The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-04

camped. In the morning / began to
look Tor mOuntafneer who could pilot
US farther on. After some time spent
In accommodating / discovered smoke
ascending down In a ravine, and worked
my way down and halloed. This brought
two mountain dogs and a man. who,
AFTER Skulking around in the bushes.
| finally came across the ravine. / tried
to get him to pilot us to the road
| through Smiths Gap. He told me
that a brigade Of rebel cavalry had fol-
lowed the raiders, and the only way
we could get out alive would be to take
mountain paths and go over the Cum
| berland, Boston and Pine Mountains.
He dare not pilot US, as the rebels on
their return would shoot him on sight,
IL they thought he had been plotting
| raiders. He finally sent his boy, about
10 years Of age, who piloted us Is miles
to mountain guide. We gave him a
handful of Confederate money which
we took from rebel Paymaster in the
morning at Messy Creek Station, when
he started back down. Our force had
been augmented by men who had been
lost from the main command, to over
100 men, most of them without arms
or blankets. The entire command were
out Of ammunition and rations. Under
these conditions we had no alternative
left us but to dodge the rebel forces
who were hunting us. The second
night In the mountain we camped in
deep ravine about three miles from
the mountain road. About 10 o'clock
mountain girl came to our camp and
inquired for the guide, and told him
that her father had sent her to tell
us that brigade Of rebel cavalry was
encamped about his house, and to keep
quiet where We were until they moved
In the morning, when he would come
and tell US the direction taken by the
rebels when they broke camp in the
morning. He came about 9 o'clock and
told our guide the direction the rebels
had taken, and advised him as to the
best route to take to avoid them. About
midway in the mountains Red Rooster,
a noted mountain guide, met us. He
had been sent by Gen. Sanders from
the Kentucky side of the mountains
to learn definitely what had become of
the rear guard. whether we had been
killed, captured or were lost in the
mountains He guided us to Williams
ing Of the fifth days mountain climb
ing. The mountaineers had learned
that the rear guard were alive and near
by, and brought in baskets of corn
pones and roasted meat, some of them
| coming a distance of 10 miles. This
was the first meal we had eaten since
we left Messy Creek Station, and we
had plenty and to spare. We were
Joined by Maj. WEIGH in the noun
tains, but cannot now remember the
lOcdIlty. al "IlIldIlSDuTS we HlFou n
| team to transport number Of men to
London, their feet having become SO
| sore and swollen they could march no
longer. At London we obtained rations
from the 9th Ohio Cav, who were sta
toned at that place. From London,
KY, we marched to Lancaster, KY, to
join the regiment, which we reached
| without further incidents worth men,
tioning. The main command reached
Boston on the Kentucky side June "a,
having marched night and day, stop
ping In camp only two nights on the
trip. ttaHI
While we consider the long distance
marched ermOuntain roads, the num-
Der of prisoners captured and paroled,
the large amount Of army supplies and
| railroad bridges and tracks destroyed,
| with the loss of one officer and two
privates killed and three privates
| wounded, this raid must be classed as
one Of the most successful of the whole
war.
In conclusion would say, we were
five days and nights in the mountains.
practically without food, rain pouring
down on us almost continuously, Sleep
ing on the water-soaked ground, with
the dripping skies our only covering.
You can imagine with what Joy and
| thankfulness we once more gazed on
the bright skies Of Kentucky and real
lied that we had escaped what at one
| time seemed almost certain capture or
death, and shall always have q warm
place In my heart for those brave
mountaineers who, at great personal
danger to themselves, aided US in every.l
possible way to elude our pursuers and
reach n placA az safety.