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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/33035-h.zip b/33035-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8e21188 --- /dev/null +++ b/33035-h.zip diff --git a/33035-h/33035-h.htm b/33035-h/33035-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..33f48a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/33035-h/33035-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6853 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bright Side of Prison Life, by Captain S. A. Swiggett. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + + body {margin-left: 12%; margin-right: 12%;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right; font-style: normal;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + + hr {width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + .right {text-align: right;} + .center {text-align: center;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .caption {text-transform: lowercase; font-variant: small-caps; text-align: center;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; color: gray; margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + a:link {color:#0000ff; text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:#6633cc; text-decoration:none} + + .spacer {padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;} + + ins.correction {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin solid gray;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Bright Side of Prison Life, by Samuel A. Swiggett + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Bright Side of Prison Life + Experience, In Prison and Out, of an Involuntary Soujouner in Rebellion + +Author: Samuel A. Swiggett + +Release Date: June 30, 2010 [EBook #33035] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRIGHT SIDE OF PRISON LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/icover.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p> </p><p> <a name="front" id="front"></a></p><p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 352px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i002.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">CAPT. S. A. SWIGGETT.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> +<h1>The<br />Bright Side of Prison Life.</h1> +<p> </p> +<h3>Experiences, In Prison and Out, of an Involuntary<br />Sojourner in Rebeldom.</h3> +<p> </p> +<h2>By CAPTAIN S. A. SWIGGETT.</h2> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<h4>PRICE $1.25.</h4> +<p> </p> +<h4>Press of<br />FLEET, McGINLEY & CO.<br />Baltimore.</h4> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<p class="center">Copyright, 1897,<br />BY<br />S. A. SWIGGETT.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p>The author's name and reputation may sell this book—miracles have +happened; but he does not intend to permit the possible deception of a +confiding public into the belief that they cannot exist without reading +it. The possible purchaser is hereby warned that it is different from +any other book he ever read. It is without plot, moral, historical +value, mystery, romance, horrors and murderous scenes. The best excuse +to be offered for its existence is the fact that the author's numerous +friends have repeatedly urged him to print what they call an interesting +and unusual series of incidents. The responsibility for any injury to +the public must rest upon the heads of these friends, the author not +holding himself accountable for anything except the truth of the +narration. My friends being pleased with this publication, it may be +safe for others to try it, but they must not blame me for any lack of +appreciation. Trusting that this warning will prevent the unsuspecting +from buying the book solely on account of the author's literary +reputation, the result is awaited with fear and trembling.</p> + +<p class="right">S. A. SWIGGETT.</p> + +<p><i>March</i>, 1895.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" summary="contents"> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td align="center">Page</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></td><td><span class="spacer"> </span></td><td>Preliminaries</td><td><span class="spacer"> </span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></td><td> </td><td>The Capture</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></td><td> </td><td>On the March</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></td><td> </td><td>Bright Spots</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></td><td> </td><td>The Stockade</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></td><td> </td><td>Incidents</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></td><td> </td><td>Events</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></td><td> </td><td>An Escape</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></td><td> </td><td>On the Tramp</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></td><td> </td><td>Recaptured</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></td><td> </td><td>The Back Track</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></td><td> </td><td>The Return to the Stockade</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_103">103</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></td><td> </td><td>Incidents, and Another Escape</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></td><td> </td><td>Tramps Once More</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_120">120</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></td><td> </td><td>Diplomacy</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></td><td> </td><td>Making Progress</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></td><td> </td><td>A Puzzle, and Incidents</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_148">148</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></td><td> </td><td>Experiences</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_158">158</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></td><td> </td><td>Good Luck and Bad</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_169">169</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></td><td> </td><td>In the Toils</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_177">177</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a></td><td> </td><td>Another Return Trip</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a></td><td> </td><td>Foraging, and a New Prison</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_196">196</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a></td><td> </td><td>To Camp Ford and Joy</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a></td><td> </td><td>Liberty at Last</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_219">219</a></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" summary="illustrations"> +<tr><td>Captain S. A. Swiggett,</td><td><span class="spacer"> </span></td><td align="right"><a href="#front">Frontispiece.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>General F. M. Drake,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_19">18</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Lieutenant Walter S. Johnson,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_38">39</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Adjutant S. K. Mahon,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_68">69</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain J. B. Gedney,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_78">79</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain Thomas M. Fee,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_88">89</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain Charles Burnbaum,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_95">94</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain J. P. Rummel,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_115">115</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain B. F. Miller,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_166">167</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Sergeant E. B. Rocket,</td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_189">189</a></td></tr></table> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> +<h1>The Bright Side of Prison Life.</h1> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<h3>PRELIMINARIES.</h3> + +<p>My first appearance in the United States was made on the 19th of May, +A. D. 1834. I have no recollection of this important event, but am +reliably informed that the given date is correct, and that Dorchester +county, Maryland, was the locality. At that time I had no premonition of +my future life in a rebel prison, and if anyone had told me of the +fourteen months which were to be spent mostly in such a manner I should +have paid no attention whatever.</p> + +<p>The year 1855 found me in Blakesburg, Iowa, after having lived in +Indiana during the three years following my removal from Maryland.</p> + +<p>In 1856 occurred my marriage to Miss Eliza H. Van Cleve, and no man +could be more happily wedded. For thirty-eight years, until her recent +death, on April 13, 1894, our life was as much of a honeymoon as it is +possible for a well-mated couple to make it.</p> + +<p>I had learned the trade of a tailor, but other employment offered more +inducements, and, on <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>August 8, 1862, my occupation was that of +postmaster at Blakesburg, Iowa, keeping a small general store in +connection with the postoffice. On this date I enlisted with others, and +we were sworn in at our place.</p> + +<p>Our company was organized at Ottumwa, where we went for the purpose, and +my election as first lieutenant gave me much pleasure. Here we spent +about two weeks at squad drill, having the usual experience of +beginners.</p> + +<p>Many of the town girls had lovers, brothers and relatives in our +company, and we had many fair critics present at our drills on the south +bank of the Des Moines river. The excitement was great at the time, and +everybody seemed to be interested very much in our company. For a while +we received the criticisms of our fair guests with equanimity, but at +last we conceived the idea of turning the tables, and soon had an +opposition company so interested in their own drill that the girls gave +us some peace. Two of the boys afterwards married members of the +competing company.</p> + +<p>We rendezvoused at Keokuk, where the 36th Iowa Infantry was finally +organized and mustered into the service of the United States on October +4, 1862, Col. Charles W. Kitredge commanding. Our boys were designated +Company B.</p> + +<p>About November 1 the regiment went to Benton<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> Barracks, near St. Louis, +and remained until December 20. After we were ordered to go south all +was bustle till we embarked on two steamboats and started on our voyage.</p> + +<p>The boats were loaded to the guards with soldiers, hard tack and +coffins, the last being piled up in all available space. Said Pat Riley, +a member of our company: "Holy Jasus, byes, luk! Luk at that! Hev us ter +kerry thim ter hev 'em handy loike?"</p> + +<p>The mute suggestion of the many coffins was not pleasant, but our boys +were hopeful, and many jokes were bandied about in consequence of their +presence.</p> + +<p>That sail down the mighty river will never be forgotten. None knew where +we were going, and the conflict between hope and fear was in many a +breast—hope of success and glory, and distrust of the issue. On board +all was confusion; oaths, laughter, witty remarks, hoarse orders, din in +general. Looking inboard, one could forget all save the immediate +present, and hope was predominant. Looking up at the sky, with its +sweeping clouds, like vast billows of dark, stormy sea, rushing on and +tumbling over each other in mad haste, one felt the immensity of the +universe and the littleness of man, despite his thunders of war. +Listening to the asthmatic breathing of the "scape" pipes, and watching +the shores gliding by, one half fancied a flight in the grasp of some +huge monster that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> was bearing away its prey. Looking over the side and +hearing the sob and swash of the seething water under the guards, one +could imagine a restraining hand on the huge mass, the panting breath of +exertion, and a moan of regret because of ineffectual effort to keep +back the floating giant that was carrying so many human beings away to +death and disaster. Fear of the future now became the paramount feeling.</p> + +<p>We were halted at Memphis by a signal from shore, and found that the +citizens and military authorities were in fear of an attack by Forrest. +That night we slept on our arms in Jackson Square.</p> + +<p>The next day some mule sheds were emptied of their living contents, and +our boys were quartered in the vacated premises. We were then detailed +for guard duty at Fort Pickering, which service we performed for several +days, still having the privilege of enjoying our commodious quarters. It +was hardly fair to turn the mules out into the cold to give shelter to a +regiment of new recruits, but as the mules made no "kick" at this +change, why should we object?</p> + +<p>The spare hours of my first night as officer of the guard were spent in +trying to get some sleep on the ground. It was raining hard, and it +seemed impossible to find any spots which were not hollows; at any rate, +I could not lie down without finding myself in a pool of water when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> I +awoke. My reflections and comments need not be recorded.</p> + +<p>Christmas passed with scarcely a knowledge of the fact, and about the +first of the year we were sent to Helena, Ark., where General Prentiss +had about 20,000 men.</p> + +<p>We were landed, had tents issued to us, and camped on the river bank for +several days. No stoves were to be had, and the damp, cold weather made +fires a luxury. How to have shelter and warmth at the same time was a +puzzle.</p> + +<p>Spurred on by the emergency, my thoughts ran very fast, until they were +brought to a stop and concentrated upon one idea. All my hunting about +the neighborhood failed to result in finding any bricks. Some old pieces +lay about, and these were gathered up, together with some old camp +kettles. The latter were battered as nearly flat as possible, and then a +trench was dug from just inside the front of my tent to and under the +rear end. The sides of the trench were built up a few inches, the old +kettles placed across, and the whole heaped over with sand. We built a +sort of chimney upon the outside end of the long tunnel thus made, and a +fire was then started at the inner end of the opening. The draught drew +the smoke and heat through the extemporized radiator, and before long we +had the sand giving out a very satisfactory degree of warmth. Many +pleasant hours were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>spent in spinning yarns while warming out feet on +this product of necessity.</p> + +<p>The 47th Indiana was soon ordered away on a campaign, and we were moved +into the permanent quarters which they had occupied at Fort Curtis. They +had left a portable bakery, all their cooking and heating stoves, as +well as many smaller conveniences, and of these we took possession, thus +finding compensation for some of our hardships.</p> + +<p>It is an unwritten military law—at least it was so decided by our +general at the time—that property abandoned in quarters becomes the +property of the next occupants, by right of possession.</p> + +<p>In about ten days after our removal to the cabin I was awakened one +morning by a captain in the regiment recently moved out. He announced +the fact that they had returned and were in camp on the hill, about half +a mile distant. The courteous manners of the man, my realization of what +it then meant to be in a dog-tent without fire, and my confidence in my +own ability to find a substitute, induced me to give him my stove, +formerly his. A little later he came back with some of his men, and was +about to take away all the other stoves and things left behind. The +company was turned out under arms to resist, but the warfare was +confined to words, and the dispute was settled by the decision +mentioned.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>It is pertinent to state here that I was in command of my company at the +time, owing to the absence of our chief on other duty, and that his +promotion shortly after gave me my rank as captain.</p> + +<p>When the dispute was settled it again became necessary to find some +means of warming my hut. With regrets for having been so good-natured, I +set about devising another substitute for a stove. More scraps of bricks +could not be found, and stones were as scarce. Finally, an old piece of +machinery was discovered, which gave some hopes of success. It was a +hollow tube, about two feet long and ten inches in diameter, with a +small hole quite close to one of the open ends, and this was planted +upright upon the earthen floor of my cabin. We procured an old soup +kettle, cut a hole in the bottom for a pipe and capped the cylinder with +it; but the question of a stove-pipe was a more serious matter. Not a +piece was to be found. The next morning my stove had a pipe, and a fire +was merrily burning within the old tube, sending out a heat which made +me glad that the stove had been given up. The only trouble with the new +arrangement was that one had to lift the pipe and top in order to build +or replenish a fire. Sometimes I have a vague impression of someone's +having climbed to the top of a distant cabin in the gloom of the night, +and when this thought comes to me I seem to see a man standing,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> in bare +feet and scanty clothing, upon the top of that cabin, with the moon +trying in vain to secure a good look at him through the thick clouds, +and tremble with the fear that he may awaken the sleepers within as he +cautiously uplifts their stove-pipe through its hole in the roof. The +vision comes like a recollection of a dream, and I often wonder whether +the man who secured my stove-pipe for me did not tell me where he got +it, and that in so vivid a manner as to leave me with a memory of it +like unto that of one who was present.</p> + +<p>In February our regiment went with a boat expedition. The object of the +trip was unknown to us, but we were stopped by a fort at the head waters +of the Yazoo, and returned to camp at Helena after an absence of about +forty days. During this time my company was detailed for boat duty up +the river, and we had a sharp fight with some rebels on shore, till we +landed, drove them off and burned some cabins. No one was seriously +hurt. The casualties of the expedition were not large, and the most +serious resulted from the guerilla warfare of the rebels along the banks +of the rivers, which was finally stopped by landing and burning a few +buildings.</p> + +<p>We were assigned to provost duty when we returned, and this continued +until the latter part of May, when our quarters were moved to the river +bank.</p> + +<p>Now commenced a system of constant drill <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>for all the troops, which +almost caused a mutiny. Daylight each morning found us in line of +battle, and the work was laborious. This was continued till the 4th of +July, when the battle of Helena occurred.</p> + +<p>This battle is a matter of history, and with its details we have nothing +to do in this narrative. Suffice it to say that there is little question +in the minds of those who were there as to what saved the day for us. We +were, as was usual, in line of battle at daybreak when the attack was +made.</p> + +<p>The command of our troops was transferred to General Steele soon after +the battle, and in September we were moved on the fall campaign to +Little Rock, which place was occupied without much trouble, and there we +remained for the winter.</p> + +<p>Minor skirmishes and battles in which Company B was engaged have not +been noticed, as the object is to chronicle only the principal events +which led up to the prison life and efforts to escape.</p> + +<p>In February we started on the slow march to join Banks at Shreveport, +and reached Camden about April 1.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<h3>CAPTURED.</h3> + +<p>Three weeks later our brigade was ordered to escort an empty supply +train from Camden to Pine Bluff, and we started on April 22, 1864, about +1300 strong, the force consisting of the 43d Indiana, 36th Iowa, 77th +Ohio, one section of the 3d Missouri Battery, and a detachment of the +1st Indiana Cavalry under Major McCauly, the whole commanded by Gen. F. +M. Drake, now Governor of Iowa.</p> + +<p>Crossing the Washita river, we camped for the night about three miles +out. The following two days were Saturday and Sunday, and we advanced +little by little, being frequently beset by the enemy, and having +constant skirmishing, until about 2 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, when we +reached Moro river bottom, and camped until the pioneer corps had +completed repairs on the road ahead.</p> + +<p>This stream could scarcely be called a river, and yet, when high, it +flooded quite a district. At the time of our crossing it was hard to +tell where the real channel lay, the whole bottom being one vast marsh, +across which was an old corduroy road, or rather a broken line of logs, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>some visible and some not. Water was to be seen only in spots, and +there was nothing which had even the appearance of a river, but when one +stepped off the apology for a road he soon found that the earth was +saturated with water, which oozed up like the liquid out of a full +sponge when stepped upon.</p> + +<p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 349px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i021.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">GEN. F. M. DRAKE.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p>The teamsters were contrary, and would not move until the road was in a +decent condition. They had light wagons, and a little effort on their +part would have enabled us to cross over into the Saline bottom that +night, when the after-events would have been avoided. But the road was +in a bad condition, and it was Sunday afternoon; so we lay there.</p> + +<p>Everyone in camp felt a foreboding of evil to come, and when we arose on +Monday morning it was with a feeling of keen apprehension and distrust.</p> + +<p>We crossed at will, my company being at the head of the second regiment.</p> + +<p>On reaching the solid ground beyond the bog we were met by an aid, +coming back from the leading regiment, and he called out excitedly to +Maj. A. H. Hamilton, who was at the head of our column: "Move your +regiment forward, Major, as fast as possible. The rebs have appeared, +fully 2000 strong."</p> + +<p>We hastened on, and, as we gained the higher ground, the rapid shots of +a fierce engagement came to our ears from just over the ridge.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>The fight was in the woods, and a hot one. We moved up, and were +deployed, but soon all was confusion. The rebels seemed to be +everywhere, and, after a brief struggle, it became every man for +himself. We had but forty rounds of ammunition with us, and that was +soon exhausted, when we learned that we were cut off from our train in +the rear.</p> + +<p>Sergeant John S. Wood and I were standing near a tree, with Private +Jasper Barker between us, and Barker was shot down. We could see that we +were largely outnumbered and that there was no well-regulated fight. +About twenty-three of the fifty-six men in Company B had been killed or +disabled and the rest had no more ammunition. The men on our flanks were +melting away by death and retreat, and we finally gave it up and sought +safety in the rear; but there was no escape, for we were completely +surrounded.</p> + +<p>Dodging around, and losing men by capture at every turn, the few of us +left at last had to surrender to a little squad under Sergeant Davis. +They rode down on us, yelling wildly and flourishing their sabres, but +we gave up, with no casualties save the serious injury of Annan L. +Silvey, who broke his gun across a tree when called upon to give it up, +and who received a sabre stroke for his pains. Most of the others had +done the same thing before the rebs <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>came up, when it had been seen that +capture was certain.</p> + +<p>The sergeant let me keep my sword, but it was taken away later on.</p> + +<p>We were marched along toward a corral which the rebels had made for +their prisoners, and on the way we had to submit to involuntary trades +with our captors for what they chose to give us in return for anything +of ours which they saw and fancied.</p> + +<p>One fellow made a grab for my hat, but his grasp was eluded with a quick +motion and a "No you don't," but the latter remark had scarcely been +uttered when an enormous fellow, who wore a big, greasy sombrero with +flapping rim, reached out a hand that seemed as large as a small ham, +with "By God, Yank, <i>I</i> will!"</p> + +<p>And he did, his great, broad-rimmed hat being forced down over my ears +with a force which made my head ache—at least I think it was the force, +but my head ached steadily until that hat had been exchanged for +another.</p> + +<p>A rebel major came up, and, seeing our captors taking from the prisoners +all personal property of value, remonstrated with the offenders, in many +cases causing the purloined goods to be returned. He then offered to +receive in trust any articles which any officer might see fit to deposit +with him for safe keeping, and to give his receipt for them. This offer +seemed to be so kind that a general rush was made to take<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> advantage of +it, and the major was soon loaded up with a general assortment of +personal effects. There can be no doubt as to the safe keeping of the +valuables, for they are still in his possession so far as known to the +depositors.</p> + +<p>The sergeant had not interfered with the promiscuous plundering, but he +was inclined to be friendly, and we learned that the force that had +captured us was a young army of 7000 mounted infantry that had been sent +by Kirby Smith, after his defeat of Banks, to help in the effort to +gather in General Steele.</p> + +<p>Had we crossed the river on Sunday they would have missed us. As it was, +we simply marched right into their open arms, and were enfolded as +gracefully and fraternally as could have been expected under the +circumstances.</p> + +<p>Further talk drew from our captor that he had a mother living in +Missouri, where Confederate money was no good, and that he was anxious +to send her some greenbacks. Knowing that we were booked for a rebel +prison, Davis was enabled to supply his mother with the desired funds by +an exchange with some of our boys, who brought forth greenbacks from +various hiding places when the object was made known, and the man did us +several kindnesses in return. We became quite well acquainted before our +separation.</p> + +<p>Reaching the corral, or bull pen, as it was more generally called, I +recovered from the sorrow<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> and despair which only my efforts to get on +the right side of our captors had kept from weighing me down, when I +found that it was a most general "round-up." Very few of the command had +escaped. Of Company B we counted thirty-five, two of whom were wounded. +Nearly all the others had had a similar experience, and it soon became +apparent that the proper thing to do was to make the best of a bad job +and to watch for a chance to get away.</p> + +<p>Company B had ten pairs of brothers on the rolls, of whom eight pairs +were separated by death; but we will not dwell upon the dark side of +matters. Most of our captors had cloaked their robbery of us with a +pretense of trading, but in nearly every case the article offered for +exchange was of no comparative value.</p> + +<p>Some of us began joking each other about our losses, some accepting the +jokes in good part, some being angry, and some too dispirited to care +what was going on.</p> + +<p>It always has been a principle of mine to look at the bright side of +matters, and to find it if none such appeared on the surface. Several +others were of the same mind, and we had considerable fun—at least I +had—until one of the party began questioning me too closely.</p> + +<p>Our lieutenant had bought a horse just before the fight, and in the +morning, as we had started on our march, I had offered to give him my +watch for the animal. He had agreed to this,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> and I had then given one +of my men, who was marching in his bare feet, an opportunity to ride. +Soon after, we had found a pair of boots lying just off the road, and +the rider once more had his feet encased in a proper covering. When we +had gone into action this man had ridden up and taken his place in the +line. Having the horse on my hands, and seeing one of our general's +black servants standing behind us, I had turned the horse over to him, +giving instructions that he should be kept out of the way of harm. Both +horse and rider had disappeared, and had kept out of harm, and further, +sight as well. There could be no doubt but what my horse was gone for +good, either to the rebels or elsewhere. My claim that the rebels had +not taken my watch was soon explained by cross-questioning. When I had +to admit this, I suddenly remembered that a friend of mine in one of the +other regiments had not shown up, and I went off to look for him. Those +fellows had no appreciation of humor, anyway, unless someone else was +the object of remarks!</p> + +<p>The prisoners were herded together and counted, checked off and then +recounted. All the male negroes among our troops and with the train had +been killed, and the women and children were huddled in with us.</p> + +<p>There had been several citizens with the escort, mostly cotton +speculators. Two of the latter, with whom I had talked while en route, +were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> now close to me in the counting, and I learned that one had been +forced to give up $140,000 in cash to rebel soldiers, who had traded +boots with him and had given him a pair so much too short as to +necessitate the cutting out of the toes in order to give room to the +toes of his feet. He now stood next to me, the most disconsolate-looking +person imaginable, with his long toes sticking out of his boots so far +as to enable him to touch the ground with them by slight effort. The +other had had $120,000 with him, but had buried it during the fight, +marking the spot. As we have no more to do with these men, it may be +said here that the latter recovered his money later, going for it under +the flag of truce while the dead were being buried.</p> + +<p>The only event of the day which had the power to overcome the resolution +I had made to be cheerful, despite all the horror and disaster, occurred +while we were quietly standing there, awaiting the final count, when we +suddenly caught sight of an approaching body of rebels bearing a lot of +captured flags, among which I recognized our own, all torn and +disfigured as it was, the very scars enabling the recognition.</p> + +<p>We can talk lightly of a flag as being only a <ins class="correction" title="original: distinguishng">distinguishing</ins> mark or +emblem, but its true emblematic character is not realized until some +occasion arises to impress upon us what is meant by the flag of our +country.</p> + +<p>When my gaze rested upon that shot-torn flag<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> all the memories of its +associations flashed through my mind in an instant, as well as the full +realization of what its possession would mean to us and what its absence +signified. Words cannot express my feelings. I looked around me for a +moment, and, meeting the eye of one of our men looking at me, his +countenance twitching and his eyes filled with tears, I broke down +completely and sobbed like a child for a few minutes.</p> + +<p>O ye men, who have only looked upon our country's flag as a pretty +emblem! You, who only think of it as a necessary distinguishing mark +among nations! And the many who never think of it as anything except a +piece of bunting! Be ye once in a position where inability to possess +that strip of colored fabric means privation, loss of liberty, +separation from home and friends, possibly death, and you will then +realize what it means to you as no language can depict!</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<h3>ON THE MARCH.</h3> + +<p>After the rebels had paraded and counted us to their entire +satisfaction, the prisoners were started on a march to the Washita +river. The start was made late in the day, and we were marched fifty-two +miles before a halt was ordered on the bank of the river, at a one-wagon +ferry, about 4 o'clock the next afternoon. The commander of the forces +in charge of the prisoners was a genial, plausible colonel named Hill, +who was possessed of a red head and the ability to hold us together by +assuring us of our parole when we arrived at our destination. He and his +men were very friendly and treated us well; so we marched along, in high +hopes of a parole and with excuses for the lack of food during our +journey. The prisoners were ferried across the river that night, and we +burrowed in the sand on the river bank for sleeping accommodations until +morning, but were awakened about 11 o'clock by a call for dinner. We had +received nothing to eat up to this time, and had no objections to the +hour selected, but we were regaled with cornmeal mush, the quantity +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>apparently being determined upon with a due regard for the supposed +ill-effect of too much food in the case of men who were extremely +hungry. The negroes who accompanied us were more hungry than we, and the +rebels were so careful of them as to give them nothing to eat at this +halt.</p> + +<p>I found out afterwards that their apparent fear of overloading hungry +stomachs developed in an exact proportion to the scarcity of food among +the rebels, and it is but justice to say that they exhibited the same +regard for their own health that they did for ours.</p> + +<p>The next morning we breakfasted upon the memories of our meal of the +previous night, and at this time I noticed a pitiful scene. Several +negro children, scarcely old enough to talk, were going from fire to +fire and poking among the ashes with sticks, their great eyes rolling +around at us as if they were committing some depredation. On closer +observation, it was found that ears of corn had in some way gotten into +the possession of some of us, and that they had been roasted in some of +the fires. The children were hunting for the stray kernels of corn left +in the ashes, and were greedily eating them when found.</p> + +<p>While waiting here for the wagon train to cross the river, several of us +went down to bathe. The lack of blankets and clothing among us had been +a hardship, and seeing the wagons crossing <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>put an idea into my head. +Determining to test the scheme, I took one of my companions with me and +hunted around until we found Colonel Hill. He was as busy as a bee, +here, there and everywhere, and practically doing all the work himself. +Awaiting a favorable moment, we approached him, I assuming a +matter-of-fact manner, and, in a business-like way, saying:</p> + +<p>"Colonel, our blankets and things are in one of those captured wagons +and we need them. Can you not send us under guard to look for them?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, certainly. Here, sergeant, send a couple of men with these +gentlemen, to help search the wagons and get their stuff for them," and +he was off in a rush to hurry up the crossing of the train.</p> + +<p>Two men were detailed to accompany us, with instructions to help us to +get our things, and we started.</p> + +<p>Going down the road into a strip of woods, and beyond a convenient +curve, we waited until a wagon reached us from the ferry boat.</p> + +<p>Our guards halted the lumbering vehicle, which was heavily loaded with +captured goods of all kinds, and told me to get up and see if I could +find our stuff. The driver cursed and swore, but the leveled guns of our +escort brought him to terms, and he got down.</p> + +<p>I entered the wagon, and found a miscellaneous assortment of personal +property, of which <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>I appropriated all the blankets and clothing, as +well as a number of small articles, throwing them out in a heap at the +side of the road. In starting the thing my plan had been simply to get +some few blankets and a coat or two, but the ready permission and able +support had caused me to see the possibilities of the case, and I was +now prepared for a wholesale business.</p> + +<p>Dismounting, I said to the guards:</p> + +<p>"It isn't all here, boys; we had a big lot. These little things we don't +want as prisoners, so will just keep the blankets and clothes, and you +can have the rest. Here comes the next wagon; there may be more of our +stuff in it, so this fellow should be ordered to go on."</p> + +<p>The two guards looked at me, then at the heap of plunder, then at each +other, and broke into broad grins of appreciation and delight. The +driver was ordered to move on, which he finally did, with many oaths and +threats, but our escort was now as much interested as we, and we took +our pick of the things in several wagons, until twenty blankets and +numerous articles of clothing lay piled up beside a heap of small +luxuries. We could have plundered the whole train so far as our guards +were concerned, but there was a blanket for each two of my men, and, +while the wagons were forced on ahead as fast as we finished inspecting +them, it was becoming more and more likely that some officer would ride +up from the ferry; so we desisted.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>One of my appropriations was a very long linen coat, with a huge collar, +enormous cuffs, and large flaps over the pockets, a relic of former +days. This, and a large Confederate hat, I donned as we returned with +our captured goods, and my appearance was the source of much amusement +to the boys and wonderment to others. Until this attire was discarded I +passed for a citizen prisoner, and many questioning remarks of an +amusing character were overheard as I walked to and fro.</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon we were marched about three miles out in the +country, and there we camped for the night, being well fed for the first +time, but it being the first opportunity of the rebels to feed us well. +Our meal was of ash cakes, made of dough rolled in leaves and baked in +the ashes of the fires by the negroes. This was the first food given to +the negroes with us, and, during the march, I saw a colored woman +walking painfully along with a child in her arms and two small ones +holding to her skirts, the fear of being killed if they fell behind +having kept them up.</p> + +<p>The next morning we were separated from the negroes and marched to +Camden, which place, in the meantime, had been evacuated by General +Steele, reaching there on Saturday morning.</p> + +<p>Several days were spent here in arranging for a guard and in registering +the prisoners.</p> + +<p>The soldiers were all sent to an old cotton <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>press, and there were +robbed of what few things the admirable effort already made in this +direction had allowed to remain in their hands, or, rather, concealed in +their clothing.</p> + +<p>Colonel Polk was provost marshal, and the officers and citizens were +taken before him for registration. He asked the names, regiment, etc., +of each, entering the replies in a large book. At last he came to a +tall, fine-looking fellow, who stood on my right, and this young man +gave his name—"J. J. Jennings, 5th Kansas Cavalry."</p> + +<p>Colonel Polk laid down his pen and looked up, with a flushed face and +swelling veins, blurting out:</p> + +<p>"You're one of the d—d gang that burned my house and cleaned out my +plantation; I've a notion to hang—no, you're a prisoner. Next!"</p> + +<p>He resumed his pen and returned to his writing, but one could see that +he harbored much resentment for a legitimate act of warfare which had +happened to come home to him.</p> + +<p>After we had been duly examined and registered we were sent to the +cotton press, where the men were, and here we remained for several days, +our promised parole not being forthcoming.</p> + +<p>Finally, a sufficient guard was secured, and we were started off for +Shreveport, the talk of the parole, having served its purpose, now being +forgotten.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>The march to Shreveport occupied about a week, and attempts to escape +were numerous. Each night several men would get away by having comrades +cover them up with leaves so that they would be left behind in the +morning. I devised a scheme to capture our guards and liberate ourselves +in a body, but most of the men were fearful of failure, and sufficient +co-operation could not be secured.</p> + +<p>One night, four men dug a hole beside the road and concealed themselves +in it, being covered over with leaves and brush. The guards had missed +so many by this time that they had resolved to investigate; so, when we +had marched just clear of our camp, we were halted, and a couple of +officers went back, with drawn swords, and commenced prodding all piles +of leaves and likely places of concealment. Soon the point of a sword +penetrated through the boughs and leaves over the hole and to the fleshy +portion of the anatomy of a man beneath them. A smothered yell and a +convulsive spring revealed the place of concealment, and the poor +fellows were hauled out and escorted with scant ceremony back to the +crowd. Not a man of us but who wished that they had escaped; but the +desire to forget our own misery was too great for our sympathy, and the +crestfallen men were greeted with shouts, yells, laughter and all sorts +of jokes. The guards viewed these attempts good-naturedly, but they had +their duty to perform, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>and their vigilance put a stop to further +attempts of this sort. Just before we reached the Red River a young +fellow suddenly made a magnificent leap, clearing the fence by the side +of the road, and ran like a deer toward a neighboring clump of timber +and underbrush. Several shots were fired at him, but he dashed on and +gained the timber, two guards following him into it. A short time after +the guards came back and said they had killed him, but I afterwards +learned of his escape and return to his home.</p> + +<p>It is worthy of note that I had become rather popular with our rebel +guards, and that by an apparently strange method.</p> + +<p>When we were first captured I had made up my mind to make the best of a +bad job, and had, therefore, lost no opportunity to be sociable with our +captors, while my natural tendencies led me into conversations of +raillery and criticism whenever a chance was offered. The desire to +forget unpleasant reflections increased both my desire to talk and my +ability to do so, and, during the march, I was constantly moving about +among the prisoners, interviewing the guards, finding out all I could +learn and discussing the situation of the country with every rebel who +would talk to me. It had soon become apparent to me that nearly all our +guards were not only sociably inclined, but rather disposed to enjoy my +comments upon the Confederacy, and the daily talks and discussions, in +which I freely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> gave vent to my ideas, were at once the cause of many +fears for my safety, among my comrades, and of increasing popularity +among the rebels. The boys held their breath on many occasions, +expecting me to be shot for my impudence and candor, reproving me for it +as they had a chance; but, whether because the rebels liked criticism, +or liked the way in which it was made, I was sought out by them and +encouraged in my talks, receiving many tokens of friendship.</p> + +<p>One day, as we were wearily plodding along, a strange-looking figure +rode up beside me and opened up a conversation. The rider was an +ungainly, poorly-dressed, ugly specimen of a country doctor, and his +mount was one of the sorriest-looking steeds to be seen in a day's +journey among many poor specimens of horseflesh. This man rode along the +line, examining the prisoners with an air and look which were gall and +wormwood to us. For some reason best known to himself he selected me as +his intended victim, and, as he rode up beside me, I was saluted with +some remark about d——d Yankees, which brought forth a tirade of +raillery from me, in which I expatiated very fully upon stay-at-homes, +and negro equality as I knew it to exist in the South. The man was +furious, but the several guards within hearing nodded and grinned when I +looked toward them, and one of them got close enough to murmur:</p> + +<p>"Go it, Yank! Give him h——l!"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>The man finally rode off, and I forgot all about the matter, until at +noon, when we halted, and one of my fellow-captains came up to me, in a +flutter of excitement, and gave me the pleasant intelligence that he had +heard them talking of hanging me to the next tree. I did not believe it, +and, as the next tree was out of sight ahead, my reception of the +information was of a careless nature. It turned out later that the +doctor had demanded that I should be hung as one of the blackest-hearted +villains he had ever heard talk, and that an investigation had caused +him to be sent about his business. This is mentioned as an illustration +of the fact that our guards were not looking for chances to shoot +prisoners.</p> + +<p>We finally reached the Red river, on the bank of which we stood in the +rain for over two hours before we were ferried across, and marched +through the main street of Shreveport on an old plank road. The whole +town turned out to see us, but we were a hard-looking crowd to put on +exhibition, yet they halted us for a much longer time than was +desirable, while the citizens satisfied their curiosity about Yankee +prisoners.</p> + +<p>Here I met a rebel major, Lazwell, <i>from Iowa</i>.</p> + +<p>After our inspection by the natives we were marched beyond the town to a +place called Four Mile Springs, where we camped for the night in the +rain, and rested as well as we could upon the soil of white clay, which +ornamented our persons and showed many evidences of attachment.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>When we again started it was with the knowledge that our destination was +a stockade at Tyler, Texas, and all hopes vanished save those based upon +the prospect of a long imprisonment.</p> + +<p>During the march all our boys were constantly regretting that we had +made no attempt to escape, and calling themselves idiots for being +hoodwinked by the clever Colonel Hill and his talk of parole.</p> + +<p>To show the current ideas of Confederate money it will be appropriate to +relate an incident of this journey to Tyler:</p> + +<p>One day, while we were halted for rest and water, two rebel officers +commenced to talk "hoss swap." After each had made a careful examination +of the other's horse, one said: "Well, Captain, you'll have to boot me." +"All right, Kunnel," said the captain; "how much do you want?" The +"kunnel's" answer made me gasp for breath. "Give me a thousand dollars, +Captain, and it's a go." "No, that's too much," said the captain; "I +will give you five hundred." "All right," said the "kunnel," who +evidently thought five hundred "dollars" a small matter of difference in +a "hoss swap," "strip your hoss." In the meantime I, with others, had +looked the horses over with considerable care and could see but little +difference in value between them; they were both very much alike—stout, +pony-built sorrels, and in Iowa would have sold for from $75 to $80 in +greenbacks.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>Just at this time a rebel officer rode by on a beautiful little dapple +"dun" pony; he was pacing along at a fine rate, and called forth many +expressions of admiration. One of the officers remarked: "The kunnel got +a big bargain in that hoss; he done paid only $5000 for him." This horse +may have been worth $100 in greenbacks. I had never seen the relative +values of the two moneys so well illustrated before.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 346px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i044.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">LIEUTENANT WALTER S. JOHNSON.</p> +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<h3>BRIGHT SPOTS.</h3> + +<p>Lieut. Walter S. Johnson, of Company I, my regiment, now of Lincoln, +Neb., was captured with me, and was one of our number on the march from +Mark's Mills, Arkansas, the scene of our undoing, to Tyler, Texas. He +was afterwards one of my comrades in an attempt to escape. A couple of +his experiences are well worthy of record here, and, while one of them +occurred during our absence without leave from the stockade, it is +related in this chapter because neither incident came to my knowledge +until a recent date, and, both being illustrative of kind treatment +received, it seems right to place them in a chapter which may be said to +be Lieutenant Johnson's, especially as neither of them otherwise needs +particular location in my narrative.</p> + +<p>The balance of this chapter is to be understood, without quotation +marks, as coming from my comrade:</p> + +<p>After we had been on our weary march for a number of days, a man came +among the prisoners for the purpose of buying up all greenbacks that +were for sale. He did not need much <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>help to carry off his purchases, as +we had been previously interviewed by others on the same subject, but +without the offer to give an equivalent or even the courtesy to ask +whether we had a superfluous quantity. This man, therefore, made a +favorable impression, and we became curious to learn his object. He was +a genteel, unassuming fellow, and spent two or three days with us, +talking to individuals as the opportunity offered. At last I asked him +why he was giving $5 of Confederate money for one of ours, when he told +me frankly that he expected to go to Vicksburg—then within our +lines—to buy medicine for the use of their army.</p> + +<p>"Do you think it possible to do this?" I asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," he responded; "I have done so several times already, and +there is no trouble about it."</p> + +<p>In a moment it flashed across my mind that here was a chance to get a +letter through to my loved ones at home, and I said to him:</p> + +<p>"Would you have the kindness to take a letter through for me and mail it +to my wife when you get to Vicksburg?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, certainly," he said; "I can do that just as well as not."</p> + +<p>With bounding heart I tore a leaf out of my pocket diary and wrote a few +lines to my wife, saying that I was all right, telling her to keep up +her courage and that all would yet be well.</p> + +<p>I gave the precious scrap of paper to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> gentleman—without an +envelope, as a matter of necessity—<i>and my wife received it all right</i> +from Vicksburg, where it had been enclosed in an envelope and mailed.</p> + +<p>I remember this kind-hearted gentleman with much gratitude, and, as the +receipt of the letter would indicate that he got through as expected, +the fact has always been to me a source of satisfaction beyond that of +personal benefit.</p> + +<p>This experience, as well as the one to follow, is recorded all the more +readily because the kindnesses received during our sojourn in Rebeldom +were not expected, at least by me.</p> + +<p>On our return to the stockade, after an escape elsewhere described, an +incident occurred which gave me greater faith in human nature than I had +possessed up to that time.</p> + +<p>We were pretty well used up by our constant traveling, were having +little to eat, and I was not feeling very well; perhaps looking even +worse than I felt.</p> + +<p>Thinking that a cup of milk would be at once a benefit and a positive +luxury to me, one morning, just after daylight and before we had broken +camp for the day's march under our guards, I made up my mind to visit a +house near our resting place and ask for the drink to which my palate +had been a stranger for about two years. I was scarcely a presentable +object, being barefooted, my pants frayed out up to my knees and hanging +in shreds below, my <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>coat-tails cut off at the waist, my feet wrapped in +the detached fragments of my coat, and I wore a white wool hat, given me +by the "Johnnies," as the best they had, that drooped so much as to +necessitate doubling it up like a "turnover" pie. In this plight I +mustered up the courage to present myself at the house, after having +secured permission from the guards. Knocking at the door, with some +misgivings, I was answered by a sad-looking, yet sweet-faced, +middle-aged lady, whose appearance so confused me that I could only +stammer my request.</p> + +<p>She, with a calm, gentle demeanor, so mother-like that the tears almost +started from my eyes, invited me to a seat in a neat and tidy, yet +comparatively bare room. This courtesy I acknowledged and declined as +respectfully as I knew how, thinking I would only be there a moment. She +retired at once to an adjoining room.</p> + +<p>The minutes kept slipping away, until I feared that our kind guards +would have their patience tried and their suspicions aroused to an +extent which would invite an investigation of my whereabouts, especially +as we were to move before long. Just as I was beginning to think myself +forsaken by the old lady, and was trying to forget the imaginary taste +of that expected milk, she reappeared, when, to my surprise and almost +consternation, she invited me <i>to breakfast</i> with the family in the next +room, where the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> table was ready and bountifully loaded with a +substantial meal.</p> + +<p>Oh, that breakfast! The sight fairly took my breath for a moment, and I +no longer regretted the delay as I feasted my eyes upon the clean and +inviting table, with its plentiful supply of creamy biscuit, golden +yellow butter, ham and eggs, baked potatoes and steaming coffee; but, as +I gazed, even though hungry, worn out and reduced in flesh, a full sense +of the kindness exhibited almost caused me to break down utterly and my +appetite failed me for the moment. However, my kind hostess, in her +gentle, unassuming manner, quietly motioned me to a seat and bade me +make myself at home. With the family of four persons I sat at the table +throughout the meal. Very few words were spoken. My eyes kept filling +with tears and my heart was too full to permit my saying more than +"Thank you, and may heaven bless you."</p> + +<p>Even at this late day the remembrance of the unpretentious kindness of +that dear old lady brings the tears to my eyes.</p> + +<p>Such acts in this world of selfishness and coldness are the shade and +water in the desert of life, and the longer I live the more I am +convinced that nothing short of love for Him in the heart will produce +such works.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<h3>THE STOCKADE.</h3> + +<p>In about six days we reached our place of abode, which was about four +miles distant from the town of Tyler, in a northeast direction, and on +the side of the main road to Marshall. The stockade was called Camp +Ford, and was situated in the midst of a section thickly covered with a +growth of pine timber, the enclosure consisting of about six or seven +acres in a comparatively open space, where the trees had been cut off. +The trunks of from one foot to eighteen inches in diameter had been +split in two, and cut so that they were about nine feet long. These had +been sunk in the ground about three feet and one-half to make the fence +around the prison, and the tops of these slabs were about the height of +an ordinary man's eyes from the ground.</p> + +<p>The enclosure had been recently enlarged, and there were no buildings in +it except in the old portion, and these now stood in the northwest +corner, where there was a beautiful spring, which gave an abundance of +clear and good water.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>The stockade had two gates, the main entrance being on the north side +and the other through the eastern fence or wall. The guardhouse was +opposite the main gate, the headquarters of the rebels in a house over +100 yards down the road toward Tyler, and the hospital about 300 yards +beyond.</p> + +<p>We stood for over an hour, in all our glory, before the stockade, while +the rebels looked us over and checked us off; then we were marched by +details into our attractive future home.</p> + +<p>My company was directed to the southwest corner of the enclosure, and +assigned to quarters consisting of tree stumps, tangled oaks and scrubby +pine brush.</p> + +<p>Who can adequately describe the feelings which possess a man at such a +time!</p> + +<p>The remembrance of the patriotic inspiration, and hopes of glory, which +actuated the enlistment; the recollection of how the desire for the +comforts of life and the pleasures of home associations was suppressed +in order that the country's need might be served; feelings of +thankfulness that death in battle had not been the result; and then a +self-questioning as to whether death would not be preferable to a long, +dreary imprisonment; all combine to make one realize the extent of such +a misfortune: but a man becomes more miserable when nursing his +miseries, and the active employment of mind and body in attempts to +remedy present evils is the best means <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>of avoiding depressing +influences; so most of us turned our attention to making the best of our +situation.</p> + +<p>The next morning we held a council, and at once set about laying out a +town within the enclosure. Before night the place, if one could have +lost sight of the enclosing fence, looked like a very young prairie +town. We had regular streets laid out, including a boulevard, and the +discussions as to names were as serious as if our town had been a future +city. In the southeast corner of the stockade we reserved ground for a +public square, where hundreds of men could be seen promenading each +pleasant evening. On the south side of this square the sinks were +located.