Civil War history comes alive at Shady Side event

In a hushed voice that expressed the urgency of 150 years ago, Harriet Tubman said the best time to escape was Saturday night.

The overseer wouldn't check for any runaways on Sunday, when some slaves had off, giving them a day's head start. She recommended looking at rivers and moss growing on the north sides of trees to check direction, and explained how to make a salve to keep scratches from getting infected after hiding for hours in a swamp.

"If you took an onion and rubbed it on your feet, it would throw the scent of us off for the dogs," Ms. Tubman added.

Re-enactor Scotti Preston portrayed the famed conductor of...