. Four years in Secessia : adventures within and beyond the Union lines : embracing a great variety of facts, incidents, and romance of the war ... . ounsel.—Passage of the BlueRidge.—A Severe March over Mountains.—Safety ever Retreating.—NarrowEscapes from Union Rifles.—Contradictory Reports about our Lines. While in Wilkes County, two of our fellow-prisoners,a captain of a small trading-vessel from Pliiladelpliia,and a Xortli Carolina Unionist, liaving escaped by bri-bing the guard at Salisbury, arrived in tlie settlement,and sent us word they would like to journey in ourcomj)any ; but, deem
. Four years in Secessia : adventures within and beyond the Union lines : embracing a great variety of facts, incidents, and romance of the war ... . ounsel.—Passage of the BlueRidge.—A Severe March over Mountains.—Safety ever Retreating.—NarrowEscapes from Union Rifles.—Contradictory Reports about our Lines. While in Wilkes County, two of our fellow-prisoners,a captain of a small trading-vessel from Pliiladelpliia,and a Xortli Carolina Unionist, liaving escaped by bri-bing the guard at Salisbury, arrived in tlie settlement,and sent us word they would like to journey in ourcomj)any ; but, deeming it prudent for us to travel insmall parties, we declined, and Sergeant Thurston joinedthe other two, who, with a deserter from Lees army, setout toward Wilkesboro, the capital of the county, theday before we did. - Wednesday night, December 28, we resumed ourmarch. It was very dark and stormy, and one of ourmany loyal friends guiding us for five miles to thecabin of a free mulatto, who in turn piloted us on, wereached Glass s miU, a distance of fourteen miles, withoutfatigue. Our long rest had materially benefited us, and we felt. \ ^^k y/ ^i ^ f^v?>r> THE MARCH ONWARD. 387 mucli fresher than when we quitted the Penitentiary soabruptly. At the mill we found the other party of four,and going to the habitation of a Unionist, he directed usto his corn-crib, where we lay concealed until the follow-ing night. After dark we obtained a substantial meal,and continued our progress toward Wilkesboro, havingsecured the services of a guide. The road was extremely rough, being so excessivelycut up and frozen tliat we stumbled along like men in thelast stage of intoxication, frequently falling on our kneesand at full length. One who has not traveled in N^orth Carolina since theWar can form no idea of the state of the roads, which de-serve not the name. They have not been repaired foryears, and Avere never in a good condition. There areruts, gullies, embankments, ridges, c
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookidfouryearsins, bookyear1865