</p> + +<p>There was an unfinished cabin quite near us, which was partly occupied +by old pioneers, and we bought a half interest in the structure. It had +two rooms, one low side, and a shed roof. By patching up, one side of +this desirable flat was made habitable, and several of us moved in and +took possession. We got poles and some oak staves, which sufficed to +make rough bunks. Our party consisted of seven officers of the 36th +Iowa, and Lieut. John H. Hager, of the 120th New York, who was my +berthmate. By the way, I think Lieutenant Hager was the most contented +prisoner of the entire lot. He could sleep night and day. +Notwithstanding the flies would swarm on him so thick that you could +scarcely <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>recognize him, still he would sleep, undisturbed except by +sweet dreams.</p> + +<p>The ground was staked out for the different companies and allotted to +them, all being made as comfortable as possible.</p> + +<p>Our party built a porch to our flat, the occupants of the other side +joining with us. We got out, under guard, for the purpose of getting the +material, and we soon had a protection from the sun before our +residences.</p> + +<p>I had had malaria for some time before being captured, and a chill every +other day for about six months previous to the time of our unwilling +visit to the Confederacy, but no chill had I felt since the day of our +disaster. Account for it as you will, the facts remain. I was still very +weak, however, and our long march had not helped my recovery. I remember +that in building the porch to our abode I was scarcely able to carry my +share of the brush. While the march had helped to weaken me, the +excitement of it had sustained me, but I went to pieces when it was +over.</p> + +<p>The commander of the stockade at that time was a Colonel Allen, an +ex-United States regular, and he was disposed to be as kind as possible +to his prisoners. The first protection for the men was such as could be +had quickly by throwing up bowers of brush and tree limbs, but Colonel +Allen allowed us to go out under guard and cut timber for cabins, and in +about six <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>weeks we had completed cabins for all, thus being fairly well +housed.</p> + +<p>It is needless to say that all the prisoners had the fever of escape, +but the chances were very few. Major McCauley, who lived next door to +me, succeeded in getting away in a manner which will be spoken of later +on.</p> + +<p>Our town was soon one of 4000 or 5000 population and built like a +Western boom city, avenues and streets being carefully laid off and +appropriately named. We had lots of fun in naming some of these streets, +and the lots were bought and sold in regulation style. We had a solid +business street and efficient police regulations.</p> + +<p>Before he left, my friend, Major McCauley, together with Jack Armstrong, +a captain in a Kansas colored regiment, and several others, including +myself, used to sit under our front porch spinning yarns, devising plans +of escape and cracking the backs of a species of bug with a hard shell, +which used to be prevalent about our quarters in those days. We planned +a good many escapes, but could not hit upon the right method of getting +away.</p> + +<p>Colonel Allen and his wife were very nice people, and did what they +could for us, but it was his business to keep us there, and, while many +escaped from the stockade, very few got away.</p> + +<p>In policing our enclosure they used a dump cart, which would drive in, +be filled with leaves<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> and other litter lying around and then be taken +to a ravine outside and dumped.</p> + +<p>We conceived the idea of using the cart as a means of escape, and +forthwith set about carrying out the scheme. There were some prisoners +among us from a Zouave regiment, and one of them was an innocent-looking +boy. We enlisted his services, and he soon had the confidence of the +cart-driver and was allowed to drive the cart around within the +enclosure while it was being loaded. Selecting a favorable opportunity, +Major McCauley and Captain Armstrong were laid in the cart and covered +with leaves. The major's legs were too long, and, in drawing them within +the limits of space allowed, his knees reared themselves so high that, +when we had covered them as well as we could, there was very little +covering on top. The captain was inclined to be corpulent and was +full-blooded, so that, when the leaves covered him, he breathed heavily, +and a close observer could notice a regular upheaving of the mass of +leaves. We hoped for the best, however, and watched the progress of +events with keen interest.</p> + +<p>The cart finally started for the exit, and several of us made our way to +a good point of observation.</p> + +<p>By the time the vehicle had reached the gate the jolting over the rough +ground, and the captain's breathing, had settled the leaves until, like +the ostrich, the occupants felt secure with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>their heads covered, but +were exposing telltale signs of their presence. McCauley's knees +appeared above the leaves like mountain peaks above the timber, while +the captain's stomach just showed, like the back of a porpoise above the +water as he plunges.</p> + +<p>An officer at the gate surveyed the cart, and we expected to see our +friends hauled out, but he only smiled grimly and said not a word, while +the cart proceeded on its way to the ravine.</p> + +<p>We looked at each other in astonishment, and we could see the captain's +stomach give an extra heave, evidently with a sigh of relief.</p> + +<p>Our astonishment was soon changed to amusement as the officer spurred +his horse toward the cart, and then stood quietly by, with a smile on +his face, as the driver backed up to the ravine and prepared to dump the +cart. A creak, a rush, a cloud of leaves and dust, a glimpse of two +tumbling figures, and we saw our friends sitting in the bottom of the +ravine, looking up wonderingly at the smiling officer on the bank, who +said to them:</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, where are you going?"</p> + +<p>"To Camp Ford," replied Armstrong; "will you be kind enough to show us + +the way?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; will you ride or walk?" said the officer, pointing to the +waiting cart and the grinning driver.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, but we'll walk if it is not too far," was the answer, and +the two men limped back to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>the stockade, good-naturedly smiling at the +laughter and jokes which greeted them from such of the inmates as had +witnessed the escapade.</p> + +<p>For some little time past I had been feeling miserable, my limbs +swelling as if with dropsy and my appetite being very poor. I had begun +to fear that I was likely to die, when Hiram Pratt, one of the members +of my company, proposed a course of treatment which he claimed to have +seen used with success in similar cases. After deciding to try his +remedy, I was helped to the spring, disrobed and had the cold spring +water poured slowly on my back for a few minutes. Almost instantly I +felt some relief, and, with a daily repetition of the treatment, I soon +became myself again. The cure was so complete that for fourteen months I +was entirely free from all signs of the trouble.</p> + +<p>Among the many schemes devised for escape from our prison were +innumerable tunnel devices, and many of these were planned and worked +upon, but nearly all the various workings were discovered in one way or +another, and but one was a success, although many men escaped at +different times in other ways.</p> + +<p>The stockade was full of rumors about probable parole, and these +stories, evidently prompted and encouraged by our captors to prevent +attempts to escape, kept many of us from <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>risking recapture, and +possible death, by uncertain attempts to regain our freedom.</p> + +<p>The Fourth of July was soon near at hand, and we asked permission to +celebrate the day within the stockade. The consent being given, a number +of us went out under guard and cut poles and brush, with which we built +a large bower in our public square, as well as a grand stand. When +finished we had shelter for over 500, and an enthusiastic crowd gathered +about the stand on the Fourth. Colonel Leek had prepared an oration, and +Colonel Dugan had written an original poem for the occasion. We +applauded both oration and poem; when several speeches were made by +those among us who were gifted and inclined that way. Long before we had +finished one of the men on the outside of the crowd got so excited that +he took off his red shirt and raised it on a pole, amid the cheers, +hoots and yells of those about him. Our captors promptly marched a squad +of soldiers into the stockade and broke up our gathering, giving as a +reason that we had flown the American flag. This was not so. We had +several flags among us, but were very careful to keep them out of sight.</p> + +<p>While we had several flags, we knew that any display on our part of the +stars and stripes would cause appropriation, and we possessed our souls +with the knowledge that Old Glory was in no danger while kept in hiding.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<h3>INCIDENTS.</h3> + +<p>It was the custom of our captors to bring in guards and count us daily. +Our town was divided into wards, and the men of each ward fell in at a +certain place to be counted, several guards being assigned to each ward +to do the counting, which was done by roll-call. We worked this +roll-call in various ways to facilitate exchanges, having some man +impersonate another who was dead and whose chances of exchange had been +good, and covering up escapes by answering to names of those not +present. I personally know of one case where a resemblance caused a +living man to become dead and buried on the records, while he was +carried on the rolls and subsequently exchanged under the name of the +man who had actually died. Several men escaped whose names were answered +in person afterward by others, who took their place in line and then +slipped back to their own places to respond to their own names. In this +way a number of men were exchanged under the names of those who had +escaped and whose absence had been covered up. This was possible, owing +to the roll-call and the few guards who <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>handled large numbers of men, +but it was afterwards stopped by a numerical count when a few cases of +doubt had occurred.</p> + +<p>When the rebels started the new system of counting we used to bother +them all we could by causing disappearances. One of the first attempts +we made at this was to secrete about 150 men in the lofts and corners of +the various buildings which then existed, as well as above the lower +weight poles on the roofs of our cabins; the usual custom of hanging +blankets to air on the eaves of our quarters enabling us to cover the +men who were hidden there.</p> + +<p>There was a great excitement and furore when the count showed the +shortage and apparent escape. Dogs and searching parties were sent out +in all directions without avail, and the next morning it was more +excitement when the count was in excess of the required number. We did +this constantly, in a small way, although our fun was spoiled after the +first large discrepancy, but it served to increase chances of escape by +making the rebels pay less attention to a small shortage. They would not +attempt to hunt through the stockade for a few men, and after a few +cases of finding the missing ones at the next or the following count +they could not be sure of an escape until too late to follow with any +chance of success.</p> + +<p>Exchanges at this time were considerably delayed by the trouble which +resulted from the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>paroles given to the large number of prisoners at +Vicksburg. These men were tired of fighting, had no desire to serve the +Confederacy again, and not only refrained from again carrying arms +against the United States, until regularly exchanged, but sought to +avoid doing it at all by keeping out of the way of exchange.</p> + +<p>In one of the boat fights on the Red river the rebels captured an army +paymaster in citizen's clothes. He was sent to our stockade, was +exchanged in due time and sent home, and I learned years after that he +had had $150,000 of government money concealed on his person, which he +had succeeded in saving and taking back with him.</p> + +<p>In this day, when men seem to think it right to get all you can and keep +what you get, you will find few like this paymaster.</p> + +<p>There were all sorts of trades constantly going on between the prisoners +and with outsiders. One of the most amusing scenes I ever witnessed +occurred in the case of a farmer who bought a load of assorted truck to +sell to the men in the stockade. He had a dilapidated old wagon and a +sorry-looking specimen of a mule team, which he drove up to the +enclosure and left in charge of his negro boy while he went to +headquarters for a guard to escort him inside of our camp and protect +him while selling his goods.</p> + +<p>The rebels were too busy to give the desired attention to him as soon as +he wanted it, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>while he was waiting for the detail the guards at the +stockade began helping themselves to the contents of his wagon, the +negro driver, who was only about fourteen years old, having no ability +to prevent the plundering. This made the owner furious, as he witnessed +it from a distance, and he came over to the wagon, asking Adjutant +McCann for permission to go in without a guard, saying that the +prisoners would not steal as much as would the men who should protect +him, and expressing his willingness to take his chances alone.</p> + +<p>All this conversation was within the hearing of both prisoners and +guards, and the adjutant, with a wink at the crowd, ordered the gate +guard to permit the passage of the outfit.</p> + +<p>A broad grin of satisfaction spread over the faces of all as the large +gate swung open, and the crowd of about 500 prisoners that usually stood +about the main entrance opened ranks to permit the passage of the wagon, +the negro boy driving and his master, with an unmistakable air of +triumph, standing erect beside him.</p> + +<p>When inside of the enclosure the wagon was driven up our Broadway, the +crowd closing in behind and following, and when the merchant and his rig +made a stand on Market street he had a crowd of from 1000 to 1500 +customers around him, and trade opened up quite briskly, he exchanging +his stuff for cash and such available trinkets as were possessed by the +boys,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> putting his own price upon both the goods sold and the articles +taken in trade. He was selling out at a rate which caused the money +fairly to pour into his hands, and all went smoothly until he made the +mistake of raising prices and getting too independent, when his troubles +began.</p> + +<p>When his talk and manners had given offense to many of the prisoners, +and his unjustifiable prices had caused the disapprobation of all, some +of the men began slyly to help themselves to small articles. Discovering +this, he struck at one of them with his cane, which was snatched from +him, whereupon he drew his revolver and swore he would shoot the first +man who took anything more.</p> + +<p>His lone pistol could not intimidate so large a crowd, and there was +something so absurd about the idea that the men laughed in derision, +daring him to shoot and promising faithfully to kill him and put him out +of his misery if he did.</p> + +<p>The poor little negro boy who held the reins was so badly scared that he +almost turned white.</p> + +<p>After a few exchanges of courtesy, during which the man was so impolitic +as to arouse the anger of the crowd at his littleness and bravado, the +linch-pins were quietly removed from the axles of his wagon, somebody +started his mules, and, in a minute, he and part of his load had been +dumped on the ground, amid the yells and shouts of the now excited men, +and in less time than it takes to tell it his entire wagon and load <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>had +disappeared piecemeal, carried off to various parts of the enclosure and +secreted, and he was left standing in the midst of a crowd that had only +laughter and sarcasms for his tirade of abuse.</p> + +<p>Finally, he became too personal, and then he was violently taken in +hand. They took away his revolver, smashed his ancient plug hat, +plundered his pockets of his receipts and generally maltreated him.</p> + +<p>During the fracas some silver coins were scattered about in the crowd, +and a general scramble took place for their possession, during which +several heads were ornamented by other than the usual bumps.</p> + +<p>When the crowd at last let the merchant depart he was the most +bedraggled specimen of humanity that I ever saw.</p> + +<p>The guard came in and dispersed the crowd, but there was not enough of +his wagon to be found to be of any use, and he slowly and painfully +walked out of the enclosure, leading one of his mules, while his boy +followed close behind with the other, the master shaking his fist at us +and indulging in a forcible, if not elegant, flow of language.</p> + +<p>He got more from the boys than his whole outfit was worth before he +began to overcharge and put on airs, so that no one felt sorry for him, +while all enjoyed the scene of his downfall and spoliation.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>After the trader had gotten outside of the stockade the rebel guards +took up the matter, joking him severely and laughing at his troubles, +consoling him with:</p> + +<p>"You can go in without a guard whenever you please. The pris'ners 'lnot +steal any more from you than we will!"</p> + +<p>Colonel Allen, who, up to this time, had been in charge of our stockade +and given us all the attention and comfort possible, was now removed, +and a Colonel Borders sent to take care of us. We much regretted the +removal of Colonel Allen.</p> + +<p>Among the prisoners were a number of steamboat men, who lived by +themselves and were called the steamboat squad. They were an unruly +crowd and caused much annoyance. The 5th Kansas boys had a row with some +of them, and one day the steamboat squad got together and came up to +clean out the 5th. At once there was great excitement and we all feared +a riot. The leader of the steamboat men was a big Irishman, and his +loud-mouthed threats, together with the rough appearance of his crowd, +seemed to indicate a hard time for the boys, while no one cared to +interfere personally. The 5th was drawn up in line, armed with clubs, to +receive the attack, but an officer proposed to settle the dispute by a +single stick fight with the steamboat leader, which was hailed with +delight by all hands. I do not propose to describe this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> battle, but +everyone who witnessed it was surprised to see the big Irishman receive, +in short order, an unmerciful drubbing, which settled what would +probably have been a general fight if the two factions had come +together; and thus we had some keen excitement to vary the monotony, +while disastrous consequences were fortunately avoided by the presence +of mind of one man, or, rather, by his skill with the single stick.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> +<h3>EVENTS.</h3> + +<p>A noteworthy and impressive feature of our stockade life should not be +overlooked. I refer to the religious services held regularly by many of +the prisoners. On every Sunday morning a crowd would gather in one +corner of the stockade, and men representing numerous religious creeds +would meet in unison to worship Him.</p> + +<p>Much religious enthusiasm was frequently manifested at these meetings. +Many professed conversion, and a number of backsliders were reclaimed. +The experiences related by those who had been raised amid Christian +influences were particularly interesting. With tears in their eyes men +would relate how they had received the parting blessings of pastor, +wife, parents and other loved ones, only to come to the army and be +surrounded by irreverent comrades. They would tell how hard it had +seemed, to be deprived of the help and consolation of regular and +customary religious services in the midst of such surroundings, and how +much harder the trial had been when the change to prison life had taken +place and the separation from home had become total; the recital, an +earnest assurance<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> that religious faith was a great consolation in time +of adversity, and a stirring appeal to others to have faith that He did +all things well, being sufficient to awaken dormant feelings in some, to +inspire new thoughts and resolutions in many and to cause all to feel +more resigned. No doubt as to the support and consolation afforded by +religious faith could have existed in the mind of anyone observing the +earnestness and fervor of the leaders in these gatherings.</p> + +<p>The religious exercises were not sufficient, however, to suppress the +natural inclinations of most of the prisoners to gamble on the slightest +provocation; in fact, the confinement and the necessity for doing +something to kill time were the means of increasing the ordinary +tendencies in this direction.</p> + +<p>In ordinary army life it was a common thing, during most any halt, to +see "keno" and "chuck-luck" games going on. The halt would scarcely be +called before "chuck-luck" boards would begin to appear from knapsacks +here and there and rubber ponchos be spread for "keno" games. Five +minutes later one could scarcely look in any direction without seeing +games of chance in full blast. The prison certainly witnessed more of +this in proportion, as the dealers were not reformed in the least, and +the gullible ones were as numerous as ever, while the victims of the +mania for trying to gain much for little, with the chances all in favor +of losing more, were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> increased by the causes mentioned and from the +rebel guards who were allowed to remain within the stockade. After +roll-call each morning a dozen or more games would be called in as many +different parts of the prison, and an interested crowd would soon be +gathered around each game in the open air to watch the betting, which +would, at times, cause quite an excitement.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant and Adjutant McCann, of the prison guards, always took a +lively hand in these games, and he could be seen almost every morning +squatting down or sitting flat on the ground, where he could partake of +the excitement of "bucking a sure-thing game." One morning, while he was +intently engaged in this occupation, some waggish prisoners quietly +appropriated his revolvers without his being aware of the transaction; +to slip them from the belt being an easy matter when he was in such a +posture and so much interested in trying to "break the bank."</p> + +<p>When McCann "went broke" himself he left the stockade, still without +noticing his loss, but it was not long before he became aware of the +theft and indulged in some righteous indignation. He gathered a detail +of guards and returned to the stockade, demanding the return of his +pistols. Of course, no one had seen them, and not a soul in the +enclosure knew anything of them.</p> + +<p>The suggestions and remarks, together with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>the adjutant's ire on this +occasion, made the scene an amusing one, but it soon took a serious +turn. One of the prisoners would suggest that the officer had lost his +"guns" in the woods before entering the stockade; another would remark +that his own men were no better than others, and that some of them had +probably "cramped" the weapons; the next would suggest that he might +find the pistols in his own quarters if he looked more carefully; and +the men kept this up until the officer became nearly frantic with anger. +He made numerous threats, but they were insufficient to cause the +surrender of the lost revolvers, and no suspicion of any particular +parties could well exist under the circumstances, as any one of the 6000 +prisoners might have been the malefactor.</p> + +<p>The fact that two good revolvers were in the hands of the prisoners was +not one calculated to cause indifference on the part of the rebels, as +untold trouble might result; so, after a council of war at headquarters, +it was decided that cutting off the rations of the entire crowd within +the stockade until the missing articles were found would probably +inspire the prisoners with better sight, and we were informed that +unless the pistols were surrendered within twenty-four hours we should +have no more to eat after that time until we discovered and returned the +adjutant's armory.</p> + +<p>This action was regarded as a "bluff" by the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>prisoners, and, after a +general discussion, it was decided that our sight could not be improved +by such methods; but when we had fasted for twenty-four hours, and the +beef and meal wagons had failed to put in an appearance at the regular +time, we concluded that the rebels meant business, and it was not long +until someone discovered the lost revolvers, when our guards were +advised as to where the weapons could be found.</p> + +<p>The surrender of the adjutant's arsenal put an end to an amusing and +exciting episode, but it also ended the "keno" and "chuck-luck" games, +so far as the guards were concerned, for their commander forbade any of +them remaining within the stockade after roll-call. The adjutant never +recovered his lost temper—that is, while we knew him, and was a cross +officer after this occurrence. Whenever he would enter the stockade, +subsequent to his disarmament, someone would shout "keno," and the cry +would be taken up by a thousand voices. This did not help him to forget +the revolver incident, and, naturally, did not improve his temper.</p> + +<p>"Keno" was also a watchword to notify anyone engaged in tunnel-digging +or other contraband work that it was hazardous to proceed at the time, +and by the time any officers or guards entering the stockade could reach +any suspected point all unlawful actions would be stopped and any traces +covered.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>We had a tunnel started in a cabin, the mouth of the hole being sunk in +the fireplace. Whenever the watchword, "keno," would sound the digger +would hurry out, a false bottom would be set in the fireplace and +hurriedly covered with ashes and burning wood, and all evidences of the +work effectually hidden from sight.</p> + +<p>This tunnel-digging was slow work, as a case-knife was the most +effective tool which we possessed, and all the labor of shaping the hole +had to be done with this inappropriate implement. Our method of removing +the dirt could not be called primitive, inasmuch as the means employed +were of neither ancient make nor style, but the device certainly was not +of the time-saving kind. A cigar-box, with a string attached, was the +vehicle for conveying the dirt from the interior of the works to the +surface of the ground, and every ounce of dirt that was loosened by our +improvised excavator had to be removed by this apology for a tram car. +When the loaded car came to the mouth of the tunnel it was carefully +conveyed to some old hole in the neighborhood and there dumped, light +dirt sweepings from the ground being scattered over the fresh soil from +the tunnel. The lack of speed in the work was offset by the +corresponding amount of care that was taken in doing it.</p> + +<p>There was every reason in the world for believing that our tunnel would +become a success, and it would have done so had it not been for <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>the +action of some traitorous prisoner, whose identity never was discovered. +This man, whoever he was, had good reason to thank his lucky stars that +we were not able to locate him.</p> + +<p>Some miserable coward informed the rebels of our work, and, after +repeated surveys, they managed to swamp the enterprise, catching the +digger, who then happened to be Abel Crow, in the tunnel. Crow was taken +outside and made to mark time for hours in the effort to compel his +betrayal of the others interested with him in the work. When the guards +thought he was about tired out they would question him as to who were +his helpers, but he was true blue. He stuttered a good deal under +ordinary circumstances, and, when excited, could scarcely be understood +by anyone not used to his manner of speech. His uniform reply to the +questions asked was:</p> + +<p>"M-m-m-my n-n-n-na-na-n-na-name is A-a-a-ab-a-ab-el-Abel +Cro-cro-cro-Crow, and I d-d-do-do-don't kn-know anyb-b-bod-y else."</p> + +<p>The rebels tried to get this man to say more, and they kept at him until +forced to give up the attempt as a bad job, when they complimented him +upon his grit and sent him inside without further punishment.</p> + +<p>The tunnel had reached fully thirty feet beyond the fence and picket +line when the work was stopped, and Abel told one of the guards who were +assisting him to mark time during the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>attempt to learn the names of his +co-workers that he could stop work in the tunnel and plainly hear the +guard's "One o'clock and all's well," which he knew to be a d——d lie, +further informing his listeners that if they had not been in such a +d——d big hurry the job would have been finished in about two more days +and nights and many of the prisoners would have handed in their +resignations.</p> + +<p>The statements of Crow to the guard were made in his own stammering way, +which must be imagined by the reader, with the assistance of the +illustration given of Abel's ability for speech-making, and his +combination of frankness and reticence made him no enemies.</p> + +<p>Of the disappointment consequent upon the failure of this tunnel to +reach the outer world at the proper time and place little need be said. +It was only one of many failures, and while the progress made had +encouraged a very strong hope, if not expectation, of success, the +result was not so exceptional as to cause despair. All who had had +confidence in the success of the scheme were naturally a little +crestfallen, but we still continued to nourish hopes of a different +result in some other case.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 352px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i076.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">ADJUTANT S. K. MAHON.</p> +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> +<h3>AN ESCAPE.</h3> + +<p>About the first of August our remaining officers decided that parole or +exchange was very unlikely, and we concluded to attempt an escape. +Captains Miller and Lambert, with Major Hamilton, had already gone. They +had slipped out of the stockade and had finally succeeded in getting +home, but the hardships of the journey caused the death of two and +nearly killed Hamilton. The result, of course, we did not know at the +time, so Captains J. B. Gedney and Thomas M. Fee, Lieutenants Charles +Burnbaum and Walter S. Johnson, Adjutant S. K. Mahon and myself made our +plans to follow their example.</p> + +<p>After considerable diplomatic work we finally closed a deal with one of +our guards to secure us an opportunity to get out, for $150 in +Confederate money, and he picked out a couple of his companions to help +him. We watched and studied the methods of guard-mounting, and selected +what seemed to be the most favorable point for our egress. We then +informed our friend the guard of the time and place decided upon and +instructed him how to have himself and friends fall in at guard-mount, +so that they <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>would get the posts which covered our chosen ground.</p> + +<p>When the appointed time came we were all nervous and somewhat excited, +for we could not tell whether our guards would prove true to us or not, +but we were determined, and we made our preparations with the utmost +secrecy. We had secured some provisions and an axe, and when we finally +started Captain Gedney led the way as pioneer, carrying the axe. I came +next, with a pail containing our provisions, on top of which was a large +boiled ox heart, and the others followed. As we approached the stockade +our hearts beat quickly, and we were in a state of dreadful suspense +until we saw that the nearest guard was aware of our presence and found +that he was not disposed to see us. We had picked out a spot where the +soil was loose, and, when we found that our guard was sincere, it was +the work of a very short time to work and separate two slabs of the +stockade so that we could squeeze through.</p> + +<p>The night was dark and rainy, and fitful flashes of lightning but partly +illuminated the scene, yet caused us to crouch close to the ground to +avoid discovery. I shall never forget the interval of dread, hope and +nervous excitement consequent upon our delay at the fence while forcing +an outlet, although it could not have been more than a very few minutes. +Between the rumblings of thunder we could hear <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>the low sough and moan +of the wind in the trees outside of the stockade, like the suppressed +wail of human beings in pain; then would come a flare of flickering +lightning through the clouds, like the striking of a match that would +not burn, at which we would flatten out against the fence or on the +ground, with our hearts in our mouths; then, with the darkness, would +come the low roar of distant thunder, like the anathemas of a +disappointed match-striker, and we would desperately renew our efforts +for fear the successful match would be struck before we got away, our +fears being heightened by the evident approach of the worst of the +storm. My similes may not be poetic or grand, but it is a fact that it +seemed to us as if each flash of lightning was an attempt to find us and +each roll of thunder the growls of our captors at the failure.</p> + +<p>At last we got through the fence, and at once struck a pace for the +woods, which would have carried us to Iowa in short order if we could +have kept it up.</p> + +<p>We had scarcely started before there came what seemed to me to be the +greatest flash of lightning that I had ever seen. For an instant you +could have seen to read in the open spot across which we were making all +the speed of which we were capable, and then came a yell from one of the +guards, the roar of a musket and a rattle of thunder that fairly caused +us to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>become frantic in our efforts to put a proper distance between +ourselves and that stockade. In the darkness which followed the glare I +plunged head over heels into a small ravine, hugging my bucket of food +desperately, but when I arose and hastened on my ox heart had +disappeared. We had no time to bewail the loss, however, for our danger +of recapture was more serious, and we fairly flew along.</p> + +<p>Just what efforts were made to overtake us I do not know, but we finally +reached a place where we could hide and take a breathing spell, and no +sounds of pursuit disturbed us.</p> + +<p>After a time the storm passed over and the moon began to peep through +the clouds now and then, when we started again on our journey. The +country was what can be best described as an open-timber country, that +is, timbered thinly without much underbrush. We walked all night, +selecting our course as best as we could, having occasional periods of +partial moonlight, then a cloudy spell, and again a thunderstorm. When +daylight at last appeared we sought a ravine and a dense thicket and +stowed ourselves away.</p> + +<p>It cleared off with the rising sun, and we spent the day in hiding, +drying our clothes in the sun as best we could. We had no idea where we +were, and could only locate directions in a general way; so we talked +over the situation and decided to travel by night, going as near north +as possible, and to take turns as leader or guide, holding<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> each leader +responsible for keeping our course.</p> + +<p>When night came it was decided that it was my lead, and I prepared to +guide the party north in a country of which I knew nothing, my only +support being the consciousness that I knew as much about our +surroundings as the others.</p> + +<p>We started, and proceeded in a very satisfactory manner until we struck +what we took for a bayou. There was a path along the bank, so we turned +and followed it for quite a distance, expecting it to lead us to a +crossing, but finally concluded that we should wade the stream. I picked +out a good place and started in. We walked until tired, sometimes up to +our knees in water and again up to our waists, but there seemed to be no +other side, and by the time we concluded that we had a swamp to deal +with instead of a bayou we knew just about as well how to find the spot +we had left as how to reach the other side. After a standing committee +of the whole had discussed—and cussed—the situation, in water up to +our waists, we decided that it was better to go on than to try retracing +our steps, as we would be bound to reach the other side or some side if +we only kept on long enough. So I picked out a northerly direction as +well as I could and we floundered on.</p> + +<p>The silence was not oppressive, as the croaking of innumerable frogs, +the buzzing of several <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>million mosquitoes and the splash of the water +did not permit such a thing to exist, while exclamations, some partially +suppressed and some emphatic, frequently silenced the frogs and startled +the mosquitoes, as one or another of the party stepped into a hole or +stumbled over a root. At last we struck a place where the water was +quite deep, the bottom soft and the bullrushes so thick that we could +scarcely wade through them.</p> + +<p>When we got where the bullrushes waved over our heads, while the mud was +nearly to our knees and the water up to our armpits, the rest of the +party stopped and mildly remonstrated, one of them suggesting that my +ability as guide was not being displayed in finding the most convenient +way to go north, even while I might be going the most direct way, and +that there was room for an argument as to whether our most material +progress was not toward a place located in another direction.</p> + +<p>At this I suggested that as I was their Moses to lead them out of the +wilderness I could scarcely be blamed for a visit to my birthplace while +the opportunity offered.</p> + +<p>Captain Gedney was so exhausted that we were compelled to grope around +until we found a place where he could sit down. Before it was found he +was so completely fagged out that we had to support him, and, when at +last we found <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>where he could sit with his mouth and nose just above +water, the situation had become serious.</p> + +<p>Then we appointed a committee of one to explore the neighborhood and +find, is possible, a place where we could sit down conveniently. +Lieutenant Johnson, being the tallest, was selected for this delicate +duty, and we rested (!) for a time while he departed on his quest. We +had several reports from him in the next few minutes, but they had no +bearing upon the object of his mission and are omitted, and then his +voice grew fainter and fainter very rapidly. At last we heard him shout +to come on, and we went toward his locality in as good order as +possible. After some worse floundering than any we had yet had we began +to find hard bottom and more shallow water, and in a short time we +joined him on a bare space around the roots of a big tree, where we all +sat down and awaited daylight, after voting thanks to Johnson for his +timely help in the hour of need. We figured out that we must have walked +at least ten miles through that swamp, and even today I can hear those +frogs and the dismal splash of the water when I allow my mind to dwell +upon that night's experience.</p> + +<p>Despite our worn-out and exhausted condition, and the drowsy feeling +which came to us as the result, we were unable to sleep soundly. The +myriads of mosquitoes were not slow to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>discover our half-stupid +condition, and they took a mean advantage of our partial helplessness. I +have never been able to decide how much of our exhaustion on the +following morning was due to our exertions and how much to the loss of +blood which resulted from the attacks of our musical enemies.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> +<h3>ON THE TRAMP.</h3> + +<p>With the coming of light we discovered solid ground in the near +distance, and we very quickly reached it. Most of our provisions and +nearly all our matches had been ruined by the water, so we had a scant +breakfast in our wet clothes.</p> + +<p>About the time when we finished breakfast we discovered a dog +skirmishing about among the brush, and an investigation developed the +fact that a colored gentleman was passing by us not very far away. We +withdrew to better cover, and I undertook to capture the dog and make +friends with him, fearing that otherwise he might discover us to his +master.</p> + +<p>The capture of the animal was effected with the aid of my suspenders and +a few honeyed words, and we quickly became quite friendly, his master +loudly calling and whistling for him, while we caressed and fondled him +to distract his attention and prevent his barking in reply. When we +finally concluded that it was best to get rid of our new companion he +was loath to leave us, so Lieutenant Johnson was detailed to lead him +off in the swamp and kill him. Just as he was about to start on his +mission a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span>deer ran through the woods, quite close to us, and the dog +became so excited that we released him, when he at once started on the +trail of the deer, and we saw no more of him or his master.</p> + +<p>When night came, our clothes had been partially dried by the heat of our +bodies and what little sunlight was available, and we started again in +high hopes, finding a good road after a short walk. Following this road +for an hour or two, we saw a fire ahead of us, and at the same time +heard some cattle being driven toward us from the rear. We at once filed +out of the road, lying down to await their passing. Just as they got to +us a man came riding down the road and headed them off into the woods, +and the whole bunch passed right over our bodies, fortunately without +stepping upon any of us, although Burnbaum had a very narrow escape; he +could have touched the horse ridden by the man. After this incident we +concluded to retire for the night, and sought a secluded place, where we +made the best beds we could and had a sleep.</p> + +<p>In the morning we held a consultation, and decided that we could now +travel by daylight if we exercised reasonable caution. Our provisions +were now all gone, and we were pretty hungry, so we kept a good lookout +for a chance to replenish our larder as we proceeded on our way.</p> + +<p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 350px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i088.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">CAPT. J. B. GEDNEY.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p>During the day we followed the road, which led us nearly north, avoiding +observation by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> frequently taking to the woods and by keeping a +skirmisher well ahead to observe all curves in the road. Several +cornfields were honored by our making them our headquarters for a time, +and we satisfied our hunger and filled up our larder with corn and green +watermelons. We made good time, and at night found a good place and +slept soundly, having succeeded in getting thoroughly dried.</p> + +<p>The next day we resumed our tramp, taking each available opportunity of +lolling in the streams of water which we had to cross, thus refreshing +ourselves very much.</p> + +<p>Seeing a lot of pigs in an open road, near a cornfield, where we had +gone for a repast, we vainly sought to catch one. Our affection for +those pigs was something moving in its character, at least it kept us +moving in a very lively manner for a time. Those pigs were deaf to all +our blandishments, and both vigorously and effectually prevented us from +embracing what seemed at times to be a good opportunity for a dinner of +pork. When it seemed hopeless to expect that any of the animals would +listen to reason, Captain Gedney suddenly thought of the axe, which he +had laid down until the capture of the pig should have been +accomplished. Soon the axe and numerous expletives were being hurled +promiscuously at the animals, but his remarks seemed to have no more +effect than the axe. All of a sudden the captain changed his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>tactics, +and, instead of hurling the axe first and the wordy missiles after the +axe had missed its mark, he savagely directed certain forcible remarks +toward an animal that had repeatedly escaped the axe, and then hurled +the latter in the same direction. Whether as a result of the preliminary +remarks or not, the pig suddenly stopped and looked at his assailant, +when the axe, which had previously missed the animal by falling short or +passing across his wake, struck him in the loin, and he fell to the +ground, a victim of the evil passions of man and his keen appreciation +of roast pig.</p> + +<p>Our matches had been ruined, and we had become tired of trying to light +a fire with the damp articles, but the exigency of this case again +caused us to go hopelessly over our stock in a very careful manner. Our +joy may be imagined when Lieutenant Mahon found a few stray matches +secreted in his vest lining, where, by some mistake, they had escaped a +wetting sufficient to ruin them, and we soon had our prize over a fire +in a secluded nook, later enjoying such a meal as we had not had in a +good while.</p> + +<p>The executioner received a vote of thanks for his devotion to our cause, +and numerous congratulations upon his proficiency in the art of stopping +and killing a pig were showered upon him. He bore his honors meekly, +merely remarking that it did him more good to kill that pig than it did +to eat him; but while his veracity <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>was never before doubted, the manner +in which he devoured his share of that animal, and the quantity which he +ate, caused the rest of us to conclude that he found more joy in +possession than in pursuit.</p> + +<p>Captain Gedney's feet had been troubling him considerably, and the next +day we stopped for a rest and to doctor his feet. We used the grease of +the pig as a salve, and made him a pair of moccasins out of an old shirt +and the tail of his blouse. Late in the day we made a start, and slipped +along slowly. Finding no running water, we were forced to drink from +pools at the roadside, but we made good progress on our way.</p> + +<p>On the seventh day out, as we were marching along through a +highly-timbered country that was thickly covered with underbrush, with +an extremely hot sun overhead and scarcely a breath of air stirring to +relieve the stifling oppression in the atmosphere, Captain Fee had a +sunstroke, and we were alarmed, but he quickly recovered and we +proceeded.</p> + +<p>So far we had seen no one to whom we wanted to speak, and no one not +easily avoided.</p> + +<p>On the eighth day our few matches had all been used, and our food supply +again exhausted. We found some field beans, which we ate raw until we +had satisfied our appetites, and then filled our bucket.</p> + +<p>We were wearing Confederate shoes made of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>poorly-tanned leather, and +they had become as hard as iron, wearing off our toenails to the quick +and causing us much pain. We had to stop frequently to wrap our toes +with rags, and our lack of proper food was beginning to tell upon us, so +that our condition was not one to occasion much joyfulness.</p> + +<p>On this afternoon we heard the sound of wood-chopping off in the woods, +and we went over to investigate, Gedney and myself being appointed as a +diplomatic committee to wait upon the unknown parties and see what we +could do in the way of negotiating for some provender.</p> + +<p>Leaving our companions, we crept slowly and carefully toward the +workers, and at last found them to be negroes, a man and a boy, stark +naked, whom we surrounded before introducing ourselves.</p> + +<p>The result of our mission was that the man directed us where to hide in +the bottom, agreeing to come to us after dark and lead us out of the +bottom to a better hiding place, when he would secure and bring, as soon +as possible, some food to the party from a neighboring house. We +conversed with him a short time, and then left to report progress to our +comrades and conduct them to the appointed place of meeting.</p> + +<p>We waited with considerable impatience and some anxiety until long after +the time set by the negro for his coming, and had begun to fear that he +was faithless in the matter, when we heard <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>the footsteps of the man and +the boy, and they soon appeared, giving as their reason for being so +late the fact that they were compelled to cut a certain number of rails +that week, and, this being Saturday night, it had been necessary to work +quite late to complete their task.</p> + +<p>They now led us out of the bottom and secreted us in some underbrush on +the high land near the planter's house, then going away to look after +our promised provisions, and taking with them the bucket of raw beans +which we had carried with us, saying they would have them cooked.</p> + +<p>This time we waited until fully 11 P. M., when we became conscious of +the approach of several people, and the man soon appeared, followed by a +troop of darkeys. They all seemed glad to see us, and had brought us all +that we could reasonably have asked. The delay had been caused by +stopping to cook some biscuits and steal some sweet potatoes, as well as +to boil our bucket of beans. In addition to these luxuries, they had +brought us a chicken, cooked with the beans, and they all sat around and +talked while we ate a hearty meal, and stowed away what was left for +future use.</p> + +<p>We now learned for the first time our exact location, and were directed +how best to proceed.</p> + +<p>Mahon had some spare clothes with him, and we made a requisition upon +him for them, that we might trade with our friends for some shoes, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>which we did. Having no matches, we tried to secure some, but could +not. A young negro boy said he could fix us better, and produced a +tinder-box made of an old gourd handle and some charred cotton, showing +us how to get fire with a flint and a jack-knife. He got fire so easily +with it that we were enthusiastic, and at once appointed Captain Fee, at +his own earnest request, to be chief of the fire department, the negro +boy turning over to him the flint and tinder-box, which he stowed away +carefully.</p> + +<p>After a long and enjoyable talk with these negroes, during which we +became convinced that we could rely upon their people for help whenever +we met them, we separated from our friends and went on our way, with +light hearts and full stomachs.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> +<h3>RECAPTURED.</h3> + +<p>Our first objective point after leaving our negro friends was a ferry on +the Sulphur Fork of Red River, to which we had been directed by them.</p> + +<p>We had reached the plain, direct road to the place, and were journeying +along quite happily, in single file, about 2 o'clock A. M. on Sunday, +our ninth day out, when we suddenly met and passed a negro man. Our +recent experience prompted me to interview him, and my comrades halted +in the brush by the roadside while I retraced my steps to overtake the +man and learn what we had to expect as we advanced.</p> + +<p>He stopped readily as I caught up with him and called out, proving to be +a very intelligent darkey, who was on his way home after having been to +see his best girl. We had a long and satisfactory talk, and I took him +to where my companions were waiting. We found that he was well posted on +army matters and the general situation of the country, and he seemed +quite anxious to help us all he could, informing us of our near +proximity to the ferry, which we might have trouble to cross without +help.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>By the advice of our new friend, whose name was George, and with his +guidance, we removed to a secure hiding place in a ravine, while he +agreed to see a friend of his who worked for the ferryman and endeavor +to arrange with him for our trip across the river. Our hiding place was +perfectly secure against anything except the mosquitoes and gnats, and +we were soon discovered by large numbers of these companionable insects. +George was to see us again in the afternoon, and we tried to pass away +the time by sleeping, but our attempts were not successful. We arranged +to sleep in turns, one sitting up to keep off the flies and mosquitoes, +but it was more than one could do to keep the tormentors away from his +own face and hands; so each of us had to sit up for himself, and +sleeping was impossible.</p> + +<p>At the appointed time George brought us some food and informed us that +we could cross the ferry that night, which we did, his friend ferrying +us without charge. The interest of the negroes in us was very great, and +they could not do enough for us.</p> + +<p>When we left the ferry it was dark and muddy, and we lost our way in the +river bottom. After wandering around for a time we blundered into a +brier patch and stuck fast in the thorns. The work of our knives, with +the assistance of considerable emphatic language, finally released us, +and we eventually stumbled into <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span>the road again, completely exhausted. +Lying down in the mud at the side of the road, we got what sleep we +could until daylight dawned.</p> + +<p>Our breakfast consisted of biscuits and sow belly, the latter not being +remarkable for its freshness.</p> + +<p>Proceeding on our way, we came to a huckleberry swamp, into the recesses +of which we retired to avoid ferry passengers and to eat our fill of the +fruit, which we did at our leisure.</p> + +<p>Later in the day we emerged from the swamp and soon came to the high +road, which we crossed in a hurry. Coming to a good camping place, we +stopped to light a fire and try to cook some sweet potatoes.</p> + +<p>Our fire department was called upon to furnish us with a light, and we +crowded about him to witness the operation.</p> + +<p>The gallant chief produced the apparatus with a confident air, and I +loaned him my jack-knife for a steel. He held the gourd handle between +his knees, as he had seen the negro boy hold it, carefully placing the +charred cotton therein, and then, with all the apparent assurance +imaginable, he took the flint and steel in his hands, as his instructor +had directed, and struck a careless blow with the knife. Not a spark +responded to his call, and he looked up at us inquiringly. One of us +suggested that it might be necessary to strike a more careful blow on +the edge of the flint, and the captain struck <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span>such a blow, the result +being a shower of sparks that flew all around, but not into the gourd +handle. Several more blows followed, with a like result, when three +careful attempts were made to catch one of the many sparks which he now +had no trouble in producing, the failure causing another inquiring look. +I suggested that possibly this was a case for a general alarm and more +help, and Johnson hinted delicately that our chief was not sufficiently +well trained in his business. These comments caused an invitation to be +extended for us to try it ourselves, but we were all modest and +declined.</p> + +<p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 347px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i100.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">CAPT. THOMAS M. FEE.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p>The chief now made one or two more unsuccessful attempts to catch a +spark in the cotton, and each effort produced a laugh from us and an +inelegant remark from the captain. The expression upon his face and the +glare in his eye caused us to move farther away before offering any +further advice, when I suggested that he should stop this fooling and +strike a light. His reception of my remark was decidedly ungracious, and +I retired behind a log, while he made another attempt. This time he +caused a spark to alight on the charred cotton, but he forgot to blow it +while he looked around with a smile of triumph on his face, and when he +looked back at the spark there was none there. The mutterings and +suppressed laughter of the rest of us caused the chief to make some +emphatic remarks of a lurid nature, and, when I remarked <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>that we +would wait while he went back to find the negro boy, he grew furious in +his denunciation of such ancient methods of procuring fire. Then I +suggested that the potatoes would spoil if he did not hurry up, dodging +down behind my log as he looked at me with anything but a loving glance. +He now made several careful attempts to locate another spark in the +tinder, but history did not repeat itself, and he got up, exclaiming, +hoarsely:</p> + +<p>"I'll be everlastingly d——d if I know as much as a 10-year-old +nigger."</p> + +<p>Glaring around him, he caught sight of my head above the log, striving +to suppress my laughter enough to utter some words of consolation, when +he violently threw the whole fire department at my head, saying:</p> + +<p>"Damn you, Swiggett; I suppose I'll never hear the end of this!" and he +walked off by himself.</p> + +<p>We ate our sweet potatoes raw, as no one cared to risk further failure +with the fire apparatus, and after a time our crestfallen chief came +back and joined us. Several remarks by the others about the delicacy of +baked sweet potatoes were noted by him, and a wild glare at the speakers +was the result. I remarked to Captain Gedney that the niggers were very +kindly, but that their education was sadly neglected, and that a man who +had not as much sense as a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>10-year-old negro boy was not a remarkable +man.</p> + +<p>"You fellows want to let up, or I'll kill some of you," remarked Fee, +and then, after the subject had been dropped for a time:</p> + +<p>"Say, boys, what will you take to keep mum about this?"</p> + +<p>After some bargaining, we finally agreed to keep his experience a +secret, and peace was restored; but we had not agreed to drop the +matter, and as long as we were together the captain would occasionally +see one of us sit down in a confident way and go through a pantomime in +which were reproduced his expressions and actions while trying to run +our fire department.