The National tribune., 1910-04-28

expecting W oe nFea on but L must
have. got out of reach before they
thought Of firing on me or halting me.
So. I escaped being captured. / rods
back some distance and saw an open
space. which led me TO think that there
was another road. 1 got off my horse
and felt for tracks. and found that our
men had gone in another direction.
while 1 had gone straight on Now for
the time being 1 believed myself to be
all right. and followed on. / soon found
myself Off the trail, and determined to
stop over night at the first house I
came to, but the owner protested. saw
ing that he had only one bed in the
house, but stated that there was a tav-
ern half a mile away. and by inquiry
l found it to be tfre-very place we had
started for. When / got to the tavern
dismouhted and felt for tracks. but
found none. / concluded that / had
gotten there in advance of our men,
and placed myself as a picket, watch
ing and waiting for something else to
develop. But our men had, as I found
out later, lost their way. and l had
found the place they were looking for.
The superstition being that the rebels
were being harbored at this place.
closely surveyed the premises, and, hnd-
ing nothing suspicious, l decided to
stop over night. Riding in front OF The
door l made known my wishes and WAS
admitted fer the night. Knowing the
possibility of being trapped. when | re-
tired for the night L took my sabeT
and revolver with me to the head OF
the stairway. and firmly decided that
no rebels would get me so long as my
saber and revolver could be brought
into play. I was not molested. but got
my breakfast and was about to leave
when squadron OF the I'd Pa. Cav
came and took the proprietor away on
the charge OF harbOring rebels. I
stopped u few minutes TO pacify the
family, who claimed to be loyal to the
Union, but when / heard footsteps on
the porch and looked out to see TO my
surprise two men dressed in rebel uni
form. / regretted that had not used
better sense and moved on. As it was.
could only put on a bold front and
wait for results. BuekIing my saber
belt around me, / sat down close by
the door. They came in, and giving
me morning Salutation, passed on TO
the fire to warm, for it was a bitter
cold morning. 1t was then that they
piled me with questions, many of which
L am sure I did not answer very cor
rectly or satisfactorily to. them L soon
had them in doubt as to who was and
where I belonged. I then decided to-
move on. expecting them to object and
to take me prisoner, as there werS
two of them, and they were armed with
saw that they were following me. T
hustled across the road to a log stable,
where my horse was, and, pulling my
revolver, prepared to shoot thru tho
cracks. but to my surprise they were
moving down the road. I saddled my
horse and followed on, but cautiously,
until / saw my opportunity, which soon
came. l was slowly gaining on them
thru a piece of timber, with revolver in
hand ! came to an open field to my
right. Now was my opportunity: I
took it. I started to go across the field,
so as to lead them to believe that
had friends over the hill in piecs
of timber AS I desired. they called to
me, and wanted further conversa,-
ton. which was agreeable to me. I
moved along toward them with tight
rein on my horse, so as not 90 show my
revolver and when within about Is
feet of them stopped. One asked me
where I was going, and L answered.:
over to that timber beyond the clear
ing. where are you going?" They an
swered: 'Te Occoquan." At this juno
ture I put my revolver over the horses
neck and. ready to fire, said: NO, you
are not You are going with me" They
threw up their hands and called out
not to shoot. I told them to oDey my
orders and they would be all right l
then told them to get into the road and
march back in the direction from which
they had come, a distance OF ABOUT
four and half miles from Fairfax sta
ton. where were located brigade or
Vermont infantry When We arrived at
the infantry camp guard line L let
them take of their overcoats, one at a
time. The first to pull his coat had on
a Federal uniform coat showing rank
of Captain. He passed to me fine. sill
revolver. The next man
followed suit, and passed to me COTS
revolver They showed me letters ad-
dressed to Capt. Charles Able and sergt
Charles Royce, respectively, of Co. ID,
14th VT, which convinced me that they
were our own men, They were now IN
a dilemma They were prisoners OF
war being taken to headquarters OF
their own brigade. / asked the Captain
if he had any suggestions to make He
said he had. He suggested that l leave
them and come to his quarters by an
other route, and there we would meet
as old schoolmates from Vermont
readily took in the situation and good
dinner. and then returned to camp
They had taken me to be rebel In
Federal uniform, and because L kept a
cool head they did not dare try TO take
me- prisoner. I took them TO De
rebels, as they wore Confederate un-
form, and we all rejoiced at the out
McCreery. 1st MlcLh
Cav. Michican Soldiers Home