Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-12-31
Campaigning in Mountains.


Campaigning in Mountains.
Speaking of campaigns in a noun
famous country" said a First Ken
lucky man, Il was one of those who
Topped the loop on Loup creek in
West Virginia at the time of the raid
to Rolla. We started from Camp En-
yart on the Kanawha and went up
Loup creek valley, and in one nights
march crossed the stream th1rty-hVe
times We made the march to Rolla,
ninety miles away, over one OF the
toughest mountain roads in existence
and drove the relebs out of ROlla-
I'VE were on the return march with
several wagons loaded with dry goods
and provisions, and ninety head of cat
tie, and were not many miles from our
own camp when the rebel cavalry
overlook the column. The boys were
not expecting pursuit, and were tax
ing things easy. 1 was with the rear
guard, and when we saw the cavalry
coming we formed across the road,
waited until they were in short range,
and blazed away A good many OF
the Johnnies rolled off their horses,
and the charging column stopped, CIV
ing us time to load and fire again.
This second volley caused
change of program The rebs dis
mounted and came forward on foot to
outf1ank us. On one side was Coal
creek and on the other fence. We
were ordered to meet the rebels and
we met them. 1 was loading in haste
when a rebel parted the weeds near.
me. and. a revolver in hand. said =
Now I've got you, Yank.' But as he
had to turn the cylinder with his hand
had my doubts and charged him
with the bayonet. He lodged, and his
pistol went off, but the bullet missed
me. He still insisted that he had me-
and as the Johnnies were climbing
over to my side of the fence, and all
my squad had by this time been killed
or captured, l retreated at full run.
''I ran across field of red clover,
the reb bullets nipping the blossoms
off as 1 ran, and then climbed through
laurel and holly bushes on the noun
tain until l came to fence. AS sat
on the fence, getting my wind and TAX
ing observations, two rebel cavalry
men came up behind me and ordered
me to throw down my gun 1 obeyed
orders so energetically that the old
musket was bent double. This en-
a gun in those times, but l told them
his wits. Later, when the command
halted, 1 was permitted to go to the
creek to fill my canteen, and taking
advantage of the situation l ran at
full speed for the road. My guards let
loose with their shotguns, but l dodg
ed into a cornfield and ran on
81 left the field when l struck a ra-
vine that ran up into the mountain,
and was making great progress when
1 plunged headlong into a sort of a
sinkhole of a place, and came down
on a hundred or more rebs lying in
They greeted me with AL
ways room for one more and Blank
you, keep STILL and after a manner
1 felt at home in spite of the odds
against me- They were lying in wait
for my own regiment to come out from
Camp Enyart, but it didn't come, and
the ambassadors started back to
Rolla, taking me and other prisoners
with them. They tied a heavy rope
to the rear end of a wagon and car
ried. it back to the tongue Of another
wagon Between the two wagons they
tied the prisoners in pairs, the escort
riding on either side of us.
THE rain came down that night in
torrents, and all of US were miserable.
As we passed through a thfcket of
l cut the cord that bound
me to the southern confederacy. drop
ped to the ground and sneaked into
the brush. After the rear guard had
passed I took the road back toward
camp. After a time I heard voices
and, listening to the conversation, /
felt the voices belonged to Unionists
hailed the parties and was rewarded
BY silence. In two minutes a voice
from another direction said, Come
his way; be careful A man took my
hand and led me into a cabin where
Ill was dark and still as a death
chamber.
Then the man who held my hand
said. L know by your speech you are
/ Yankee My name is John George
md am loyal to the old flag He or
Tered a light and treated me to the
surprise of my life The room was
with West Virginia Union
SITS, men and women, and they gave
ne the most enthusiastic welcome. 1
had wandered, in the dark into the