</p> + +<p>The same afternoon, while we were peacefully resting, in seeming +security, on the sunny side of the sloping bank of a little creek, we +discovered a man on horseback. He was not far off, and carried a gun on +his shoulder, being engaged in following the slow trail of a hound, and +evidently on our tracks.</p> + +<p>We could not run, as he was too near to allow of hope for escape from +his gun, and the surrounding country was too open for successful +concealment; so we contented ourselves with such protection as the +available logs and trees afforded, more because he might shoot when he +discovered us than in hope of evading him.</p> + +<p>The discovery soon came, when he halted, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>gazed upon us with a +frightened stare, and screamed out:</p> + +<p>"Come, boys; here they are!"</p> + +<p>In a moment two other horsemen galloped up, being armed with +double-barreled shotguns. They seemed to be worse scared than we were, +for their hunt was for runaway negroes, and here they had found six +white men, who might be armed.</p> + +<p>A deathlike stillness prevailed for some minutes, when it became +apparent that they, who were undoubtedly our captors if they wished to +be, were afraid of us. Seeing this, I crawled from behind my friendly +log and stepped in their direction across the little creek, intending to +discuss the matter of letting them go about their business while we went +about our own, but the leader suddenly wheeled his horse, brought his +gun to a level and commanded me to come no closer. I mildly suggested +that an unarmed man could not harm them, but he responded by repeating +his command and ordering us under arrest.</p> + +<p>Being without weapons, and the situation becoming serious, we had no +choice but to submit, for argument was now dangerous.</p> + +<p>As we made our captors no trouble, they became comparatively friendly +after we had surrendered, and we then learned, as we had before +surmised, that they were looking for some runaway negroes. They had +found our tracks, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>where we had slept by the roadside the night before, +and in the huckleberry patch, where we had done much foraging, and had +seen that one of the tracks showed a shoe much run over at the side, +which tallied with that worn by old Ned, one of the escaped darkeys. +This track was left by my shoe, and I was at once dubbed "Old Ned" by my +companions, Captain Fee remarking that the title was appropriate in +several ways.</p> + +<p>Despite all our efforts to tell a satisfactory story about ourselves, +and to appear careless and independent, our interviewers evidently +suspected us to be what we were, and they plied us with questions, +finally accusing us of being escaped prisoners, refusing to listen to +reason, and ordering us to fall in and move on ahead of them toward the +nearest headquarters. Then we pleaded and made all sorts of future +promises if they would let us go on about our business, but they were +obdurate, and we sadly filed off toward the road, being promised a dose +of lead if we tried to run.</p> + +<p>Our reflections were now far from pleasant, and for a time we were much +depressed, but there was no use of crying, and so we gradually recovered +our spirits and hoped for the best.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> +<h3>THE BACK TRACK.</h3> + +<p>The location of our recapture was about ten miles from Boston, Texas, +and our captors were taking us to that place.</p> + +<p>On the way we stopped at a farmhouse to get a drink, and I begged the +woman for some thread with which to mend my clothes. She searched around +and found a ball, giving me several lengths of thread from it. I then +asked her for some patches, and she hunted up a pair of old pants of +very small size, evidently a boy's pair. They were corduroy, and it +seemed a shame to cut them up, but she said it was all she could do. +While she had been gone for the pants I had stolen a ball of thread, +which had been left within reach, and I felt some qualms of conscience +over it, but necessity had urged me to do it, and I left the matter for +necessity to settle with conscience. The pants were carefully stowed +away for future use.</p> + +<p>Proceeding on our way, we killed time and enlivened our weary tramp by +telling stories. One of our captors developed a capacity for lying which +was simply astounding. He was not a graceful, elegant liar, telling +stories that you <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>might doubt, but could not dispute, but was one of the +class of liars who distort facts that are well known and calmly make +statements which you know are false. His stories were all upon the +subject of eating and big eaters. We stood it until he told a story in +which he claimed that he knew a man who had cooked and eaten, at one +meal, a rock fish weighing thirty-six pounds, clinching the matter by +asserting that he knew it to be a fact, inasmuch as he had seen it done. +Then we concluded to shut the mouth of such an egregious and palpable +liar.</p> + +<p>Burnbaum asked me about my friend down in Baltimore, who was such an +enormous eater, and, after some persuasion, I told the following story:</p> + +<p>A colored man, called Eating Tom, stopped at a dining stall kept by a +widow in Marsh Market one fine morning, and asked the charge for +breakfast. The woman kept a table set for twelve, and had provisions +cooked and ready for a like number. Being told that twenty-five cents +was the price, Tom paid the quarter and took his seat, calling for +everything in sight, until he had eaten all the cooked victuals the poor +woman had, when he demanded more food or the return of his money, saying +that he had paid for his breakfast and had not had enough. At this, the +widow began to cry, which attracted the attention of a fat, burly +policeman, who ordered the gluttonous brute to leave. Tom and the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>policeman soon got into a dispute as to what constituted a meal, and +the negro offered to bet his opponent a guinea that he was yet +sufficiently hungry to be able to eat a bundle of hay as large around as +the fat policeman's body. The money was put up in my hands, the +policeman procured the hay—the nastiest salt marsh hay that he could +find—and compressed it to the required size by means of a strap. By +this time quite a crowd had gathered. The strap was cut and the hay +expanded so that it looked like a wagon-load, but the negro, with a +broad grin and without hesitation, commenced his task with apparent +relish, and soon ate up every particle of the hay. Being the +stakeholder, and an eye-witness, I was compelled to pay over the money +to Tom.</p> + +<p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 351px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i107.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">CAPT. CHARLES BURNBAUM.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p>Our other two guards saw the point of this story and fairly roared with +laughter, but the liar did not seem to appreciate it. However, it +accomplished its object, and we heard no more fish or other stories from +guard number three while we were together.</p> + +<p>We reached Boston about dark and were lodged in a room of the +courthouse, on the ground floor, the jail having been recently burned. +The town was soon all excitement over our capture, and we had many +callers, who were admitted to see and talk with us, while very many more +wanted to see us, but could not. We enjoyed a sumptuous meal of bacon +and white <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>bread, which was brought to us by citizens, and during our +repast we were holding a genuine reception, the citizens taking us in +turn and asking many questions about ourselves, the war, our opinions of +the situation and future, and, in short, acting as if we were a bureau +of information about the outside world. Our guards introduced us, and I +heard one of them telling a small crowd about the fish and hay stories. +We could not have been treated better if we had been guests instead of +prisoners.</p> + +<p>Seeing a boy standing near the door and watching us, with his eyes and +mouth wide open, I went up to him and asked if he could not go out and +get us some buttermilk. He grinned and disappeared like a shot, +returning shortly with a quantity of the desired article, and it was +keenly relished. Having full stomachs and comfortable quarters, we were +all in good humor and laughed and joked with our friends until late at +night.</p> + +<p>The town was a hard place, and shooting scrapes and rows were numerous, +but they were regarded as a matter of course, while our coming was a +novelty; so our stay was a source of interest and entertainment to the +people, while a matter of good living and comfort to ourselves. Boston +was then the county-seat of Union county, but the name did not suit the +people, and the title of the county was changed to Davis.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span>Late at night we retired, making our beds on the soft sides of several +bundles of sole leather which were stored in the room, and slept soundly +until we were called for breakfast by the guards. This was the first +decent sleep we had had since our escape, and we could not have put in +our time to better advantage had our resting places been feather beds.</p> + +<p>Our breakfast was plentiful and substantial, although plain. The +citizens began to gather around before we got started with our meal, +and, when we sat down to eat, the room was filled with a curious crowd. +Just as we began to eat, the enrolling officer, Captain Payne, came in +to see us. He was a typical Southerner, of the long, lean, affable and +insincere species, and he approached us with great dignity, rubbing his +hands and smiling blandly, exclaiming in an unctuous tone:</p> + +<p>"Good morning, gentlemen. I hope your breakfast is satisfactory. What! +dry bread! Really, gentlemen, if I had known this before I left my house +I would have brought you some molasses. Sorry; very sorry."</p> + +<p>Now, molasses was a rare luxury in those days in that section of the +country, and I sized the man up in an instant as a smooth liar, who said +what he did partly to aggravate us and partly for effect; so I promptly +arose and replied, with a bow:</p> + +<p>"Captain, your courtesy is overwhelming. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>This breakfast stands +adjourned until you can send one of these niggers to your house for that +molasses."</p> + +<p>He turned all colors of the rainbow, and several smothered laughs were +heard in the crowd, but he could not well back down, and so we had +molasses for breakfast.</p> + +<p>The molasses incident seemed to make me popular with many of the rebels, +and I was the recipient of many attentions. During the day one of them +asked permission to take me out, and our guards permitted me to go in +his charge. He took me all over the town, introduced me to many people, +insisted upon my getting shaved at his expense, and in every way treated +me right royally. Everyone I met seemed curious to learn all he could of +the Yankees, and I was questioned and cross-questioned as to all +imaginable views of the situation and prospects of the Confederacy. My +replies were very frank, and I made no attempt to conceal my thoughts, +but they were clothed in good-natured raillery, and my hearers seemed to +like my plain speaking. I have very pleasant recollections of that day +in Boston, and I scarcely realized that I was a prisoner until it became +time for me to return to our quarters.</p> + +<p>We had another jolly evening, and it may as well be said here that +during our stay of several days in the town we duly entertained scores +of callers, from the most aristocratic citizens to the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>lowest, and were +kept in almost constant conversation from early morning until late at +night.</p> + +<p>The guards were compelled to move the crowd away at times, and then, +after having talked to us for hours, we could hear them on the outside +of the building, discussing the Yankees and their views, all crediting +us with being honest in speaking our sentiments.</p> + +<p>The next day it developed that we were likely to be delayed several +days, on account of the fact that there was no competent person +available to take charge of us and the necessary guard.</p> + +<p>During the day we were much entertained by the appearance of an outfit +in which we became much interested. An old wagon was driven up and +stopped before our quarters, and before long everybody knew all that was +to be known about it. The owner was a young man in a Confederate +uniform, and he claimed to be a captain on leave of absence because of a +wound. One of his feet was bandaged and he limped badly. He said that he +belonged to a Georgia company, and had been shot through the ankle in a +skirmish. His wagon was loaded with Confederate hats, which he had +brought to Boston for sale, and he had a carpet-sack full of Confederate +money, while his principal companion was a five-gallon demijohn full of +"pine-top" whiskey. A second companion was a negro boy, named Joe, who +was evidently very much afraid of his master. The officer and the +demijohn were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>seen to be inseparable, as he kept up a continuous drain +upon its capacity for entertainment, the result being that he was as +near drunk all the time as a man can be who seems to have no limit to +his capacity for stowing away liquor. The efforts of the man to seem +entirely sober and business-like, and his evident dependence upon Joe, +caused much amusement to all.</p> + +<p>In the course of four or five days, during which time our confinement +was uncertain as to duration, this young man disposed of his hats, and, +professing a desire for such service as he could perform, he volunteered +to take charge of the guard which might be detailed to take us back to +our prison.</p> + +<p>We were not over-anxious to go on, as our stay in Boston had been as +pleasant as it could be for prisoners, but this offer was accepted, and +the time was fixed for our departure.</p> + +<p>After necessary preparation, we made a start for the first station, +about thirty miles distant.</p> + +<p>On the day following our farewell to Boston we stopped for dinner in an +open spot adjoining a farmhouse.</p> + +<p>Our friend, the captain, was, as usual, on the verge of being blind +drunk, and yet so far from actually being so as to be able to know, in a +general sort of way, about what he was doing. While eating our meal our +leader learned that I was a Marylander. He swore that I ought to be shot +for being a Yankee, and that my comrades <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>were deserving of a like +treatment, saying that he would do the job himself if he had not +promised to treat us as prisoners of war. I ridiculed the idea of his +shooting anybody, especially as several of his prisoners were Masons +like himself, and told him that he did not dare to shoot one of them. He +swore that they were not Masons whom he would recognize, but that there +was his carpet-sack, out of which we could help ourselves to what money +we needed.</p> + +<p>The negro servant had been sent for a pail of water, and he now returned +with it from the nearest farmhouse. The water was not cool enough to +suit the captain, and he made the boy throw it out and go for some more. +When Joe brought the second supply he received an artistic cursing +because he could not bring it quickly enough to avoid a rise in its +temperature. Between the bibulous officer and Joe, who was a +good-natured fellow, we were provided with considerable amusement during +the lunch hour.</p> + +<p>During the next afternoon we reached a combined church and schoolhouse, +called "Kasseder" by the natives, where was kept a courier station.</p> + +<p>The corn which had been wasted in feeding the horses had attracted the +hogs owned by the proprietor of the neighboring farmhouse, and they came +within a short distance of us, when the captain called for a gun, which +was handed to him by one of the guards. The aim of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> half-drunken man +was very uncertain, and, as the gun was pointed by him in the direction +of the hogs, its muzzle swept over a space occupied by several guards +and the prisoners, who scattered in a hurry as the threatening +instrument swayed to and fro in a hesitating way, at which the officer +dropped the gun and laughed boisterously, calling for Joe and his +demijohn. Sitting in the door of the church, our inebriated leader +interviewed his friend the demijohn, and then ordered Joe to "round up +them d——d hogs and shoo them" in his direction, threatening to shoot +the first hog that attempted to bite his wounded ankle. Joe laughingly +obeyed.</p> + +<p>Again partaking of some liquid refreshments, the captain took up the +gun, following the hogs in their movements, with an uncertain aim, which +again and again caused a scattering among us and much amusement to him. +Finally the gun went off in an apparently accidental way, but the finest +hog in the lot was killed, and we had roast pork for supper. The farmer +did not learn of his loss until one of the guards was sent up to the +house to report the death of the hog and ask for some salt. The guards +being fearful of punishment for such foraging, the slayer of the animal +sent word that we would pay for the hog, but Mr. Floyd, the owner, +refused to receive pay, and he furnished the salt to make the pork +palatable.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> +<h3>THE RETURN TO THE STOCKADE.</h3> + +<p>Our leader had been half sick when he left Boston, and he now became +quite ill, soon becoming so much worse that we thought he would die. The +drinks which had preceded the killing of the hog had been about the last +left in the demijohn, and he had emptied it before the pig was dressed. +The march in the intense heat, with the bad whiskey, seemed to have a +bad effect, and the next morning we halted to see what the result would +be. Seeing that the man would surely die if not relieved, I got +permission to hunt up a wagon and take the captain to a doctor, who, as +I learned by inquiry, lived a few miles away.</p> + +<p>Most of the men were "down upon" their commander, and all were +indifferent to his sufferings, simply doing what he asked of them, and +that, for the most part, with reluctance.</p> + +<p>I got him in the wagon, and, with a guard to accompany me, took him to +the doctor, who gave him medicine and got a neighboring farmer to take +him into his house.</p> + +<p>The sick man stuck to his carpet-sack throughout the trip, and, when he +was taken to the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>house, he had his money with him. After he was put to +bed, he pointed to his bank and told me to help myself, seeming to be +very grateful for what I had done. Of course, I could not take money for +any such service, and he would not have offered it had I not been a +prisoner and in a position where the possession of money might avoid +much hardship. He told the doctor that he would have died if it had not +been for that d——d Yankee, and that he was very glad he had kept his +promise by not killing us. He dwelt on the idea that, being a +Marylander, I should not have forgotten myself so far as to be found on +the wrong side.</p> + +<p>We saw no more of the captain, but learned from the doctor that he was +improving and would be all right as soon as the effects of the +"pine-top" whiskey had been neutralized.</p> + +<p>We were delayed for several days, and I got permission to go where I +pleased, on the promise that I would not run away.</p> + +<p>There was something inviting about the house near our camp, the home of +the man named Floyd, whose hog our leader had killed, and one day +Captain Fee and I went up to see if we could get some buttermilk. Our +personal appearance was not prepossessing, as the entire apparel of each +consisted of an old hat, a shirt which was much the worse for wear, a +ragged pair of trousers and a well-worn pair of shoes. We had dressed up +as well as we could, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>by washing our faces and hands, before starting +for the house, but a modern tramp would have disdained our society, and +the young girl who came to the door of the house in response to my knock +was inclined to shut the door in our faces. We soon convinced her that +we were harmless, and she then invited us to take our seats on the back +porch in company with a crippled Confederate soldier, Mrs. Floyd and +herself. We spent about half an hour in pleasant conversation, when we +made known our errand.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Floyd promptly offered to fill our canteens with buttermilk, +requesting us to enter the parlor in the meantime and talk to her +husband, who was confined to the room by sickness. This we did gladly, +and found that Mr. Floyd had been a very sick man, but was now +convalescent.</p> + +<p>The sick man was quite glad to see us and hear what we had to say. The +visit was being enjoyed very much when, looking through the open window, +he saw the doctor coming, and advised us to leave the room and not let +it be known that we had talked together, the doctor being a very strong +Southerner and he a Union man. Accordingly, we slipped out of the back +door as the doctor approached the front entrance.</p> + +<p>The next day the wounded Confederate soldier came down to our camp with +a bundle and a note from the young lady. The bundle<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> contained a couple +of shirts, and the note read as follows:</p> + +<p>"These two shirts are from a friend, and are to be worn by the two who +are the most destitute."</p> + +<p>It is perhaps superfluous to add that I appropriated one of the +garments, but the shirt was not superfluous.</p> + +<p>The next day one of our guards, a boy about fifteen years of age, + +entered into conversation with me. After talking some time, he invited +me to go with him to his father's house for dinner. Securing permission, +I went.</p> + +<p>His father's name was McMichael, and again I found a Union man, who was +forced to be a Confederate or lose all he had in the world. We had a +good dinner and an enjoyable chat. I learned that he had three boys in +the Confederate service, the youngest, who had given me the invitation +to dine, being in the home guard. His daughter was a school-teacher. The +wife and this girl ate with us, and all seemed very anxious and joyous +to learn of the successes of the Union forces, although the mother's +eyes frequently filled with tears as something was said which recalled +to her mind the risk run by her boys at the front. I cannot recall the +memory of a meal which I enjoyed any better than the one I ate in that +old farmhouse with those agreeable people.</p> + +<p>While at dinner the parents seemed disturbed <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span>by thoughts of the +possibility that their last boy would also be sent to the front, and it +was then and there agreed between us that if such should be the case he +would desert at the first opportunity and go to my home at Blakesburg, +Iowa, where he should attend school until the war was ended. The +proposal affected the parents and sister strongly when I made it, and in +agreeing to it they united in thanking and blessing me for the happy +thought and accompanying offer.</p> + +<p>When the time came for me to leave it seemed like a parting with dear +friends, and I often recall and see again that dear old lady's face, as, +with tears in her eyes, she bade me "Godspeed."</p> + +<p>By the time our march was resumed we had become very familiar with our +guards, and, in fact, it was more of a picnic excursion than a march of +guards with their prisoners.</p> + +<p>Each of us slept at night with one of the soldiers, and we went on +several midnight expeditions in company. One night we raided a farmhouse +and stole a sack of sweet potatoes, sitting up half the night to roast +them. Another night we confiscated a beehive and secured some delicious +honey. We were continually playing jokes upon each other, and all hands +were sorry when the time came to separate.</p> + +<p>We fooled along, taking things very easily, and finally reached Camp +Ford about thirty days after leaving Boston.</p> + +<p>Our reception by the boys in the stockade was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>characteristic of men +continually seeking to find something to do which would serve to kill +time and prevent despondency.</p> + +<p>When we were marched up to the gates we were recognized by many in the +enclosure, and were hailed by shouts, jeers, sarcastic questionings and +all sorts of welcomes.</p> + +<p>"How are things up North? How did you leave the folks? Got any mail? +Can't you stay awhile?" and many other similar queries were fairly +showered upon us.</p> + +<p>When we finally entered the enclosure the crowd was drawn up in line, +like a lot of hackmen in front of a railroad station in a large city, +and, amid much laughter and many jokes, we were hailed with:</p> + +<p>"This way to the Palace Hotel!" "Have a cab?" "Cab or carriage, gents?" +"<i>This</i> way, gents, to the Ebbitt House, the best in the city!"</p> + +<p>Our own men gathered about us, and soon dragged us off to our old +quarters, where we were plied with question after question, and had to +relate all our experiences in detail.</p> + +<p>We now took up the stockade life once more, and there was but little +variation in its routine.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> +<h3>INCIDENTS, AND ANOTHER ESCAPE.</h3> + +<p>I soon became a stockholder in a tunnel enterprise which was prosecuted +vigorously and gave many hopes of success. We started the tunnel inside +of an old cabin, using various expedients to conceal the work and get +rid of the dirt, all of which were successful. A survey was made to +locate the exit in a clump of bushes quite a distance from the stockade, +and all was ready for the final move. Quite a number of men were taken +into the scheme, and the greatest danger of discovery, that of being +"peached" upon by someone on the inside who was more anxious to curry +favor with our captors than to be true to his comrades, had been +avoided.</p> + +<p>The night set for the escape should have been dark, according to +calculation, but it turned out to be a clear, starlight night, and some +of us were for postponing the enterprise, but the eager spirits +prevailed, and the attempt was made. Over a hundred men silently +gathered in the neighborhood of the cabin, and the leaders, who had been +chosen beforehand, went into the tunnel, followed closely by many +others.</p> + +<p>A sentinel paced his beat about fifty yards <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>from the clump of bushes in +which our tunnel was to come up, and as he slowly walked up and down, +probably thinking of home and friends and wishing for his relief, he was +suddenly startled by the sight of several dark forms springing +apparently from the bowels of the earth. The tunnel had been +miscalculated, and the men emerged several feet from the bushes, in full +view of the sentry. He was so astounded that he stood stock still for +several minutes without uttering a sound, during which time about fifty +men had climbed out of the tunnel and made a streak for liberty. +Suddenly the sentry came to his senses, fired his gun, called loudly for +the guard, and ran to the mouth of the tunnel, with his bayonet ready +for action.</p> + +<p>Those who had not entered the tunnel concluded that they did not want to +escape that night, and we returned to our quarters in the stockade.</p> + +<p>Over fifty got out and away, but the guards put the dogs after them, and +nearly all were brought back in the course of a few days.</p> + +<p>The most amusing feature of this abortive attempt to escape occurred at +the exit of the tunnel after it was blockaded by the sentinel.</p> + +<p>The narrow passage was full of men when the bayonet of the sentry +prevented further egress, and those inside could not turn back, while +none save the leader knew the cause of the halt. The rest were kept in +ignorance and suspense until <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>the guards, who quickly gathered around on +the outside, had come to their senses and begun to permit the boys to +come out of the hole one by one. As the guards would call out, "Next!" +and let another unfortunate creep out, only to find himself still a +prisoner, the remarks to be heard were decidedly mirth-provoking, even +while the situation had its pathetic aspect.</p> + +<p>A day or two after this event one of the officers, a captain in another +regiment, came to me and asked if I knew where he could get a pair of +pants. His own were a sight to behold, and I told him that I had a spare +pair with which I did not wish to part, but that I hated to see him in +such a plight. He at once offered me some trinkets for them, and +proposed to pay me a big value if he ever got back home. I told him that +they would be too small for him, and appeared reluctant to sell. A crowd +had gathered, as the smallest things were of interest to the prisoners, +and when I thought he was sufficiently eager for the trade, I went into +our cabin and brought out the pair given to me by the woman whom I had +asked for patches while on my return to the stockade. When the pants +were produced, and it was seen that they were intended for a small boy, +having all conveniences, a shout of laughter went up from the crowd, +which brought all the other prisoners in the stockade to see what it +meant. The captain was half inclined to be angry at first, but he +quickly put his ill-humor <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>aside and joined in the merriment. It is +needless to say that the trade was declared off.</p> + +<p>A few days later about thirty men of the guard, known as Sweet's men, +deserted, and there was trouble in the rebel camp.</p> + +<p>The desertion was one of the coolest things I ever saw. This portion of +the guard was a cavalry detachment. They had just mounted guard on +horseback, about 9 o'clock in the morning, when, apparently by common +consent, one man, as leader, gave the signal, and all raised their hats +politely, saying, "Good-bye, gentlemen; we are going to Mexico," and +rode off. No one dared to follow, as they were well armed.</p> + +<p>A new guard was sent, and the balance of the old guard relieved. It was +said that these men had been sent to this distant duty on account of +doubts as to their loyalty to the Confederacy.</p> + +<p>We changed our quarters to a deserted cabin nearer to the gate, and were +thereby much better prepared for the coming winter, the move being made +because it now seemed certain that we were destined to remain in prison +until spring, unless we should be able to effect an escape.</p> + +<p>Almost all the prisoners were in need of clothing, and we had been +informed that a lot had been shipped to us, but that it was delayed +somewhere.</p> + +<p>We were all on the lookout for that clothing, and when at last we heard +that it had arrived <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>we were joyous until we were informed that, +allowing one garment apiece, there would be clothing for only +three-fourths of the men. As some men needed shirts, some coats and some +pants this promised to be quite a problem to solve, and all the officers +were instructed to find out the needs of their men, so as to simplify +the matter as much as possible.</p> + +<p>When the time came for distribution the clothing allotted to our +regiment was turned over to the officers, and we got together to divide +it. The men of all the companies except my own were crowding about us +and clamoring for what they wanted, but not a man of Company B was on +hand. This mute expression of their confidence in my willingness and +ability to look out for them was one which I appreciated highly, +although they had had several evidences of my willingness and +determination to secure for them at least all to which they were +entitled.</p> + +<p>The number of men not being the same in the different companies, it was +hard to divide satisfactorily, and it happened that there was an odd +garment of each sort. As the odd men were unequally divided, and +fractions were necessarily eliminated, we decided to draw lots for the +odd articles. I was the lucky man in the lottery, and Company B had the +best of matters.</p> + +<p>After the division had been made the neighborhood was a scene of +confusion, many quarrels and some fights, until all the clothing had +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>been as fairly distributed as was possible. My company kept away from +the crowd and in their own quarters, where I had our allowance conveyed. +The men were drawn up in line, and my first sergeant and myself +proceeded to allot the garments as seemed most fair. Only one murmur of +discontent was heard, and that from a man better clothed than any of his +comrades, the men being practically unanimous in their wish that I +should decide who needed clothing most and what was most needed.</p> + +<p>This incident is related principally to show my appreciation of the +conduct of my men, and because I think that I may be pardoned for +feeling proud of their confidence in me.</p> + +<p>The next three weeks were fully employed by all in making log cabins and +in filling up all chinks, as the winter was fast approaching.</p> + +<p>During this time I was informed by one of my men that a guard, who had +seen me almost every day taking part with the men of my company in some +amusement, had been asking questions about me and had sent me word that +he wanted to see me. After learning when I could see him, I approached +his post at night, when, after he had satisfied himself that I was the +right man, he directed the guard on the inside, who was one of the line +placed within the stockade when the sentries were doubled each night, to +stand aside so that he could talk to me. We leaned against the fence and +had a long and interesting <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>conversation, during which he stated that +he had frequently noticed the interest manifested by me in my company, +and desired to do me a favor because of the attachment he felt for me in +consequence, intimating that he was disposed to help me make my escape +if I so wished.</p> + +<p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 347px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i130.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">CAPT. J. P. RUMMEL.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p>Before I left him he had volunteered to let me out, give me a horse, +saddle and bridle, inform me as to names and locations of different +rebel regiments and furnish me with an expired furlough. I was not +inclined to be friendly to the horse idea, although I could see the ease +and celerity of my escape if all went well, for I knew that it would be +sure death to be discovered as an escaped prisoner with a horse and +equipments in my possession; but the guard was so enthusiastic over the +matter that I promised to think it over, after thanking him heartily for +his kindness.</p> + +<p>When I explained the plan to some of my former companions in escape they +tried to discourage the idea of escape altogether, saying that we would +soon be exchanged, and that another failure would keep us from exchange +when the time came. I had no hope of release before the end of the war, +and so I sought other companionship, believing that the guard could be +induced to help more than one of us.</p> + +<p>Capt. J. B. Rummel, of the 120th Ohio, had impressed me as a man of the +right sort, and I approached him on the subject. He was ready <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>and +willing to try an escape, but he confirmed my own impression about the +risk of trying it with horses, and we finally concluded to devise a +scheme and try it on foot. He suggested that we take Capt. B. F. Miller, +of the same regiment, and we decided to do so, after finding that Miller +was as anxious to go as we were to have him do so.</p> + +<p>When I saw our friend the guard, he was mad because we would not adopt +his scheme, but he showed his desire to help us get away by agreeing to +let us out when we got ready, even while insisting that the safest and +best way would be to take horses. He said:</p> + +<p>"Why, man alive, you can start early in the evening, and the horses will +not be missed until late the next day. Then if the stable-door is left +open they will not dream that prisoners have taken the horses—at least +until you are missed from the stockade. By that time you will be so far +away that they can't possibly catch you before you reach the Federal +lines on the lower Red River."</p> + +<p>I was too timid, however, to risk my life in this way, as I considered +the chance of suspicion and apprehension too great, and regarded it as +certain death to be caught with a stolen horse. Notwithstanding the +risk, I can now see that the guard proposed the plan most likely to +insure a successful result.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>We determined to try it on foot, but, while we were preparing for a +start, another opportunity presented itself, and we took advantage of it +rather than risk getting our guard or ourselves into trouble.</p> + +<p>Miller, being a turner, manufactured a rude lathe and made numerous +articles likely to be purchased, chessmen being the principal of these, +being the most salable. We realized some cash from the demand for just +such novelties.</p> + +<p>Having some flour, we bought some meat on the outside, made some bread, +jerked the meat, and thus had provisions and a little money for our +enterprise.</p> + +<p>We sent out the provisions, little by little, and had them taken to the +hospital and concealed until such time as we were ready to start.</p> + +<p>Captain Fee was in the hospital at the time, just recovering from an +attack of illness, and the day before we were ready to start he came in +to see us, on a pass. As we were talking together, I asked to see his +pass, and read as follows, on a rough scrap of paper:</p> + +<p>"Pass Capt. Fee in and out of stockade, with soap. McCANN, Adjutant."</p> + +<p>I was a very good imitator of handwriting, although I had never been +guilty of using my gift for unlawful purposes, and, as I read this pass, +the manner of our escape was settled, all being fair in war.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>After some little effort on my part, Rummel, Miller and myself were each +provided with a pass similar to the one on which Fee had been admitted +to the stockade. We told no one of our intentions, but decided to leave +the next evening, it being understood that I was to go out just before +the change of guards at the gate, and that Miller and Rummel should +follow a little later, after the change, in order to avoid the +presentation of too many passes to one guard.</p> + +<p>At the appointed time, after much mental bracing up, I walked quietly to +the gate and presented my pass for inspection. The guard looked it over +in a hasty manner and silently opened the gate. As I passed out I saw +that several hundred men were watching me, and I concluded that in some +way our scheme had become known. The colonel and some other officers +were sitting on the porch at headquarters when I passed, and I <ins class="correction" title="original: cooly">coolly</ins> +saluted him, saying:</p> + +<p>"Good evening, Colonel."</p> + +<p>He responded politely, and I walked on to our meeting place at the +hospital.</p> + +<p>My comrades waited until the guards had been changed, and then, with +inward tremor and a bold, confident exterior, they walked in a +business-like way to the entrance and submitted their authority for +departure, which was duly acknowledged without a question. They soon +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>joined me, in high spirits over the ease with which the departure had +been accomplished.</p> + +<p>We had $4 in greenbacks between us, and felt quite wealthy. Securing our +provisions as soon as darkness came, we quietly slipped over into the +woods, thence to the road, and went on our way rejoicing, full of hope +and with bright thoughts of home and dear ones.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> +<h3>TRAMPS ONCE MORE.</h3> + +<p>The date of my second escape was the 23d of December, 1864.</p> + +<p>We met one solitary horseman in the early part of the night, and we +avoided him by having a skirmisher out ahead, who saw the rider in time +for us to get out of sight in the woods without being seen, the traveler +being a white man, and to be avoided for that reason.</p> + +<p>About midnight we met a negro and learned that we were on the Shreveport +road instead of the Gilmore road, which latter we wanted to follow. The +darkey sized us up correctly in short order, but, as usual with the +negroes, the fact that we were escaped prisoners only seemed to make him +the more eager to help us, and he asked us if we would not "accommodate" +<i>him</i> by allowing him to show us a short cut through the woods to the +Gilmore road.</p> + +<p>We were in a very accommodating mood just then, and we cheerfully +allowed him to lead the way. He guided us for what seemed to be a very +long distance over a rough piece of wooded country, and finally led us +into a broad,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> well-traveled road and informed us that we were now on +the right track.</p> + +<p>The darkey was so voluble in his <ins class="correction" title="original: expresssions">expressions</ins> of gratitude for the honor +of being "accommodated" that I had half a notion of presenting him with +a bill for services rendered, but we let him off easy by allowing him to +thank us profusely, and he seemed to be entirely satisfied, while we did +not complain.</p> + +<p>We trudged along all night without any incident worthy of mention to +break the monotony of our tedious tramp, and at daylight we went off +from the road to secure retreat in the woods, and camped for the day.</p> + +<p>After a comfortable sleep, we ate sparingly of our provisions and +started again at dusk for the North and liberty.</p> + +<p>Again we traveled monotonously most of the night, seeing only the stars +above us and the weird shadows and forms of silent things about. +Occasionally one of us would speak, but it was in a low tone, and only +when necessary, for our thoughts were far away, and the solemn stillness +of the night impressed us with a keen sense of the danger which at any +moment might mean recapture or possibly death.</p> + +<p>In the very early hours of the morning we reached the Sabine river and +the problem of how to get across. It was dark in the river bottom, but +the stream was wide enough to let the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>starlight and the sheen of the +water give a fair amount of illumination on the river.</p> + +<p>Miller could not swim, and was afraid to trust to our support; so that +means of crossing was out of the question.</p> + +<p>We could see a canoe fast to the bank on the opposite side, but we could +not call up anyone to bring it over and thus take chances of discovery +and betrayal.</p> + +<p>Miller would not risk a log, although we explained to him how easily we +could push him across upon it. If he could have mounted the log and +ridden over it would have been all right, but he would not trust himself +in the water unless he had to do so, and we, therefore, retired to the +brush for a consultation.</p> + +<p>We found a thick clump of trees and bushes just a little way up stream, +and pushed our way into them until we stopped in alarm at the greatest +racket, it seemed, that we had ever heard. It was a minute or two before +we realized what it meant, and then it was all we could do to keep our +laughter within proper bounds, despite the fact that we feared the noise +about us would alarm the people who, we knew, must be upon the other +bank of the river. We had walked into a place which was apparently a +roosting spot for all the pigeons in Texas, and our entrance had caused +a racket in that still night which would have to be heard to be +realized.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span>We were so startled by the unexpected noise that we were well scared +until we learned its cause, and then we quietly stole away to a spot on +the river bank where our presence would be no intrusion.</p> + +<p>While sitting down, discussing the chances for getting across the river +and securing the canoe on the opposite side, Rummel and I drew lots to +see who should swim over and borrow it, and the pleasure of so doing was +thereby allotted to him. He secured a log, to prevent any accident, +straddled it, and in due time reached the canoe and brought it over to +us. The carrying capacity of the vessel was limited, and, in fact, it +was doubtful whether all three could cross in her at once, but we +decided to try it.</p> + +<p>Miller was fussy and nervous, as he had had no experience in canoe +navigation, and this particular canoe did not have an appearance +calculated to inspire confidence in one unused to boats and afraid of +the water.</p> + +<p>We drew the boat along the bank to a low place, where Rummel and I +seated ourselves carefully in the canoe, instructing Miller how to enter +and sit down without upsetting our calculations and ourselves, but he +was too painstaking and careful. He got both feet into the canoe, but +that was all. In being exceedingly careful to place his feet in the +proper place he forgot about the perpendicular necessities of the case, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>and about the time his second foot touched the bottom of the boat his +head struck the water.</p> + +<p>We reached the bank in safety, pulling Miller after us, but the canoe +was then a good distance away.</p> + +<p>All desire to censure poor Miller for his awkwardness passed away, as he +ruefully asked:</p> + +<p>"How in thunder do you expect a man to walk a tight-rope in the dark?"</p> + +<p>Remembrances of our own first attempt to keep a canoe under us came to +our minds, and the tone in which our friend spoke caused a convulsion of +laughter which threatened to betray our presence to any persons within +rifle range.</p> + +<p>We now drew off to a safe place and built a fire to dry our clothes, a +few of our matches, that were in a safe place, not having been entirely +ruined.</p> + +<p>After we had thoroughly dried out, we recollected our pigeons, and +concluded to go back and gather in a few for a feast. It was no trouble +to locate them, as they were still keeping up their clatter in a jerky +sort of way, partially quieting down for a few minutes and then breaking +out again as some disquieted bird would sound a new alarm. The +difficulty was to catch some, and we exhausted our ingenuity, patience +and vocabulary without being able to bag a pigeon, even though the trees +and bushes were fairly loaded with them. Dark as it was, they seemed to +see us before we could see them, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>and would fly away just in time to +avoid us, with a total absence of regard for our feelings in the matter.</p> + +<p>As the day dawned it turned colder, and a breeze sprang up which had a +very prominent "edge" to it.</p> + +<p>We discussed the situation, and organized for the coming campaign by +electing Rummel as guide of the expedition, Miller as man of all work +and myself as minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary for all +cases requiring diplomacy.</p> + +<p>This day was Christmas, as we discovered by accident, Rummel remarking +that he intended to make a note of the date of our baptism, and asking +what day of the month it was.</p> + +<p>There was no Christmas for us, however, and we banished all thoughts of +roast turkey or pigeons and of home comforts by taking up the +all-absorbing question of how to cross the river.</p> + +<p>Rummel suggested that Miller should be made to cross on a log in tow of +ourselves, inasmuch as he had shown a greater fondness for the water +than he had professed, but we decided to walk a short distance up stream +in an effort to find a ford before trying to swim the river.</p> + +<p>About half a mile beyond the scene of our upset we found a riffle, and I +was appointed to investigate the character of the bottom and find the +best place to cross.</p> + +<p>Divesting myself of my clothes, and leaving <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>them to be brought over by +my companions after I should have picked out a course for them, I +entered the cold water and proceeded to investigate. At almost the first +step I slipped from a smooth rock into a pool and went in over my head. +As I came up, Miller remarked that I need make no report on that +locality, and I tried a little farther down. This time I struck a +straight course in a depth varying from my knees to my armpits, and +reached the opposite shore, after a struggle to keep my feet at the +points where the water was deepest.</p> + +<p>When I emerged from the water the keen wind nearly took my breath away, +as its cold was made more intense by my recent immersion. Hastily +getting under the lee of a big tree on the bank, I shouted for my +companions to come over, and be lively about it, but they were engaged +in a discussion, and I could see that Miller was hanging back.</p> + +<p>My teeth were now chattering and I was shaking as if with the ague; so I +yelled spasmodically to Rummel to come on and bring my clothes if he did +not want to see me lose all my teeth.</p> + +<p>Rummel undressed and started, carrying his clothes and mine above his +head, and Miller followed when he saw that he was to be left behind. +Both got over in safety and without wetting the clothing, but I was so +cold when they arrived that it took over an hour for me to get over my +shivering fit.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>Captain Miller was in many respects one of the finest characters I ever +knew, and I liked him more as I knew more of him, but he was the most +apprehensive individual imaginable. He was more afraid of a river than +of the whole Confederate army, and was continually imagining all sorts +of possible contingencies, trying to decide in advance what was to be +done in each case, and losing sight of the fact that we could not +foresee any of the surrounding conditions of a probable contingency, and +hence could not meet the emergency until it and all its phases could be +clearly seen. He bothered me half to death at times by his questions as +to what I would do if such and such a thing occurred, and when I told +him that I could not tell until it happened he would look as serious as +if we were in immediate danger.</p> + +<p>I never could make a success of trying to anticipate details, for I +always found that my action turned upon some unforeseen thing, and I +never worried about such things, having found that the proper action for +an emergency always suggested itself to me when I stood face to face +with the necessity for doing something.</p> + +<p>As we proceeded on our way we came to a bayou, which we waded, and a +little later we reached one which was too deep to be forded. We seemed +to be in a section cut up by a network of these streams, and we +concluded that by a little extra walking we could probably <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>dodge around +bends in the streams so as to preserve our general course without +recourse to the swimming which Miller so dreaded. We could see no signs +of a curve in this bayou, and it was a question of luck as to whether we +went right or wrong in our first attempt to get around the obstruction.</p> + +<p>Rummel was our guide, and we would have followed his lead had he started +off, but he hesitated so long, and did so much guessing, that I started +off to the left, saying that one way was as good as the other when we +had nothing to point out the best course. Of course, Miller now wanted +to go the other way, and we came as near having a row as we ever did in +all our acquaintance. After some sarcasm and heated comments, we started +off, finally, in the direction which I had chosen, and a few minutes' +walking proved that I had by accident chosen correctly, as we saw a +curve ahead of us which subsequently proved to be a bend in the bayou. +Our passage around the curve opened up a good stretch of country ahead +of us, and I could not help reminding Miller that we had lost more time +in discussion than it would have taken to prove the case one way or the +other. This was our only dispute, and it was not serious.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> +<h3>DIPLOMACY.</h3> + +<p>We had a rubber poncho and three blankets with us, and the country +through which we had passed had seemed so sparsely settled that we were +traveling by day and sleeping at night, getting our scarce and poor food +as occasion offered and living upon anything but a generous diet.</p> + +<p>About dusk on the day of our little difference we were looking for a +safe place to camp, when we saw the figure of a man on the opposite side +of an open space. He was evidently surveying us intently, as he stood +stock still, and his appearance was not rendered more attractive to us +by the fact that he held a gun in the hollow of his left arm.</p> + +<p>We sank gracefully to the ground and waited for some hail which would +announce to us the intentions of our friend. None coming, we concluded +that he was as much afraid of us as we were of him, and I crawled to a +spot where I could see, without rising, what had become of him. He still +stood there, evidently awaiting our next move, and I slunk back to my +companions.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>We decided that the quickest way to learn who and what he was would be +to approach him, and that he certainly would not shoot if we held up our +hands. Accordingly we stood up, held up our hands, and stepped boldly +out into the clearing, I calling out:</p> + +<p>"We are unarmed and are friends."</p> + +<p>Not a move did he make, but we fancied we could see the gun move a +little, and we quickly halted, Rummel exclaiming:</p> + +<p>"Don't shoot! we are unarmed and peaceable citizens."</p> + +<p>As he said this, Miller burst into a loud laugh, and quickly ran toward +the figure. We instantly comprehended the situation and followed him, +arriving at the fantastic stump of a burned tree, to be saluted by +Miller with:</p> + +<p>"Would you unarmed and peaceable citizens kindly recollect this event +when you are inclined to joke me about that canoe?"</p> + +<p>We had nothing to say.</p> + +<p>The next day we met a negro, who gave us our course for Dangerfield, +describing a corner of the square in the town, from which a plain road +led to a ferry across the Sulphur Fork of Red River.</p> + +<p>This was the 27th of December, and we reached the outskirts of the town +late in the afternoon, hiding in some bushes until night.</p> + +<p>When it was late enough we started boldly <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span>through the town, found the +corner described, and took the road at a rapid gait.</p> + +<p>Just as the east was beginning to show signs of approaching day we +struck what we took to be another bayou.</p> + +<p>Miller was anxious to show that he could brave the water in some cases, +so he pulled off his pants, handed them to me for safe keeping, and +started right in to wade the stream. He took two steps and disappeared +from view. We fished him out and concluded that we would wait for +daylight before proceeding farther.</p> + +<p>When day broke we found that we must have made better time from +Dangerfield than we had expected, for this was certainly a river, and +could be no other than Sulphur Fork. It was high, and running swiftly in +the middle, the water being far above the banks and out into the woods +on both sides, so that it must have been fully two miles and one-half +across. No signs of a ferry were to be seen, and we hunted a good place +for a camp in which to lay over until the river should subside or +something turn up to decide us as to a way of crossing.</p> + +<p>In building a fire I strained my instep by kicking a limb from a log, +and it became quite sore before the day was over.</p> + +<p>The next day the river was as high as ever, and my foot was so sore that +I could scarcely step upon it. We lay over all day, as I could not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>walk, and there seemed to be no prospect of crossing the turbulent +stream.</p> + +<p>On the following morning my foot was much swollen, but I could limp +around, and the river seemed to be falling, so I insisted upon some +action, and started off to look around a little, leaving my companions +to await my return. They both wanted to go in my place, but we agreed +that it was best for me to go, so far as the chance of having to deal +with an emergency was concerned.</p> + +<p>I hunted around for a while, but found nothing, and returned to my +companions. Just as I reached them we heard a pounding in the opposite +direction from which I had gone.</p> + +<p>Rummel sneaked off, and soon returned with the report that he had seen a +horse a short distance down the road.</p> + +<p>Again I started to investigate our surroundings. The horse was soon +found. He was hobbled, and close to him, in the woods, were two others. +It was a certainty that we had neighbors, but I could see nothing of +them, and, concluding that the owners had gone down to the river, I +walked boldly toward the animals to discover by their trappings what I +could about the riders. I had not proceeded more than a few yards before +I came to a thick clump of bushes, and, in skirting around the edge of +them, almost stumbled over three rebel soldiers, who <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>were stretched out +comfortably on their blankets for a nap.</p> + +<p>They looked up inquiringly at me as I suddenly halted and gave +involuntary utterance to an exclamation of surprise.</p> + +<p>To say that I was scared would but feebly express my feelings. The cold +chills ran up and down my back, and I could not speak for an instant. +However, I quickly recovered myself, before they had a chance to speak, +and said to them:</p> + +<p>"Hello, boys! I knew you were somewhere about, for I saw your horses and +was looking for you, but I was not expecting to find you so near at +hand, and I must confess that you startled me. How can a fellow get +across this infernal river?"</p> + +<p>They informed me that they had been pounding to attract the attention of +the ferryman, who was on the other side, but they could not get near the +river bank, and could not see the ferry-boat, so had concluded to take a +nap.</p> + +<p>Without giving them time to question me, I plied them with questions, +which developed the fact that they were members of General Gano's +command, and were despatch-bearers from Kirby Smith to General Magruder. +They expressed a strong desire to cross the river in a hurry, and +threatened to take forcible possession of the boat if the ferryman did +not make another trip that afternoon.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>I then informed them that two comrades were with me, that they were in +camp a short distance back from the river, that we would join in +capturing the ferry-boat, and that if they had no objections to offer I +would go up and get the boys, so that we could cross and travel +together.