Year: 1862


and wondering when these stormy times
would be over, aud I should see you all
once more, Il was AS was sitting so. that
l was aroused by hearing the servants
calling 10 each other 10 " look look 20
and then they all came running ronnd
the house, calling 20 me as they went
past and ran down the hill Ia front OF
me, and pointing up the road that lay In
full view some hundred yards, and then
lost itself in the woods. louked as they
pointed, and saw what | shall never for
get Up the road as far as | could see.
and coming out Of the woods, were the
widest looking horssEiea, riding three
abreast, the sun shining on a long steel
blade at their sides. The servants
thought they were cur soldiers, and ran
down TO meet them, poor foolish things
little knowing, as we did when we had
nearer view, that they were Morgan's
Texan Rangers What happened in the
next few moments is all confusion TO me
l remember hurrying into the house TO
tell the others as soon as saw the horse
men turning into onr gate, and finding
them pale and anxious, knowing il all.
and then watching a group Of ladies and
children Chose who were in special dan
ger) creeping down stairs and out TO some
hiding place. ! remember coming back
to the porch and hearing one Of my
cousins asking for her baby, and then
rushing down the hill almost among the
men, where they had stopped at the
spring house, TO take the child out of
danger Then one of the Secession la
dies came out and said she would 60
down aud talk TO the men, and so my
cousin turned back with her and went
down 10 the spring, 10 was evident at
once that they knew the lady TO be Of
their own party, and, though they had
been trying TO persuade the servants they
were Union soldiers, there was no doubt
they were come TO arrest Uncle Robert
and 20 carry out their threat TO hang him,
but they said they meant no harm to us,
and whether they respected the house on
account Of the Secessionists in IL, or
whether they pitied a defenceless group
OF women and children, so IL was that
they turned and rode away, ten Of them
who had ridden up toward the house
turning back with the rest, They left
horseman at each end Of the yard as
piekets, and forty Of their number (there
were near one hundred in All) camped
that night in a wood just at the ,ide OF
US, waiting still for cold Bob Breckin-
ridge" as they called him. They were
wild looking set. hope l may never
look on their like again, and that have
had my last glimpse Of Texan Ranger


AS soon as they had left the yard,
three messengers were sent by different
roads, to turn Uncle Robert back, and
il was not till they had been turned back
and threatened with shooting by the
| rebel pickets, who caught them several
times, that one, taking a wide circuit,
got past them, and by Gods mercy,
reached the turnpike just ~ Uncle Rob
bert was passing Il, and 80 saved his life.
| From that time till we returned to town,
two days after, we sent and received
constant notes 10 aud from town, by
these faithful servants, but under con-
slant terror Of detection. There were
spies all about US, and il it was known
tlat we were sending information 10 the
headquarters in town, we should never
send any more. That night force was
AL ready 20 come out from town and
Ike these men Of whom we had written
them, and just at the last minute the Of
flcer in command at Lexington refused
TO let them go, and when men, whose
wives and children were out with as,
implored him TO give them men, or let
them collect the men themselves, he re-
fused. IL is whispered that he was
traitor, and the next day q new COM
mander was sent, but the men had es-
capped from our neighborhood, and Joined
the band further on; but all throegh
that night we waited aud listened for
our soldiers from town, while from
the camp in the wood came the OathR
and shouts aud pistols shots Of Nor
gan's men, who had us at their mercy.
We made our preparations for fight or
hiding, stitching our money in OUT
clothes, burying our valuables, aud burn
ing our notes; then we took all the guns
that were in the different parts Of the
house into our own rooms, that at least
they might not be used against us, and
locked ourselves into our rooms. That
night and next ! want 10 forget We
knew that we were watched, and heard
footsteps and signals all around iha
house al morning dai tsdatr


one of Om fOOms fOn


| opened on TIE yafu


cropping about the "


night long. ! know


window doing picket


watching, with a dcaparng, logged feel
ing that, il they killed Us, at least w
should know when they were coming
Both Of the ladies in the rooms with IN,
were invalids, and slept from time 4
time, overcome with fatigue aud excite
ment, and / cannot tell you how cruel u
seemed 10 have 10 wake them up eyeTy
now and then, to LEI them know Of SONS


new sound or inlimalion Of danger, that
they might be prepared Oh they wer


nights 10 drive person crazy, and / wa
thankful that did not know, till man
days after, that eur worst fears wer
. true that four pickets were In the yarl
one night, aud six the next, watching al
and coming as we knew close mp 20 ou
I I 49, snH rrfuHouua