
What TO do? Suddenly 1 had it. went
rapidly toward the water, and reached
again the spot from which l had seen the
light. The nearest tree was soon climbed;
from its branches | tried every available
angle, and could see nothing i'll front OK
cept the dim foreground of the river 5
noisy surface, and behind it the black
trees rising. and farther away an ascend
ing plane, all gloom, which lost itself I'M
mediatcly in Il nearby horizon. l came
down from the tree and tried another, but
only to fail. Yet | would not give up.
From taller tree, and yet from 4 lower
latitude, | had a full view of light
through the woods i'll front. BY diligent
and attentive work, moving about in the
tree. and giving heed to all surroundings,
| became convinced that the light was on
higher ground than minc-that it was
back from the river n hundred yards or
more. But that light-what was it:
Might il not be a light in some dwelling
Not was long past midnight; peaceful
inhabitants would be asleep ut this hour
The only reasonable suppOsition was that
the light came from the bivouac of the
Confederate pickets. Doubtless group
Of cavalry were lying asleep around the
fire, with one of their number stationed az
videt on the very bank of the river OPP
posite me. | remained long in the tree,
watching the light, and at last became
certain: | had seen, for the space of two
or three seconds, the light obscured by
an object passing before it; l felt sure
that n man had stood for moment be
tween me and the fire.
came down. My mind was made up.
There was III all probability no group Of
Confederate pickets between this group at
the apex of the bend and the group on the
Germanna Road, and these groups were
Il mile apart by the course of the stream,
and half a mile in straight line. Each
group no doubt, had videt on the river
bank. but between the videts the watch
would be kept up by patrols. | went back
down the river until the bending tree tops
from either bank, as the stream curved Il
little this way and that, would hide the
surface of the water from the eyes of n
sentinel stationed on the bank i'll front of
the fire The place which / chose was Il
little wider than the rivers average, and
was rapid also. If there was a sentinel
opposite, | should wade into his clutches,
but | felt little fear of finding one. l
stripped entirely, for | knew not the depth,
and | did know that the air was cold and
that in wet clothing for the remainder of
the night | might catch my death. l
placed my Overcoat on the ground and in
it | tied up all my other garments. max
ing as compact a bundle as | could; then
| tied the sleeves of my blouse, which /
had. allowed to hang out for the purpose,
around my neck so that the bundle rested
between my shoulders. If the water
should deepen to my shoulders | would
keep the bundle above it with one hand. |
went forward as rapidly as | well COULD
yet carefully at first, feeling my way with
my long staff.
The water was fearfulIy cold-so cold
that succession of icy shivers went
through and through me-sO cold that |
laid aside all caution as to speed, and
waded straight for the opposite shOre-lit-
tie need upon it for a Confederate videti
Perhaps | had been two minutes in pass
ing the stream, two minutes of suffering,
of agony, especially around those portions
Of my body which were alternately be
meath and above the surface-for the air
was colder than the water. When at
length l had succeeded in crossing, and
stood naked upon the southern bank, my
suffering became torture. The cold river
breeze Of nearby dawn upon my wet body
speedily began TO take away my strength.
Zen millions of needles pierced my skin.
For a second | thought | was gone--that
| should never have strength to put my
clothes on, and that / must freeze in this
spot. Suddenly | tore my bundle unGone
how | managed it | do not know, but
in moment | had succeeded in throwing
m nyarcpnf around m ShouIdarC- tban |
dropped sitting to the ground and cover
ed my legs and feet, the best could, with
my other garments, wrapping them around
me in any shape they would take.
The intensity of the cold was now fol-
lowed by deathly sickness at the stOm-
ach, and | felt-although my reason as
sured me that the experience was but
transitory-that | was going blind. In
this condition | was conscious of no sound
or sight for many minutes; at length my
fear began to pass away, and | became
quite warm, and had no distress, except
that ! was yet sick and reluctant to make
the eXertiOn necessary to cOthe myself.
After ! had fully dressed it required great
effort of will to determine upon going for
ward; but for the fact that the terrible
water behind me prevented, | think |
should have gone back TO the bivouac fire
Of our cavalry and perhaps have given up
the enterprise.
! now made my way slowly through the
forest, gaining strength at every step.
Hills were climbed; logs We're passed over
or around. wanted to 90 to the left of
the fire | had seen, and to the right of
the Germanna Road The fire could not be
more than 300 yards or 400 yards from
me; the Confederate picket post on the
road was, | supposed, fully half mile
away. That the two posts were connected
by bridlepath, if not by Il read, was
highly probable, and on this bridle-road
there might be other posts; | must get
through the chain of pickets before day,
which would not be long in coming.
Hope rose within me when | thought the
worst was over-Gespair came when /
thought Of the terrible ordeal that | must
truly say that for the next 81 hours, ex-
cept when asleep, thought of the icy
waters, and plans to moderate their sever
ity, We're never out of my mind for one
whole minute.
Day was beginning to show at my left
when ! again caught the glimmer of fire
at my right 'oblique; | crept on forward
When i had the fire almost exactly on my
right hand, | saw Il path before me-a
narrow, crooked path made by horses
hOOfS which had thrown fresh earth this
way and that. | paused and looked long
TO right and left, and then, seeing nothing
| ran hastily on across the path through
the woods, and did not stop until | knew
that from that path | could not be seen
by any patrol. 1
| was now in the enemy's lines, OF
rather, in the rear of his cavalry outpostS
Suddenly Il thrill of terror almost oYercamC
my strength. The thought that food
| / / ~