</p> + +<p>They told me to go ahead and I went; but, after walking easily along +until out of sight in the opposite direction from where my companions +were I broke into a run, skirted around through the woods, joined Rummel +and Miller, told them the facts, and we at once broke camp, running +around the river bank a mile or more, and secreting ourselves on the top +of the bank in a thick clump of bushes and timber, right alongside of +the road, where they would not be likely to look for us if they wondered +at my failure to return.</p> + +<p>From the moment when my eyes had rested upon the figures of those three +soldiers I had forgotten my sore foot altogether, and never felt it +during my run and our subsequent movements. The strangest part of this +incident of my injured foot is the fact that I never afterward felt +soreness or a twinge of pain in it. I leave it for others to explain. I +simply state the facts.</p> + +<p>After we had settled down in our hiding place we saw a number of people +coming up the road, evidently from the ferry, and our three soldiers +were among them. From their talk as they <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>passed us we gathered that the +ferry-boat had come over, but would not go back again before morning, +and we concluded that the three soldiers were going to some place to +stay over night.</p> + +<p>After these people had passed, I set out to hunt up some negro who could +help us get over the river. As I crossed the road I saw a darkey driving +a wagon toward the ferry, and I stopped to speak to him. Before I had a +chance to say more than a few words the man's master rode into view, and +I had to go on talking to avoid casting suspicion by sudden +disappearance.</p> + +<p>When the master rode up I talked with him, telling him what I had told +the soldiers, and saying that we had given up seeing the boat until we +had seen the people coming up from the ferry, when I had left my +friends, to see if we could cross that evening.</p> + +<p>We all traveled down the road together, and the negro's master showed me +where the ferryman lived, a little way off the road, and went up to the +house with me. He and the ferryman were acquainted, and, while they +talked, I went coolly up on the piazza of the house and sat down, +turning over in my mind the question of what I should tell that +ferryman.</p> + +<p>If I stuck to my story, as told to the soldiers, I had no excuse for a +special crossing, which I wanted to urge, and we should run great risk +of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span>discovery if we waited and crossed with the others. As I studied the +face of the ferryman I decided upon my course of action, and when the +old gentleman who was talking to him had left to arrange for the care of +his wagon and animals for the night I gave the ferryman no chance to +think or question, but took him around to the side of the house, where +we could not be overheard by anyone in the building, and transfixed him +by saying:</p> + +<p>"I am an escaped Yankee prisoner from Camp Ford, Texas, and have been +water-bound on the river for two days. I have come to have you either +ferry me over the river or capture me."</p> + +<p>The man seemed to be dumbfounded, and he stared at me in perfect +amazement, without speaking a word.</p> + +<p>I told him that I had no honeyed promises to make, that the only +inducement there had been for me to attempt such a hazardous trip in the +dead of winter was my intense longing to see my wife and children in +Iowa, who did not know whether I was alive or dead, and had not known +since my capture on the 25th of the previous April, and that, after +seeing them, I expected to return to my regiment and remain until the +war ended, if I was not sooner killed. Keeping up this line of +conversation, I completely magnetized the ferryman, either by my nerve +or the apparent confidence I had in his disposition to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>let his humanity +instead of war's inhumanity control his actions.</p> + +<p>The first words uttered by him were:</p> + +<p>"Well, all I ask is for you to pay your fare and take your chances. The +boat is loaded at each trip, and you may be suspected by the passengers. +The fare is five dollars in Confederate, or a dollar and a-half in +Federal money."</p> + +<p>After he had recovered from his surprise sufficiently to agree to this, +I told him that I had two companions with me, when he exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Oh, h——l But d——d if I don't help you fellows anyhow. I can't +understand why I agreed to help you, for I'm as rank a rebel as they +make, and if I am caught at it, and you give me away, I'll be shot, sure +as h——l."</p> + +<p>I promptly declared that I would submit to being hung myself before I +would give him away, and this seemed fully to reconcile him to his +undertaking, for he replied:</p> + +<p>"D——d if I don't believe you, young man."</p> + +<p>We had but $4 in greenbacks, which I told him, together with the fact +that we wanted some bread, and we compromised by my giving him $3 for +our fare across the river and $1 for a supply of corn bread.</p> + +<p>He would not make a special trip that night, as it might get him into +trouble if we were discovered, but he agreed to put us over the river in +the morning, do the best he could for us, and keep his mouth shut about +us.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>I returned to my companions to report progress, and it would have been +hard to find two happier men than Rummel and Miller; they were simply +delighted with the result of my mission.</p> + +<p>After a meal upon the corn bread bought from the ferryman, we turned in +for the night.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> +<h3>MAKING PROGRESS.</h3> + +<p>At an early hour the next morning we were on hand at the boatman's +house.</p> + +<p>When we reached the boat we found our friend with the wagon and negro +driver, together with several other parties, already there, and I was +much relieved to see that the three soldiers had not arrived.</p> + +<p>The ferryman told us to go to the bow of the boat and avoid questioning, +which we did.</p> + +<p>Just as we had shoved off, and were being hauled along through the trees +to the river bank where the ferry wire was tied, we heard a shout, and, +looking back, saw three horsemen approaching on a gallop. The ferryman +did not stop, and one of the riders yelled out fiercely, and fired his +gun to show that they would make us stop if we did not choose to do so, +whereupon the boat was stopped and slowly pushed back to the water's +edge.</p> + +<p>Our relief can be imagined when I discovered that the riders were not +our soldier friends.</p> + +<p>As we emerged from the trees into the river channel the current was very +strong, and the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>heavy load seemed too much for the ferryman and his +helper.</p> + +<p>This helper was an old man of an inquisitive nature and appearance, and +I was afraid that he might say or ask something which would attract more +attention to us than was necessary for our comfort or desire for +prominence; so I got up and went over to him, taking hold of the rope +and helping him with the boat, while I plied him with questions so thick +and fast that he only got the opportunity to ask me two questions, both +of which were easily answered.</p> + +<p>As we reached the farther shore we had to pull and push the boat among +the trees for nearly half a mile before we reached the ground, and my +old friend was anxious that my friends and myself should be assisted +over the marshy bottom, which extended for some distance, by riding +behind the three horsemen.</p> + +<p>He proposed this to the riders, but the visible reluctance of these +gentlemen enabled me to get out of this disagreeable situation with +credit to ourselves, and we struck off through the swamp on our own +hook, after hearing the following remark of the ferryman, made as one of +the riders offered to pay him with a $5 bill of an issue which the +Confederacy had recalled, with a notice that they would not be redeemed +by exchange or otherwise after the coming 1st of January:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>"My God, man! I would as soon have a notch on one of them trees as one +of them bills."</p> + +<p>After a short walk through the swampy bottom, we struck what was then an +island, and on which were camped about 150 refugees from Missouri. They +had their live stock and all belongings with them.</p> + +<p>These people had been too friendly to the South, when Price was in their +State, to make it healthy there for them after he had been driven out, +and they had come to Texas and were living as best they could. From them +we learned that Price's army was at Spring Hill, and we told them that +we were members of his "walking company," as the rebels called Price's +infantry.</p> + +<p>As our feet were wet from our walk through the marsh, we got away from +this crowd as soon as possible and went over to the camp of an old woman +for the purpose of getting permission to dry our clothes and shoes. The +favor was <ins class="correction" title="original: ganted">granted</ins> on application, and we sat there chatting with the +woman and her sons until we were thoroughly dried out. During this talk +we learned that these refugees were disposed to be quite bitter toward +the Texans for the lack of sympathy and hospitality which they thought +should be forthcoming on account of the abuse and persecution which they +had suffered for their Southern sympathies.</p> + +<p>After we had dried ourselves sufficiently, we <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>borrowed a brand from the +fire and went off to make a camp of our own.</p> + +<p>On our way to a choice spot we met a sick soldier, who was on a furlough +and who had a canoe. He offered to take us with him across the balance +of the swamp, but we declined, because we did not wish to cultivate his +acquaintance and because of our friend Miller.</p> + +<p>We waded into the swamp and went at least a mile before we found dry +land, when we picked out a secluded spot, lit a fire and again dried +ourselves thoroughly, going off to some tangled oaks for a sleep while +we waited for night.</p> + +<p>Our location was now about ten miles from Boston, and I knew the road; +so we dozed off, in the confidence of apparent security.</p> + +<p>I was awakened by a sound which startled me, and as I listened, it +proved to be a rustle in the underbrush, heard at intervals, and the +sound of a bell. The others were called by me, and we hid more securely, +as the footsteps of a man were now to be heard. Soon we saw a most +cadaverous, tall and poverty-stricken looking individual approaching in +an erratic manner, and we could now hear his low-toned mutterings as he +darted here and there. As the lower portion of his body came into view +we saw that he was driving an old sow, with a bell attached to her neck, +and that he carried an old rifle, with its stock tied on with strings. +He seemed to be one of the refugees who had been <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>after his stray hog, +and we arose from our concealment and approached him.</p> + +<p>He was literally dressed in rags, and was inclined to be scared at our +appearance, but we soon pacified him, and had an interesting +conversation, during which we learned his whole history.</p> + +<p>The interest in this incident exists in the fact that, although I had +seen many Southern men with Northern sympathies, this was the first out +and out rebel I had seen who talked "lost cause."</p> + +<p>When night came, we made our way to Boston and passed through the town +in the silence of the deserted streets, the hour being that of very +early morn. The fact that I had spent so many days here, after having +been recaptured on my previous runaway trip, made the spot interesting +to both my companions and myself, and I pointed out to them all the +various points of note. Had we had any chalk with us I should certainly +have left my card, in the shape of some notes, on various doors; but, as +it was, we passed through and on. We went about five miles beyond the +town and camped for the day.</p> + +<p>The next night we proceeded without interruption or incident worthy of +note, and reached a deserted cabin about daylight, in which we slept +soundly all day, lying on a few boards in the loft, close to the eaves, +where we were securely hidden. The hut had been used by sheep for +shelter, and it was not excessively clean, but <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>the weather was cold and +threatening when we turned in, and we were not sticklers about trifles +like that.</p> + +<p>Our pants were all wet from crossing "slues" and watercourses during the +night, and we were too tired to sit up and dry them out before going to +sleep. When we awoke they were frozen stiff and we were chilled through.</p> + +<p>I was awakened by hearing a woman singing as she passed by the old hut, +and as we lay there, rubbing our limbs to restore the circulation, we +heard a splashing and squealing near the hut, which had awakened my +companions and now caused me to go outside to investigate, when it was +found that an enormous rat had tumbled into an old, abandoned well at +the corner of the house. We put him out of his misery and took a run +down a ravine, where we built a good fire and got thoroughly warmed up.</p> + +<p>After a scanty meal, we again took to the road and tramped all night, +meeting with no mishaps and making good progress.</p> + +<p>In the morning we profited by experience, and went into a ravine, built +a fire and dried out before turning in for the day.</p> + +<p>The next night we came to a bayou, about 11 o'clock, and crossed on +logs. Finding a bad road beyond, we sought a retired spot and turned in +to wait for daylight.</p> + +<p>In the morning we skirmished around for something to eat, and found it +in the cabin of an <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span>old negro, whom we nearly scared to death as we took +possession of his hut. From him we learned that we were in the Red River +bottom, and he directed us how to proceed on our course, telling us to +turn to the right at a certain point, which he described.</p> + +<p>After eating heartily of our corn bread and sow belly, we started off in +high spirits, and soon found the spot where we were to turn to the +right, which direction we followed out until the road turned into a +cow-path and finally led us to the bars of a fence across the road at +the edge of a thick wood.</p> + +<p>We knew that we were lost and had come a long distance since taking the +right (?) direction. Knowing that we had obeyed the instructions given +us, we were inclined to be wrathy, and we sat down for greater ease and +support while we cussed that nigger "up hill and down." Rummel and I did +the cussing, while Miller watched for a chance to break in upon our +monopoly of the conversation, when he mildly suggested that, as the +nigger was standing with his face to us when he told us how to proceed, +and as we were facing in the direction which we were to take, it was +likely that the darkey had meant his right and not ours, which plausible +explanation only made us the more wrathy, because the nigger had been +stupid instead of having willfully misled us, as we had taken it for +granted he had.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span>When we had vented our spleen and rested up, we struck out, at a +venture, in preference to retracing our steps. After a tedious struggle +through the underbrush and a thorough wetting in the bayou we had to +cross we at length came upon a large field in which about 100 negroes +were burning stumps and clearing ground. Selecting a hiding place, we +lay in wait to single out some darkey who could be entrusted with our +management until we could cross the Red River and again get started on +our way.</p> + +<p>After some little time spent in a study of the various faces which came +near enough to be seen plainly, I selected two men who walked together +and seemed to be brothers. It took a good deal of patience to await a +chance to see them alone, and we talked over all sorts of schemes for +securing a private interview with these darkeys. About the time when we +gave up all scheming and decided to trust to chance, the question was +settled for us by the two men starting off in our direction, with an +evident intention of leaving the field.</p> + +<p>In my capacity of diplomat I was sent to waylay them at a proper spot +and negotiate for what we needed in the way of food and assistance. By a +little manœuvring the darkeys were intercepted at a suitable spot, +and I found them to be very intelligent men, who were only too glad to +help us all they could. They were slaves on a plantation located on the +banks of the Red <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span>River, of which the field was a portion, and they were +on their way to the outbuildings, near at hand, for some tools. They +left me, to get the articles needed in the field, and soon returned, +bringing with them a liberal portion of their day's allowance of food, +which they gave to me. Before returning to the field they gave me +explicit directions how to find the river bank after night at the proper +place, where they agreed to meet us and set us across the river. They +gave their names as Taylor and Sam Jeans, and promised to bring us some +more provisions when they met us as agreed.</p> + +<p>I returned to Rummel and Miller, and we had a hearty meal, watching the +negroes at work while we ate, and continuing to watch them until they +quit work and went home.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> +<h3>A PUZZLE, AND INCIDENTS.</h3> + +<p>When the appointed time drew near we broke camp and proceeded to the +designated spot on the river bank, which we found without much trouble. +We waited and waited, but no negroes appeared. It was now nearly +midnight, and a bright moon began to illuminate our surroundings with +the ghostly light that proceeds from a combination of the moon's rays +with the darkness and shadows of a timbered river bottom. We waited +until we could no longer hear a sound from the plantation houses in the +distance and for at least an hour after total silence reigned all about +us. Then we began to fear that the negroes had forgotten us, and I was +despatched to see what I could find.</p> + +<p>Now comes a part of my story which I must leave to wiser heads than mine +for explanation. I simply state the facts as they occurred and leave the +reader to satisfy himself or herself as to the controlling influence +which prompted my actions. I cannot satisfactorily explain them to +myself.</p> + +<p>I did not know a single foot of the ground over which I was to travel, +and my only guide as to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>where I wanted to go was the remembrance of the +direction in which we had heard the sounds of plantation life in the +early evening.</p> + +<p>I started off through a field and came upon a narrow road on the other +side, evidently a cross road. Down this I turned, in a direction which +did not accord with my memory of the proper course, and yet I seemed to +be impelled that way. I soon came to a turnstile in the fence on one +side, and through this I passed without a moment's hesitation, although +there was nothing in sight except a narrow path. Some distance down the +path I came to a double row of negro cabins, about twenty on each side +of a narrow street, facing each other. I did not know what I was to do, +and to find a particular negro in that array of cabins without arousing +the whole outfit was a problem beyond me, yet, without any +consideration, doubt or even a halt, I passed across the end of the +street to the rear of the farther row of cabins, and down the back of +that row until I reached the nearest corner of the next to the last +house. Here I halted and stood still. Why, I do not know, but I did, and +it was my first halt since I had left my companions. Shortly after I +halted I heard a voice that I recognized say:</p> + +<p>"Lay over dar, you Taylor!"</p> + +<p>Here I was, right where I wished to be, and in a very short time I had +aroused the sleeping darkeys, to learn that they had lain down to rest +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>until the time appointed for the meeting, naturally falling fast +asleep. They reproached themselves for their neglect, and we were soon +on our way to the river bank, with a plentiful supply of food.</p> + +<p>They asked me how I had found them, and I truthfully replied that I did +not know, at which they rolled their eyes and looked at me in a peculiar +manner, when I added that I was walking around the cabins in the hope of +finding someone awake, and heard Sam tell Taylor to roll over. This +satisfied them, but it has never satisfied me, for, while I heard the +voice almost as soon as I halted, I could have passed the cabin in the +short interval had I kept on, and in such event I could not have heard +what I did.</p> + +<p>My going directly to the cabins may be attributed to the instinct which +sometimes leads men, and my passing to the rear of the farther cabins +first to an accident of direction, but I never could account, on any +theory of chance or instinct, for the coincidence of my halt at the +proper place at the only instant in which I could have heard the call of +Sam to Taylor.</p> + +<p>We reached Rummel and Miller in so short a time after my departure from +them as to cause an inquiry from them as to how I had managed to find +the darkeys so quickly. I postponed explanation until later, and we +proceeded to business.</p> + +<p>The negroes had cooked us a goodly amount <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>of hog meat and a pone of +corn bread, but the meat was only such as they could procure in a hurry, +and consisted of the livers, lights, noses and such portions of the +animal as would not be used by the planter and his family.</p> + +<p>The skiff of the darkeys had been lodged, during high water, behind a +tree, and when we got it down and afloat it looked like a sieve. We +caulked it as best we could with leaves and some old rags, but the thing +was a failure, and none of us cared to risk it.</p> + +<p>Sam offered to pilot us to Little Rock himself, crossing the river lower +down and then going across the country, but this offer we declined, +because of the almost certainty of death if runaway prisoners were +caught with a runaway negro. Sam still insisted, however, saying that he +had a rifle and seven rounds of ammunition, and that we could fight if +we had to, but we positively refused to take him with us, and the man +was actually inclined to be angry. The matter was settled by Taylor +giving us directions to follow the river down stream until we found a +cabin in a certain spot, which he described, and we set off in high +glee, Taylor further informing us that his name would make everything +right with the owners of the cabin, and that we would find a willing and +able ferryman there.</p> + +<p>It was now nearly morning, and we hastened on our way; but, when we came +to the spot where Taylor had told us we would find a path <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>to the cabin, +we found that a large force of cavalry had recently been camped there, +and all signs of any regular path were completely obliterated by the +trampled condition of the ground and the many trails leading in all +directions, while an immense quantity of corn shucks were strewn all +about the place.</p> + +<p>We made a circuit of the camp, and finally struck off on a path which +looked as if it might be the one meant by Taylor, but we had not gone a +great ways when it became a blind lead, and we were soon lost in the +canebrake. The cane made it too dark to proceed farther, and we went +into camp.</p> + +<p>When daylight came we found ourselves in a great bend of the river, and +a little feeling around showed us a number of cavalry horses turned +loose. We therefore kept quiet, in a part of the bottom where the cane +was so thick that we once heard a man rounding up the horses without our +being able to see him. As Rummel expressed it, "We couldn't have found a +cow right there if we had had hold of her tail."</p> + +<p>After a while we stole out to where we could see without being seen, and +discovered a tent and big fire not far away, while in the distance was a +band of music moving away with an escort of rebel cavalry. Around the +tent and fire were a lot of men and cavalry horses, and we concluded to +adjourn.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>After a long search through the cane we found a road and started off, +keeping a sharp lookout.</p> + +<p>We had gone but a short distance down the road when we almost ran into +another cavalry camp, and we had to swallow our hearts to keep them in +their proper position, while we hastily executed a flank movement to +avoid the soldiers. We succeeded in passing around them without being +discovered, and again went on our way in peace for a time, but soon had +another scare.</p> + +<p>It was now nearly evening, and as we reached the river bank we heard +some men approaching. It was a close shave, as we barely had time to +conceal ourselves before they came out of the woods on the opposite side +of the road and started for the camp we had just passed.</p> + +<p>As soon as they had disappeared we started to follow the river bank, and +as we proceeded down stream, with the timber on our right and the river +on our left, we had not gone far when some men were heard coming in our +direction. Dodging into the brush for concealment, we lay there until +several men and their dogs had passed. They turned into the wood not far +from us and began cutting down a tree in which they had located a coon. +The tree was soon felled, and then occurred a lively skirmish between +men, dogs, clubs and coon, in which the coon finally got the worst of +it.</p> + +<p>When the battle was over and the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>coon-hunters had gone, we crawled out +of our hiding place and started down the river again.</p> + +<p>In less than a mile, and about 12 o'clock, we came upon another lot of +soldiers, camped in the road on the river bank and apparently sound +asleep, our evidence of the latter fact being the unmusical sounds +proceeding from them.</p> + +<p>The situation was rather on the critical order, but it was light enough +for us to see any movement of the enemy. We made a careful movement by +the right flank, and were soon around them, fortunately without +discovery.</p> + +<p>Proceeding on our way, we would have felt quite happy had Miller been +less miserable, but he could not forget that we had not as yet crossed +the river, and it was impossible for him to be comfortable while on the +wrong side of a stream of water.</p> + +<p>Coming to an opening in the timber on our right we saw a plantation. A +high fence was built along the road in front of it. Just as we had +gotten fairly started away from the timber and in front of this fence +the sounds of a horse galloping in our direction caused us to make a +sudden choice between an unwise meeting and a slide down the steep river +bank. We slid.</p> + +<p>The horsemen reined up in front of the farmhouse, just abreast of where +we were hugging the slippery bank, and we heard him call out some inmate +of the house and ask the way to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>Rondo, where, it seemed, they were +having a dance.</p> + +<p>The danger to result from meeting with undesirable people was +considerable, and we had quite a scare on account of our narrow margin +of time for evading this fast rider, but we soon became glad of the +forced tumble over the river bank.</p> + +<p>As soon as we were recovered from our scare and momentary confusion we +found that our slide down the bank had landed us within easy reach of a +canoe, the very thing most needed by us at that time. In fact, if we had +gone down the bank with more momentum either the canoe or the water +under it would have stopped our descent.</p> + +<p>This discovery seemed providential, and we regarded it as a good omen of +our success.</p> + +<p>An investigation proved the canoe to be a poor affair, but we concluded +that we could cross two at a time, and Rummel and Miller started, I +keeping pace with them on the bank as the canoe carried them down. They +got over all right, and Miller landed, Rummel coming back for me. Both +Miller and myself now walked down stream, as the canoe made as much +distance that way as across, and when Rummel had finally picked me up +and landed me we met Miller at least a mile down stream from where we +had started the movement.</p> + +<p>During this operation Miller and I had to keep <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>close to the river in +order that we might not lose sight of each other or the canoe, and, by +thus being unable to choose the best places for a convenient walk, we +were pretty well scratched by the briers and other impediments that +seemed to exist in profusion just where we had to go.</p> + +<p>Having no further use for the canoe, we upset it and let it go. Then we +started across the river bottom.</p> + +<p>We had no trouble until we struck a bayou, which the moonlight showed to +be quite wide. We could not tell how deep it was, but we found that it +had a soft bottom, and we did not venture to wade the sluggish stream. +After a long search up and down the edge, during which we got tangled up +in some brush and made a row which started up some dogs in the +neighborhood, we found a fence which crossed the bayou. I shall never +forget the sight of Miller and Rummel "cooning" that fence.</p> + +<p>The moon shone down through the gathering clouds with a dim light, and +when we reached the fence we could see that it was built clear across +the water in our front; so I mounted it at once and was soon on the +other side. My companions had a discussion as to who should go first, +both hanging back, for the fence looked frail and the top rails were +sharp. When I got over and turned around to look, Rummel was just making +a start.</p> + +<p>The fence had not been used as a bridge, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>some of the rails were +rotten, while most were slippery.</p> + +<p>I had had some vexatious experiences myself in crossing, and I was in a +position to enjoy keenly the sight of the others going through the same +experiences; so I stood in the moonlight, encouraging my friends and +laughing heartily as a slip on a broken rail caused suppressed comments +or grotesque contortions on the part of the fence-riders. They finally +got across, and we soon found the main road, but our troubles were not +yet ended, for the soil was "gumbo" of the meanest kind, and we soon had +to camp and rest up, while to add to our cheer and comfort it began to +rain.</p> + +<p>We spent the balance of the night in the rain and "gumbo," praying for +daylight and sunshine.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> +<h3>EXPERIENCES.</h3> + +<p>The next morning we started on our way and had a routine march for +several days, with no incidents worth mentioning until we began to meet +a stray soldier now and then. Our growing confidence in ourselves made +it easy for us to tell a satisfactory story in each case, and we learned +from these men that we were approaching Washington, where Magruder had +his headquarters.</p> + +<p>From some negroes we got a full description of the town and a complete +line of directions as to what course to pursue in order to avoid +undesirable observation.</p> + +<p>We had to be very careful, but boldness was an essential part of the +policy of being careful, and we walked through the outskirts of the town +as if we owned it, avoiding the traveled streets, but being as free and +as easy as possible.</p> + +<p>It was impossible for Miller to be free and easy at any time in anything +partaking of deception, as he was too conscious and conscientious. No +amount of successful evasion of difficulties could make him forget for a +moment that we were escaped prisoners and should be locked up—from <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>the +standpoint of the rebels; so he was continually imagining that he saw +detection in the eye of every person we met.</p> + +<p>We were all nervous, but, with the exception of Miller, we made a fair +show of being self-possessed and independent. We walked through the town +as if traveling on eggs; every sound made him start; every person we saw +gave him a shock of dread and uncertainty, and if we had met anyone of a +suspicious nature we should have been closely questioned, at least. As +it was, we finally skirted the town and got into the main road again, +beyond, but we had to pass right through the soldiers' quarters to do +it. We went on the principle that they were ignorant as to us, and would +have no suspicions unless we created them by our actions, but only good +luck in not being observed closely saved us from capture, for poor +Miller scarcely touched the ground, and showed his effort at restraint +so plainly that anyone with half an eye would have known that he was +doing something wrong. We "herded" him between us as best we could, and, +not being critically surveyed, succeeded in passing on our way.</p> + +<p>The next night we came to a blacksmith shop, where we had to take refuge +on account of a heavy rain. This shop was one of those old-fashioned +country forges, built by the roadside near some farmer's house, where he +or his neighbors tried their hands at smith work as occasion <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span>demanded. +The building was an old "shack," with a leaky roof, but it gave some +shelter, although we had to sleep on the forge as best we could, to keep +out of the puddles and mud on the earthen floor.</p> + +<p>I know of no word better than <i>excruciating</i>, to describe the comforts +of that night. The forge was large, and we could lie upon it after +cleaning it off, but we had to squeeze together. The edges were rough +stones, and our feet hung over. If my readers will take the first +opportunity afforded them to occupy a similar position for several hours +they will appreciate my use of the above word. To enjoy fully the +situation, aside from the pains thereof, they should have a friend stand +by with some cold water and occasionally let fall a drop, or succession +of them, upon the face, neck or ears of the victim. As a choice of two +evils it was an admirable selection; as a matter of comfort it was a +failure.</p> + +<p>We were not awakened by the daylight, for we were already awake, and, +when we could see that the rain had turned to snow, we started off +again, preferring the snow and mud in daylight. Coming to an open piece +of woods, and seeing a large tree which had been felled, we went to it +and found what protection we could in its thick top for the balance of +the day, the monotony of the stay being relieved by exchange from snow +to rain and from rain to snow every now and then.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>Just before dark it cleared up, and we once more started on our way, +meeting with no obstacle until we reached the Little Missouri River +bottom, which was crossed by an old corduroy road, and then we had some +more fun.</p> + +<p>For two miles and a half we blundered along on this road, in a gloomy +darkness, every few minutes coming to a spot where one or the other of +us would slip through between the logs and sink up to our knees in the +mud and water, which fact was generally communicated to the others by +harsh criticisms upon the efficiency of the county commissioners.</p> + +<p>When we reached the river we were about as tired as men can be and stand +up, but we found that the ferry-boat was on the other side, and we had +to seek some place in which to rest for the night and await daylight. +Going back a short distance from the river we found an open space where +there were signs of a former camp, and we tried to build a fire. +Everything was soaking wet, and all our efforts ended in smoke, except a +few sulphurous remarks. There was no shelter to be had; we had to sleep +in the open, and the ground was too wet to be comfortable. After some +discussion, we decided to try standing up, which means of rest we +enjoyed for the balance of the night.</p> + +<p>Did you ever try to find a place to rest when everything upon which you +could possibly sit or lie was soaking wet? If so, you can understand<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> +why we chose to stand up. Did you ever try to sleep in a standing +posture, or to rest in like position for any length of time? If so, you +will appreciate the following:</p> + +<p>Throwing my blanket over my head, I braced myself firmly against a tree, +closed my eyes, and—the next thing I knew I was in a heap on the wet +ground, wildly struggling with my blanket, my knees having relaxed as I +became unconscious. Now fully awake, I took a walk around to find a +better spot, but soon came back to my first location and tried it again. +This time I remained awake long enough to realize, by the time that the +comfortable feelings of drowsiness were again stealing over me, that the +air inside of my blanket was not pleasant to breathe, and, in throwing +the covering from my head, I became wide awake again. After another +interval of wakefulness, during which I realized keenly how tired my +limbs were, and after quietly enjoying some of the experiences of my +neighbors, the demands of nature again became paramount, and I dozed +off. With a sudden sense of a harsh scraping along the back of my head, +and a dim realization of the fact that my knees had again refused duty, +I came to myself just in time to keep from sitting on the ground, this +time sliding down the tree instead of pitching forward. After a walk +down to the river to view the situation again, I returned to my tree, +adjusted my position, to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span>guard as well as I could against former +experiences, and gradually dozed off in the belief that I was this time +scientifically and safely propped. Suddenly I realized that I was +falling, and became conscious enough to make three or four rapid steps +forward, to save myself, before I stumbled over a log and went head +first to the ground. After this, I never went to sleep during the +balance of the night, but I contented myself with a succession of nods +between the intervals of knee-bendings and losses of balance. Try it and +see how it works.</p> + +<p>I have slept on the wet ground—slept soundly, and never taken cold from +it, but not in a boggy location such as that was on that night, and we +all stood up in preference, again a choice of the lesser evil.</p> + +<p>It might be asked why we did not go back to the high ground instead of +remaining in the bottom. No one who has ever tramped over such a +miserable road as that by which we had reached the bottom—for two and a +half miles in the dark—will be likely to question why we preferred to +stay where we were. It is doubtful whether we would have undertaken to +retrace our steps over the corduroy road even if we had known in advance +just what our night's experience was to be.</p> + +<p>The next morning when we went down to the river we found that it had +risen several feet during the night.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>The road reached the river at a point of land which projected some +distance, and where the road had been comparatively dry the night +before, behind the point, we now had to wade in order to reach the ferry +landing.</p> + +<p>It was useless to attempt hailing the ferry-boat, so we went back to our +stamping ground and breakfasted upon what corn we could pick out of the +ground around the spot where former campers had tarried. This corn was +the scaled or wasted kernels left by horses at their feeding places.</p> + +<p>While eating we heard a noise of men talking on the river, and at once +assumed that the boat was coming over. We had no money with which to pay +for crossing, and my companions, Miller especially, were very much +excited over the question of what we were to do. Miller had a ring which +he wanted me to take for the purpose of paying the ferryman, but I would +not take it, and we nearly had a quarrel in consequence. My desire was +to go to the ferry and be governed by circumstances as to what we should +do, but the others wanted to have it all mapped out beforehand.</p> + +<p>"What will you tell him, Swiggett?" asked Miller.</p> + +<p>"How can I tell?" was my reply.</p> + +<p>"But suppose he asks for money or is suspicious?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span>"When he does or is I will meet him; but, boys, how on earth can you +tell what to do or say till you know what you have to overcome? Let's go +down there in a natural way and do what seems best when we get there. +Come on!"</p> + +<p>We went, my companions following me reluctantly, and Miller all in a +flutter of nervous apprehension.</p> + +<p>Reaching the landing, we found the boat nearly across, but the ferryman +had all he could do to make any progress. The rise in the river had made +a strong current along our shore. It was a hand ferry, and the rope was +fastened in a poor line for ease in ferrying at that stage of the river.</p> + +<p>Calling out to the man, I got in a good position to jump aboard, and +said to my companions:</p> + +<p>"Come on, boys! Can't you see that the man has his hands full? Let's +jump aboard and help."</p> + +<p>Hearing this, the fellow increased his efforts, the boat approached +nearer, we made a big jump and got aboard, helping to haul the boat to +the land. Then we learned that he had come over to shift the rope, and +we helped him do this, after which he took us across.</p> + +<p>Arriving on the other side I put my hand in my pocket as confidently as +if I had had a roll of greenbacks at my command, and asked the ferryman +how much we owed him. As I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> expected, he would not take a cent, but +thanked us heartily for our assistance, and we went on our way +rejoicing.</p> + +<p>It is a fact worthy of note that the response of this man to my offer of +pay was almost as well known to me before he made it as after. Not on +the principle of natural results from given causes, as many men would +have asked either all or part pay. Nor was it from any particular +judgment of the individual, as I was unable to form any satisfactory +idea of his inclination from what could be seen of him. I simply <i>felt</i> +and <i>knew</i> that he would refuse pay. Whether this was due to intuition, +instinct or some subtle principle of mind communication, I do not +profess to know and I do not say, but the fact was that I did not think +or believe—I <i>knew</i>, and those inclined to account for the fact will +find this point of interest to them.</p> + +<p>"What would you have said, Swiggett, if he had named a price?" asked +Miller.</p> + +<p>"But he didn't, Miller," I responded; "and he wasn't suspicious."</p> + +<p>"But if he had been?"</p> + +<p>"How can I tell? It would have depended on circumstances. My experience +is that one can never, or very seldom, carry out imaginary conversation, +and I never try to hamper myself unnecessarily by pre-arranged ideas."</p> + +<p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 354px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i184.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">CAPT. B. F. MILLER.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p>These conversations are related simply to show how easy it is to +overcome many seeming <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>difficulties. We can figure and calculate all +we will in advance, but it almost invariably happens that the details of +our plans must be changed on the scene of action, either to surmount +unexpected obstacles or to take the shortest and surest road to success. +The best way to dispose of obstacles is to go at them. Many and most +disappear before you reach them, while those which really have to be +surmounted are usually ridden over on lines suggested at the time of +meeting.</p> + +<p>In crossing the river we had given the ferryman no time to ask +questions, even had he been disposed to do so, and I had asked the way +to Arkadelphia, learning the direction to take and that the distance was +fifty-two miles, on a plain road.</p> + +<p>As usual, after the river was crossed, Miller was jubilant and happy +until he had time to begin worrying about the next river, which he soon +did. If my friend worries as much about crossing the final river as he +did about crossing earthly rivers in our travels together it may be that +he will have to cross much sooner than he otherwise would.</p> + +<p>It must not be understood that my illustrations of Miller's +peculiarities are made in disparagement of the man. We all have our own +peculiar traits of character, and it merely happened that this journey +developed in Miller some phases of a disposition that in other things +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>would have had more than compensating merits. He was simply more +cautious than is usual in men, and so exceedingly honest that it was +impossible for him to dissimulate. A tall, fine-looking gentleman, with +dignified bearing, and the very embodiment of honor and +conscientiousness, one to whom recapture was certain if lies were +necessary to avoid it; this was Miller.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> +<h3>GOOD LUCK AND BAD.</h3> + +<p>We were soon out of the river bottom, and then came the question as to +whether we should keep or avoid the road. We decided to remain upon it, +because of the fact that the ferryman would probably ask the first comer +if he had met us, and a negative reply might cause questions and +suspicions; so we trudged along, in hopes of a successful issue to our +campaign.</p> + +<p>Soon we saw an approaching horseman, and again our friend Miller became +agitated. When a nearer view developed the fact that the rider was a +rebel officer, we had hard work to keep Miller from throwing up his +hands or running, we being entirely unarmed, but he calmed down and +behaved nicely as the officer rode up and we saw that he was a major.</p> + +<p>We saluted, said good morning, and passed on in a matter-of-fact way, +while the officer gave us scarcely a look as he returned our salute and +rode by; so Miller had a respite.</p> + +<p>Having thus met somebody to report us at the ferry, we now left the road +and went into the woods to lay up, taking pains to go a good mile <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>from +the road in order to avoid any possible notice.</p> + +<p>Finding a good, thick top of a felled tree, we sought the seclusion of +its branches and indulged in a good sleep.</p> + +<p>We were awakened along in the afternoon by a crunching sound like that +of horses walking on gravel, and, when we realized what it was, the +horses were so close to us that we fairly hugged the ground and +trembled, feeling that it must be some people looking for us.</p> + +<p>The sound passing by, we got out to investigate, and we had not gone +fifteen paces through some bushes till we stopped and looked at each +other quizzically. There was another road, evidently more traveled than +the one we had taken such pains to avoid. As the joke was on all, we had +nothing to say.</p> + +<p>We were now out of provisions again, and, in prospecting around, we +found that the two roads came together a short distance below.</p> + +<p>The country in our neighborhood was a farming district, but it was now +barren. The houses and buildings were deserted, the fences down and +everything dilapidated. We could find nothing to eat, and again took to +the road.</p> + +<p>To show how run down and deserted that section was I state as a fact +that we ransacked every stable, corn crib and vacant house in our path +that night for a distance of about fifteen miles without seeing a soul +or finding anything <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span>eatable. But few houses appeared to be inhabited, +and these were avoided.</p> + +<p>Just before daybreak we came across an old stable, where we found some +corn in the mangers—that is, the small kernels left on the ends of the +cobs by horses when they eat. Of this we made a fairly good meal.</p> + +<p>A little farther on we came to a corn crib which had in it about 150 +bushels of corn, and here we had a feast, building a fire and parching +the corn.</p> + +<p>While we were eating we saw a cow coming toward the corn crib, and we +welcomed her heartily, giving her some corn shucks to feed upon while we +milked her and regaled ourselves.</p> + +<p>We now proceeded with little or no trouble, making far better time than +we had expected to make, and we felt almost as if at home when we came +to a finger-board bearing the inscription: "2½ miles to Arkadelphia."</p> + +<p>I had been in this place with our army on our way to Camden the spring +before, and it now seemed as if we must soon meet some blue uniforms.</p> + +<p>We passed on around the town to the Caddo river, which empties into the +Washita four miles above Arkadelphia.</p> + +<p>When we reached the river there were no signs of a ferry, and we walked +up and down the river bank for about two miles each way before we found +any chance to cross. There seemed to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>be no ferry, and the chance of +crossing was based solely upon the fact that we finally discovered a +house on the farther bank, and a skiff tied to a tree near by.</p> + +<p>We built our hopes on that skiff, but there was no way to get it at +present, and we decided to drop down the river to a secluded place in +the bottom and await developments.</p> + +<p>Finding the desired place, we went into camp, building a fire, parching +some corn, warming up well and getting a good sleep.</p> + +<p>In the morning we again went over the ground, but found no better chance +to cross, concluding that the owner of the skiff must be the ferryman.</p> + +<p>We could not build a raft, as there were no logs lying about which were +suitable for the purpose. The river was too deep to wade, and the water +was so cold that we were afraid to risk an effort to swim over, +especially on account of Miller's aversion to the element, and the +necessity of towing him over on a log if we tried this method of +crossing; so, after sizing up the situation in all its aspects, we +decided to keep quiet until about sundown and then go boldly down to the +water's edge at the road and hail the ferryman, taking our chances of +results.</p> + +<p>Accordingly we again sought our hiding place, and passed the day in +sleeping and conversation, neither hearing nor seeing anything +throughout the day.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>At the proper time we emerged boldly from our secluded nook and sought +the road, without any attempt at secrecy, having been all over the +ground both in the morning and the night before, and having heard +nothing since.</p> + +<p>A short distance from the road we saw a man on the river bank, and kept +right on, taking him to be some stray individual looking for a chance to +cross the river, but we had not gone twenty paces after seeing him until +we walked right into a picket post of nine men, or, rather, right into +plain view of them, they being about fifty yards distant.</p> + +<p>There was no help for it but to put on a bold front, and we walked right +along about our business. Seeing them watching us, I broke the silence +by addressing them and asking the way to the ferry.</p> + +<p>They answered, and asked where we were going, to which I responded by +saying that we had been hunting for the ferry for an hour or more and +were going to cross, walking along in a business-like manner while +talking.</p> + +<p>The corporal in charge of the picket guard now called to us to come into +camp, but we did not hear him, and kept on without hurrying. Then we got +a peremptory order in a tone which meant business, and we concluded +instantaneously to hear and heed this; so we stopped and asked what they +wanted, and walked slowly into <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span>camp when the corporal repeated his +order, remonstrating against the delay as we did so.</p> + +<p>Miller was now so nervous that he scarcely knew on which end he stood, +but he quieted down in appearance when I asked him to keep cool, let me +do the talking, and back me up.</p> + +<p>We were now asked to show our papers, but we had none to show, and by +rapid questioning I learned that these men had been guarding the river +at this point for some time, but had left the river bank for better +quarters when the high water came, and had just camped again when we +came up.</p> + +<p>Asking the corporal his name, I learned that it was Ed. Rocket, and I +then told him that we lived in Rockport, Hot Springs county, and were +going home, being soldiers in Captain Stewart's Company A, of the 15th +Arkansas, and having come from Magruder's headquarters at Washington.</p> + +<p>He then asked for our passes, and I told him that he was too old a +soldier not to know that we could not possibly have a pass, it being all +that a captain's commission was worth to give leave of absence in those +days, stating to him, in explanation of our absence from our command, +that we had been in service for over two years without any leave; that +when we had begged our captain to let us go home when it was so close he +had told us that we could simply slip off, if we would promise to be +back in ten <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span>days, and he would not report us absent unless that time +elapsed before our return, and that we had taken chances on his word, +because we wanted to get home so badly.</p> + +<p>This seemed to satisfy Rocket that it was all right, and he hesitated +for a few minutes before he answered that he would gladly let us go on, +but that his orders were positive to let <i>nobody</i> cross the river +without a pass or proper papers.</p> + +<p>I again remonstrated at the delay and annoyance, and he sympathized with +us, but was firm in his unwillingness to disobey positive orders which +left no discretion. He finally said he would take us over to +headquarters at Arkadelphia and do what he could to get necessary +permission for us to cross the river.</p> + +<p>There being no other course to pursue, we thanked him heartily and at +once fraternized with him and his men.</p> + +<p>They had just cooked supper, and we invited ourselves to eat with them, +saying that we were almighty hungry, but that they would have to put up +with it, inasmuch as we were not exactly willing guests.</p> + +<p>We were quite hungry, and we demonstrated the fact by eating the entire +quantity of food which the nine men had prepared for their meal, talking +and chatting the while, with the party looking on with open-mouthed +amazement at our appetites, as they waited for two of their number to +prepare an additional supply, the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span>extra quantity being increased as +they proceeded, until they really cooked as much more as they had at +first prepared for themselves.</p> + +<p>Once, while we were eating, Miller inadvertently called me captain, and +asked me to pass him something. Fortunately he did not speak loud, as he +was close by my side, but I gave him a look which spoke volumes, and he +kept silent thereafter.</p> + +<p>After our hosts had finished their supper we started for Arkadelphia, +and, while on the road, we learned that the object of guarding the river +had been to catch refugee "Arkansaw" people and to head off such natives +as might be en route to join the 3d and 4th Arkansas Cavalry, then being +organized in Little Rock.</p> + +<p>This was our twenty-first night out since leaving the stockade, and we +were now 275 miles from Tyler, Texas, and fifty miles from Little +Rock—"so near and yet so far."</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h2> +<h3>IN THE TOILS.</h3> + +<p>On reaching Arkadelphia we were taken to the provost marshal's office, +which was located in a two-room house in the centre of the town, and +there we found a lieutenant at the desk in one of the rooms, while +fourteen or fifteen men were gathered around an old-fashioned fireplace, +telling stories and spending a pleasant evening. Some of these men were +soldiers and some were not.</p> + +<p>I shall never forget that little room in that old house. It was about +twelve feet by sixteen, the walls were bare, the ceiling was low and +smoke-stained, the floor was without covering, and the only furniture +was the old table which served as a desk for the lieutenant, a number of +more or less rickety chairs and the two huge old-fashioned andirons +which supported the blazing logs in the enormous, ancient fireplace.</p> + +<p>Rocket took the lieutenant aside and told him our story, the evident +impression being that it was all right. He then left us.</p> + +<p>They had a lot of cooking utensils, bedding, etc., in the second room, +and soldiers were passing in and out of the rooms at intervals.</p> + +<p>As we stood awaiting the termination of the interview between Rocket and +the lieutenant, I <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span>thought I recognized several of the men in the room, +and I was certain as to two of them. It is needless to say that I +avoided observation as much as possible, without seeming to do so, and I +was not recognized.</p> + +<p>As Rocket left, the lieutenant came up to us, and, evidently thinking it +necessary, as a matter of form, began asking questions.</p> + +<p>I told the same story that I had told to Rocket, while Miller and Rummel +got into the crowd before the fireplace, adding that we were from +Northern Missouri in the first place, that my wife was the sister of my +two companions, that their name was Miller and mine Swiggett, and that +we had had to leave Missouri when it had gotten hot up there, coming to +"Arkansaw" and joining the 15th "Arkansaw."</p> + +<p>While telling this story, which I did in response to questions asked, I +could hear comments on the side between the men sitting around, and +heard one say that Rockport was not in Hot Springs county, and then +another say that it was and that I was right.</p> + +<p>These comments disturbed Miller so much that he could not keep quiet to +save his soul, and I nearly laughed out aloud as I got a side look at +him and saw him shifting nervously from one foot to the other, now +rubbing his hands together spasmodically, and then recollecting himself +enough to hold them out to the fire as an excuse for the rubbing, every +second or two <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>casting a "sheep's glance" over his shoulder at the +lieutenant and myself.</p> + +<p>His actions evidently excited suspicions, for, just as I was certain +that the lieutenant was satisfied, and felt confident that all was well, +he asked me whom I knew up around Rockport, and then commenced going +back over the same ground again in a cross-questioning sort of way.</p> + +<p>I told him that I knew no one up that way except our own folks, and, as +I heard a side comment of "Damned strange," I turned on the speaker and +said emphatically:</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't 'damned strange,' if you will let me tell my own story, +and not try to put words in my mouth."</p> + +<p>"Well, go on," said one fellow, and I continued:</p> + +<p>"When we left Missouri and joined the regiment we left our families +behind in Northern Missouri. They were ostracized and misused because we +had gone off and joined the rebels, and life became a burden to them. +So, when Price made his last raid into Missouri, they were only too glad +to come with him and take chances of starving among friends in +preference to accepting the grudging charity of the Yankees. They were +compelled to stop in Hot Springs county, five miles southeast of +Rockport. We have never been in Hot Springs county ourselves, and have +not seen our families since we left them in Northern Missouri."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>The lieutenant now asked me if I had no papers at all.</p> + +<p>Quick as a flash I said "Yes," and produced from my pocket a newspaper +published in Washington the day before, which I had picked up on the +road as we came in.</p> + +<p>He looked at it, laughed, and said that he did not mean that sort of +paper, but a pass or something to prove our identity.</p> + +<p>I said that we would not be there if we had any pass, and that I did not +see why he doubted a straight statement in accordance with facts.</p> + +<p>He now led me into the next room and tried to coax me into confidence +with him, but I stuck to my text, and could see that I had him on the +run, so to speak, although he had apparently suspected us of being +Arkansas Federals.</p> + +<p>As we walked back to the office room I saw that poor Miller was as +fidgety as a nervous man could possibly be, and his actions, as he +quickly held out his hands to the fire and as quickly withdrew them to +rub them together in an absent-minded way, caused the lieutenant to look +at me sharply and again ask to what regiment we belonged.</p> + +<p>This made me mad, and I answered shortly:</p> + +<p>"The 15th Arkansaw, as I have told you three times before."</p> + +<p>"What brigade?" now followed quickly.</p> + +<p>"Thompson's," was the prompt reply.</p> + +<p>"What division?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span>"Molyneux's."</p> + +<p>At this time we had been under fire for nearly an hour and a half +without giving anything tangible on which the lieutenant could hang +suspicion, but here he thought he had me, and he quickly responded:</p> + +<p>"There are no Arkansaw troops in Molyneux's division."</p> + +<p>Without an instant's hesitation, I came back at him with:</p> + +<p>"If you know more about this thing than I do, perhaps you had better +tell the story. I'm in the 15th Arkansaw, and Molyneux is our division +commander."</p> + +<p>The principle upon which I went in this examination was that these men +were most likely as ignorant as myself about matters not of general +importance, and I knew that they could only go on hearsay as to minor +matters, such as what troops made up a division at a certain time when +that division was widely scattered, and I therefore stood on my dignity +and was positive.</p> + +<p>My reply plainly staggered the lieutenant, and he fell back on what was +apparently his last ground of argument, as he looked at our dress and +asked how we came by our blue blouses and breeches.</p> + +<p>I laughed carelessly, and looked over the crowd in a quizzical way as I +answered:</p> + +<p>"If you fellows had been chasing Steele's <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>army all summer as we have +you would be wearing them too."</p> + +<p>Then, turning to the lieutenant again, I said:</p> + +<p>"Now, see here, Lieutenant, you know that there is no such thing as a +leave of absence to be had in our army nowadays; we wouldn't have any +army if there was; and when men have been in hard service for over two +years without a chance to see their folks, it's blamed tough to keep +them standing around answering fool questions when they have only ten +days in which to go home and get back."</p> + +<p>I saw in the lieutenant's face that our case was won, but, as he opened +his mouth to say the words which would set us free, I heard the question +from behind:</p> + +<p>"Where was your regiment raised?"</p> + +<p>Turning, I saw that it had proceeded from a bright-looking young fellow +of about sixteen or seventeen, who sat near Miller and was looking up at +him with a quizzled glance. My heart sank within me, but I answered +promptly:</p> + +<p>"In Clar—"</p> + +<p>"Hold on, there! I didn't ask you," interrupted the young fellow; "I +haven't a bit of doubt but that you can tell every township that +furnished a man, and probably name every man in the regiment if +necessary; but you have had to do a lot of talking for your crowd, and I +would like to hear this man answer the question."</p> + +<p>I now knew that we were caught, and I almost <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>laughed, even in my +misery, at the picture before me.</p> + +<p>Miller was almost paralyzed. He hemmed and hawed an instant and looked +inquiringly at the lieutenant and myself.</p> + +<p>"Answer the question," sharply said that worthy, as he at once caught +the drift of the young fellow's remarks and had all his old suspicions +awakened again by the pitiful uncertainty of Miller's actions.</p> + +<p>"In—In—In Clar—Hem! In Clar—Hem! Hem!—H-e-m! Really, gentlemen—" +he said, as he rubbed his hands and made all sorts of faces and turned +all colors, while vainly trying to recall some names that he might +safely use.</p> + +<p>He finally stammered out:</p> + +<p>"The adjoining counties to—to—in the northern part of the State."</p> + +<p>His questioner then remarked quizzically:</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll be ——, if here ain't a fellow that has been in the army +over three years and can't name the counties in which his regiment was +raised."</p> + +<p>"Take these men to the jail," now ordered the lieutenant, and we were +led off to that place of abode, hearing, as we left the room, various +interesting comments and much laughter.</p> + +<p>They put us in a cabin, which was lined throughout with sheet iron, and +which had no opening in it except the door. A pine torch furnished the +light. The floor was covered with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>filth, and we had not been in there +five minutes before the atmosphere had become almost unbearable.</p> + +<p>I kicked loudly against the door, and soon a sergeant came to know what +was wanted. He was told that we wanted to see the lieutenant at once, +and he went away to call him.</p> + +<p>When the officer came he was followed by a curious crowd, and, as they +opened the door, I stepped forward and asked pleasantly if that was the +way to treat Federal prisoners.</p> + +<p>The lieutenant said that we were held as suspicious parties who could +not account for themselves, and who were probably endeavoring to join +the Yankee regiments now being organized in Little Rock, but that if we +could satisfy him that we were Federal prisoners he would let us out and +treat us as such.</p> + +<p>Having made up our minds that our best course now was to be frank, we +told him who we really were, and that we had escaped from the stockade +at Tyler, Texas, and made our way so far north on foot.</p> + +<p>As I told this I heard a remark in the crowd:</p> + +<p>"Damned if they didn't deserve to get through."</p> + +<p>The lieutenant turned, with a frown, and asked who made the remark, but +he had a smothered grin on his face as he turned back and invited us +out.</p> + +<p>This remark seemed to be the sentiment of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>entire outfit, although +they now had to keep us, and intended to do so.</p> + +<p>We were taken to a room in a neighboring house and a guard was placed +over us, but we held a regular levee until far into the night, the whole +town apparently coming to see and talk with us.</p> + +<p>While we were chagrined and disappointed over our capture, we yet had +enough sense to make the best of it, and I cannot remember a night when +I had any more fun than that levee afforded.</p> + +<p>The crowd ridiculed the lieutenant, praised the young fellow who had +shown us up, mimicked poor Miller until he was nearly frantic, laughed +and joked with us, asked us innumerable questions about ourselves, and +generally made us feel more like being out for a lark than in +confinement as prisoners.</p> + +<p>During the evening we told them of our hard fare while en route, and +described our appropriation of the picket post's supper, at which they +all laughed. Then we suggested that we were even then quite hungry, and +asked for something to eat.</p> + +<p>After some delay they brought us a kettle of cooked fresh pork and some +meal for a pone of bread. There was probably about four pounds of pork +in the mess, and a goodly supply of bread, but we ate it all before +bedtime, holding our informal reception meanwhile.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> +<h3>ANOTHER RETURN TRIP.</h3> + +<p>We remained at Arkadelphia for several days before we were moved to +Magruder's headquarters at Washington, and during this wait we were +treated more like guests than prisoners, excepting, of course, the being +under guard. I do not think that there was an able-bodied personage in +the place who did not come to see us, and there were several callers who +were not able-bodied.</p> + +<p>All the people were curious to see us, because we were Yankees, and more +curious because of our successful escape to this point, while our almost +successful effort to get through at the last was the occasion of much +admiration, many jokes and friendly actions.</p> + +<p>When we did not give ourselves time to think of our capture we really +enjoyed our stay.</p> + +<p>In discourse of time the guards who had captured us were detailed to +take us back, and they were given a leave of twenty days in which to do +so, Rocket now being a sergeant.</p> + +<p>Our start was made after a farewell that showed far more friendship than +enmity, and we <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span>made the fifty miles to Washington in four days, taking +it easy.</p> + +<p>Of the nine men who composed this squad eight were positively disloyal +to the Confederacy, but were forced to fight for it because of their +homes and families.</p> + +<p>Each one of the eight, at different times, talked very freely to me when +the others were not around, and each one told me that they would never +have held us at the river if the others could have been certainly +depended upon not to report the matter. We got to be very friendly with +these guards, and we were really sorry when it came time to part from +them.</p> + +<p>One of our guards was an old man whom his companions called Captain +Payne. He rode a sorry-looking specimen of a horse and was evidently +only a private. Wishing to be friendly, he offered to let me ride his +horse if I would allow him to hold the halter, which offer I promptly +accepted, informing him that he was welcome to hold the halter and the +horse's tail as well if he so desired. As an apology for the limitation +of my actions with his horse, he informed me that he had positive orders +to let us have no chance of escape, and to shoot us without notice if +such an attempt was made.</p> + +<p>In the course of conversation I asked him why he was called captain +while being under orders of a sergeant. His reply was that he had been +elected captain of 500 men who had organized <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>to resist the draft and +afterwards joined the Federal army; that they had been informed upon and +the scheme frustrated, he having been forced to compromise between his +neck and the halter by enlisting in the Confederate army as a private.</p> + +<p>We were taken up behind on the horses of our guards during part of the +trip, and in one of these rides behind Sergeant Rocket I learned that he +had been in Missouri with Price, but had disliked the job very much, as +had most of his companions. When Price had commenced his retreat he had +simply broken ranks and ordered the men to fall in again at Boggy +Hollow. They had all been forced to shift for themselves, and for three +days he had had nothing to eat. After that they had lived almost +entirely on fresh meat, without salt, for twenty-four days, and the +organization had been largely broken up.</p> + +<p>Rocket told me that most of the people in his part of the country would +hail with joy the approach of the Federal troops. He was married to the +daughter of a planter, who was a Union man, though a slaveholder, and +had joined the Confederate army to save his family. His father-in-law +lived on the road ten miles north from Washington, and he described the +location and gave directions so that I could find the house if I had +another chance to run away, saying that if I ever reached there and made +myself <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span>known I would certainly get to Little Rock in safety.</p> + +<p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 338px; height: 500px;"><img src="images/i208.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">SERGEANT E. B. ROCKET.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p>Captain Payne, also, gave me directions how to find the home of his +people, telling me how to find Dooley's ferry, in the neighborhood, and +how Dooley would know me, set me across the river and see that I reached +the right place. He also told me that a neighbor of theirs had three +sons in the Federal army at Little Rock, and that I could easily get +horses and guides to that place.</p> + +<p>When we reached Washington, and Ed. Rocket bade us good-bye, he told me +that he had never been so sorry for anything in his life as that he had +been obliged to capture and hold us.</p> + +<p>Ed. Rocket is now a poor Baptist preacher in Arkansas.</p> + +<p>We were turned into a guardhouse that was about sixty by twenty feet in +size and so full that all could not lie down at once. It was far from +being pleasant.</p> + +<p>The prisoners confined in this building were three spies and a large +number of Confederates, the latter being held for crimes ranging all the +way from chicken-stealing to murder, and in this agreeable society we +spent ten days.</p> + +<p>We got acquainted with a good many of the prisoners, and had +considerable fun in various ways, but we were glad to leave.</p> + +<p>Cornmeal was the only food served to us during our stay, but the rebel +prisoners were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>treated the same as the others, and we had an extra +allowance as officers—by purchase; so we could not complain of any +unfair distinctions.</p> + +<p>There was one old skillet in the guardhouse, and all the cooking had to +be done with this one article. It was never cool. We took turns in its +use, and the call of "Next!" was as orderly and regular as in a barber +shop.</p> + +<p>By common consent the Yankees were given the first turn with this +skillet, as preferred guests, and we thereby had our meals at ordinary +meal hours.</p> + +<p>There were crowds coming in and going out of the guardhouse all the +time, as there was a regular system being carried out of securing +cavalry horses for other sections.</p> + +<p>In this part of the country they had more cavalry than infantry, while +in other sections much of the veteran cavalry was dismounted for want of +horses. So they would put these cavalrymen under arrest for +chicken-stealing or any offense whenever possible and appropriate their +horses for service elsewhere. Infantrymen were let off for the same +offenses.</p> + +<p>One of the rebel officers in charge offered to let us out if we would +join his company, but we declined, with thanks.</p> + +<p>There was plenty of money among the prisoners, and much poker-playing to +kill time.</p> + +<p>I had a toothpick, made of bone and representing a woman, for which I +got fifty cents in silver. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>With this amount I bribed one of the guards +to get us four dozen eggs. Some of these we ate ourselves, but we sold +the most of them to the prisoners for $1 apiece in Confederate money. +These eggs were procured by the guard from some paroled Federal +prisoners on the outside.</p> + +<p>On the day following our egg deal I got permission to go outside with a +guard for some water, and then secured permission to buy some supplies +and take them inside. After some hunting around we found a nigger who +had a lot of turnips, and I bought a bushel for $10 in Confederate +money, having a good margin left. We ate all the turnips we wanted, and +then got $1 apiece for the balance. Everything went at $1 a unit in +Confederate money. Keeping this thing up, we fed ourselves well during +our stay, and when we left we had $400 in Confederate money.</p> + +<p>Two of the spies mentioned were named Honeycut and Masterson, and the +latter was kept in irons. They had money, and secured extra food from +the outside, of which we got a share.</p> + +<p>Masterson had been captured with a lot of drugs in his possession, and +he had claimed to be from Georgia, to which part of the country he was +returning after having run the blockade with his drugs from the North, +but he had forgotten to make all his stories agree, and they had +arrested him as a spy and put leg-irons upon <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span>him. Later on, he joined +the Confederate army to save his neck.</p> + +<p>Honeycut claimed to have been a Copperhead in Ohio, and that he had been +drafted and had furnished a substitute, but had then been drafted the +second time, when he had sworn that he would not stand it. He claimed to +have sent his family to Matamoras, and that he had gone to New York to +join them by steamer, but had been unable to get a passport. He had then +made his way to New Orleans, and had again failed to slip through. As a +last resort he had gone to Arkansas and secured a pony, with the +intention of riding through to Mexico, but had been captured and lost +the horse and his money.</p> + +<p>The provost marshal, Colonel Province, was a very clever gentleman, and +he was kind to us in several ways. One of his courtesies was to grant us +a parole within the city limits.</p> + +<p>When Magruder's chief of staff saw us on the street and learned of our +parole he ordered Colonel Province to return us immediately to prison. +The colonel pleaded for us, saying that he knew us to be gentlemen, and +that he felt easier in regard to us while we were on parole than he +would if we were in the insecure guardhouse, even while he knew that the +parole was contrary to orders, for the guardhouse was filthy and crowded +with criminals. This plea in our favor had no effect, and the colonel +received peremptory orders to place us in prison at once, under <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>penalty +of being reported to Magruder for disobedience.</p> + +<p>Three guards were sent to take us to the colonel's headquarters, where +he told us of his talk with the chief of staff, and expressed his regret +that he was compelled to obey, closing his remark with:</p> + +<p>"But I want to tell you, gentlemen, I am an original rebel from South +Carolina, while that —— —— of a staff officer is from Chicago."</p> + +<p>The colonel evidently thought that being a Northern man and a rebel +would account for most any kind of meanness.</p> + +<p>While defeated in his good intentions in the matter of parole, the +colonel tried to make up for it in other ways. He gave me a pair of +shoes which had been given to him by the Yankees while he had been a +prisoner at Johnson's Island, and which I sold to Masterson for $250, +for the purchaser could not wear his boots and leg-irons at the same +time.</p> + +<p>Our stay at Washington was prolonged on account of a lack of provisions +to furnish the extra supply needed for a guard and ourselves on a +journey. When it seemed certain that provisions were not to be +forthcoming we were started off for Magnolia, Ark., which point we had +to make without any supplies save what we could gather as we went along.</p> + +<p>When we left Washington we stopped in front of the provost marshal's +office, and Colonel<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> Province came out to bid us good-bye and express +his regrets that he had been prevented from according us the same kind +treatment which he had received at Johnson's Island.</p> + +<p>The first night out we reached Spring Hill, which was then a courier +station, and were confined in an old church. One of the soldiers killed +a hog, which proceeding was an outrageous violation of orders, as well +as of the rights of the owner, but we had to eat. A guard and myself +went to a neighboring house to get a kettle in which to cook the meat.</p> + +<p>The difference between pork and beef in that country was about the same +in those days as the difference between greenbacks and Confederate +money.</p> + +<p>The guard found a negro woman in the house, and he asked for something +to eat. She gave us some beef and corn bread, but had no pork when asked +for it. In the course of the conversation the guard told her who I was +and about the escape of my companions and myself, when the darkey +remembered that there was some cold pork in an outhouse, and produced +it.</p> + +<p>We got the necessary kettle and cooked our meat before we went on our +way.</p> + +<p>After we had again started, the guards paroled us, and several of them +went home, appointing a meeting place and promising us more pork and +some biscuit when they returned, which promise they kept.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span>When we reached Magnolia we found a camp of about forty badly wounded +Federal prisoners there, who were the remnants of Steele's fight at +Jenkins' Ferry.</p> + +<p>We were put in jail for several days to await a move of this camp to +Shreveport.</p> + +<p>When all were ready the convalescent cases were loaded on wagons and we +started.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> +<h3>FORAGING, AND A NEW PRISON.</h3> + +<p>During this trip our rations were salt beef and corn bread, but the +latter was unfit to eat, and I refused all rations, preferring to take +the chances of foraging until we reached Shreveport.</p> + +<p>On the first day out we made about twelve miles. At dusk it commenced to +rain, and we camped in an old church at a cross roads. The wounded men +and ourselves were placed in one end of the building, they on one side +and we on the other, while the other end was used by our guards. They +piled up all their equipments in one corner, and spread their blankets +in the vacant space, then going off to a stillhouse in the neighborhood, +where they got gloriously drunk, and leaving only a sentinel at the +door.</p> + +<p>When leaving Washington our party had been increased by three more +runaways, who bore the names of Robinson, Fenton and Stanton, so that we +were now six in all.</p> + +<p>The guard at the door excited my envy, soon after his companions had +left, by coolly drawing from his haversack a lot of biscuits and the ham +of a shote. As he drew out his huge knife and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span>began slicing off +tempting bits of lean meat my envy overcame any timidity I may have had, +and I determined to have some of that meat by fair means or foul.</p> + +<p>Stanton came up to me as I came to this conclusion, and I remarked to +him that I was about to take supper with the rebel. His curiosity +spurred me on, and I walked out to the sentinel and asked if I could +have some of his meat and biscuit. Much to my surprise and pleasure he +promptly said: "Tub ber shure," and sliced off for me a liberal +allowance of ham, giving it to me with some biscuits. My success led +Stanton to follow suit, and we both had a fair meal with the generous +fellow.</p> + +<p>It was now getting dark, and the rain kept coming down. We had full +possession of the room, and as Stanton and myself walked back to our +companions, we saw Fenton eating. Inquiry developed the fact that he had +been plundering the piled-up haversacks while we had been outside, and +when we learned that there was a supply still unappropriated we promptly +set out to empty the haversacks of everything desirable. During our talk +together the sentinel had added his haversack to the pile, and the first +thing to which we came was the balance of the ham from which we had just +dined, together with fourteen biscuits. We felt awfully mean about it, +but "self-preservation is the first law <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>of nature," and we cleaned that +bone, throwing it and the haversack behind the wainscoting.</p> + +<p>This food was sufficient for our wants, and we would have been satisfied +but that we found Rummel on one side eating some light bread, which he +had purloined from another haversack. This made us ambitious again, so +we went back and took all the desirable stuff we could find in the pile +for future use.</p> + +<p>We got a lot of light bread, about a pound and a half of butter and some +sweet potatoes.</p> + +<p>The wounded men had a kettle for cooking, and I borrowed this, built a +fire in the stove and cooked our sweet potatoes.</p> + +<p>About this time some of the guards came back, and one of them came to me +to borrow the kettle, saying that he had some sweet potatoes to cook.</p> + +<p>I told the man that he would have to wait until our stuff was cooked, +and he sat down quietly and waited, chatting with us to pass away the +time. When our potatoes were cooked we gave him the utensil, which he +filled with water and put on the fire before he went for his potatoes. +Then there was a row, as his potatoes happened to be those boiled by us.</p> + +<p>Of course he could not identify the property, and I was indifferent, but +to my surprise, instead of accusing us, he did not seem to suspect +anyone save his comrades, and his accusation against them caused the +rest to investigate on <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>their own hook. The row that now ensued took a +direction which we had not calculated upon, and we finally got well +scared. The men were all more or less drunk, and their denunciations and +reproaches of each other caused a row among themselves. The rest of the +party came back, and there was more investigation, more row and much +confusion. There were two classes of men in this crowd. About half were +poor whites, of the ignorant, malicious sort, and the balance of a +better class.</p> + +<p>The question finally settled down to a denunciation of us by the +first-named portion, and accusations against them by the others. At this +stage of the game they began to talk of searching us, and we got scared, +for we had too much on hand to be able to "bluff" them off in a general +search, and their condition of excitement would not give us much chance +for argument.</p> + +<p>We now did what might seem to be a very mean thing, but it was done on +the principle that, while our conviction of the robbery might, in their +present state, mean death to us, they might curse and swear mightily, +but would not harm anyone if they found the balance of their stuff where +we put it—among the wounded men. We hid it around as best we could and +awaited developments with much interest, but the row finally quieted +down and we all went to sleep.</p> + +<p>We were up very early in the morning, as we had to dispose of the +plunder in some way, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>went to work, for it was work. We ate all we +possibly could, including the butter, and stuffed the remainder inside +of our shirts. I had a butter taste in my mouth for a week afterward, +and it was a good while before I could eat the article with my former +relish.</p> + +<p>Our guards made a partial search before we started, but they did not +attempt to be too personal, and we evaded the discovery of any of the +purloined food. It was plainly to be seen that we were now suspected, +but they rather regarded the thing as a good joke, now that they were +sober, and the search was for something to eat rather than to prove +anything.</p> + +<p>We now had several days of travel and similar scenes, but the robberies +were now joint expeditions against the potato holes on the line of our +road, where the surplus of the crop was stored for the winter, and the +guards and ourselves shared alike in the guilt and proceeds.</p> + +<p>When we reached Shreveport, we were taken through the town to Four Miles +Springs, where I had been before, and here we were kept for six weeks.</p> + +<p>A stockade and quarters had been built since my former visit, and things +were much more comfortable.</p> + +<p>We soon built a comfortable cabin in partnership with some other +captured runaways who had just been brought to this stockade, and one of +these, Lieutenant Bushnell, of the 120th <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span>Illinois, became my berthmate +when lots were cast to see who should occupy the several rude bunks +erected in our mansion.</p> + +<p>Sweet potatoes at this time were $10 a bushel in Confederate money, and +my supply of cash came in so handy that we were enabled to refuse all +rations and to live on the fat of the land; but we did not risk the gout +by so doing. The fat of the land in those days was so well streaked with +lean that everyone had to take much lean in order to get any fat, and +the rebels themselves did not live in luxury.</p> + +<p>There were about 250 prisoners now at this point. The rations served to +them were brought in on a board. In order to get the privilege of doing +our own cooking we asked and obtained special permission to have our +rations served raw, and so we managed to have what we wanted.</p> + +<p>There was a "greaser," from Mexico, on the outside, who made and sold +potato pies. I would get five for a $5 bill and give Bushnell two. At +the next pie meal he would reverse the order of things.</p> + +<p>We made the acquaintance of a squad of men from the 16th Regiment of +Indiana Mounted Infantry, their leading spirit being a Captain Moore.</p> + +<p>At roll-call the guards made the prisoners stand out in line, and Moore +was frequently <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>prodded with a sword for hanging back and delaying +matters.</p> + +<p>One day we made an excellent dummy from an old log and some clothes, and +carefully deposited it in Moore's bunk, covering it naturally with what +bedclothes we had. At next roll-call Moore was not to be found, and the +guards, after much swearing, went up to his cabin and found him, +apparently, in bed and asleep. After several calls and shakes, +accompanied by some artistic profanity, one of them prodded him gently +with his sword. A little harder punch followed, when he still slept, and +then a vicious one, when they threw back the covers and discovered the +deception. A crowd had followed them, and they were now well laughed at, +but they took it good-humoredly, only swearing at Moore for his +deviltry. When we went back to roll-call Moore was in his place in line, +and, as he gave a good excuse for absence and disclaimed all knowledge +of any joke, the guards had to be satisfied with some general cussing.</p> + +<p>The rebel prisoners were also kept in this stockade—men who, as at +Washington, were imprisoned for various crimes and offenses.</p> + +<p>One rebel prisoner complained of a theft. Moore hunted around, found a +suspect, convened a court-martial, had the man tried, found guilty and +sentenced to receive ten lashes, which were duly administered.</p> + +<p>The court-martial and punishment are <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>worthy of note. All the +preparations for the trial were made in due and ancient form, as +formally as if it had been ordered by the regularly-constituted +authorities in military life. The army (the prisoners) was well +represented by a judge-advocate, and the culprit by "learned counsel." +The offender was placed on the stand, and then witnesses for both sides +were thoroughly questioned and cross-questioned. Being found guilty in +usual form, the prisoner was sentenced as solemnly as if before a +regular court. The punishment was given by causing the thief to be bent +over a stump, with his hands and feet held by Confederate prisoners, +while the ten stripes were laid on with a halter strap in the hands of +another, who did not spare the victim. The rebel prisoners endorsed the +proceedings as being perfectly legal and just.</p> + +<p>The feverish desire to escape was constantly present with every man in +the stockade, but there seemed to be little chance for getting away. We +were allowed to go out after wood, but there was a guard for each +prisoner when we went.</p> + +<p>One rebel guard talked to me, and made a proposal. He was a rebel from +principle, he said, but had lost everything, and was now over forty +years old. What the outcome was to be he did not know, but he did know +that he wanted to make some money for himself and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span>family, and had a +chance to do so if he had some help.</p> + +<p>He told me of two steamboats, loaded with cotton, then lying tied up on +Red River, not over five miles away, and kept in readiness for a run up +some secluded bayou if the Yankees approached, calling my attention to +the fact that, as only two guards protected each vessel, the fires kept +in the furnaces made it a comparatively easy job to capture and get away +with one of the boats and its load. He said that he had contemplated the +capture of one boat for the purpose of taking it to New Orleans and +selling the cotton, but had given up the idea of trying it as originally +intended, fearing that the cotton and boat would be confiscated at New +Orleans, because he was a rebel, even if he succeeded in getting there.</p> + +<p>The suggested scheme struck me as being a good one, and in several trips +made outside for wood with this man as my guard we perfected our plans +for making the attempt.</p> + +<p>I was to select a pilot and crew from the prisoners, and he agreed to +arrange for our exit from the stockade. We kept up daily communication +with each other until all was in readiness.</p> + +<p>I had found a pilot and crew to man the boat. The capture seemed an easy +job, as we would most likely find the guards asleep. We had accumulated +some rations for the trip, and it was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span>settled as to what night the +start would be made.</p> + +<p>The stockade was made with two-inch planks, twelve feet long, placed on +end on the ground and strongly braced. The soil was sandy.</p> + +<p>When the appointed time came our party quietly went to the place which +had been selected for the work, and we were busily digging our way out, +under the fence, when someone <i>inside</i> of the stockade reported us to +the sergeant at the gate, who yelled out:</p> + +<p>"Sergeant of the guard! Prisoners escaping!"</p> + +<p>The sentinel on whose beat we were to escape could do no less than fire +his gun, which he promptly did, and the bullet came through the fence at +about the proper distance above the ground to perforate the body of +anyone not lying down. It seemed almost a miracle that no one in our +party of eight was hit.</p> + +<p>All was confusion in short order, and it is needless to say that our +party left for a better neighborhood. When a file of soldiers ultimately +appeared on the scene they found almost everyone up and asking +questions; but the parties who had drawn the fire of the sentry were +among those sleeping peacefully in their quarters and dreaming of a home +without rebel guards.</p> + +<p>Added to the keen disappointment which we experienced over the +frustrated effort to escape, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>we had the usual regrets incident to the +failure of a business operation, for that boat and cargo in New Orleans +would have meant a snug little pile to divide, and in this respect my +own regrets were above the average felt by the crowd, for it had been +agreed upon by the party that the rebel manager and myself should have +an extra share of the spoils if the plan should be a success. By the law +of compensation, or of force, he and I now had the lion's share of the +disappointment.</p> + +<p>With the sentinel a party to our escape and one of us as well, the thing +had seemed so easy that, speaking for myself at least, we had in +imagination seen ourselves, with bulging pockets, at home with our loved +ones.</p> + +<p>Our feelings can better be imagined than described.</p> + +<p>It was always one of the mysteries of life to me how any prisoner could +deliberately betray his comrades, and almost as much of a mystery how +schemes of escape became known to others.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> +<h3>TO CAMP FORD AND JOY.</h3> + +<p>While we were in Shreveport my regiment was exchanged, and marched +through on its way home. I tried very hard to be allowed to go with +them, but Captain Burchard, who was in charge, refused to allow it. I +had quite a row with him after pleadings and diplomacy had failed, but +nothing did any good. It was decided that I must go back to Tyler on +account of my two attempts to escape.</p> + +<p>Shortly after this bitter disappointment the stockade got too full, and +a lot of us were sent to Tyler under a heavy guard, Captain Rummel being +left behind on account of sickness. These guards had special orders to +shoot me if I tried to escape, evidently the result of my row with +Captain Burchard. This fact was told to me by one of the guards, but I +joked about it and professed not to believe it.</p> + +<p>One of the guards was a boy, who seemed more inclined to general +conversation than the rest. He walked and talked with me a good deal. In +one of our talks he mentioned that he was from "Kasseder," in Davis +county. As I knew several people in the place, having stopped <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span>there on +my former return to Tyler, I at once surprised him by airing my +knowledge. As I desired to amuse myself by quizzing him, I was +mysterious and non-committal. He was puzzled considerably, and went off +and told his captain.</p> + +<p>The officer rode up to my side a little later and entered into a +conversation. I treated him the same as I had treated the boy, and when +he left me he was almost overpowered with curiosity.</p> + +<p>I now discovered that one of the guards was the man whom I had met with +a wagon when we crossed the Sulphur Fork of Red River. We talked +together, but he did not recognize me. At first I claimed to have seen +him before, but he thought not. After bothering him to my heart's +content, I reminded him of our having crossed Sulphur Fork together, +when he said that he had been suspicious of us at the time. This was so +much of the "I-told-you-so" order that I had a good laugh at him for his +"hindsight."</p> + +<p>The other officers kept dropping back to interview me, and I got their +curiosity inflamed to a high degree by talking familiarly of different +places and of an imaginary plan of an underground railroad. This caused +the officers to become agitated, and I saw that they suspected me of +something serious. When a detail was finally sent to take me before the +officer in command I concluded that the matter had gone far enough, and, +when questioned, I explained how <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span>I had become acquainted, on a previous +runaway trip, with the people and places spoken of so familiarly. The +matter ended in much laughter and some jokes.</p> + +<p>During the rest of the march I talked negro suffrage and equality, at +times nearly driving our captors wild by picturing the pleasures to come +to them when these liberties should prevail. They got mad at times, but +seemed to like hearing me talk, and evidently saw that I said more than +I meant in some ways; yet I told many truths—which made them mad—about +the actual practice by Southern whites of equality with negroes, as +evidenced by the thousands of mulattoes among them.</p> + +<p>Another source of amusement to me was to bother the guard at night by +sleeping away from my companions and as near the guard line as I could. +The guards would remonstrate and get mad, but I would blarney them a +little and say that I had money on my person which I was afraid my +companions would steal, and that I wanted to keep close to them for +protection. They could not reasonably object to this, but it made them +keep an eye on me in particular, and the various characteristics of the +different men were a constant source of study and amusement.</p> + +<p>My feelings on this journey were of a kind that kept me constantly on +the "<i>qui vive</i>" for something to divert my mind from reflections. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>To +have escaped twice and been recaptured each time was bad enough, +especially when one venture had been so nearly a success, and the +failure through treachery of the last attempt to get away had seemed to +cap the climax at the time; but to see all my regimental comrades file +before me on their way to home and friends, while I was sent back to +confinement, was the proverbial last straw—only, in this case, it did +not break the camel's back; but it was a close call.</p> + +<p>I had no interests in Camp Ford that I was not entirely willing to +sacrifice for the sake of being at home or with my men, and the +Confederacy was welcome to my rations if they would dispense with my +presence; but, while my residence in Texas, with free board and lodging, +was insisted upon so strongly as being necessary for the good of the +country, I really could not leave the good people, not even for the sake +of personal pleasures.</p> + +<p>Talking to myself in this way when reflections crowded upon me, and by +seizing every opportunity to amuse myself at the expense of the guards, +I got the camel's back in pretty fair shape again, and resigned myself +to the inevitable.</p> + +<p>We finally reached the familiar stockade at Tyler, and about 250 of us +were in line when we fell in for roll-call. Each man entered the +stockade alone as his name was called.</p> + +<p>As before described, the entrance of prisoners <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span>was a noisy occasion, +and one scene was very much like another; but, when I stepped into the +enclosure, there was a movement of surprise and then a dead silence. +Most of the men knew me, and their knowledge was communicated quickly to +the rest. Seeing me come in after my long absence, and after my regiment +had been exchanged, caused a sympathy that brought about silence almost +as if by command.</p> + +<p>I was not feeling particularly joyful anyway, and had had hard work to +keep up my spirits on the road, so that this evidence of sympathy nearly +caused me to break down altogether.</p> + +<p>Soon after my return to the stockade I gained the title of Exchange +Commissioner. I was familiar with the forms of all passes, furloughs, +etc., and, as before stated, I could imitate almost any handwriting. As +the new men in the place became acquainted with me and my +accomplishments I was besieged with requests for different papers that +would facilitate egress or escape.</p> + +<p>The older prisoners were not as anxious for escape as the younger, or, +rather, newer ones, as they had seen so many failures and punishments +that they wanted a pretty sure thing before they risked an attempt.</p> + +<p>Men even went so far as to ask me to get them out of the stockade, but I +told them that I would give any papers they wanted, leaving to them the +getting out.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>My exchange or furlough business was conducted about as follows:</p> + +<p>A man would come to me for the means of escape, or, rather, the means of +avoiding recapture after escape. I would make out a written application +from him to his captain for a leave of ten, twenty or thirty days, in +which was stated the necessity for his going home to Upshur county, +Texas, to procure clothing, which all Confederate soldiers then needed. +On the back of this application would appear the approval of his +captain, colonel and brigade commander, as well as the final and +effective endorsement of Kirby Smith's adjutant, General Boggs, all the +endorsements being made by me, except that of General Boggs, which was +completely counterfeited by the adjutant of the 77th Ohio. Thus being +fortified with legal authority to return to his regiment on an expired +furlough, the prisoner would endeavor to appear as a dutiful Confederate +soldier going to the front, get out as best he could, after receiving +careful instructions as to his route and actions, and take his chances +of success.</p> + +<p>My escapes and experiences were talked over, and the men seemed to think +that I could do most anything desired, the accidental character of our +captures not being regarded as any reflection upon my ability in the +attempts to escape.</p> + +<p>A Colonel Jamison was now the commander of the stockade, and the officer +who brought us <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span>in related to him some of my talks about negro suffrage +and equality, which amused him very much.</p> + +<p>One day he sent for me to come to him in order that he might hear some +of my talk on these subjects. I evaded the topics as well as I could, +but made so good an impression upon him that he gave me a pass to go in +and out at will, with twenty men, upon my promise that I would not take +advantage of it to escape myself or let any of my companions do so. My +excuse for asking it was that we wanted to swim in the stream near by, +gather wild greens and take proper exercise.</p> + +<p>A few days later, as ten men and myself were in swimming under this pass +in a creek about half a mile from the stockade we saw a couple of young +negro boys watching us. I told the men to go ahead with their fun while +I talked with the boys. One of these youngsters was about fourteen years +old and the other nineteen. They knew who I was and all about my +escapes, and were anxious to see me get away, urging me to break away +right then, as there was no guard around, but I told them that I was out +on parole and could not. They then told me that they had charge of the +horses of the major at headquarters, and that I could at any time have a +horse and uniform to help me get away, showing me the cabin where they +lived and where I could come for this assistance.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>I told the boys that I would take the first chance I had to get out +without breaking parole, and they left me. I was greatly excited at the +prospect, for I now knew the country so well that I had little fear of +not being able to make my way to Little Rock with such assistance as I +knew I could get along the road.</p> + +<p>When we went back to the stockade I prepared some despatches from Kirby +Smith to Gano, and planned the whole route and system which I would +follow in general. My plan was simply to get out at night, get my +uniform and horse, and ride for Dooley's Ferry despatch-bearer, taking +my chances on my presence of mind being sufficient to carry me through +in any emergency.</p> + +<p>Recollecting all that had been said to me by Captain Payne—the guard +who had let me ride his horse just after leaving Arkadelphia on the +return trip—I figured that I could make Little Rock in about five days +by hard riding, stopping here and there on the way to feed and rest, and +having an easy time after reaching Dooley's Ferry.</p> + +<p>The negro boy promised to keep the loss of the horse covered as long as +possible, by pretending that the animal had gotten loose and strayed +away, so that it was reasonable to assume that enough time would be +spent in hunting the animal to render futile any pursuit from the +stockade after my leave of absence became known to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>the guards. My +despatches should take care of any ordinary obstacle in my way to the +river, and, with my ability to "bluff" the average person or persons +likely to be met, I felt confident that only an accident or +extraordinary stoppage could upset my plans. Dooley would know me when I +referred to Captain Payne, and my passage of Red River was assured if I +reached that point, while he would also direct me to the captain's +place, some ten or fifteen miles away, where I would be certain of +concealment and assistance. The captain's neighbor, who had sons in the +Federal army, would find a way to get me within our lines, with the +assistance of horses from Payne's corral. Altogether, I could almost see +myself at home again.</p> + +<p>The thing was feasible, and I was anxious to try it, scarcely being able +to sleep at nights for thinking about it.</p> + +<p>The men about me all tried to dissuade me on account of the risk of +capture with a horse in my possession, and because Lee had surrendered +and the war could not last much longer, saying that I was foolish to +take any risks at such a time.</p> + +<p>There was much talk at this time, among the rebels, of Kirby Smith's +holding out in the Southwest and being heavily reinforced by the +scattered remnants of other armies. This had an appearance of being +reasonable, as matters then looked to us, and I would listen to no +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span>arguments against my proposed scheme; so a day was set for my +departure, and I fully intended to go.</p> + +<p>When I was sufficiently well supplied with food and really ready to +start, my companions begged and pleaded with me so hard not to risk it +till we were more certain of continued imprisonment that I compromised +by postponing the date.</p> + +<p>This thing went on for several weeks, I making postponement after +postponement, until I finally settled it decidedly that I would go on +such a day unless we got some favorable news.</p> + +<p>Before the fixed time came around we saw Captain Burchard ride by the +stockade and go to headquarters. Knowing that he was after some more +prisoners for exchange, we sent out a man to learn who were to be the +favored ones. The messenger came back, all in a flutter of excitement, +and announced that all were to go.</p> + +<p>The scene of confusion and excitement which ensued cannot be described. +The men simply went wild. For myself, I had to sit down to quiet my +nervousness.</p> + +<p>The guards began to leave for home as soon as the news became known. +Twenty-four hours after Captain Burchard arrived there were no guards to +be seen anywhere, except the higher officers, and we could have broken +out any time after that. We were not silly enough to do this, however, +as it would have relieved the rebels <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span>too much, for they were bound to +feed and escort us if we stayed.</p> + +<p>We were kept three days in the stockade, awaiting the arrival of +rations, and during this time we had no regular food, as the mill which +the rebels had used to grind grain had broken down just at a time when +they seemed to need it most.</p> + +<p>The citizens flocked in to see us, and brought us food, or we should +have gone hungry during this interval. They came to trade for the things +which we would leave behind us, and we sold off the pots and kettles +belonging to the Confederacy, until the authorities learned the fact and +placed a guard at the gate to prevent any further depletion of their +stock of cooking utensils. As the prisoners now had nothing to cook, +they commenced to break up and throw into the cesspools all that was +left of the cooking outfit, and before long there was not a pot or +skillet to be found.</p> + +<p>By this time the stockade was broken in several places, and we could +pass in and out at will, but it was more the desire to feel that we +could do so which prompted any egress than any desire to go anywhere, as +we were all anxious to get home, and did not want to go by ourselves +when all were going so soon.</p> + +<p>An irrepressible Zouave prisoner got into the headquarters room one day, +and, filled with enthusiasm and the conviction that the Confederacy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> was +busted, nearly destroyed the records in the office before he was +discovered and kicked out.</p> + +<p>Finally, the rations not coming, the rebels got an ox-team with which to +haul the sick men, and we made a start for Shreveport.</p> + +<p>It is a matter of record that I was the last man to leave the stockade +on this occasion, and consequently the last prisoner confined in it. I +made it a point to see that every other human being was out of the +enclosure before I departed, and to have others know the fact. I will +not attempt to describe my feelings as the final exit was made; suffice +it to say that it was one of the happiest moments of my life.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> +<h3>LIBERTY AT LAST.</h3> + +<p>On the second day out from the stockade, and before reaching Marshall, +we came to a house where a farmer was offering to trade for blankets. +Mine was on a horse at the head of the procession, but I had a ten-cent +"shinplaster," with which I bought some biscuits of the man. He had two +loads of blankets piled up close by, which he had already secured by +trading, and he had some wine in bottles for further use.</p> + +<p>I was very anxious to possess some of that wine, and I hustled around +among the prisoners and borrowed a blanket from a young fellow who was +willing to take my word that I would return it or give him mine when we +caught up with the leaders of our band. I secured three bottles of wine +for the blanket, and we had some refreshments, eating the biscuits and +drinking the wine until there was no more left.</p> + +<p>As we hurried on to catch up I saw a pile of blankets near the fence, +and I at once returned the boy's blanket to him in the shape of a better +one, taken from this pile.</p> + +<p>The next morning I gave myself permission to leave the rest of the +outfit and forage on ahead, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span>which I kept up till we reached Four Mile +Springs, where I arrived thirty-six hours ahead of the main body.</p> + +<p>Here I found a lot of Smith's men who had deserted, and who were red hot +for Sherman to call for troops to go to Mexico for the purpose of +clearing out Maximilian, who was just then usurping authority. These men +were not nursing resentment against their opponents in our war, but +would have hailed with joy any enterprise in which Federals and +Confederates could stand shoulder to shoulder, for, as they expressed +it, "the combination would sweep the earth."</p> + +<p>Going on to Shreveport, I found everything in a chaotic condition. There +were batteries without horses, officers without men, and most of the +stores had been looted by the departing troops.</p> + +<p>We were two days about town, awaiting transportation, and saw that every +horse that came within range was confiscated by soldiers, even to +stopping wood wagons in the road and taking the animals away from them, +the soldiers then leaving for home.</p> + +<p>There was much expectation of seeing some of the Union fleet come up the +river as transports, but they did not put in an appearance, and the +citizens of the town were nearly frantic in consequence, on account of +the plundering that was being done. During a conversation <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span>with several +gentlemen, who were eager to ascertain what was known of the possible +coming of the fleet, they told me that only the coming of the Federal +army could save them from total financial ruin. The actions of these men +were in accordance with their words, and, apparently, they voiced the +sentiments of the entire business community.</p> + +<p>The Confederate soldiers, realizing that the war was practically over, +and being in need of nearly everything, made no apologies for the +liberties taken, but, on the principle that "might makes right," +appropriated everything in sight that was likely to be of use to them in +solving the problem of how to live after peace had been declared. The +situation, while full of excitement for all, had its amusing aspect, and +I thought of it as another illustration of the fact that "those who +dance must pay the fiddler."</p> + +<p>Early in our march from the stockade I had had my sympathy greatly +excited by the increasing illness of one of the sick men. His birthplace +and residence had been in Pennsylvania, but he had gone over the State +line and enlisted in the 3d Maryland. He had been sick for some time +previous to our departure from the stockade, and had grown rapidly worse +while on the road, despite the stimulation of being on his way to home +and friends. He had been so brave and cheerful, notwithstanding his +youthful age of only eighteen years, that I had become much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> interested +in him. While prostrated on his bed of cotton, he had talked to me of +his home and mother, and had spoken bravely of his chances of dying. +With a bright look on his face, he had said:</p> + +<p>"I may pull through, Captain, and I may not; but I won't give up till I +have to, for mother needs me; only I want you to let her know if +anything happens."</p> + +<p>I had done what I could for the boy, and on several occasion had gotten +him milk and other things. He had given me his mother's name and +address, but the absence of writing material at the time had prevented +the making of other than a mental memorandum, and the necessity for a +better record had been overlooked in the confusion and excitement of the +trip. When the main body of our command caught up with me at Shreveport +I was shocked to learn that he was dead. I had had doubts as to his +living to get home, but so early a death was a surprise and shock, which +latter was turned to self-reproach and sorrow when I found that I could +not recollect the name and address given to me.</p> + +<p>Fifteen years afterward, during which time I frequently tried in vain to +recollect the data necessary to identify him, the name, address and +other knowledge suddenly came to me one day when I was not thinking +about it. At once I sat down and wrote to the mother, and in due time +received a beautiful letter in reply. My letter <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span>was the first word she +had received of the boy since he had last written to her in good health +and spirits, except that the books of his company bore his name, with an +"absent without leave" score against it. I recollected that he had told +me of his having slipped off to forage a little on his own account at +the time of his capture. Making an affidavit of the facts as I knew +them, I sent it to her, and the pension which she could not get upon the +records as they stood was promptly allowed her on the affidavit +furnished.</p> + +<p>After waiting for the Federal transports until tired, our guards placed +us on a couple of rebel boats, and we started down the river for the +Yankee fleet.</p> + +<p>I was on the boat with Colonel Samansky, a Pole. He had been an officer +in his own country, had enlisted in the Confederate army, and had gained +the rank of Colonel. He lived in Texas and expected to remain there. +When he asked me how I had been treated, the only complaint that I could +<ins class="correction" title="original: consistenly">consistently</ins> make against those having me in charge was that I had not +been exchanged with my regiment. I claimed to him that I had been of +more service to the Union as a prisoner than I could have been if I had +remained in the service, as I had kept, on an average, two men busy +watching me ever since I had been captured. I showed him some samples of +my work as exchange commissioner, and purposely magnified the matter. He +only laughed <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span>and complimented me upon my enterprise, he being the rebel +exchange commissioner.</p> + +<p>At the mouth of the Red River we met some Federal boats coming up with +prisoners. While exchanging boats, all who desired it had a chance to +take a swim, and a number of us enjoyed the luxury. Possibly 500 men +were in the water at one time.</p> + +<p>One notable feature of this occasion was the fact remarked by everyone +that you could tell a Yankee from a rebel as far as you could see him, +even without his clothes. The reason for this was that our confinement +in the open air had caused us to be burned brown by the sun, even +through our clothing, while the rebels were white from confinement +within walls.</p> + +<p>We were taken down to New Orleans and housed there ten days in a cotton +press, arriving on Sunday afternoon in our prison garb. We were a rather +hard-looking crowd, but never was there a happier one.</p> + +<p>The boys in New Orleans knew that we were coming, and Capt. S. H. +Harper, formerly a sergeant in my company, hunted me up and took me home +with him. He was there on a detail, and was delighted to see me. I was +fed on the best he had, and arrayed in a spare uniform of his. When I +went back to the cotton press the boys did not know me.</p> + +<p>From the time of my capture to that of my arrival in New Orleans I had +only once been <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span>able to get word through to my wife, and I wrote to her +as soon as I had a chance to do so after reaching that place. My first +knowledge of her, after my capture, was acquired through Captain Harper, +who told me that she was well when he had heard from home the last time, +and also told me that she had heard of me through an escaped prisoner.</p> + +<p>All the officers crowded about the paymaster's office in New Orleans, +trying to get some money, and he had quite a time with them, as, while +he believed what they told him of themselves, he could pay out no money +until some person known to him would vouch for the recipient.</p> + +<p>Captain Harper satisfactorily identified me to the paymaster, and I drew +two months' pay. A proper voucher was now easily secured by as many of +the officers as were personally known to me, and all such received a +like amount.</p> + +<p>While in New Orleans I met Honeycut on the street. I had left him in the +Washington guardhouse, confined as a spy. We spent the day together, and +I learned his later story, as follows:</p> + +<p>"Two days after you left they started me off south alone, giving me +orders to report to Kirby Smith, but it didn't take me long to discover +that they had a spy on my track. When I reached Smith's headquarters and +told my story they allowed me to go on to Matamoras, but somebody would +overtake me every day and try to pump me. I bluffed 'em all off, and +kept on my <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span>way in a natural manner, getting through all right, but I +didn't lose any time, after I once got clear, in getting here by water +to report.</p> + +<p>"Had a funny little experience on the way; worth telling. A woman I +know, up in Ohio, gave me the address of her brother in Texas before I +left, in case I got down that way. I hunted him up on my way down, and +told him a fairy story about my being the woman's husband and her being +in Matamoras, bringing in what I told you in Washington and spinning him +a long yarn about my treatment while trying to join my wife. Guess he +believed me—looked like it, anyhow, for he treated me royally and let +me have two hundred and fifty in gold."</p> + +<p>When we left New Orleans we were put on a boat and started up the river +for Benton Barracks, St. Louis. When we landed at the mouth of White +river we were allowed to go on shore for an hour or two, and I then +learned that my regiment was up the river at Duval's Bluffs. I did not +go on board again, and the boat left without me.</p> + +<p>After spending two days among the mosquitoes of that region I at last +secured transportation and started up the river to join my regiment. We +had to be convoyed by a gunboat.</p> + +<p>When I reached Duval's Bluffs my company was doing guard duty. I found +all hands and had a great reception, learning all the home news. This +was the first positive information <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>of a recent date, about home +matters, received by me since my capture.</p> + +<p>After spending three or four days with the boys, I went home, and my +wife and myself renewed our acquaintance.</p> + +<p>She had heard of me through an escaped prisoner, who had reported me as +being in the stockade, but she had received no other information +concerning me until the boys had gotten home after the exchange. My +letter from New Orleans had been a very welcome missive.</p> + +<p>My friends at home flocked to see me, and I was kept busy telling my +story.</p> + +<p>Having gone through it all, I was disposed to drop the hardships from +the story, except when questioned, and to treat the thing as a huge +picnic. My natural disposition being to see the bright side only, the +hardships of which I had to tell were made to have another aspect than +the usual one presented of prison life. As a consequence of this fact, +my story differed considerably from that of a number who had been +prisoners with me.</p> + +<p>Friends would come to me and hear my story, frequently saying:</p> + +<p>"My! Swiggett, you do not seem to have had such a bad time of it. The +others tell such horrible stories that it is a relief to hear yours; and +yet you were in the same prison. How is it?"</p> + +<p>I replied in such cases that most of my time as a prisoner had been +spent outside of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> stockade, in one way or another, and that, aside +from the monotony and the separation from family, we did not see much +more hardship than comes in the every-day life of lots of people out of +prison, and that there was a bright side to it all.</p> + +<p>"But you don't damn the rebels, Swiggett, like the others," they would +say, to which I would reply that the rebels had treated me as well as +they could under the circumstances, and that when people did the best +they could they should not be damned for what they failed to do, +especially as prison life was necessarily a hardship at its best.</p> + +<p>There were cases of personal ill-treatment which came under my notice, +but they were the great exceptions, and, as a rule, the rebels of my +acquaintance did for their prisoners all that was possible with the +means in their power, and treated them as well as prisoners could expect +to be treated.</p> + +<p>It may be of interest to the reader to learn that all the men who were +my companions in escape are still living, except Capt. J. B. Gedney and +Adjt. Stephen K. Mahon.</p> + +<p>The rebels did not treat us as well as we might have been treated, as it +was possible for Jeff Davis to have invited us to Richmond, arrayed us +in his Sunday clothes, fed us at his own table and confined us in his +front parlor. It may have been only an oversight that he did not do so, +but it was not expected, and we harbored no <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>ill-feelings because of the +neglect. On the other hand, we were not treated as badly as we might +have been, inasmuch as we were not deprived of companionship, and, as a +rule, were allowed to sleep when we pleased, to rest as much as we +desired, to be late for dinner if we wished, and to eat in our shirt +sleeves without protest. Many a man is deprived of these privileges in +his own home, and I have eaten food of a less nourishing character than +that given us by the rebels, even at the table of a newly-married +couple, where perfect bliss should reign supreme.</p> + +<p>The war is over. Our foes had neither our resources nor our advantages +in its prosecution, and many things that were easy for us were +impossible for them. Abuse of authority is not a trait of man, but of +men, and those who are indirectly responsible should not be too harshly +censured for what they cannot altogether control. Incidents by the +thousand of heroic, heart-touching actions performed for humanity's sake +during our war by those on one side for those on the other reflect as +much credit upon rebels as upon Yankees, and I have always felt that, on +the whole, our antagonists did the best they could for their prisoners.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p class="center">THE END.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span></p> +<h2>APPENDIX.</h2> + +<h3>Brief Sketches of my Companions.</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>FRANCIS MARION DRAKE, GOVERNOR OF IOWA.</strong></p> + +<p>The parents of Governor Drake were John Adams Drake and Mrs. Harriet +O'Neil Drake. They were natives of the Old North State; removed to +Rushville, Ill., where the son, Francis Marion, was born December 30, +1830. From Rushville they removed to Fort Madison, Iowa, in the fall of +1837. The father was a merchant in Illinois, but served as judge of +probate of Lee county, Iowa, when a resident of Fort Madison, until the +spring of 1846. He then removed to Davis county, Iowa, and founded the +village of Drakeville. Francis Marion received his early education in +the common schools, and also acquired a knowledge of law.</p> + +<p>When the gold excitement in California was at its height he crossed the +plains in 1852 with ox-teams, and again in 1854 with a drove of cattle. +On the first trip across, his company of sixteen men had a severe +engagement with the Pawnees at Shell Creek, Neb., in which they +encountered about 300 Indians, who were defeated with heavy loss and +driven across the Platte river. On his return from California, October +1, 1854, he was a passenger on the ill-fated steamer "Yankee Blade," +which was wrecked and totally lost, and he was picked up five days later +on a barren coast which he had succeeded in reaching.</p> + +<p>He had been successful in his California ventures, and on the 1st of +January, 1855, entered the mercantile business with his father, and +brother, J. H. Drake, under the firm name of Drake & Sons, at +Drakeville. In June, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the volunteer +service of the United States and served until the close of the war, +being promoted to captain, major, lieutenant-colonel and from +lieutenant-colonel to the rank of brigadier-general by brevet. He was in +many severe engagements, in one of which he was seriously, at first +thought mortally, wounded, and from which wound he has never entirely +recovered. His record for bravery and efficiency was universally +commended by his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>superior officers, and his military career is one of +which he may well be proud.</p> + +<p>On resuming civil life, General Drake engaged in the practice of law, in +which he was eminently successful, for a period of three years, when he +entered the railroad business, organizing and building what is now known +as the Keokuk & Western Railroad. He resumed his law practice for +another period of three years, associated with Gen. A. J. Baker, who +became attorney-general of the State, when he again entered upon the +railroad business, and has organized and built by his own efforts over +400 miles of railroad, a large part of which he still controls, being +president of the Indiana, Illinois & Iowa, Albia & Centerville and +director in the Iowa Central and Keokuk & Western railroads. He has also +been successful as a banker, and is president of the Centerville +National Bank.</p> + +<p>His material interests have not prevented him from taking an active +interest in educational matters and missionary work. He is president of +the board of trustees of Drake University, at Des Moines, named after +him, on account of his great liberality to that institution in its +building and endowment. He has also been a contributor to many other +educational institutions.</p> + +<p>In 1895 he accepted the nomination of the republican party for Governor +of the State of Iowa, and was elected by a large majority, having +received the largest vote ever given for a candidate for Governor of the +State.</p> + +<p>On the 24th of December, 1855, he was married to Mary Jane Lord, who +died on the 22d day of June, 1883. He has six children, four daughters +and two sons. The daughters are Amelia, Jennie, Eva, and Mary Lord; the +sons, Frank Ellsworth and John Adams.</p> + +<p>Amelia is the wife of T. P. Shonts, of Chicago, general manager of the +Indiana, Illinois & Iowa Railroad; Jennie is the wife of Dr. J. L. +Sawyers, of Centerville, Iowa; Eva is the wife of Henry Goss, wholesale +and retail boot and shoe merchant, of Centerville, Iowa; Mary Lord is +the wife of George W. Sturdivant, banker, at Moravia, Iowa. Frank +Ellsworth is president of the Centerville Block Coal Co., of +Centerville, Iowa; John Adams is secretary and treasurer of the Indiana, +Illinois & Iowa Railroad Co., of Chicago.</p> + +<p>Governor Drake's photograph is inserted opposite <a href="#Page_19">page 18</a>.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>CAPTAIN THOMAS M. FEE.</strong></p> + +<p>Thomas Milton Fee was born at Feesburg, Brown county, Ohio, on April 18, +1839. His father was Thomas J. Fee, who was of English ancestry and a +native of Virginia, and his mother's maiden name was Sarah Hastings, she +being of Irish descent and born in Pennsylvania. His father laid out the +town of Feesburg.</p> + +<p>The son began an independent career at the age of nineteen, by finding +occupation as a school-teacher. In a short time he went to Ottumwa, +Iowa, and began to read law. Early in 1862 he was admitted to the bar, +and the following spring he located in Centerville, Iowa, and began the +practice of his profession. For two years, while reading law, he was +principal of city schools at Ottumwa.</p> + +<p>In August, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company G of the 36th Iowa +Infantry, and in October was the choice of his company for captain, +receiving his commission from Governor Stone. He served with his command +until captured at Marks' Mills with the writer and the rest of the +brigade, and was a prisoner at Tyler, Texas, for ten months, except +while absent without leave. After his exchange he was on detached +service; first as Assistant Inspector-General of the Trans-Mississippi +Department, and afterwards as Inspector of the Seventh Army Corps. When +discharged at the close of the war he returned to Centerville, Iowa, and +permanently entered upon the practice of law. In 1874 he was elected +District Attorney of the Second Judicial District of Iowa for the term +of four years, and Judge of the same district. He is a married man, and +has five living children, three sons and two daughters. His photograph +is inserted opposite <a href="#Page_88">page 89</a>.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>CAPTAIN B. F. MILLER.</strong></p> + +<p>B. F. Miller was born in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland county, +Pennsylvania, on October 2, 1832, of native parents, but of English and +Scotch descent, his father being Benjamin Miller, and his mother's +maiden name being Martha Hemphill. His business was farming until four +years before the war, when he went west, spending two years of the four +in the Rocky Mountains.</p> + +<p>Coming east again, he enlisted at Wooster, Ohio, in Company D of the +120th Ohio Infantry, and served as private, sergeant, first lieutenant +and captain. He was captured on May 3, 1864, at Shaggy Point, on the Red +River, in Louisiana, and was imprisoned at Camp Ford, Texas, except +during the attempt to escape, until exchanged on June 1, 1865. He was +mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, on June 30, 1865.</p> + +<p>On September 26, 1865, he married Julia A., sister of L. S. Baumgardner, +of Toledo, Ohio, and farmed in that State until about three years ago, +when rheumatic afflictions caused his cessation of active work. He then +moved to Wooster, Ohio, where he now lives with his family, having but +one child, a daughter. It is unnecessary to say more of Captain Miller, +as he is mentioned frequently elsewhere. His photograph is inserted +opposite <a href="#Page_166">page 167</a>.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>CAPTAIN J. P. RUMMEL.</strong></p> + +<p>J. P. Rummel was born in Worthington township, Richfield county, Ohio, +on February 7, 1840, and worked in the blacksmith shop of his father +until he was eighteen years of age. He was the son of Peter and Susanna +Rummel. Qualifying as a teacher, he began work as such in a district +school, and was so engaged when the first call was made for troops to +put down the rebellion.</p> + +<p>He enlisted as a private in Company I of the 16th Ohio Infantry, was in +the first two engagements in Western Virginia, and was regularly +discharged on August 18 of the same year. He re-enlisted on August 4, +1862, in Company B of the 120th Ohio Infantry, and became a second +lieutenant before leaving camp. After the engagements at Chickasaw Bayou +and Arkansas Post he was promoted to a captaincy on March 14, 1863, and +was with his regiment in the campaign of Vicksburg and in part of the +Red River campaign, being captured in December, 1864, while en route up +the river with an expedition to reinforce General Banks at Alexandria. +He was sent to Camp Ford, Texas, for imprisonment, escaped with the +writer, as described elsewhere, was taken sick at Shreveport, La., after +being recaptured, and remained there until the close of the war, being +finally discharged from the army on June 29, 1865.</p> + +<p>On his return home he became a clerk in a hardware store, and continued +at this occupation for about a year and a half, during which time he +married Miss Eva R. Redrup, of Mansfield, Ohio. In 1867 he engaged in +business for himself in Mansfield, and is now the principal proprietor +of a manufacturing establishment there. He has four living children. His +photograph is inserted opposite <a href="#Page_115">page 115</a>.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>ADJUTANT S. K. MAHON.</strong></p> + +<p>Stephen Keith Mahon was born in Ireland on June 30, 1838. He was the son +of John and Sarah Mahon, and his father was a gentleman farmer and +merchant in the old country. The family came to the United States in +1849, living in Green County, Ohio, for five years, and then moving to +Ottumwa, Iowa. At the outbreak of the war Stephen was employed in a +general store at Blakesburg, Iowa.</p> + +<p>He enlisted when the 36th Iowa Infantry was organized, was appointed +sergeant-major at the staff organization, and was commissioned adjutant +in August, 1863, in which capacity he served until mustered out at the +close of the war. He participated in all the skirmishes and battles of +his regiment up to the time of his capture with the writer at Marks' +Mills, having been breveted captain for gallantry in the battle of +Helena, Ark. His unsuccessful attempt to escape with the writer is +elsewhere recorded, and he remained a prisoner at Camp Ford until +regularly exchanged about the close of the war.</p> + +<p>In February, 1866, he received a second lieutenant's commission in the +regular army, and was assigned to the 11th U. S. Infantry. In July, 1866, +he was promoted, and again in July, 1882, becoming a captain in the 16th +Infantry at the latter date. His services in Virginia, Mississippi and +Louisiana during the reconstruction period were highly creditable, and +he was at one time ordered by President Grant to Washington for personal +interview on reconstruction matters in Mississippi.</p> + +<p>The hardships of prison life sowed the seeds of the disease which caused +his death, and in August, 1879, he was compelled to go home from Fort +Sill, Indian Territory, on a sick leave, which was extended until he was +placed as captain on the retired list of the army in 1883. He was a +great sufferer from the time of his sick leave until his death, which +occurred at his home on January 11, 1885. Even at the last he loved to +hear again and talk of the old stories of the camp.</p> + +<p>Our adjutant never married. He was a brother of Maj. Samuel Mahon, of +Ottumwa, Iowa; Capt. William Mahon, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mrs. Col. +C. W. Kittredge, of Trinidad, Col. Another sister lives in Ottumwa. +Adjutant Mahon was a high-minded, honorable gentleman and a true friend. +His picture is inserted opposite <a href="#Page_68">page 69</a>.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>CAPTAIN CHARLES BURNBAUM.</strong></p> + +<p>Charles Burnbaum was born in Lockport, Ohio, on February 16, 1834, of +German parentage, his father having emigrated in 1824 and later married +a German lady in Ohio. Young Burnbaum started out for himself at the age +of sixteen, and learned the trade of harness-making at New Philadelphia, +Ohio. Later he moved to Eddyville, Iowa, where he engaged in +merchandising until the time of his enlistment in the army.</p> + +<p>In 1862 he became a member of Company D of the 36th Iowa Infantry, and +was elected lieutenant. He participated in all the marches and +engagements of his company and his regiment until the time of his +capture with the writer at Marks' Mills, Arkansas, in 1864, and was a +prisoner at Camp Ford, Texas, except during the attempt to escape, until +regularly exchanged about the close of the war. He was made captain on +his return to his company.</p> + +<p>After being mustered out in 1865 he located in Marshalltown, Iowa, and a +few years later moved to Chicago, becoming a commercial traveler. He +afterwards engaged in the hardware business at Milan, Mo., and in 1878 +he married Miss Kate Gilmore. His present residence is Hot Springs, +Ark., where he is successfully engaged in the wholesale grocery +business. His photograph is inserted opposite <a href="#Page_95">page 94</a>.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>CAPTAIN JAMES B. GEDNEY.</strong></p> + +<p>James B. Gedney was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, on December 10, +1825. In 1838 he removed to Lee county, Iowa, and there, in 1848, he +married Miss Sarah Linch. Five years later he removed to Appanoose +county, Iowa, and became one of its foremost citizens in every +enterprise for the good of the community, being one of the first +settlers in that section. In 1859, during the gold excitement, he made a +brief trip across the plains to what was then known as "the Pike's Peak +country."</p> + +<p>In 1862 he enlisted as a private, was elected captain, and he and his +comrades were assigned as Company I of the 36th Iowa Infantry. He +participated with his command in all its campaigns and engagements until +captured with the writer at Marks' Mills, and remained a prisoner at +Tyler, Texas, except during the attempt to escape, until regularly +exchanged about the close of the war.</p> + +<p>On his return home after the war he again took up farming in Appanoose +county, keeping at this until 1890, when he bought property in +Centerville, the county-seat, and became a resident of that town. +Captain Gedney held many positions of honor and trust, serving five +years on the board of county supervisors and six years as president of +his county's agricultural association, besides having the confidence of +his neighbors in other ways.</p> + +<p>The disease which caused his death was contracted in the army, and on +July 27, 1893, he died at the age of sixty-eight years, honored and +loved by all who knew him. His memory will live long in the hearts of +his comrades, because of the soldierly and manly qualities that endeared +him to all his associates. His photograph is inserted opposite <a href="#Page_78">page 79</a>.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>LIEUTENANT WALTER S. JOHNSON.</strong></p> + +<p>Walter S. Johnson was born in Union county, Indiana, near Liberty, on +May 24, 1835. His ancestors were orthodox Quakers, and were early +settlers near Lynchburg, Va., about 1690. About 1826 his grandparents +moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and a few years later to Liberty, Indiana. +When Walter was about fourteen the family located in Appanoose county, +Iowa, and at the age of eighteen he built the first store in the new +town of Cincinnati, Iowa, and began merchandising. In 1855 he married +Sarah B., daughter of James X. Gibson, and is now the father of five +living children.</p> + +<p>On July 8, 1801, he enlisted in Company D of the 6th Iowa Infantry, +under the Hon. M. M. Walden, and was assigned to General Fremont's +command in Missouri. In July, 1862, he was discharged for disability +caused by hard marching and exposure while recovering from an attack of +the measles. The spirit of patriotism was too strong to permit +inactivity after his recovery, and he again enlisted on August 11, 1862, +reporting in person to Adjutant-General Baker with 100 men for duty, and +being assigned as Company I of the 36th Iowa Infantry. He served with +his command until captured with the writer, as elsewhere described.</p> + +<p>While the regiment was at Camden, Ark., four days previous to the +capture, George W. Gibson, a brother of Lieutenant Johnson's wife, came +to Company I as a recruit, and was killed in the fight at Marks' Mills.</p> + +<p>The lieutenant remained a prisoner, except as narrated elsewhere, until +regularly exchanged about the close of the war. After being mustered out +he returned home and resided on a farm of his until the fall of 1870, +when he was elected Clerk of the District Court of Appanoose county, +which position he filled for three terms. He was then elected Mayor of +Centerville, Iowa, after which he again engaged in merchandising until +the spring of 1890, when he moved to his present home in Lincoln, Neb., +to be nearer his children. His photograph is inserted opposite <a href="#Page_38">page 39</a>.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><strong>SERGEANT E. B. ROCKET.</strong></p> + +<p>E. B. Rocket was born on July 14, 1841, in Jefferson county, Alabama, +and moved with his parents to Arkansas in 1852. In 1859 he married +Amanda, daughter of Absalom Holcombe.</p> + +<p>In 1863 he enlisted in the Confederate army, and served until the close +of the war, gaining the rank of sergeant. He was a member of Company B, +Munson's regiment, Cobbles's brigade, Fagan's division, and was with his +company in all its marches and engagements.</p> + +<p>His wife died in 1881, leaving five girls and one boy to the care of the +father. In 1885 he married Martha J. Davis, a widow, and four girls have +blessed this union. At the age of seventeen Rocket became a convert to +the tenets of the Missionary Baptist Church, to which he still adheres, +his present occupation being that of preacher in this church, with his +home in Center Point, Arkansas.</p> + +<p>The writer's first <ins class="correction" title="original: meeing">meeting</ins> with Sergeant Rocket is fully described in +the body of this book, and, while the acquaintance was unsought, it +resulted in a lasting friendship, our captor proving to be a good +soldier and a Christian gentleman. His photograph is inserted opposite +<a href="#Page_189">page 189</a>.</p> + + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span></p> + +<p>The following is a list of casualties among the officers and enlisted +men of the Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry at Marks' Mills, Arkansas, April 25, 1864:</p> + +<p> </p> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" summary="men"> +<tr><td>Colonel F. M. Drake, wounded and captured.<br /> +Major A. H. Hamilton, captured.<br /> +Surgeon Colin G. Strong, captured.<br /> +Assistant Surgeon Patrick A. Smyth, captured.<br /> +Adjutant Stephen K. Mahon, captured.<br /> +Chaplain Michael H. Hare, captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Quartermaster Sergeant Barton A. Ogle, captured.<br /> +Commissary Sergeant David A. Stanton, captured.<br /> +Pr. Mus. Joseph Peach, captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY A.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain John M. Porter, captured.<br /> +First Sergeant Davison P. Bay, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Asa S. Baird, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Thomas G. Robb, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal Charles S. Deyo, captured.<br /> +Corporal James Nickol, wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal John Lucas, captured.<br /> +Private Benjamin Bennett, killed.<br /> +Private Peter Boyer, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Isaac Belles, killed.<br /> +Private Hezekiah M. Chidester, captured.<br /> +Private Thomas L. Castle, captured.<br /> +Private George O. Catron, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William Castle, captured.<br /> +Private John M. Connett, captured.<br /> +Private John Dempsey, captured.<br /> +Private William H. Dean, captured.<br /> +Private Robert A. Dunn, captured.<br /> +Private Alexander Elder, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John Foreman, captured.<br /> +Private Albert Grimes, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private George W. Grass, captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span>Private Jacob Hendrix, captured.<br /> +Private John Kritzer, captured.<br /> +Private Francis G. Livingston, captured.<br /> +Private George Lindsay, captured.<br /> +Private Robert Martin, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Sylvester Mefford, killed.<br /> +Private Joseph Madow, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James McKissick, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William E. McKissick, captured.<br /> +Private Almond McNeil, captured.<br /> +Private William Martin, captured.<br /> +Private Samuel F. Noel, captured.<br /> +Private David Parks, captured.<br /> +Private Daniel Shepherd, killed.<br /> +Private Darius Stacey, captured.<br /> +Private Grandison F. Stephenson, captured.<br /> +Private William F. Sperry, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John C. Taylor, captured.<br /> +Private Leander Tyrrel, captured.<br /> +Private Robert B. Thompson, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Laurel H. Tyrrel, captured.<br /> +Private William W. Wills, captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY B.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain S. A. Swiggett, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant Josiah H. McVay, captured.<br /> +Sergeant John W. Woods, captured.<br /> +Sergeant James Gandy, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Thomas R. Cole, captured.<br /> +Corporal Benjamin F. Chisman, captured.<br /> +Private William I. Barker, killed.<br /> +Private Lucius Bond, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John Barnes, captured.<br /> +Private Henry C. Brown, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John N. Belles, captured.<br /> +Private Isaac N. Belles, killed.<br /> +Private Benjamin Carter, killed.<br /> +Private Lorenzo H. Case, captured.<br /> +Private Noyes Chisman, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John W. Clark, captured.<br /> +Private Banion O. Custer, killed.<br /> +Private Thomas W. Crandall, captured.<br /> +Private Nelson Derby, captured.<br /> +Private Jesse Dutton, captured.<br /> +Private William C. Derby, captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span>Private Samuel W. Fail, captured.<br /> +Private James R. Fent, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James H. Finley, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Levi Gates, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Daniel Good, captured.<br /> +Private Peter Good, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John Harsbarger, killed.<br /> +Private Amos W. Kent, killed.<br /> +Private Daniel W. Kirkpatrick, killed.<br /> +Private Henry R. Kirkpatrick, captured.<br /> +Private Thomas McCormick, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Josiah D. McVay, captured.<br /> +Private James S. Major, captured.<br /> +Private Richard W. Moore, captured.<br /> +Private George W. Olney, captured.<br /> +Private Hiram A. Pratt, captured.<br /> +Private John Pence, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Israel H. Pollock, captured.<br /> +Private William P. Riley, captured.<br /> +Private John M. Rose, captured.<br /> +Private John W. Rubel, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Charles W. Reece, captured.<br /> +Private Madison E. S. Rubel, captured.<br /> +Private Annon L. Silvey, captured.<br /> +Private Mordecai Scaggs, captured.<br /> +Private Albert Stevenson, captured.<br /> +Private William H. H. Scott, captured.<br /> +Private Eli A. Spain, captured.<br /> +Private Calvin H. Smith, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Jacob West, captured.<br /> +Private Sanford C. West, captured.<br /> +Private Daniel W. Williams, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private David E. Williams, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William West, captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY C.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain Allen W. Miller, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant W. F. Vermilyea, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Marion H. Skinner, captured.<br /> +Sergeant George W. Dean, wounded and captured.<br /> +Sergeant Benjamin S. Vierling, wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal Jesse G. Dean, captured.<br /> +Corporal William F. Patterson, wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal James H. Bovell, wounded and captured.<br /> +Fifer Christopher D. Conrad, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Wilson Burris, captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span>Private Nathan I. Bray, captured.<br /> +Private Jesse Clark, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Eli Cummings, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John P. Goodvin, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Jacob A. Grubb, killed.<br /> +Private Cyrus S. Hedgecock, captured.<br /> +Private Lucien B. Hudgins, captured.<br /> +Private Samuel A. Hayes, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Joshua Jones, captured.<br /> +Private Alexander Kennedy, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Uriah Link, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James Lamar, captured.<br /> +Private James A. Miller, killed.<br /> +Private William H. H. McKim, captured.<br /> +Private Elias Mitchell, captured.<br /> +Private Mathias McCoy, killed.<br /> +Private George Matherly, captured.<br /> +Private Jehu McCoy, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John W. Needham, killed.<br /> +Private Thomas B. Porter, killed.<br /> +Private Robert R. Polk, captured.<br /> +Private Alexander P. Primm, captured.<br /> +Private Thomas I. Robinson, captured.<br /> +Private William H. Riggle, captured.<br /> +Private Hugh G. W. Scott, captured.<br /> +Private Daniel H. Sumner, captured.<br /> +Private Isaac Smith, captured.<br /> +Private Andrew J. Stansberry, captured.<br /> +Private John A. Stansbury, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James R. Sumner, captured.<br /> +Private Cyrenias Thomas, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Michael K. Tedrow, captured.<br /> +Private Epraim Vandoon, captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY D.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain Thomas B. Hale, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant Charles Burnbaum, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Francis M. Eperson, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Hiram Underwood, captured.<br /> +Corporal Joseph Griffis, captured.<br /> +Corporal William L. Palmer, captured.<br /> +Corporal George W. Nicely, killed.<br /> +Corporal Peter Stuber, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal Thomas West, captured.<br /> +Corporal Francis M. Dofflemyer, captured.<br /> +Fifer Joseph Peach, captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span>Private William Amos, captured.<br /> +Private James Anthony, captured.<br /> +Private Howard R. Allen, captured.<br /> +Private George W. Blair, captured.<br /> +Private Moses R. Butler, captured.<br /> +Private Watson W. Coder, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Jacob F. Coder, captured.<br /> +Private Francis M. Crane, captured.<br /> +Private Lafayette Campbell, captured.<br /> +Private Andrew Crook, captured.<br /> +Private John D. Dofflemeyer, captured.<br /> +Private John S. Foster, captured.<br /> +Private Benjamin F. Gordon, captured.<br /> +Private John S. Gray, captured.<br /> +Private David Gushwa, captured.<br /> +Private William B. Griffis, captured.<br /> +Private Sylvester Hendrix, captured.<br /> +Private Anthony Jones, captured.<br /> +Private Mervin T. Keran, captured.<br /> +Private Leonard Knox, captured.<br /> +Private James Kavanaugh, captured.<br /> +Private Horace M. Lyman, killed.<br /> +Private Charles L. Ladd, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Charles E. Little, captured.<br /> +Private Abner W. Lyman, captured.<br /> +Private Franze Marquardt, captured.<br /> +Private William W. Mardis, captured.<br /> +Private John H. Miller, captured.<br /> +Private Hugh H. Miller, captured.<br /> +Private Daniel Myers, captured.<br /> +Private George Myers, captured.<br /> +Private Curtis Moffat, captured.<br /> +Private David F. Newsom, captured.<br /> +Private Lucian L. Parker, captured.<br /> +Private Henry Parish, captured.<br /> +Private John W. Robinson, captured.<br /> +Private David H. Robinson, captured.<br /> +Private Philip Sinclair, captured.<br /> +Private Christopher Sharon, captured.<br /> +Private Henry G. True, captured.<br /> +Private Abram Umbenhower, captured.<br /> +Private Harmon Varner, captured.<br /> +Private Andrew I. Willsey, captured.<br /> +Private Joseph G. Williams, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Asberry Way, captured.<br /> +Private Peter Warner, wounded and captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span>COMPANY E.</td></tr> +<tr><td>No officer.<br /> +First Sergeant Henry Slagle, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Lewis Myers, Jr., mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal Elias Parke, wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal Michael E. Jackson, wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal George W. Dennis, captured.<br /> +Corporal Frederick Campbell, captured.<br /> +Corporal Peter Shearer, captured.<br /> +Corporal Edward C. Soper, captured.<br /> +Fifer Thomas Skinner, captured.<br /> +Private Henry Adcock, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James G. D. Aumack, captured.<br /> +Private Joseph Bivin, captured.<br /> +Private John I. Chance, captured.<br /> +Private Carey N. Carson, captured.<br /> +Private Samuel D. Cooper, captured.<br /> +Private Samuel W. Campbell, captured.<br /> +Private John H. Decker, captured.<br /> +Private John Duffee, captured.<br /> +Private Thomas W. Fenton, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Alonzo Garrison, captured.<br /> +Private John Harness, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John Henderson, captured.<br /> +Private Greenville Hale, captured.<br /> +Private Hiram Hale, captured.<br /> +Private Henry C. Hale, captured.<br /> +Private Richard Jackson, captured.<br /> +Private William W. Jackson, captured.<br /> +Private Joseph Kigar, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Peter H. Loy, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Joseph Leslie, captured.<br /> +Private William H. Leslie, captured.<br /> +Private George L. McMahon, captured.<br /> +Private Isaac Mathews, captured.<br /> +Private Jonathan Nelson, captured.<br /> +Private Joseph Peden, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private George W. Phillips, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Frederick Rachke, captured.<br /> +Private Benjamin F. Randall, captured.<br /> +Private John C. Scully, captured.<br /> +Private Andrew J. Stanton, captured.<br /> +Private Elias Sheffer, captured.<br /> +Private Jesse B. Skinner, captured.<br /> +Private Charles A. Stadler, captured.<br /> +Private John W. Stadler, captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span>Private Jesse H. Thompson; captured.<br /> +Private John A. Vermeulen, wounded.<br /> +Private Francis M. Watkins, captured.<br /> +Private George E. H. Ward, killed.<br /> +Private David M. Wallace, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Thomas H. Wallace, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Woodson Wallace, captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY F.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain William F. Vermillion, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant John W. May, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant John N. Wright, captured.<br /> +First Sergeant Wm. R. Davenport, wounded and captured.<br /> +Sergeant William R. Kemper, captured.<br /> +Corporal Reuben D. Fouts, captured.<br /> +Corporal William H. Shuterly, captured.<br /> +Corporal John T. Sheeks, captured.<br /> +Private David H. Barnhart, captured.<br /> +Private William Bartlett, captured.<br /> +Private John Clark, captured.<br /> +Private George C. Carpenter, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John L. Clowser, captured.<br /> +Private Joel Curtis, killed.<br /> +Private John Davis, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Andrew J. Day, captured.<br /> +Private Simon Ely, captured.<br /> +Private John M. Elgin, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John Free, captured.<br /> +Private Joseph Y. Funkhouser, captured.<br /> +Private William H. Fuller, captured.<br /> +Private Stephen A. D. Fenton, captured.<br /> +Private Manoah Graham, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Thomas Galbraith, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Albert Gillman, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Henry Hontz, captured.<br /> +Private David Howell, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James R. Huiatt, captured.<br /> +Private Bial D. Kines, captured.<br /> +Private Perry G. Luzader, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Charles B. Main, killed.<br /> +Private Lewis Main, captured.<br /> +Private Levi McHenry, captured.<br /> +Private Ephraim Nicholson, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William K. Neel, captured.<br /> +Private Greenberry Owen, wounded and captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span>Private Thomas W. Patrick, captured.<br /> +Private Wesley Perigo, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Daniel Peppers, captured.<br /> +Private Charles W. Ryckman, captured.<br /> +Private James H. Ryckman, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Samuel H. Smith, captured.<br /> +Private Henry H. Swift, captured.<br /> +Private David A. Stewart, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John Standley, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Barney S. Sullivan, wounded, and captured.<br /> +Private John Whitset, captured.<br /> +Private John Wafford, captured.<br /> +Private Levi H. Zentz, captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY G.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain Thomas M. Fee, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant B. F. Pearson, captured.<br /> +First Sergeant Andrew J. Boston, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Nicholas Snedeker, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Silas A. Snider, captured.<br /> +Sergeant James S. Thompson, captured.<br /> +Sergeant James Thompson, captured.<br /> +Sergeant James A. Lowry, captured.<br /> +Corporal Francis M. Snider, captured.<br /> +Corporal Ezra Wade, killed.<br /> +Corporal James Lowrey, captured.<br /> +Corporal Willis Higgenbotham, captured.<br /> +Private Martin Benge, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William I. Buck, captured.<br /> +Private Smith Bowen, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Eli Bryant, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Isaac Beaman, captured.<br /> +Private James Bridgeman, captured.<br /> +Private Thomas Crage, captured.<br /> +Private George T. Cavanah, captured.<br /> +Private Michael Cridlebaugh, captured.<br /> +Private Isaac Cross, captured.<br /> +Private James G. Davison, captured.<br /> +Private James A. Douglass, captured.<br /> +Private William R. Fisk, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John Gilbert, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John R. Hodge, captured.<br /> +Private Francis Hall, captured.<br /> +Private Amos Hays, captured.<br /> +Private John Herring, wounded and captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span>Private M. W. Harney, wounded.<br /> +Private Newton Kirby, captured.<br /> +Private Simon Launtz, captured.<br /> +Private Amos Moiril, captured.<br /> +Private Enoch F. Mapes, captured.<br /> +Private John J. Morrison, captured.<br /> +Private William Morril, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Arloff Maring, captured.<br /> +Private Harrison B. Masters, captured.<br /> +Private Wesley Mansfield, captured.<br /> +Private Robert B. Smith, captured.<br /> +Private Charles A. Smith, captured.<br /> +Private Samuel R. Shaw, captured.<br /> +Private William Thomas, captured.<br /> +Private William I. Zimmer, captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY H.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Lieutenant James M. Thompson, captured.<br /> +Corporal Darius T. Anderson, captured.<br /> +Corporal David H. Conger, captured.<br /> +Corporal Jacob Breon, captured.<br /> +Corporal John Archibald, captured.<br /> +Corporal Thomas Dyson, captured.<br /> +Corporal Isaac W. Powell, wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal Levi Overman, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John E. Atwell, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William H. Atwell, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private George Anderson, captured.<br /> +Private John Breon, captured.<br /> +Private Theodore S. Burns, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James M. Cooper, captured.<br /> +Private Sylvester M. Carr, captured.<br /> +Private John N. Davis, captured.<br /> +Private Archibald S. Ervin, killed.<br /> +Private John W. Fuller, captured.<br /> +Private Solomon T. Holsey, captured.<br /> +Private Enos Hockett, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John T. Hobbs, captured.<br /> +Private William Hamilton, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William H. Hudson, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Daniel King, captured.<br /> +Private Francis M. Kitterman, captured.<br /> +Private George W. Kitterman, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private George Lowe, captured.<br /> +Private James M. Lamb, captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span>Private David Lowe, captured.<br /> +Private John Marrow, captured.<br /> +Private Thomas W. Moffatt, captured.<br /> +Private James Moore, captured.<br /> +Private James H. McCune, captured.<br /> +Private James Morrison, captured.<br /> +Private Samuel T. McFall, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Henry McKowan, captured.<br /> +Private Horace O. Owen, captured.<br /> +Private Jeremiah Padget, killed.<br /> +Private William J. Powell, captured.<br /> +Private John E. Richards, captured.<br /> +Private Francis M. Scott, captured.<br /> +Private Ferdinand Southard, captured.<br /> +Private Marcus L. Spurlock, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William Stinson, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John P. Thomas, captured.<br /> +Private James Wright, captured.<br /> +Private Daniel C. Wolfe, wounded and captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY I.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain Joseph B. Gedney, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant George R. Houston, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant Walter S. Johnson, captured.<br /> +First Sergeant Henry Jaquiss, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Henry Dodge, killed.<br /> +Sergeant Oliver H. Perry, captured.<br /> +Corporal James C. Hartly, wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal George Athey, captured.<br /> +Corporal Truman E. Gilbert, wounded and captured.<br /> +Corporal John B. Adamson, captured.<br /> +Corporal James L. Stone, captured.<br /> +Fifer James N. Hodges, captured.<br /> +Wagoner George Holbrook, captured.<br /> +Private Jacob A. Bower, captured.<br /> +Private John C. Baggs, captured.<br /> +Private Josephus Brown, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Andrew I. Braymen, killed.<br /> +Private Simeon Baker, captured.<br /> +Private James Baker, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Levi Copple, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private David Conger, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Henry W. Davis, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James F. Denvon, captured.<br /> +Private Reuben Faloner, captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span>Private Isaac Frost, captured.<br /> +Private Benjamin F. Guy, captured.<br /> +Private Cyrus W. Gibson, wounded.<br /> +Private George W. Gibson, killed.<br /> +Private William M. Harvey, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Dillman Hutchison, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private John H. Harris, killed.<br /> +Private David John, captured.<br /> +Private William Jarvis, captured.<br /> +Private John Kingsberry, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Rozzel Lewis, captured.<br /> +Private John W. Morgan, captured.<br /> +Private William F. Marshall, captured.<br /> +Private Isaac O. Medis, captured.<br /> +Private James M. Odell, captured.<br /> +Private Orin Parks, captured.<br /> +Private Samuel E. Pugh, mortally wounded.<br /> +Private Horace E. Park, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Edward Streepy, captured.<br /> +Private Isaac Streepy, captured.<br /> +Private Henry W. Stephenson, captured.<br /> +Private George Sutton, captured.<br /> +Private William H. Thompson, wounded and captured.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center">COMPANY K.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Captain John Lambert, captured.<br /> +Lieutenant John A. Hurlburt, captured.<br /> +Sergeant Josiah T. Young, wounded and captured.<br /> +Sergeant Eli Moak, captured.<br /> +Corporal Benjamin Kimbrell, captured.<br /> +Corporal James W. Taylor, captured.<br /> +Corporal Edward Eads, captured.<br /> +Corporal James Moneyhan, captured.<br /> +Corporal Luther C. Bailey, wounded and captured.<br /> +Fifer William B. A. Carter, captured.<br /> +Private Henry H. Andrew, captured.<br /> +Private Allen M. Bailey, captured.<br /> +Private Wesley Banister, killed.<br /> +Private Levi Banister, captured.<br /> +Private George W. Brott, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Thomas Barker, captured.<br /> +Private Samuel T. Boales, captured.<br /> +Private Aaron A. Campbell, captured.<br /> +Private Thomas H. Case, captured.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span>Private Joseph Chambers, captured.<br /> +Private Henry W. Cline, killed.<br /> +Private William S. Collins, wounded.<br /> +Private Nathan Hummel, killed.<br /> +Private Jacob Hager, captured.<br /> +Private William G. Jackson, captured.<br /> +Private James D. Johnston, captured.<br /> +Private William W. Keeling, captured.<br /> +Private Elisha Kenworthy, captured.<br /> +Private Conrad Kirkendall, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Joseph Morford, captured.<br /> +Private Jackson Maxwell, wounded and captured.<br /> +Private James A. Murphy, captured.<br /> +Private Daniel Oneil, captured.<br /> +Private Jacob G. Potts, captured.<br /> +Private Jordan Pike, killed.<br /> +Private Edwin Robins, captured.<br /> +Private Byron Richmond, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private Charles B. Reed, captured.<br /> +Private William Stephens, captured.<br /> +Private Charles B. Smith, captured.<br /> +Private Robert Turner, captured.<br /> +Private James T. Thair, captured.<br /> +Private Reuben M. Tharpe, captured.<br /> +Private John Thomas, captured.<br /> +Private George Wiggins, captured.<br /> +Private Smith V. Walker, killed.<br /> +Private Abraham P. Waugh, mortally wounded and captured.<br /> +Private William J. Young, captured.</td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><b>Transcriber's Notes:</b></p> + +<p>Images have been moved from the middle of a paragraph to a nearby paragraph break.</p> + +<p>The text in the list of illustrations is presented as in the original text, but the links +navigate to the page number closest to the illustration's loaction in this document.</p> + +<p>Other than the corrections noted by hover information, the original printing has been retained.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bright Side of Prison Life, by +Samuel A. Swiggett + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRIGHT SIDE OF PRISON LIFE *** + +***** This file should be named 33035-h.htm or 33035-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/0/3/33035/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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Swiggett + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Bright Side of Prison Life + Experience, In Prison and Out, of an Involuntary Soujouner in Rebellion + +Author: Samuel A. Swiggett + +Release Date: June 30, 2010 [EBook #33035] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRIGHT SIDE OF PRISON LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: CAPT. S. A. SWIGGETT.] + + + + + The Bright Side of Prison Life. + + Experiences, In Prison and Out, of an Involuntary + Sojourner in Rebeldom. + + + By CAPTAIN S. A. SWIGGETT. + + + PRICE $1.25. + + + Press of + FLEET, McGINLEY & CO. + Baltimore. + + + + Copyright, 1897, + BY + S. A. SWIGGETT. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The author's name and reputation may sell this book--miracles have +happened; but he does not intend to permit the possible deception of a +confiding public into the belief that they cannot exist without reading +it. The possible purchaser is hereby warned that it is different from +any other book he ever read. It is without plot, moral, historical +value, mystery, romance, horrors and murderous scenes. The best excuse +to be offered for its existence is the fact that the author's numerous +friends have repeatedly urged him to print what they call an interesting +and unusual series of incidents. The responsibility for any injury to +the public must rest upon the heads of these friends, the author not +holding himself accountable for anything except the truth of the +narration. My friends being pleased with this publication, it may be +safe for others to try it, but they must not blame me for any lack of +appreciation. Trusting that this warning will prevent the unsuspecting +from buying the book solely on account of the author's literary +reputation, the result is awaited with fear and trembling. + +S. A. SWIGGETT. + +_March_, 1895. + + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + Page + + CHAPTER I. Preliminaries 9 + + CHAPTER II. The Capture 18 + + CHAPTER III. On the March 27 + + CHAPTER IV. Bright Spots 39 + + CHAPTER V. The Stockade 44 + + CHAPTER VI. Incidents 53 + + CHAPTER VII. Events 61 + + CHAPTER VIII. An Escape 69 + + CHAPTER IX. On the Tramp 77 + + CHAPTER X. Recaptured 85 + + CHAPTER XI. The Back Track 93 + + CHAPTER XII. The Return to the Stockade 103 + + CHAPTER XIII. Incidents, and Another Escape 109 + + CHAPTER XIV. Tramps Once More 120 + + CHAPTER XV. Diplomacy 129 + + CHAPTER XVI. Making Progress 139 + + CHAPTER XVII. A Puzzle, and Incidents 148 + + CHAPTER XVIII. Experiences 158 + + CHAPTER XIX. Good Luck and Bad 169 + + CHAPTER XX. In the Toils 177 + + CHAPTER XXI. Another Return Trip 186 + + CHAPTER XXII. Foraging, and a New Prison 196 + + CHAPTER XXIII. To Camp Ford and Joy 207 + + CHAPTER XXIV. Liberty at Last 219 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + Captain S. A. Swiggett, Frontispiece. + + General F. M. Drake, 18 + + Lieutenant Walter S. Johnson, 39 + + Adjutant S. K. Mahon, 69 + + Captain J. B. Gedney, 79 + + Captain Thomas M. Fee, 89 + + Captain Charles Burnbaum, 94 + + Captain J. P. Rummel, 115 + + Captain B. F. Miller, 167 + + Sergeant E. B. Rocket, 189 + + + + +The Bright Side of Prison Life. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +PRELIMINARIES. + + +My first appearance in the United States was made on the 19th of May, +A. D. 1834. I have no recollection of this important event, but am +reliably informed that the given date is correct, and that Dorchester +county, Maryland, was the locality. At that time I had no premonition of +my future life in a rebel prison, and if anyone had told me of the +fourteen months which were to be spent mostly in such a manner I should +have paid no attention whatever. + +The year 1855 found me in Blakesburg, Iowa, after having lived in +Indiana during the three years following my removal from Maryland. + +In 1856 occurred my marriage to Miss Eliza H. Van Cleve, and no man +could be more happily wedded. For thirty-eight years, until her recent +death, on April 13, 1894, our life was as much of a honeymoon as it is +possible for a well-mated couple to make it. + +I had learned the trade of a tailor, but other employment offered more +inducements, and, on August 8, 1862, my occupation was that of +postmaster at Blakesburg, Iowa, keeping a small general store in +connection with the postoffice. On this date I enlisted with others, and +we were sworn in at our place. + +Our company was organized at Ottumwa, where we went for the purpose, and +my election as first lieutenant gave me much pleasure. Here we spent +about two weeks at squad drill, having the usual experience of +beginners. + +Many of the town girls had lovers, brothers and relatives in our +company, and we had many fair critics present at our drills on the south +bank of the Des Moines river. The excitement was great at the time, and +everybody seemed to be interested very much in our company. For a while +we received the criticisms of our fair guests with equanimity, but at +last we conceived the idea of turning the tables, and soon had an +opposition company so interested in their own drill that the girls gave +us some peace. Two of the boys afterwards married members of the +competing company. + +We rendezvoused at Keokuk, where the 36th Iowa Infantry was finally +organized and mustered into the service of the United States on October +4, 1862, Col. Charles W. Kitredge commanding. Our boys were designated +Company B. + +About November 1 the regiment went to Benton Barracks, near St. Louis, +and remained until December 20. After we were ordered to go south all +was bustle till we embarked on two steamboats and started on our voyage. + +The boats were loaded to the guards with soldiers, hard tack and +coffins, the last being piled up in all available space. Said Pat Riley, +a member of our company: "Holy Jasus, byes, luk! Luk at that! Hev us ter +kerry thim ter hev 'em handy loike?" + +The mute suggestion of the many coffins was not pleasant, but our boys +were hopeful, and many jokes were bandied about in consequence of their +presence. + +That sail down the mighty river will never be forgotten. None knew where +we were going, and the conflict between hope and fear was in many a +breast--hope of success and glory, and distrust of the issue. On board +all was confusion; oaths, laughter, witty remarks, hoarse orders, din in +general. Looking inboard, one could forget all save the immediate +present, and hope was predominant. Looking up at the sky, with its +sweeping clouds, like vast billows of dark, stormy sea, rushing on and +tumbling over each other in mad haste, one felt the immensity of the +universe and the littleness of man, despite his thunders of war. +Listening to the asthmatic breathing of the "scape" pipes, and watching +the shores gliding by, one half fancied a flight in the grasp of some +huge monster that was bearing away its prey. Looking over the side and +hearing the sob and swash of the seething water under the guards, one +could imagine a restraining hand on the huge mass, the panting breath of +exertion, and a moan of regret because of ineffectual effort to keep +back the floating giant that was carrying so many human beings away to +death and disaster. Fear of the future now became the paramount feeling. + +We were halted at Memphis by a signal from shore, and found that the +citizens and military authorities were in fear of an attack by Forrest. +That night we slept on our arms in Jackson Square. + +The next day some mule sheds were emptied of their living contents, and +our boys were quartered in the vacated premises. We were then detailed +for guard duty at Fort Pickering, which service we performed for several +days, still having the privilege of enjoying our commodious quarters. It +was hardly fair to turn the mules out into the cold to give shelter to a +regiment of new recruits, but as the mules made no "kick" at this +change, why should we object? + +The spare hours of my first night as officer of the guard were spent in +trying to get some sleep on the ground. It was raining hard, and it +seemed impossible to find any spots which were not hollows; at any rate, +I could not lie down without finding myself in a pool of water when I +awoke. My reflections and comments need not be recorded. + +Christmas passed with scarcely a knowledge of the fact, and about the +first of the year we were sent to Helena, Ark., where General Prentiss +had about 20,000 men. + +We were landed, had tents issued to us, and camped on the river bank for +several days. No stoves were to be had, and the damp, cold weather made +fires a luxury. How to have shelter and warmth at the same time was a +puzzle. + +Spurred on by the emergency, my thoughts ran very fast, until they were +brought to a stop and concentrated upon one idea. All my hunting about +the neighborhood failed to result in finding any bricks. Some old pieces +lay about, and these were gathered up, together with some old camp +kettles. The latter were battered as nearly flat as possible, and then a +trench was dug from just inside the front of my tent to and under the +rear end. The sides of the trench were built up a few inches, the old +kettles placed across, and the whole heaped over with sand. We built a +sort of chimney upon the outside end of the long tunnel thus made, and a +fire was then started at the inner end of the opening. The draught drew +the smoke and heat through the extemporized radiator, and before long we +had the sand giving out a very satisfactory degree of warmth. Many +pleasant hours were spent in spinning yarns while warming out feet on +this product of necessity. + +The 47th Indiana was soon ordered away on a campaign, and we were moved +into the permanent quarters which they had occupied at Fort Curtis. They +had left a portable bakery, all their cooking and heating stoves, as +well as many smaller conveniences, and of these we took possession, thus +finding compensation for some of our hardships. + +It is an unwritten military law--at least it was so decided by our +general at the time--that property abandoned in quarters becomes the +property of the next occupants, by right of possession. + +In about ten days after our removal to the cabin I was awakened one +morning by a captain in the regiment recently moved out. He announced +the fact that they had returned and were in camp on the hill, about half +a mile distant. The courteous manners of the man, my realization of what +it then meant to be in a dog-tent without fire, and my confidence in my +own ability to find a substitute, induced me to give him my stove, +formerly his. A little later he came back with some of his men, and was +about to take away all the other stoves and things left behind. The +company was turned out under arms to resist, but the warfare was +confined to words, and the dispute was settled by the decision +mentioned. + +It is pertinent to state here that I was in command of my company at the +time, owing to the absence of our chief on other duty, and that his +promotion shortly after gave me my rank as captain. + +When the dispute was settled it again became necessary to find some +means of warming my hut. With regrets for having been so good-natured, I +set about devising another substitute for a stove. More scraps of bricks +could not be found, and stones were as scarce. Finally, an old piece of +machinery was discovered, which gave some hopes of success. It was a +hollow tube, about two feet long and ten inches in diameter, with a +small hole quite close to one of the open ends, and this was planted +upright upon the earthen floor of my cabin. We procured an old soup +kettle, cut a hole in the bottom for a pipe and capped the cylinder with +it; but the question of a stove-pipe was a more serious matter. Not a +piece was to be found. The next morning my stove had a pipe, and a fire +was merrily burning within the old tube, sending out a heat which made +me glad that the stove had been given up. The only trouble with the new +arrangement was that one had to lift the pipe and top in order to build +or replenish a fire. Sometimes I have a vague impression of someone's +having climbed to the top of a distant cabin in the gloom of the night, +and when this thought comes to me I seem to see a man standing, in bare +feet and scanty clothing, upon the top of that cabin, with the moon +trying in vain to secure a good look at him through the thick clouds, +and tremble with the fear that he may awaken the sleepers within as he +cautiously uplifts their stove-pipe through its hole in the roof. The +vision comes like a recollection of a dream, and I often wonder whether +the man who secured my stove-pipe for me did not tell me where he got +it, and that in so vivid a manner as to leave me with a memory of it +like unto that of one who was present. + +In February our regiment went with a boat expedition. The object of the +trip was unknown to us, but we were stopped by a fort at the head waters +of the Yazoo, and returned to camp at Helena after an absence of about +forty days. During this time my company was detailed for boat duty up +the river, and we had a sharp fight with some rebels on shore, till we +landed, drove them off and burned some cabins. No one was seriously +hurt. The casualties of the expedition were not large, and the most +serious resulted from the guerilla warfare of the rebels along the banks +of the rivers, which was finally stopped by landing and burning a few +buildings. + +We were assigned to provost duty when we returned, and this continued +until the latter part of May, when our quarters were moved to the river +bank. + +Now commenced a system of constant drill for all the troops, which +almost caused a mutiny. Daylight each morning found us in line of +battle, and the work was laborious. This was continued till the 4th of +July, when the battle of Helena occurred. + +This battle is a matter of history, and with its details we have nothing +to do in this narrative. Suffice it to say that there is little question +in the minds of those who were there as to what saved the day for us. We +were, as was usual, in line of battle at daybreak when the attack was +made. + +The command of our troops was transferred to General Steele soon after +the battle, and in September we were moved on the fall campaign to +Little Rock, which place was occupied without much trouble, and there we +remained for the winter. + +Minor skirmishes and battles in which Company B was engaged have not +been noticed, as the object is to chronicle only the principal events +which led up to the prison life and efforts to escape. + +In February we started on the slow march to join Banks at Shreveport, +and reached Camden about April 1. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CAPTURED. + + +Three weeks later our brigade was ordered to escort an empty supply +train from Camden to Pine Bluff, and we started on April 22, 1864, about +1300 strong, the force consisting of the 43d Indiana, 36th Iowa, 77th +Ohio, one section of the 3d Missouri Battery, and a detachment of the +1st Indiana Cavalry under Major McCauly, the whole commanded by Gen. F. +M. Drake, now Governor of Iowa. + +Crossing the Washita river, we camped for the night about three miles +out. The following two days were Saturday and Sunday, and we advanced +little by little, being frequently beset by the enemy, and having +constant skirmishing, until about 2 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, when we +reached Moro river bottom, and camped until the pioneer corps had +completed repairs on the road ahead. + +This stream could scarcely be called a river, and yet, when high, it +flooded quite a district. At the time of our crossing it was hard to +tell where the real channel lay, the whole bottom being one vast marsh, +across which was an old corduroy road, or rather a broken line of logs, +some visible and some not. Water was to be seen only in spots, and +there was nothing which had even the appearance of a river, but when one +stepped off the apology for a road he soon found that the earth was +saturated with water, which oozed up like the liquid out of a full +sponge when stepped upon. + + +[Illustration: GEN. F. M. DRAKE.] + + +The teamsters were contrary, and would not move until the road was in a +decent condition. They had light wagons, and a little effort on their +part would have enabled us to cross over into the Saline bottom that +night, when the after-events would have been avoided. But the road was +in a bad condition, and it was Sunday afternoon; so we lay there. + +Everyone in camp felt a foreboding of evil to come, and when we arose on +Monday morning it was with a feeling of keen apprehension and distrust. + +We crossed at will, my company being at the head of the second regiment. + +On reaching the solid ground beyond the bog we were met by an aid, +coming back from the leading regiment, and he called out excitedly to +Maj. A. H. Hamilton, who was at the head of our column: "Move your +regiment forward, Major, as fast as possible. The rebs have appeared, +fully 2000 strong." + +We hastened on, and, as we gained the higher ground, the rapid shots of +a fierce engagement came to our ears from just over the ridge. + +The fight was in the woods, and a hot one. We moved up, and were +deployed, but soon all was confusion. The rebels seemed to be +everywhere, and, after a brief struggle, it became every man for +himself. We had but forty rounds of ammunition with us, and that was +soon exhausted, when we learned that we were cut off from our train in +the rear. + +Sergeant John S. Wood and I were standing near a tree, with Private +Jasper Barker between us, and Barker was shot down. We could see that we +were largely outnumbered and that there was no well-regulated fight. +About twenty-three of the fifty-six men in Company B had been killed or +disabled and the rest had no more ammunition. The men on our flanks were +melting away by death and retreat, and we finally gave it up and sought +safety in the rear; but there was no escape, for we were completely +surrounded. + +Dodging around, and losing men by capture at every turn, the few of us +left at last had to surrender to a little squad under Sergeant Davis. +They rode down on us, yelling wildly and flourishing their sabres, but +we gave up, with no casualties save the serious injury of Annan L. +Silvey, who broke his gun across a tree when called upon to give it up, +and who received a sabre stroke for his pains. Most of the others had +done the same thing before the rebs came up, when it had been seen that +capture was certain. + +The sergeant let me keep my sword, but it was taken away later on. + +We were marched along toward a corral which the rebels had made for +their prisoners, and on the way we had to submit to involuntary trades +with our captors for what they chose to give us in return for anything +of ours which they saw and fancied. + +One fellow made a grab for my hat, but his grasp was eluded with a quick +motion and a "No you don't," but the latter remark had scarcely been +uttered when an enormous fellow, who wore a big, greasy sombrero with +flapping rim, reached out a hand that seemed as large as a small ham, +with "By God, Yank, _I_ will!" + +And he did, his great, broad-rimmed hat being forced down over my ears +with a force which made my head ache--at least I think it was the force, +but my head ached steadily until that hat had been exchanged for +another. + +A rebel major came up, and, seeing our captors taking from the prisoners +all personal property of value, remonstrated with the offenders, in many +cases causing the purloined goods to be returned. He then offered to +receive in trust any articles which any officer might see fit to deposit +with him for safe keeping, and to give his receipt for them. This offer +seemed to be so kind that a general rush was made to take advantage of +it, and the major was soon loaded up with a general assortment of +personal effects. There can be no doubt as to the safe keeping of the +valuables, for they are still in his possession so far as known to the +depositors. + +The sergeant had not interfered with the promiscuous plundering, but he +was inclined to be friendly, and we learned that the force that had +captured us was a young army of 7000 mounted infantry that had been sent +by Kirby Smith, after his defeat of Banks, to help in the effort to +gather in General Steele. + +Had we crossed the river on Sunday they would have missed us. As it was, +we simply marched right into their open arms, and were enfolded as +gracefully and fraternally as could have been expected under the +circumstances. + +Further talk drew from our captor that he had a mother living in +Missouri, where Confederate money was no good, and that he was anxious +to send her some greenbacks. Knowing that we were booked for a rebel +prison, Davis was enabled to supply his mother with the desired funds by +an exchange with some of our boys, who brought forth greenbacks from +various hiding places when the object was made known, and the man did us +several kindnesses in return. We became quite well acquainted before our +separation. + +Reaching the corral, or bull pen, as it was more generally called, I +recovered from the sorrow and despair which only my efforts to get on +the right side of our captors had kept from weighing me down, when I +found that it was a most general "round-up." Very few of the command had +escaped. Of Company B we counted thirty-five, two of whom were wounded. +Nearly all the others had had a similar experience, and it soon became +apparent that the proper thing to do was to make the best of a bad job +and to watch for a chance to get away. + +Company B had ten pairs of brothers on the rolls, of whom eight pairs +were separated by death; but we will not dwell upon the dark side of +matters. Most of our captors had cloaked their robbery of us with a +pretense of trading, but in nearly every case the article offered for +exchange was of no comparative value. + +Some of us began joking each other about our losses, some accepting the +jokes in good part, some being angry, and some too dispirited to care +what was going on. + +It always has been a principle of mine to look at the bright side of +matters, and to find it if none such appeared on the surface. Several +others were of the same mind, and we had considerable fun--at least I +had--until one of the party began questioning me too closely. + +Our lieutenant had bought a horse just before the fight, and in the +morning, as we had started on our march, I had offered to give him my +watch for the animal. He had agreed to this, and I had then given one +of my men, who was marching in his bare feet, an opportunity to ride. +Soon after, we had found a pair of boots lying just off the road, and +the rider once more had his feet encased in a proper covering. When we +had gone into action this man had ridden up and taken his place in the +line. Having the horse on my hands, and seeing one of our general's +black servants standing behind us, I had turned the horse over to him, +giving instructions that he should be kept out of the way of harm. Both +horse and rider had disappeared, and had kept out of harm, and further, +sight as well. There could be no doubt but what my horse was gone for +good, either to the rebels or elsewhere. My claim that the rebels had +not taken my watch was soon explained by cross-questioning. When I had +to admit this, I suddenly remembered that a friend of mine in one of the +other regiments had not shown up, and I went off to look for him. Those +fellows had no appreciation of humor, anyway, unless someone else was +the object of remarks! + +The prisoners were herded together and counted, checked off and then +recounted. All the male negroes among our troops and with the train had +been killed, and the women and children were huddled in with us. + +There had been several citizens with the escort, mostly cotton +speculators. Two of the latter, with whom I had talked while en route, +were now close to me in the counting, and I learned that one had been +forced to give up $140,000 in cash to rebel soldiers, who had traded +boots with him and had given him a pair so much too short as to +necessitate the cutting out of the toes in order to give room to the +toes of his feet. He now stood next to me, the most disconsolate-looking +person imaginable, with his long toes sticking out of his boots so far +as to enable him to touch the ground with them by slight effort. The +other had had $120,000 with him, but had buried it during the fight, +marking the spot. As we have no more to do with these men, it may be +said here that the latter recovered his money later, going for it under +the flag of truce while the dead were being buried. + +The only event of the day which had the power to overcome the resolution +I had made to be cheerful, despite all the horror and disaster, occurred +while we were quietly standing there, awaiting the final count, when we +suddenly caught sight of an approaching body of rebels bearing a lot of +captured flags, among which I recognized our own, all torn and +disfigured as it was, the very scars enabling the recognition. + +We can talk lightly of a flag as being only a distinguishing mark or +emblem, but its true emblematic character is not realized until some +occasion arises to impress upon us what is meant by the flag of our +country. + +When my gaze rested upon that shot-torn flag all the memories of its +associations flashed through my mind in an instant, as well as the full +realization of what its possession would mean to us and what its absence +signified. Words cannot express my feelings. I looked around me for a +moment, and, meeting the eye of one of our men looking at me, his +countenance twitching and his eyes filled with tears, I broke down +completely and sobbed like a child for a few minutes. + +O ye men, who have only looked upon our country's flag as a pretty +emblem! You, who only think of it as a necessary distinguishing mark +among nations! And the many who never think of it as anything except a +piece of bunting! Be ye once in a position where inability to possess +that strip of colored fabric means privation, loss of liberty, +separation from home and friends, possibly death, and you will then +realize what it means to you as no language can depict! + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ON THE MARCH. + + +After the rebels had paraded and counted us to their entire +satisfaction, the prisoners were started on a march to the Washita +river. The start was made late in the day, and we were marched fifty-two +miles before a halt was ordered on the bank of the river, at a one-wagon +ferry, about 4 o'clock the next afternoon. The commander of the forces +in charge of the prisoners was a genial, plausible colonel named Hill, +who was possessed of a red head and the ability to hold us together by +assuring us of our parole when we arrived at our destination. He and his +men were very friendly and treated us well; so we marched along, in high +hopes of a parole and with excuses for the lack of food during our +journey. The prisoners were ferried across the river that night, and we +burrowed in the sand on the river bank for sleeping accommodations until +morning, but were awakened about 11 o'clock by a call for dinner. We had +received nothing to eat up to this time, and had no objections to the +hour selected, but we were regaled with cornmeal mush, the quantity +apparently being determined upon with a due regard for the supposed +ill-effect of too much food in the case of men who were extremely +hungry. The negroes who accompanied us were more hungry than we, and the +rebels were so careful of them as to give them nothing to eat at this +halt. + +I found out afterwards that their apparent fear of overloading hungry +stomachs developed in an exact proportion to the scarcity of food among +the rebels, and it is but justice to say that they exhibited the same +regard for their own health that they did for ours. + +The next morning we breakfasted upon the memories of our meal of the +previous night, and at this time I noticed a pitiful scene. Several +negro children, scarcely old enough to talk, were going from fire to +fire and poking among the ashes with sticks, their great eyes rolling +around at us as if they were committing some depredation. On closer +observation, it was found that ears of corn had in some way gotten into +the possession of some of us, and that they had been roasted in some of +the fires. The children were hunting for the stray kernels of corn left +in the ashes, and were greedily eating them when found. + +While waiting here for the wagon train to cross the river, several of us +went down to bathe. The lack of blankets and clothing among us had been +a hardship, and seeing the wagons crossing put an idea into my head. +Determining to test the scheme, I took one of my companions with me and +hunted around until we found Colonel Hill. He was as busy as a bee, +here, there and everywhere, and practically doing all the work himself. +Awaiting a favorable moment, we approached him, I assuming a +matter-of-fact manner, and, in a business-like way, saying: + +"Colonel, our blankets and things are in one of those captured wagons +and we need them. Can you not send us under guard to look for them?" + +"Certainly, certainly. Here, sergeant, send a couple of men with these +gentlemen, to help search the wagons and get their stuff for them," and +he was off in a rush to hurry up the crossing of the train. + +Two men were detailed to accompany us, with instructions to help us to +get our things, and we started. + +Going down the road into a strip of woods, and beyond a convenient +curve, we waited until a wagon reached us from the ferry boat. + +Our guards halted the lumbering vehicle, which was heavily loaded with +captured goods of all kinds, and told me to get up and see if I could +find our stuff. The driver cursed and swore, but the leveled guns of our +escort brought him to terms, and he got down. + +I entered the wagon, and found a miscellaneous assortment of personal +property, of which I appropriated all the blankets and clothing, as +well as a number of small articles, throwing them out in a heap at the +side of the road. In starting the thing my plan had been simply to get +some few blankets and a coat or two, but the ready permission and able +support had caused me to see the possibilities of the case, and I was +now prepared for a wholesale business. + +Dismounting, I said to the guards: + +"It isn't all here, boys; we had a big lot. These little things we don't +want as prisoners, so will just keep the blankets and clothes, and you +can have the rest. Here comes the next wagon; there may be more of our +stuff in it, so this fellow should be ordered to go on." + +The two guards looked at me, then at the heap of plunder, then at each +other, and broke into broad grins of appreciation and delight. The +driver was ordered to move on, which he finally did, with many oaths and +threats, but our escort was now as much interested as we, and we took +our pick of the things in several wagons, until twenty blankets and +numerous articles of clothing lay piled up beside a heap of small +luxuries. We could have plundered the whole train so far as our guards +were concerned, but there was a blanket for each two of my men, and, +while the wagons were forced on ahead as fast as we finished inspecting +them, it was becoming more and more likely that some officer would ride +up from the ferry; so we desisted. + +One of my appropriations was a very long linen coat, with a huge collar, +enormous cuffs, and large flaps over the pockets, a relic of former +days. This, and a large Confederate hat, I donned as we returned with +our captured goods, and my appearance was the source of much amusement +to the boys and wonderment to others. Until this attire was discarded I +passed for a citizen prisoner, and many questioning remarks of an +amusing character were overheard as I walked to and fro. + +Late in the afternoon we were marched about three miles out in the +country, and there we camped for the night, being well fed for the first +time, but it being the first opportunity of the rebels to feed us well. +Our meal was of ash cakes, made of dough rolled in leaves and baked in +the ashes of the fires by the negroes. This was the first food given to +the negroes with us, and, during the march, I saw a colored woman +walking painfully along with a child in her arms and two small ones +holding to her skirts, the fear of being killed if they fell behind +having kept them up. + +The next morning we were separated from the negroes and marched to +Camden, which place, in the meantime, had been evacuated by General +Steele, reaching there on Saturday morning. + +Several days were spent here in arranging for a guard and in registering +the prisoners. + +The soldiers were all sent to an old cotton press, and there were +robbed of what few things the admirable effort already made in this +direction had allowed to remain in their hands, or, rather, concealed in +their clothing. + +Colonel Polk was provost marshal, and the officers and citizens were +taken before him for registration. He asked the names, regiment, etc., +of each, entering the replies in a large book. At last he came to a +tall, fine-looking fellow, who stood on my right, and this young man +gave his name--"J. J. Jennings, 5th Kansas Cavalry." + +Colonel Polk laid down his pen and looked up, with a flushed face and +swelling veins, blurting out: + +"You're one of the d--d gang that burned my house and cleaned out my +plantation; I've a notion to hang--no, you're a prisoner. Next!" + +He resumed his pen and returned to his writing, but one could see that +he harbored much resentment for a legitimate act of warfare which had +happened to come home to him. + +After we had been duly examined and registered we were sent to the +cotton press, where the men were, and here we remained for several days, +our promised parole not being forthcoming. + +Finally, a sufficient guard was secured, and we were started off for +Shreveport, the talk of the parole, having served its purpose, now being +forgotten. + +The march to Shreveport occupied about a week, and attempts to escape +were numerous. Each night several men would get away by having comrades +cover them up with leaves so that they would be left behind in the +morning. I devised a scheme to capture our guards and liberate ourselves +in a body, but most of the men were fearful of failure, and sufficient +co-operation could not be secured. + +One night, four men dug a hole beside the road and concealed themselves +in it, being covered over with leaves and brush. The guards had missed +so many by this time that they had resolved to investigate; so, when we +had marched just clear of our camp, we were halted, and a couple of +officers went back, with drawn swords, and commenced prodding all piles +of leaves and likely places of concealment. Soon the point of a sword +penetrated through the boughs and leaves over the hole and to the fleshy +portion of the anatomy of a man beneath them. A smothered yell and a +convulsive spring revealed the place of concealment, and the poor +fellows were hauled out and escorted with scant ceremony back to the +crowd. Not a man of us but who wished that they had escaped; but the +desire to forget our own misery was too great for our sympathy, and the +crestfallen men were greeted with shouts, yells, laughter and all sorts +of jokes. The guards viewed these attempts good-naturedly, but they had +their duty to perform, and their vigilance put a stop to further +attempts of this sort. Just before we reached the Red River a young +fellow suddenly made a magnificent leap, clearing the fence by the side +of the road, and ran like a deer toward a neighboring clump of timber +and underbrush. Several shots were fired at him, but he dashed on and +gained the timber, two guards following him into it. A short time after +the guards came back and said they had killed him, but I afterwards +learned of his escape and return to his home. + +It is worthy of note that I had become rather popular with our rebel +guards, and that by an apparently strange method. + +When we were first captured I had made up my mind to make the best of a +bad job, and had, therefore, lost no opportunity to be sociable with our +captors, while my natural tendencies led me into conversations of +raillery and criticism whenever a chance was offered. The desire to +forget unpleasant reflections increased both my desire to talk and my +ability to do so, and, during the march, I was constantly moving about +among the prisoners, interviewing the guards, finding out all I could +learn and discussing the situation of the country with every rebel who +would talk to me. It had soon become apparent to me that nearly all our +guards were not only sociably inclined, but rather disposed to enjoy my +comments upon the Confederacy, and the daily talks and discussions, in +which I freely gave vent to my ideas, were at once the cause of many +fears for my safety, among my comrades, and of increasing popularity +among the rebels. The boys held their breath on many occasions, +expecting me to be shot for my impudence and candor, reproving me for it +as they had a chance; but, whether because the rebels liked criticism, +or liked the way in which it was made, I was sought out by them and +encouraged in my talks, receiving many tokens of friendship. + +One day, as we were wearily plodding along, a strange-looking figure +rode up beside me and opened up a conversation. The rider was an +ungainly, poorly-dressed, ugly specimen of a country doctor, and his +mount was one of the sorriest-looking steeds to be seen in a day's +journey among many poor specimens of horseflesh. This man rode along the +line, examining the prisoners with an air and look which were gall and +wormwood to us. For some reason best known to himself he selected me as +his intended victim, and, as he rode up beside me, I was saluted with +some remark about d----d Yankees, which brought forth a tirade of +raillery from me, in which I expatiated very fully upon stay-at-homes, +and negro equality as I knew it to exist in the South. The man was +furious, but the several guards within hearing nodded and grinned when I +looked toward them, and one of them got close enough to murmur: + +"Go it, Yank! Give him h----l!" + +The man finally rode off, and I forgot all about the matter, until at +noon, when we halted, and one of my fellow-captains came up to me, in a +flutter of excitement, and gave me the pleasant intelligence that he had +heard them talking of hanging me to the next tree. I did not believe it, +and, as the next tree was out of sight ahead, my reception of the +information was of a careless nature. It turned out later that the +doctor had demanded that I should be hung as one of the blackest-hearted +villains he had ever heard talk, and that an investigation had caused +him to be sent about his business. This is mentioned as an illustration +of the fact that our guards were not looking for chances to shoot +prisoners. + +We finally reached the Red river, on the bank of which we stood in the +rain for over two hours before we were ferried across, and marched +through the main street of Shreveport on an old plank road. The whole +town turned out to see us, but we were a hard-looking crowd to put on +exhibition, yet they halted us for a much longer time than was +desirable, while the citizens satisfied their curiosity about Yankee +prisoners. + +Here I met a rebel major, Lazwell, _from Iowa_. + +After our inspection by the natives we were marched beyond the town to a +place called Four Mile Springs, where we camped for the night in the +rain, and rested as well as we could upon the soil of white clay, which +ornamented our persons and showed many evidences of attachment. + +When we again started it was with the knowledge that our destination was +a stockade at Tyler, Texas, and all hopes vanished save those based upon +the prospect of a long imprisonment. + +During the march all our boys were constantly regretting that we had +made no attempt to escape, and calling themselves idiots for being +hoodwinked by the clever Colonel Hill and his talk of parole. + +To show the current ideas of Confederate money it will be appropriate to +relate an incident of this journey to Tyler: + +One day, while we were halted for rest and water, two rebel officers +commenced to talk "hoss swap." After each had made a careful examination +of the other's horse, one said: "Well, Captain, you'll have to boot me." +"All right, Kunnel," said the captain; "how much do you want?" The +"kunnel's" answer made me gasp for breath. "Give me a thousand dollars, +Captain, and it's a go." "No, that's too much," said the captain; "I +will give you five hundred." "All right," said the "kunnel," who +evidently thought five hundred "dollars" a small matter of difference in +a "hoss swap," "strip your hoss." In the meantime I, with others, had +looked the horses over with considerable care and could see but little +difference in value between them; they were both very much alike--stout, +pony-built sorrels, and in Iowa would have sold for from $75 to $80 in +greenbacks. + +Just at this time a rebel officer rode by on a beautiful little dapple +"dun" pony; he was pacing along at a fine rate, and called forth many +expressions of admiration. One of the officers remarked: "The kunnel got +a big bargain in that hoss; he done paid only $5000 for him." This horse +may have been worth $100 in greenbacks. I had never seen the relative +values of the two moneys so well illustrated before. + + + + +[Illustration: LIEUTENANT WALTER S. JOHNSON.] + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BRIGHT SPOTS. + + +Lieut. Walter S. Johnson, of Company I, my regiment, now of Lincoln, +Neb., was captured with me, and was one of our number on the march from +Mark's Mills, Arkansas, the scene of our undoing, to Tyler, Texas. He +was afterwards one of my comrades in an attempt to escape. A couple of +his experiences are well worthy of record here, and, while one of them +occurred during our absence without leave from the stockade, it is +related in this chapter because neither incident came to my knowledge +until a recent date, and, both being illustrative of kind treatment +received, it seems right to place them in a chapter which may be said to +be Lieutenant Johnson's, especially as neither of them otherwise needs +particular location in my narrative. + +The balance of this chapter is to be understood, without quotation +marks, as coming from my comrade: + +After we had been on our weary march for a number of days, a man came +among the prisoners for the purpose of buying up all greenbacks that +were for sale. He did not need much help to carry off his purchases, as +we had been previously interviewed by others on the same subject, but +without the offer to give an equivalent or even the courtesy to ask +whether we had a superfluous quantity. This man, therefore, made a +favorable impression, and we became curious to learn his object. He was +a genteel, unassuming fellow, and spent two or three days with us, +talking to individuals as the opportunity offered. At last I asked him +why he was giving $5 of Confederate money for one of ours, when he told +me frankly that he expected to go to Vicksburg--then within our +lines--to buy medicine for the use of their army. + +"Do you think it possible to do this?" I asked. + +"Oh, yes," he responded; "I have done so several times already, and +there is no trouble about it." + +In a moment it flashed across my mind that here was a chance to get a +letter through to my loved ones at home, and I said to him: + +"Would you have the kindness to take a letter through for me and mail it +to my wife when you get to Vicksburg?" + +"Oh, certainly," he said; "I can do that just as well as not." + +With bounding heart I tore a leaf out of my pocket diary and wrote a few +lines to my wife, saying that I was all right, telling her to keep up +her courage and that all would yet be well. + +I gave the precious scrap of paper to the gentleman--without an +envelope, as a matter of necessity--_and my wife received it all right_ +from Vicksburg, where it had been enclosed in an envelope and mailed. + +I remember this kind-hearted gentleman with much gratitude, and, as the +receipt of the letter would indicate that he got through as expected, +the fact has always been to me a source of satisfaction beyond that of +personal benefit. + +This experience, as well as the one to follow, is recorded all the more +readily because the kindnesses received during our sojourn in Rebeldom +were not expected, at least by me. + +On our return to the stockade, after an escape elsewhere described, an +incident occurred which gave me greater faith in human nature than I had +possessed up to that time. + +We were pretty well used up by our constant traveling, were having +little to eat, and I was not feeling very well; perhaps looking even +worse than I felt. + +Thinking that a cup of milk would be at once a benefit and a positive +luxury to me, one morning, just after daylight and before we had broken +camp for the day's march under our guards, I made up my mind to visit a +house near our resting place and ask for the drink to which my palate +had been a stranger for about two years. I was scarcely a presentable +object, being barefooted, my pants frayed out up to my knees and hanging +in shreds below, my coat-tails cut off at the waist, my feet wrapped in +the detached fragments of my coat, and I wore a white wool hat, given me +by the "Johnnies," as the best they had, that drooped so much as to +necessitate doubling it up like a "turnover" pie. In this plight I +mustered up the courage to present myself at the house, after having +secured permission from the guards. Knocking at the door, with some +misgivings, I was answered by a sad-looking, yet sweet-faced, +middle-aged lady, whose appearance so confused me that I could only +stammer my request. + +She, with a calm, gentle demeanor, so mother-like that the tears almost +started from my eyes, invited me to a seat in a neat and tidy, yet +comparatively bare room. This courtesy I acknowledged and declined as +respectfully as I knew how, thinking I would only be there a moment. She +retired at once to an adjoining room. + +The minutes kept slipping away, until I feared that our kind guards +would have their patience tried and their suspicions aroused to an +extent which would invite an investigation of my whereabouts, especially +as we were to move before long. Just as I was beginning to think myself +forsaken by the old lady, and was trying to forget the imaginary taste +of that expected milk, she reappeared, when, to my surprise and almost +consternation, she invited me _to breakfast_ with the family in the next +room, where the table was ready and bountifully loaded with a +substantial meal. + +Oh, that breakfast! The sight fairly took my breath for a moment, and I +no longer regretted the delay as I feasted my eyes upon the clean and +inviting table, with its plentiful supply of creamy biscuit, golden +yellow butter, ham and eggs, baked potatoes and steaming coffee; but, as +I gazed, even though hungry, worn out and reduced in flesh, a full sense +of the kindness exhibited almost caused me to break down utterly and my +appetite failed me for the moment. However, my kind hostess, in her +gentle, unassuming manner, quietly motioned me to a seat and bade me +make myself at home. With the family of four persons I sat at the table +throughout the meal. Very few words were spoken. My eyes kept filling +with tears and my heart was too full to permit my saying more than +"Thank you, and may heaven bless you." + +Even at this late day the remembrance of the unpretentious kindness of +that dear old lady brings the tears to my eyes. + +Such acts in this world of selfishness and coldness are the shade and +water in the desert of life, and the longer I live the more I am +convinced that nothing short of love for Him in the heart will produce +such works. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE STOCKADE. + + +In about six days we reached our place of abode, which was about four +miles distant from the town of Tyler, in a northeast direction, and on +the side of the main road to Marshall. The stockade was called Camp +Ford, and was situated in the midst of a section thickly covered with a +growth of pine timber, the enclosure consisting of about six or seven +acres in a comparatively open space, where the trees had been cut off. +The trunks of from one foot to eighteen inches in diameter had been +split in two, and cut so that they were about nine feet long. These had +been sunk in the ground about three feet and one-half to make the fence +around the prison, and the tops of these slabs were about the height of +an ordinary man's eyes from the ground. + +The enclosure had been recently enlarged, and there were no buildings in +it except in the old portion, and these now stood in the northwest +corner, where there was a beautiful spring, which gave an abundance of +clear and good water. + +The stockade had two gates, the main entrance being on the north side +and the other through the eastern fence or wall. The guardhouse was +opposite the main gate, the headquarters of the rebels in a house over +100 yards down the road toward Tyler, and the hospital about 300 yards +beyond. + +We stood for over an hour, in all our glory, before the stockade, while +the rebels looked us over and checked us off; then we were marched by +details into our attractive future home. + +My company was directed to the southwest corner of the enclosure, and +assigned to quarters consisting of tree stumps, tangled oaks and scrubby +pine brush. + +Who can adequately describe the feelings which possess a man at such a +time! + +The remembrance of the patriotic inspiration, and hopes of glory, which +actuated the enlistment; the recollection of how the desire for the +comforts of life and the pleasures of home associations was suppressed +in order that the country's need might be served; feelings of +thankfulness that death in battle had not been the result; and then a +self-questioning as to whether death would not be preferable to a long, +dreary imprisonment; all combine to make one realize the extent of such +a misfortune: but a man becomes more miserable when nursing his +miseries, and the active employment of mind and body in attempts to +remedy present evils is the best means of avoiding depressing +influences; so most of us turned our attention to making the best of our +situation. + +The next morning we held a council, and at once set about laying out a +town within the enclosure. Before night the place, if one could have +lost sight of the enclosing fence, looked like a very young prairie +town. We had regular streets laid out, including a boulevard, and the +discussions as to names were as serious as if our town had been a future +city. In the southeast corner of the stockade we reserved ground for a +public square, where hundreds of men could be seen promenading each +pleasant evening. On the south side of this square the sinks were +located. + +There was an unfinished cabin quite near us, which was partly occupied +by old pioneers, and we bought a half interest in the structure. It had +two rooms, one low side, and a shed roof. By patching up, one side of +this desirable flat was made habitable, and several of us moved in and +took possession. We got poles and some oak staves, which sufficed to +make rough bunks. Our party consisted of seven officers of the 36th +Iowa, and Lieut. John H. Hager, of the 120th New York, who was my +berthmate. By the way, I think Lieutenant Hager was the most contented +prisoner of the entire lot. He could sleep night and day. +Notwithstanding the flies would swarm on him so thick that you could +scarcely recognize him, still he would sleep, undisturbed except by +sweet dreams. + +The ground was staked out for the different companies and allotted to +them, all being made as comfortable as possible. + +Our party built a porch to our flat, the occupants of the other side +joining with us. We got out, under guard, for the purpose of getting the +material, and we soon had a protection from the sun before our +residences. + +I had had malaria for some time before being captured, and a chill every +other day for about six months previous to the time of our unwilling +visit to the Confederacy, but no chill had I felt since the day of our +disaster. Account for it as you will, the facts remain. I was still very +weak, however, and our long march had not helped my recovery. I remember +that in building the porch to our abode I was scarcely able to carry my +share of the brush. While the march had helped to weaken me, the +excitement of it had sustained me, but I went to pieces when it was +over. + +The commander of the stockade at that time was a Colonel Allen, an +ex-United States regular, and he was disposed to be as kind as possible +to his prisoners. The first protection for the men was such as could be +had quickly by throwing up bowers of brush and tree limbs, but Colonel +Allen allowed us to go out under guard and cut timber for cabins, and in +about six weeks we had completed cabins for all, thus being fairly well +housed. + +It is needless to say that all the prisoners had the fever of escape, +but the chances were very few. Major McCauley, who lived next door to +me, succeeded in getting away in a manner which will be spoken of later +on. + +Our town was soon one of 4000 or 5000 population and built like a +Western boom city, avenues and streets being carefully laid off and +appropriately named. We had lots of fun in naming some of these streets, +and the lots were bought and sold in regulation style. We had a solid +business street and efficient police regulations. + +Before he left, my friend, Major McCauley, together with Jack Armstrong, +a captain in a Kansas colored regiment, and several others, including +myself, used to sit under our front porch spinning yarns, devising plans +of escape and cracking the backs of a species of bug with a hard shell, +which used to be prevalent about our quarters in those days. We planned +a good many escapes, but could not hit upon the right method of getting +away. + +Colonel Allen and his wife were very nice people, and did what they +could for us, but it was his business to keep us there, and, while many +escaped from the stockade, very few got away. + +In policing our enclosure they used a dump cart, which would drive in, +be filled with leaves and other litter lying around and then be taken +to a ravine outside and dumped. + +We conceived the idea of using the cart as a means of escape, and +forthwith set about carrying out the scheme. There were some prisoners +among us from a Zouave regiment, and one of them was an innocent-looking +boy. We enlisted his services, and he soon had the confidence of the +cart-driver and was allowed to drive the cart around within the +enclosure while it was being loaded. Selecting a favorable opportunity, +Major McCauley and Captain Armstrong were laid in the cart and covered +with leaves. The major's legs were too long, and, in drawing them within +the limits of space allowed, his knees reared themselves so high that, +when we had covered them as well as we could, there was very little +covering on top. The captain was inclined to be corpulent and was +full-blooded, so that, when the leaves covered him, he breathed heavily, +and a close observer could notice a regular upheaving of the mass of +leaves. We hoped for the best, however, and watched the progress of +events with keen interest. + +The cart finally started for the exit, and several of us made our way to +a good point of observation. + +By the time the vehicle had reached the gate the jolting over the rough +ground, and the captain's breathing, had settled the leaves until, like +the ostrich, the occupants felt secure with their heads covered, but +were exposing telltale signs of their presence. McCauley's knees +appeared above the leaves like mountain peaks above the timber, while +the captain's stomach just showed, like the back of a porpoise above the +water as he plunges. + +An officer at the gate surveyed the cart, and we expected to see our +friends hauled out, but he only smiled grimly and said not a word, while +the cart proceeded on its way to the ravine. + +We looked at each other in astonishment, and we could see the captain's +stomach give an extra heave, evidently with a sigh of relief. + +Our astonishment was soon changed to amusement as the officer spurred +his horse toward the cart, and then stood quietly by, with a smile on +his face, as the driver backed up to the ravine and prepared to dump the +cart. A creak, a rush, a cloud of leaves and dust, a glimpse of two +tumbling figures, and we saw our friends sitting in the bottom of the +ravine, looking up wonderingly at the smiling officer on the bank, who +said to them: + +"Well, boys, where are you going?" + +"To Camp Ford," replied Armstrong; "will you be kind enough to show us +the way?" + +"Certainly; will you ride or walk?" said the officer, pointing to the +waiting cart and the grinning driver. + +"Thank you, but we'll walk if it is not too far," was the answer, and +the two men limped back to the stockade, good-naturedly smiling at the +laughter and jokes which greeted them from such of the inmates as had +witnessed the escapade. + +For some little time past I had been feeling miserable, my limbs +swelling as if with dropsy and my appetite being very poor. I had begun +to fear that I was likely to die, when Hiram Pratt, one of the members +of my company, proposed a course of treatment which he claimed to have +seen used with success in similar cases. After deciding to try his +remedy, I was helped to the spring, disrobed and had the cold spring +water poured slowly on my back for a few minutes. Almost instantly I +felt some relief, and, with a daily repetition of the treatment, I soon +became myself again. The cure was so complete that for fourteen months I +was entirely free from all signs of the trouble. + +Among the many schemes devised for escape from our prison were +innumerable tunnel devices, and many of these were planned and worked +upon, but nearly all the various workings were discovered in one way or +another, and but one was a success, although many men escaped at +different times in other ways. + +The stockade was full of rumors about probable parole, and these +stories, evidently prompted and encouraged by our captors to prevent +attempts to escape, kept many of us from risking recapture, and +possible death, by uncertain attempts to regain our freedom. + +The Fourth of July was soon near at hand, and we asked permission to +celebrate the day within the stockade. The consent being given, a number +of us went out under guard and cut poles and brush, with which we built +a large bower in our public square, as well as a grand stand. When +finished we had shelter for over 500, and an enthusiastic crowd gathered +about the stand on the Fourth. Colonel Leek had prepared an oration, and +Colonel Dugan had written an original poem for the occasion. We +applauded both oration and poem; when several speeches were made by +those among us who were gifted and inclined that way. Long before we had +finished one of the men on the outside of the crowd got so excited that +he took off his red shirt and raised it on a pole, amid the cheers, +hoots and yells of those about him. Our captors promptly marched a squad +of soldiers into the stockade and broke up our gathering, giving as a +reason that we had flown the American flag. This was not so. We had +several flags among us, but were very careful to keep them out of sight. + +While we had several flags, we knew that any display on our part of the +stars and stripes would cause appropriation, and we possessed our souls +with the knowledge that Old Glory was in no danger while kept in hiding. + + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +INCIDENTS. + + +It was the custom of our captors to bring in guards and count us daily. +Our town was divided into wards, and the men of each ward fell in at a +certain place to be counted, several guards being assigned to each ward +to do the counting, which was done by roll-call. We worked this +roll-call in various ways to facilitate exchanges, having some man +impersonate another who was dead and whose chances of exchange had been +good, and covering up escapes by answering to names of those not +present. I personally know of one case where a resemblance caused a +living man to become dead and buried on the records, while he was +carried on the rolls and subsequently exchanged under the name of the +man who had actually died. Several men escaped whose names were answered +in person afterward by others, who took their place in line and then +slipped back to their own places to respond to their own names. In this +way a number of men were exchanged under the names of those who had +escaped and whose absence had been covered up. This was possible, owing +to the roll-call and the few guards who handled large numbers of men, +but it was afterwards stopped by a numerical count when a few cases of +doubt had occurred. + +When the rebels started the new system of counting we used to bother +them all we could by causing disappearances. One of the first attempts +we made at this was to secrete about 150 men in the lofts and corners of +the various buildings which then existed, as well as above the lower +weight poles on the roofs of our cabins; the usual custom of hanging +blankets to air on the eaves of our quarters enabling us to cover the +men who were hidden there. + +There was a great excitement and furore when the count showed the +shortage and apparent escape. Dogs and searching parties were sent out +in all directions without avail, and the next morning it was more +excitement when the count was in excess of the required number. We did +this constantly, in a small way, although our fun was spoiled after the +first large discrepancy, but it served to increase chances of escape by +making the rebels pay less attention to a small shortage. They would not +attempt to hunt through the stockade for a few men, and after a few +cases of finding the missing ones at the next or the following count +they could not be sure of an escape until too late to follow with any +chance of success. + +Exchanges at this time were considerably delayed by the trouble which +resulted from the paroles given to the large number of prisoners at +Vicksburg. These men were tired of fighting, had no desire to serve the +Confederacy again, and not only refrained from again carrying arms +against the United States, until regularly exchanged, but sought to +avoid doing it at all by keeping out of the way of exchange. + +In one of the boat fights on the Red river the rebels captured an army +paymaster in citizen's clothes. He was sent to our stockade, was +exchanged in due time and sent home, and I learned years after that he +had had $150,000 of government money concealed on his person, which he +had succeeded in saving and taking back with him. + +In this day, when men seem to think it right to get all you can and keep +what you get, you will find few like this paymaster. + +There were all sorts of trades constantly going on between the prisoners +and with outsiders. One of the most amusing scenes I ever witnessed +occurred in the case of a farmer who bought a load of assorted truck to +sell to the men in the stockade. He had a dilapidated old wagon and a +sorry-looking specimen of a mule team, which he drove up to the +enclosure and left in charge of his negro boy while he went to +headquarters for a guard to escort him inside of our camp and protect +him while selling his goods. + +The rebels were too busy to give the desired attention to him as soon as +he wanted it, and while he was waiting for the detail the guards at the +stockade began helping themselves to the contents of his wagon, the +negro driver, who was only about fourteen years old, having no ability +to prevent the plundering. This made the owner furious, as he witnessed +it from a distance, and he came over to the wagon, asking Adjutant +McCann for permission to go in without a guard, saying that the +prisoners would not steal as much as would the men who should protect +him, and expressing his willingness to take his chances alone. + +All this conversation was within the hearing of both prisoners and +guards, and the adjutant, with a wink at the crowd, ordered the gate +guard to permit the passage of the outfit. + +A broad grin of satisfaction spread over the faces of all as the large +gate swung open, and the crowd of about 500 prisoners that usually stood +about the main entrance opened ranks to permit the passage of the wagon, +the negro boy driving and his master, with an unmistakable air of +triumph, standing erect beside him. + +When inside of the enclosure the wagon was driven up our Broadway, the +crowd closing in behind and following, and when the merchant and his rig +made a stand on Market street he had a crowd of from 1000 to 1500 +customers around him, and trade opened up quite briskly, he exchanging +his stuff for cash and such available trinkets as were possessed by the +boys, putting his own price upon both the goods sold and the articles +taken in trade. He was selling out at a rate which caused the money +fairly to pour into his hands, and all went smoothly until he made the +mistake of raising prices and getting too independent, when his troubles +began. + +When his talk and manners had given offense to many of the prisoners, +and his unjustifiable prices had caused the disapprobation of all, some +of the men began slyly to help themselves to small articles. Discovering +this, he struck at one of them with his cane, which was snatched from +him, whereupon he drew his revolver and swore he would shoot the first +man who took anything more. + +His lone pistol could not intimidate so large a crowd, and there was +something so absurd about the idea that the men laughed in derision, +daring him to shoot and promising faithfully to kill him and put him out +of his misery if he did. + +The poor little negro boy who held the reins was so badly scared that he +almost turned white. + +After a few exchanges of courtesy, during which the man was so impolitic +as to arouse the anger of the crowd at his littleness and bravado, the +linch-pins were quietly removed from the axles of his wagon, somebody +started his mules, and, in a minute, he and part of his load had been +dumped on the ground, amid the yells and shouts of the now excited men, +and in less time than it takes to tell it his entire wagon and load had +disappeared piecemeal, carried off to various parts of the enclosure and +secreted, and he was left standing in the midst of a crowd that had only +laughter and sarcasms for his tirade of abuse. + +Finally, he became too personal, and then he was violently taken in +hand. They took away his revolver, smashed his ancient plug hat, +plundered his pockets of his receipts and generally maltreated him. + +During the fracas some silver coins were scattered about in the crowd, +and a general scramble took place for their possession, during which +several heads were ornamented by other than the usual bumps. + +When the crowd at last let the merchant depart he was the most +bedraggled specimen of humanity that I ever saw. + +The guard came in and dispersed the crowd, but there was not enough of +his wagon to be found to be of any use, and he slowly and painfully +walked out of the enclosure, leading one of his mules, while his boy +followed close behind with the other, the master shaking his fist at us +and indulging in a forcible, if not elegant, flow of language. + +He got more from the boys than his whole outfit was worth before he +began to overcharge and put on airs, so that no one felt sorry for him, +while all enjoyed the scene of his downfall and spoliation. + +After the trader had gotten outside of the stockade the rebel guards +took up the matter, joking him severely and laughing at his troubles, +consoling him with: + +"You can go in without a guard whenever you please. The pris'ners 'lnot +steal any more from you than we will!" + +Colonel Allen, who, up to this time, had been in charge of our stockade +and given us all the attention and comfort possible, was now removed, +and a Colonel Borders sent to take care of us. We much regretted the +removal of Colonel Allen. + +Among the prisoners were a number of steamboat men, who lived by +themselves and were called the steamboat squad. They were an unruly +crowd and caused much annoyance. The 5th Kansas boys had a row with some +of them, and one day the steamboat squad got together and came up to +clean out the 5th. At once there was great excitement and we all feared +a riot. The leader of the steamboat men was a big Irishman, and his +loud-mouthed threats, together with the rough appearance of his crowd, +seemed to indicate a hard time for the boys, while no one cared to +interfere personally. The 5th was drawn up in line, armed with clubs, to +receive the attack, but an officer proposed to settle the dispute by a +single stick fight with the steamboat leader, which was hailed with +delight by all hands. I do not propose to describe this battle, but +everyone who witnessed it was surprised to see the big Irishman receive, +in short order, an unmerciful drubbing, which settled what would +probably have been a general fight if the two factions had come +together; and thus we had some keen excitement to vary the monotony, +while disastrous consequences were fortunately avoided by the presence +of mind of one man, or, rather, by his skill with the single stick. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +EVENTS. + + +A noteworthy and impressive feature of our stockade life should not be +overlooked. I refer to the religious services held regularly by many of +the prisoners. On every Sunday morning a crowd would gather in one +corner of the stockade, and men representing numerous religious creeds +would meet in unison to worship Him. + +Much religious enthusiasm was frequently manifested at these meetings. +Many professed conversion, and a number of backsliders were reclaimed. +The experiences related by those who had been raised amid Christian +influences were particularly interesting. With tears in their eyes men +would relate how they had received the parting blessings of pastor, +wife, parents and other loved ones, only to come to the army and be +surrounded by irreverent comrades. They would tell how hard it had +seemed, to be deprived of the help and consolation of regular and +customary religious services in the midst of such surroundings, and how +much harder the trial had been when the change to prison life had taken +place and the separation from home had become total; the recital, an +earnest assurance that religious faith was a great consolation in time +of adversity, and a stirring appeal to others to have faith that He did +all things well, being sufficient to awaken dormant feelings in some, to +inspire new thoughts and resolutions in many and to cause all to feel +more resigned. No doubt as to the support and consolation afforded by +religious faith could have existed in the mind of anyone observing the +earnestness and fervor of the leaders in these gatherings. + +The religious exercises were not sufficient, however, to suppress the +natural inclinations of most of the prisoners to gamble on the slightest +provocation; in fact, the confinement and the necessity for doing +something to kill time were the means of increasing the ordinary +tendencies in this direction. + +In ordinary army life it was a common thing, during most any halt, to +see "keno" and "chuck-luck" games going on. The halt would scarcely be +called before "chuck-luck" boards would begin to appear from knapsacks +here and there and rubber ponchos be spread for "keno" games. Five +minutes later one could scarcely look in any direction without seeing +games of chance in full blast. The prison certainly witnessed more of +this in proportion, as the dealers were not reformed in the least, and +the gullible ones were as numerous as ever, while the victims of the +mania for trying to gain much for little, with the chances all in favor +of losing more, were increased by the causes mentioned and from the +rebel guards who were allowed to remain within the stockade. After +roll-call each morning a dozen or more games would be called in as many +different parts of the prison, and an interested crowd would soon be +gathered around each game in the open air to watch the betting, which +would, at times, cause quite an excitement. + +Lieutenant and Adjutant McCann, of the prison guards, always took a +lively hand in these games, and he could be seen almost every morning +squatting down or sitting flat on the ground, where he could partake of +the excitement of "bucking a sure-thing game." One morning, while he was +intently engaged in this occupation, some waggish prisoners quietly +appropriated his revolvers without his being aware of the transaction; +to slip them from the belt being an easy matter when he was in such a +posture and so much interested in trying to "break the bank." + +When McCann "went broke" himself he left the stockade, still without +noticing his loss, but it was not long before he became aware of the +theft and indulged in some righteous indignation. He gathered a detail +of guards and returned to the stockade, demanding the return of his +pistols. Of course, no one had seen them, and not a soul in the +enclosure knew anything of them. + +The suggestions and remarks, together with the adjutant's ire on this +occasion, made the scene an amusing one, but it soon took a serious +turn. One of the prisoners would suggest that the officer had lost his +"guns" in the woods before entering the stockade; another would remark +that his own men were no better than others, and that some of them had +probably "cramped" the weapons; the next would suggest that he might +find the pistols in his own quarters if he looked more carefully; and +the men kept this up until the officer became nearly frantic with anger. +He made numerous threats, but they were insufficient to cause the +surrender of the lost revolvers, and no suspicion of any particular +parties could well exist under the circumstances, as any one of the 6000 +prisoners might have been the malefactor. + +The fact that two good revolvers were in the hands of the prisoners was +not one calculated to cause indifference on the part of the rebels, as +untold trouble might result; so, after a council of war at headquarters, +it was decided that cutting off the rations of the entire crowd within +the stockade until the missing articles were found would probably +inspire the prisoners with better sight, and we were informed that +unless the pistols were surrendered within twenty-four hours we should +have no more to eat after that time until we discovered and returned the +adjutant's armory. + +This action was regarded as a "bluff" by the prisoners, and, after a +general discussion, it was decided that our sight could not be improved +by such methods; but when we had fasted for twenty-four hours, and the +beef and meal wagons had failed to put in an appearance at the regular +time, we concluded that the rebels meant business, and it was not long +until someone discovered the lost revolvers, when our guards were +advised as to where the weapons could be found. + +The surrender of the adjutant's arsenal put an end to an amusing and +exciting episode, but it also ended the "keno" and "chuck-luck" games, +so far as the guards were concerned, for their commander forbade any of +them remaining within the stockade after roll-call. The adjutant never +recovered his lost temper--that is, while we knew him, and was a cross +officer after this occurrence. Whenever he would enter the stockade, +subsequent to his disarmament, someone would shout "keno," and the cry +would be taken up by a thousand voices. This did not help him to forget +the revolver incident, and, naturally, did not improve his temper. + +"Keno" was also a watchword to notify anyone engaged in tunnel-digging +or other contraband work that it was hazardous to proceed at the time, +and by the time any officers or guards entering the stockade could reach +any suspected point all unlawful actions would be stopped and any traces +covered. + +We had a tunnel started in a cabin, the mouth of the hole being sunk in +the fireplace. Whenever the watchword, "keno," would sound the digger +would hurry out, a false bottom would be set in the fireplace and +hurriedly covered with ashes and burning wood, and all evidences of the +work effectually hidden from sight. + +This tunnel-digging was slow work, as a case-knife was the most +effective tool which we possessed, and all the labor of shaping the hole +had to be done with this inappropriate implement. Our method of removing +the dirt could not be called primitive, inasmuch as the means employed +were of neither ancient make nor style, but the device certainly was not +of the time-saving kind. A cigar-box, with a string attached, was the +vehicle for conveying the dirt from the interior of the works to the +surface of the ground, and every ounce of dirt that was loosened by our +improvised excavator had to be removed by this apology for a tram car. +When the loaded car came to the mouth of the tunnel it was carefully +conveyed to some old hole in the neighborhood and there dumped, light +dirt sweepings from the ground being scattered over the fresh soil from +the tunnel. The lack of speed in the work was offset by the +corresponding amount of care that was taken in doing it. + +There was every reason in the world for believing that our tunnel would +become a success, and it would have done so had it not been for the +action of some traitorous prisoner, whose identity never was discovered. +This man, whoever he was, had good reason to thank his lucky stars that +we were not able to locate him. + +Some miserable coward informed the rebels of our work, and, after +repeated surveys, they managed to swamp the enterprise, catching the +digger, who then happened to be Abel Crow, in the tunnel. Crow was taken +outside and made to mark time for hours in the effort to compel his +betrayal of the others interested with him in the work. When the guards +thought he was about tired out they would question him as to who were +his helpers, but he was true blue. He stuttered a good deal under +ordinary circumstances, and, when excited, could scarcely be understood +by anyone not used to his manner of speech. His uniform reply to the +questions asked was: + +"M-m-m-my n-n-n-na-na-n-na-name is A-a-a-ab-a-ab-el-Abel +Cro-cro-cro-Crow, and I d-d-do-do-don't kn-know anyb-b-bod-y else." + +The rebels tried to get this man to say more, and they kept at him until +forced to give up the attempt as a bad job, when they complimented him +upon his grit and sent him inside without further punishment. + +The tunnel had reached fully thirty feet beyond the fence and picket +line when the work was stopped, and Abel told one of the guards who were +assisting him to mark time during the attempt to learn the names of his +co-workers that he could stop work in the tunnel and plainly hear the +guard's "One o'clock and all's well," which he knew to be a d----d lie, +further informing his listeners that if they had not been in such a +d----d big hurry the job would have been finished in about two more days +and nights and many of the prisoners would have handed in their +resignations. + +The statements of Crow to the guard were made in his own stammering way, +which must be imagined by the reader, with the assistance of the +illustration given of Abel's ability for speech-making, and his +combination of frankness and reticence made him no enemies. + +Of the disappointment consequent upon the failure of this tunnel to +reach the outer world at the proper time and place little need be said. +It was only one of many failures, and while the progress made had +encouraged a very strong hope, if not expectation, of success, the +result was not so exceptional as to cause despair. All who had had +confidence in the success of the scheme were naturally a little +crestfallen, but we still continued to nourish hopes of a different +result in some other case. + + + + +[Illustration: ADJUTANT S. K. MAHON.] + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +AN ESCAPE. + + +About the first of August our remaining officers decided that parole or +exchange was very unlikely, and we concluded to attempt an escape. +Captains Miller and Lambert, with Major Hamilton, had already gone. They +had slipped out of the stockade and had finally succeeded in getting +home, but the hardships of the journey caused the death of two and +nearly killed Hamilton. The result, of course, we did not know at the +time, so Captains J. B. Gedney and Thomas M. Fee, Lieutenants Charles +Burnbaum and Walter S. Johnson, Adjutant S. K. Mahon and myself made our +plans to follow their example. + +After considerable diplomatic work we finally closed a deal with one of +our guards to secure us an opportunity to get out, for $150 in +Confederate money, and he picked out a couple of his companions to help +him. We watched and studied the methods of guard-mounting, and selected +what seemed to be the most favorable point for our egress. We then +informed our friend the guard of the time and place decided upon and +instructed him how to have himself and friends fall in at guard-mount, +so that they would get the posts which covered our chosen ground. + +When the appointed time came we were all nervous and somewhat excited, +for we could not tell whether our guards would prove true to us or not, +but we were determined, and we made our preparations with the utmost +secrecy. We had secured some provisions and an axe, and when we finally +started Captain Gedney led the way as pioneer, carrying the axe. I came +next, with a pail containing our provisions, on top of which was a large +boiled ox heart, and the others followed. As we approached the stockade +our hearts beat quickly, and we were in a state of dreadful suspense +until we saw that the nearest guard was aware of our presence and found +that he was not disposed to see us. We had picked out a spot where the +soil was loose, and, when we found that our guard was sincere, it was +the work of a very short time to work and separate two slabs of the +stockade so that we could squeeze through. + +The night was dark and rainy, and fitful flashes of lightning but partly +illuminated the scene, yet caused us to crouch close to the ground to +avoid discovery. I shall never forget the interval of dread, hope and +nervous excitement consequent upon our delay at the fence while forcing +an outlet, although it could not have been more than a very few minutes. +Between the rumblings of thunder we could hear the low sough and moan +of the wind in the trees outside of the stockade, like the suppressed +wail of human beings in pain; then would come a flare of flickering +lightning through the clouds, like the striking of a match that would +not burn, at which we would flatten out against the fence or on the +ground, with our hearts in our mouths; then, with the darkness, would +come the low roar of distant thunder, like the anathemas of a +disappointed match-striker, and we would desperately renew our efforts +for fear the successful match would be struck before we got away, our +fears being heightened by the evident approach of the worst of the +storm. My similes may not be poetic or grand, but it is a fact that it +seemed to us as if each flash of lightning was an attempt to find us and +each roll of thunder the growls of our captors at the failure. + +At last we got through the fence, and at once struck a pace for the +woods, which would have carried us to Iowa in short order if we could +have kept it up. + +We had scarcely started before there came what seemed to me to be the +greatest flash of lightning that I had ever seen. For an instant you +could have seen to read in the open spot across which we were making all +the speed of which we were capable, and then came a yell from one of the +guards, the roar of a musket and a rattle of thunder that fairly caused +us to become frantic in our efforts to put a proper distance between +ourselves and that stockade. In the darkness which followed the glare I +plunged head over heels into a small ravine, hugging my bucket of food +desperately, but when I arose and hastened on my ox heart had +disappeared. We had no time to bewail the loss, however, for our danger +of recapture was more serious, and we fairly flew along. + +Just what efforts were made to overtake us I do not know, but we finally +reached a place where we could hide and take a breathing spell, and no +sounds of pursuit disturbed us. + +After a time the storm passed over and the moon began to peep through +the clouds now and then, when we started again on our journey. The +country was what can be best described as an open-timber country, that +is, timbered thinly without much underbrush. We walked all night, +selecting our course as best as we could, having occasional periods of +partial moonlight, then a cloudy spell, and again a thunderstorm. When +daylight at last appeared we sought a ravine and a dense thicket and +stowed ourselves away. + +It cleared off with the rising sun, and we spent the day in hiding, +drying our clothes in the sun as best we could. We had no idea where we +were, and could only locate directions in a general way; so we talked +over the situation and decided to travel by night, going as near north +as possible, and to take turns as leader or guide, holding each leader +responsible for keeping our course. + +When night came it was decided that it was my lead, and I prepared to +guide the party north in a country of which I knew nothing, my only +support being the consciousness that I knew as much about our +surroundings as the others. + +We started, and proceeded in a very satisfactory manner until we struck +what we took for a bayou. There was a path along the bank, so we turned +and followed it for quite a distance, expecting it to lead us to a +crossing, but finally concluded that we should wade the stream. I picked +out a good place and started in. We walked until tired, sometimes up to +our knees in water and again up to our waists, but there seemed to be no +other side, and by the time we concluded that we had a swamp to deal +with instead of a bayou we knew just about as well how to find the spot +we had left as how to reach the other side. After a standing committee +of the whole had discussed--and cussed--the situation, in water up to +our waists, we decided that it was better to go on than to try retracing +our steps, as we would be bound to reach the other side or some side if +we only kept on long enough. So I picked out a northerly direction as +well as I could and we floundered on. + +The silence was not oppressive, as the croaking of innumerable frogs, +the buzzing of several million mosquitoes and the splash of the water +did not permit such a thing to exist, while exclamations, some partially +suppressed and some emphatic, frequently silenced the frogs and startled +the mosquitoes, as one or another of the party stepped into a hole or +stumbled over a root. At last we struck a place where the water was +quite deep, the bottom soft and the bullrushes so thick that we could +scarcely wade through them. + +When we got where the bullrushes waved over our heads, while the mud was +nearly to our knees and the water up to our armpits, the rest of the +party stopped and mildly remonstrated, one of them suggesting that my +ability as guide was not being displayed in finding the most convenient +way to go north, even while I might be going the most direct way, and +that there was room for an argument as to whether our most material +progress was not toward a place located in another direction. + +At this I suggested that as I was their Moses to lead them out of the +wilderness I could scarcely be blamed for a visit to my birthplace while +the opportunity offered. + +Captain Gedney was so exhausted that we were compelled to grope around +until we found a place where he could sit down. Before it was found he +was so completely fagged out that we had to support him, and, when at +last we found where he could sit with his mouth and nose just above +water, the situation had become serious. + +Then we appointed a committee of one to explore the neighborhood and +find, is possible, a place where we could sit down conveniently. +Lieutenant Johnson, being the tallest, was selected for this delicate +duty, and we rested (!) for a time while he departed on his quest. We +had several reports from him in the next few minutes, but they had no +bearing upon the object of his mission and are omitted, and then his +voice grew fainter and fainter very rapidly. At last we heard him shout +to come on, and we went toward his locality in as good order as +possible. After some worse floundering than any we had yet had we began +to find hard bottom and more shallow water, and in a short time we +joined him on a bare space around the roots of a big tree, where we all +sat down and awaited daylight, after voting thanks to Johnson for his +timely help in the hour of need. We figured out that we must have walked +at least ten miles through that swamp, and even today I can hear those +frogs and the dismal splash of the water when I allow my mind to dwell +upon that night's experience. + +Despite our worn-out and exhausted condition, and the drowsy feeling +which came to us as the result, we were unable to sleep soundly. The +myriads of mosquitoes were not slow to discover our half-stupid +condition, and they took a mean advantage of our partial helplessness. I +have never been able to decide how much of our exhaustion on the +following morning was due to our exertions and how much to the loss of +blood which resulted from the attacks of our musical enemies. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +ON THE TRAMP. + + +With the coming of light we discovered solid ground in the near +distance, and we very quickly reached it. Most of our provisions and +nearly all our matches had been ruined by the water, so we had a scant +breakfast in our wet clothes. + +About the time when we finished breakfast we discovered a dog +skirmishing about among the brush, and an investigation developed the +fact that a colored gentleman was passing by us not very far away. We +withdrew to better cover, and I undertook to capture the dog and make +friends with him, fearing that otherwise he might discover us to his +master. + +The capture of the animal was effected with the aid of my suspenders and +a few honeyed words, and we quickly became quite friendly, his master +loudly calling and whistling for him, while we caressed and fondled him +to distract his attention and prevent his barking in reply. When we +finally concluded that it was best to get rid of our new companion he +was loath to leave us, so Lieutenant Johnson was detailed to lead him +off in the swamp and kill him. Just as he was about to start on his +mission a deer ran through the woods, quite close to us, and the dog +became so excited that we released him, when he at once started on the +trail of the deer, and we saw no more of him or his master. + +When night came, our clothes had been partially dried by the heat of our +bodies and what little sunlight was available, and we started again in +high hopes, finding a good road after a short walk. Following this road +for an hour or two, we saw a fire ahead of us, and at the same time +heard some cattle being driven toward us from the rear. We at once filed +out of the road, lying down to await their passing. Just as they got to +us a man came riding down the road and headed them off into the woods, +and the whole bunch passed right over our bodies, fortunately without +stepping upon any of us, although Burnbaum had a very narrow escape; he +could have touched the horse ridden by the man. After this incident we +concluded to retire for the night, and sought a secluded place, where we +made the best beds we could and had a sleep. + +In the morning we held a consultation, and decided that we could now +travel by daylight if we exercised reasonable caution. Our provisions +were now all gone, and we were pretty hungry, so we kept a good lookout +for a chance to replenish our larder as we proceeded on our way. + + +[Illustration: CAPT. J. B. GEDNEY.] + + +During the day we followed the road, which led us nearly north, avoiding +observation by frequently taking to the woods and by keeping a +skirmisher well ahead to observe all curves in the road. Several +cornfields were honored by our making them our headquarters for a time, +and we satisfied our hunger and filled up our larder with corn and green +watermelons. We made good time, and at night found a good place and +slept soundly, having succeeded in getting thoroughly dried. + +The next day we resumed our tramp, taking each available opportunity of +lolling in the streams of water which we had to cross, thus refreshing +ourselves very much. + +Seeing a lot of pigs in an open road, near a cornfield, where we had +gone for a repast, we vainly sought to catch one. Our affection for +those pigs was something moving in its character, at least it kept us +moving in a very lively manner for a time. Those pigs were deaf to all +our blandishments, and both vigorously and effectually prevented us from +embracing what seemed at times to be a good opportunity for a dinner of +pork. When it seemed hopeless to expect that any of the animals would +listen to reason, Captain Gedney suddenly thought of the axe, which he +had laid down until the capture of the pig should have been +accomplished. Soon the axe and numerous expletives were being hurled +promiscuously at the animals, but his remarks seemed to have no more +effect than the axe. All of a sudden the captain changed his tactics, +and, instead of hurling the axe first and the wordy missiles after the +axe had missed its mark, he savagely directed certain forcible remarks +toward an animal that had repeatedly escaped the axe, and then hurled +the latter in the same direction. Whether as a result of the preliminary +remarks or not, the pig suddenly stopped and looked at his assailant, +when the axe, which had previously missed the animal by falling short or +passing across his wake, struck him in the loin, and he fell to the +ground, a victim of the evil passions of man and his keen appreciation +of roast pig. + +Our matches had been ruined, and we had become tired of trying to light +a fire with the damp articles, but the exigency of this case again +caused us to go hopelessly over our stock in a very careful manner. Our +joy may be imagined when Lieutenant Mahon found a few stray matches +secreted in his vest lining, where, by some mistake, they had escaped a +wetting sufficient to ruin them, and we soon had our prize over a fire +in a secluded nook, later enjoying such a meal as we had not had in a +good while. + +The executioner received a vote of thanks for his devotion to our cause, +and numerous congratulations upon his proficiency in the art of stopping +and killing a pig were showered upon him. He bore his honors meekly, +merely remarking that it did him more good to kill that pig than it did +to eat him; but while his veracity was never before doubted, the manner +in which he devoured his share of that animal, and the quantity which he +ate, caused the rest of us to conclude that he found more joy in +possession than in pursuit. + +Captain Gedney's feet had been troubling him considerably, and the next +day we stopped for a rest and to doctor his feet. We used the grease of +the pig as a salve, and made him a pair of moccasins out of an old shirt +and the tail of his blouse. Late in the day we made a start, and slipped +along slowly. Finding no running water, we were forced to drink from +pools at the roadside, but we made good progress on our way. + +On the seventh day out, as we were marching along through a +highly-timbered country that was thickly covered with underbrush, with +an extremely hot sun overhead and scarcely a breath of air stirring to +relieve the stifling oppression in the atmosphere, Captain Fee had a +sunstroke, and we were alarmed, but he quickly recovered and we +proceeded. + +So far we had seen no one to whom we wanted to speak, and no one not +easily avoided. + +On the eighth day our few matches had all been used, and our food supply +again exhausted. We found some field beans, which we ate raw until we +had satisfied our appetites, and then filled our bucket. + +We were wearing Confederate shoes made of poorly-tanned leather, and +they had become as hard as iron, wearing off our toenails to the quick +and causing us much pain. We had to stop frequently to wrap our toes +with rags, and our lack of proper food was beginning to tell upon us, so +that our condition was not one to occasion much joyfulness. + +On this afternoon we heard the sound of wood-chopping off in the woods, +and we went over to investigate, Gedney and myself being appointed as a +diplomatic committee to wait upon the unknown parties and see what we +could do in the way of negotiating for some provender. + +Leaving our companions, we crept slowly and carefully toward the +workers, and at last found them to be negroes, a man and a boy, stark +naked, whom we surrounded before introducing ourselves. + +The result of our mission was that the man directed us where to hide in +the bottom, agreeing to come to us after dark and lead us out of the +bottom to a better hiding place, when he would secure and bring, as soon +as possible, some food to the party from a neighboring house. We +conversed with him a short time, and then left to report progress to our +comrades and conduct them to the appointed place of meeting. + +We waited with considerable impatience and some anxiety until long after +the time set by the negro for his coming, and had begun to fear that he +was faithless in the matter, when we heard the footsteps of the man and +the boy, and they soon appeared, giving as their reason for being so +late the fact that they were compelled to cut a certain number of rails +that week, and, this being Saturday night, it had been necessary to work +quite late to complete their task. + +They now led us out of the bottom and secreted us in some underbrush on +the high land near the planter's house, then going away to look after +our promised provisions, and taking with them the bucket of raw beans +which we had carried with us, saying they would have them cooked. + +This time we waited until fully 11 P. M., when we became conscious of +the approach of several people, and the man soon appeared, followed by a +troop of darkeys. They all seemed glad to see us, and had brought us all +that we could reasonably have asked. The delay had been caused by +stopping to cook some biscuits and steal some sweet potatoes, as well as +to boil our bucket of beans. In addition to these luxuries, they had +brought us a chicken, cooked with the beans, and they all sat around and +talked while we ate a hearty meal, and stowed away what was left for +future use. + +We now learned for the first time our exact location, and were directed +how best to proceed. + +Mahon had some spare clothes with him, and we made a requisition upon +him for them, that we might trade with our friends for some shoes, +which we did. Having no matches, we tried to secure some, but could +not. A young negro boy said he could fix us better, and produced a +tinder-box made of an old gourd handle and some charred cotton, showing +us how to get fire with a flint and a jack-knife. He got fire so easily +with it that we were enthusiastic, and at once appointed Captain Fee, at +his own earnest request, to be chief of the fire department, the negro +boy turning over to him the flint and tinder-box, which he stowed away +carefully. + +After a long and enjoyable talk with these negroes, during which we +became convinced that we could rely upon their people for help whenever +we met them, we separated from our friends and went on our way, with +light hearts and full stomachs. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +RECAPTURED. + + +Our first objective point after leaving our negro friends was a ferry on +the Sulphur Fork of Red River, to which we had been directed by them. + +We had reached the plain, direct road to the place, and were journeying +along quite happily, in single file, about 2 o'clock A. M. on Sunday, +our ninth day out, when we suddenly met and passed a negro man. Our +recent experience prompted me to interview him, and my comrades halted +in the brush by the roadside while I retraced my steps to overtake the +man and learn what we had to expect as we advanced. + +He stopped readily as I caught up with him and called out, proving to be +a very intelligent darkey, who was on his way home after having been to +see his best girl. We had a long and satisfactory talk, and I took him +to where my companions were waiting. We found that he was well posted on +army matters and the general situation of the country, and he seemed +quite anxious to help us all he could, informing us of our near +proximity to the ferry, which we might have trouble to cross without +help. + +By the advice of our new friend, whose name was George, and with his +guidance, we removed to a secure hiding place in a ravine, while he +agreed to see a friend of his who worked for the ferryman and endeavor +to arrange with him for our trip across the river. Our hiding place was +perfectly secure against anything except the mosquitoes and gnats, and +we were soon discovered by large numbers of these companionable insects. +George was to see us again in the afternoon, and we tried to pass away +the time by sleeping, but our attempts were not successful. We arranged +to sleep in turns, one sitting up to keep off the flies and mosquitoes, +but it was more than one could do to keep the tormentors away from his +own face and hands; so each of us had to sit up for himself, and +sleeping was impossible. + +At the appointed time George brought us some food and informed us that +we could cross the ferry that night, which we did, his friend ferrying +us without charge. The interest of the negroes in us was very great, and +they could not do enough for us. + +When we left the ferry it was dark and muddy, and we lost our way in the +river bottom. After wandering around for a time we blundered into a +brier patch and stuck fast in the thorns. The work of our knives, with +the assistance of considerable emphatic language, finally released us, +and we eventually stumbled into the road again, completely exhausted. +Lying down in the mud at the side of the road, we got what sleep we +could until daylight dawned. + +Our breakfast consisted of biscuits and sow belly, the latter not being +remarkable for its freshness. + +Proceeding on our way, we came to a huckleberry swamp, into the recesses +of which we retired to avoid ferry passengers and to eat our fill of the +fruit, which we did at our leisure. + +Later in the day we emerged from the swamp and soon came to the high +road, which we crossed in a hurry. Coming to a good camping place, we +stopped to light a fire and try to cook some sweet potatoes. + +Our fire department was called upon to furnish us with a light, and we +crowded about him to witness the operation. + +The gallant chief produced the apparatus with a confident air, and I +loaned him my jack-knife for a steel. He held the gourd handle between +his knees, as he had seen the negro boy hold it, carefully placing the +charred cotton therein, and then, with all the apparent assurance +imaginable, he took the flint and steel in his hands, as his instructor +had directed, and struck a careless blow with the knife. Not a spark +responded to his call, and he looked up at us inquiringly. One of us +suggested that it might be necessary to strike a more careful blow on +the edge of the flint, and the captain struck such a blow, the result +being a shower of sparks that flew all around, but not into the gourd +handle. Several more blows followed, with a like result, when three +careful attempts were made to catch one of the many sparks which he now +had no trouble in producing, the failure causing another inquiring look. +I suggested that possibly this was a case for a general alarm and more +help, and Johnson hinted delicately that our chief was not sufficiently +well trained in his business. These comments caused an invitation to be +extended for us to try it ourselves, but we were all modest and +declined. + + +[Illustration: CAPT. THOMAS M. FEE.] + + +The chief now made one or two more unsuccessful attempts to catch a +spark in the cotton, and each effort produced a laugh from us and an +inelegant remark from the captain. The expression upon his face and the +glare in his eye caused us to move farther away before offering any +further advice, when I suggested that he should stop this fooling and +strike a light. His reception of my remark was decidedly ungracious, and +I retired behind a log, while he made another attempt. This time he +caused a spark to alight on the charred cotton, but he forgot to blow it +while he looked around with a smile of triumph on his face, and when he +looked back at the spark there was none there. The mutterings and +suppressed laughter of the rest of us caused the chief to make some +emphatic remarks of a lurid nature, and, when I remarked that we +would wait while he went back to find the negro boy, he grew furious in +his denunciation of such ancient methods of procuring fire. Then I +suggested that the potatoes would spoil if he did not hurry up, dodging +down behind my log as he looked at me with anything but a loving glance. +He now made several careful attempts to locate another spark in the +tinder, but history did not repeat itself, and he got up, exclaiming, +hoarsely: + +"I'll be everlastingly d----d if I know as much as a 10-year-old +nigger." + +Glaring around him, he caught sight of my head above the log, striving +to suppress my laughter enough to utter some words of consolation, when +he violently threw the whole fire department at my head, saying: + +"Damn you, Swiggett; I suppose I'll never hear the end of this!" and he +walked off by himself. + +We ate our sweet potatoes raw, as no one cared to risk further failure +with the fire apparatus, and after a time our crestfallen chief came +back and joined us. Several remarks by the others about the delicacy of +baked sweet potatoes were noted by him, and a wild glare at the speakers +was the result. I remarked to Captain Gedney that the niggers were very +kindly, but that their education was sadly neglected, and that a man who +had not as much sense as a 10-year-old negro boy was not a remarkable +man. + +"You fellows want to let up, or I'll kill some of you," remarked Fee, +and then, after the subject had been dropped for a time: + +"Say, boys, what will you take to keep mum about this?" + +After some bargaining, we finally agreed to keep his experience a +secret, and peace was restored; but we had not agreed to drop the +matter, and as long as we were together the captain would occasionally +see one of us sit down in a confident way and go through a pantomime in +which were reproduced his expressions and actions while trying to run +our fire department. + +The same afternoon, while we were peacefully resting, in seeming +security, on the sunny side of the sloping bank of a little creek, we +discovered a man on horseback. He was not far off, and carried a gun on +his shoulder, being engaged in following the slow trail of a hound, and +evidently on our tracks. + +We could not run, as he was too near to allow of hope for escape from +his gun, and the surrounding country was too open for successful +concealment; so we contented ourselves with such protection as the +available logs and trees afforded, more because he might shoot when he +discovered us than in hope of evading him. + +The discovery soon came, when he halted, gazed upon us with a +frightened stare, and screamed out: + +"Come, boys; here they are!" + +In a moment two other horsemen galloped up, being armed with +double-barreled shotguns. They seemed to be worse scared than we were, +for their hunt was for runaway negroes, and here they had found six +white men, who might be armed. + +A deathlike stillness prevailed for some minutes, when it became +apparent that they, who were undoubtedly our captors if they wished to +be, were afraid of us. Seeing this, I crawled from behind my friendly +log and stepped in their direction across the little creek, intending to +discuss the matter of letting them go about their business while we went +about our own, but the leader suddenly wheeled his horse, brought his +gun to a level and commanded me to come no closer. I mildly suggested +that an unarmed man could not harm them, but he responded by repeating +his command and ordering us under arrest. + +Being without weapons, and the situation becoming serious, we had no +choice but to submit, for argument was now dangerous. + +As we made our captors no trouble, they became comparatively friendly +after we had surrendered, and we then learned, as we had before +surmised, that they were looking for some runaway negroes. They had +found our tracks, where we had slept by the roadside the night before, +and in the huckleberry patch, where we had done much foraging, and had +seen that one of the tracks showed a shoe much run over at the side, +which tallied with that worn by old Ned, one of the escaped darkeys. +This track was left by my shoe, and I was at once dubbed "Old Ned" by my +companions, Captain Fee remarking that the title was appropriate in +several ways. + +Despite all our efforts to tell a satisfactory story about ourselves, +and to appear careless and independent, our interviewers evidently +suspected us to be what we were, and they plied us with questions, +finally accusing us of being escaped prisoners, refusing to listen to +reason, and ordering us to fall in and move on ahead of them toward the +nearest headquarters. Then we pleaded and made all sorts of future +promises if they would let us go on about our business, but they were +obdurate, and we sadly filed off toward the road, being promised a dose +of lead if we tried to run. + +Our reflections were now far from pleasant, and for a time we were much +depressed, but there was no use of crying, and so we gradually recovered +our spirits and hoped for the best. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE BACK TRACK. + + +The location of our recapture was about ten miles from Boston, Texas, +and our captors were taking us to that place. + +On the way we stopped at a farmhouse to get a drink, and I begged the +woman for some thread with which to mend my clothes. She searched around +and found a ball, giving me several lengths of thread from it. I then +asked her for some patches, and she hunted up a pair of old pants of +very small size, evidently a boy's pair. They were corduroy, and it +seemed a shame to cut them up, but she said it was all she could do. +While she had been gone for the pants I had stolen a ball of thread, +which had been left within reach, and I felt some qualms of conscience +over it, but necessity had urged me to do it, and I left the matter for +necessity to settle with conscience. The pants were carefully stowed +away for future use. + +Proceeding on our way, we killed time and enlivened our weary tramp by +telling stories. One of our captors developed a capacity for lying which +was simply astounding. He was not a graceful, elegant liar, telling +stories that you might doubt, but could not dispute, but was one of the +class of liars who distort facts that are well known and calmly make +statements which you know are false. His stories were all upon the +subject of eating and big eaters. We stood it until he told a story in +which he claimed that he knew a man who had cooked and eaten, at one +meal, a rock fish weighing thirty-six pounds, clinching the matter by +asserting that he knew it to be a fact, inasmuch as he had seen it done. +Then we concluded to shut the mouth of such an egregious and palpable +liar. + +Burnbaum asked me about my friend down in Baltimore, who was such an +enormous eater, and, after some persuasion, I told the following story: + +A colored man, called Eating Tom, stopped at a dining stall kept by a +widow in Marsh Market one fine morning, and asked the charge for +breakfast. The woman kept a table set for twelve, and had provisions +cooked and ready for a like number. Being told that twenty-five cents +was the price, Tom paid the quarter and took his seat, calling for +everything in sight, until he had eaten all the cooked victuals the poor +woman had, when he demanded more food or the return of his money, saying +that he had paid for his breakfast and had not had enough. At this, the +widow began to cry, which attracted the attention of a fat, burly +policeman, who ordered the gluttonous brute to leave. Tom and the +policeman soon got into a dispute as to what constituted a meal, and +the negro offered to bet his opponent a guinea that he was yet +sufficiently hungry to be able to eat a bundle of hay as large around as +the fat policeman's body. The money was put up in my hands, the +policeman procured the hay--the nastiest salt marsh hay that he could +find--and compressed it to the required size by means of a strap. By +this time quite a crowd had gathered. The strap was cut and the hay +expanded so that it looked like a wagon-load, but the negro, with a +broad grin and without hesitation, commenced his task with apparent +relish, and soon ate up every particle of the hay. Being the +stakeholder, and an eye-witness, I was compelled to pay over the money +to Tom. + + +[Illustration: CAPT. CHARLES BURNBAUM.] + + +Our other two guards saw the point of this story and fairly roared with +laughter, but the liar did not seem to appreciate it. However, it +accomplished its object, and we heard no more fish or other stories from +guard number three while we were together. + +We reached Boston about dark and were lodged in a room of the +courthouse, on the ground floor, the jail having been recently burned. +The town was soon all excitement over our capture, and we had many +callers, who were admitted to see and talk with us, while very many more +wanted to see us, but could not. We enjoyed a sumptuous meal of bacon +and white bread, which was brought to us by citizens, and during our +repast we were holding a genuine reception, the citizens taking us in +turn and asking many questions about ourselves, the war, our opinions of +the situation and future, and, in short, acting as if we were a bureau +of information about the outside world. Our guards introduced us, and I +heard one of them telling a small crowd about the fish and hay stories. +We could not have been treated better if we had been guests instead of +prisoners. + +Seeing a boy standing near the door and watching us, with his eyes and +mouth wide open, I went up to him and asked if he could not go out and +get us some buttermilk. He grinned and disappeared like a shot, +returning shortly with a quantity of the desired article, and it was +keenly relished. Having full stomachs and comfortable quarters, we were +all in good humor and laughed and joked with our friends until late at +night. + +The town was a hard place, and shooting scrapes and rows were numerous, +but they were regarded as a matter of course, while our coming was a +novelty; so our stay was a source of interest and entertainment to the +people, while a matter of good living and comfort to ourselves. Boston +was then the county-seat of Union county, but the name did not suit the +people, and the title of the county was changed to Davis. + +Late at night we retired, making our beds on the soft sides of several +bundles of sole leather which were stored in the room, and slept soundly +until we were called for breakfast by the guards. This was the first +decent sleep we had had since our escape, and we could not have put in +our time to better advantage had our resting places been feather beds. + +Our breakfast was plentiful and substantial, although plain. The +citizens began to gather around before we got started with our meal, +and, when we sat down to eat, the room was filled with a curious crowd. +Just as we began to eat, the enrolling officer, Captain Payne, came in +to see us. He was a typical Southerner, of the long, lean, affable and +insincere species, and he approached us with great dignity, rubbing his +hands and smiling blandly, exclaiming in an unctuous tone: + +"Good morning, gentlemen. I hope your breakfast is satisfactory. What! +dry bread! Really, gentlemen, if I had known this before I left my house +I would have brought you some molasses. Sorry; very sorry." + +Now, molasses was a rare luxury in those days in that section of the +country, and I sized the man up in an instant as a smooth liar, who said +what he did partly to aggravate us and partly for effect; so I promptly +arose and replied, with a bow: + +"Captain, your courtesy is overwhelming. This breakfast stands +adjourned until you can send one of these niggers to your house for that +molasses." + +He turned all colors of the rainbow, and several smothered laughs were +heard in the crowd, but he could not well back down, and so we had +molasses for breakfast. + +The molasses incident seemed to make me popular with many of the rebels, +and I was the recipient of many attentions. During the day one of them +asked permission to take me out, and our guards permitted me to go in +his charge. He took me all over the town, introduced me to many people, +insisted upon my getting shaved at his expense, and in every way treated +me right royally. Everyone I met seemed curious to learn all he could of +the Yankees, and I was questioned and cross-questioned as to all +imaginable views of the situation and prospects of the Confederacy. My +replies were very frank, and I made no attempt to conceal my thoughts, +but they were clothed in good-natured raillery, and my hearers seemed to +like my plain speaking. I have very pleasant recollections of that day +in Boston, and I scarcely realized that I was a prisoner until it became +time for me to return to our quarters. + +We had another jolly evening, and it may as well be said here that +during our stay of several days in the town we duly entertained scores +of callers, from the most aristocratic citizens to the lowest, and were +kept in almost constant conversation from early morning until late at +night. + +The guards were compelled to move the crowd away at times, and then, +after having talked to us for hours, we could hear them on the outside +of the building, discussing the Yankees and their views, all crediting +us with being honest in speaking our sentiments. + +The next day it developed that we were likely to be delayed several +days, on account of the fact that there was no competent person +available to take charge of us and the necessary guard. + +During the day we were much entertained by the appearance of an outfit +in which we became much interested. An old wagon was driven up and +stopped before our quarters, and before long everybody knew all that was +to be known about it. The owner was a young man in a Confederate +uniform, and he claimed to be a captain on leave of absence because of a +wound. One of his feet was bandaged and he limped badly. He said that he +belonged to a Georgia company, and had been shot through the ankle in a +skirmish. His wagon was loaded with Confederate hats, which he had +brought to Boston for sale, and he had a carpet-sack full of Confederate +money, while his principal companion was a five-gallon demijohn full of +"pine-top" whiskey. A second companion was a negro boy, named Joe, who +was evidently very much afraid of his master. The officer and the +demijohn were seen to be inseparable, as he kept up a continuous drain +upon its capacity for entertainment, the result being that he was as +near drunk all the time as a man can be who seems to have no limit to +his capacity for stowing away liquor. The efforts of the man to seem +entirely sober and business-like, and his evident dependence upon Joe, +caused much amusement to all. + +In the course of four or five days, during which time our confinement +was uncertain as to duration, this young man disposed of his hats, and, +professing a desire for such service as he could perform, he volunteered +to take charge of the guard which might be detailed to take us back to +our prison. + +We were not over-anxious to go on, as our stay in Boston had been as +pleasant as it could be for prisoners, but this offer was accepted, and +the time was fixed for our departure. + +After necessary preparation, we made a start for the first station, +about thirty miles distant. + +On the day following our farewell to Boston we stopped for dinner in an +open spot adjoining a farmhouse. + +Our friend, the captain, was, as usual, on the verge of being blind +drunk, and yet so far from actually being so as to be able to know, in a +general sort of way, about what he was doing. While eating our meal our +leader learned that I was a Marylander. He swore that I ought to be shot +for being a Yankee, and that my comrades were deserving of a like +treatment, saying that he would do the job himself if he had not +promised to treat us as prisoners of war. I ridiculed the idea of his +shooting anybody, especially as several of his prisoners were Masons +like himself, and told him that he did not dare to shoot one of them. He +swore that they were not Masons whom he would recognize, but that there +was his carpet-sack, out of which we could help ourselves to what money +we needed. + +The negro servant had been sent for a pail of water, and he now returned +with it from the nearest farmhouse. The water was not cool enough to +suit the captain, and he made the boy throw it out and go for some more. +When Joe brought the second supply he received an artistic cursing +because he could not bring it quickly enough to avoid a rise in its +temperature. Between the bibulous officer and Joe, who was a +good-natured fellow, we were provided with considerable amusement during +the lunch hour. + +During the next afternoon we reached a combined church and schoolhouse, +called "Kasseder" by the natives, where was kept a courier station. + +The corn which had been wasted in feeding the horses had attracted the +hogs owned by the proprietor of the neighboring farmhouse, and they came +within a short distance of us, when the captain called for a gun, which +was handed to him by one of the guards. The aim of the half-drunken man +was very uncertain, and, as the gun was pointed by him in the direction +of the hogs, its muzzle swept over a space occupied by several guards +and the prisoners, who scattered in a hurry as the threatening +instrument swayed to and fro in a hesitating way, at which the officer +dropped the gun and laughed boisterously, calling for Joe and his +demijohn. Sitting in the door of the church, our inebriated leader +interviewed his friend the demijohn, and then ordered Joe to "round up +them d----d hogs and shoo them" in his direction, threatening to shoot +the first hog that attempted to bite his wounded ankle. Joe laughingly +obeyed. + +Again partaking of some liquid refreshments, the captain took up the +gun, following the hogs in their movements, with an uncertain aim, which +again and again caused a scattering among us and much amusement to him. +Finally the gun went off in an apparently accidental way, but the finest +hog in the lot was killed, and we had roast pork for supper. The farmer +did not learn of his loss until one of the guards was sent up to the +house to report the death of the hog and ask for some salt. The guards +being fearful of punishment for such foraging, the slayer of the animal +sent word that we would pay for the hog, but Mr. Floyd, the owner, +refused to receive pay, and he furnished the salt to make the pork +palatable. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE RETURN TO THE STOCKADE. + + +Our leader had been half sick when he left Boston, and he now became +quite ill, soon becoming so much worse that we thought he would die. The +drinks which had preceded the killing of the hog had been about the last +left in the demijohn, and he had emptied it before the pig was dressed. +The march in the intense heat, with the bad whiskey, seemed to have a +bad effect, and the next morning we halted to see what the result would +be. Seeing that the man would surely die if not relieved, I got +permission to hunt up a wagon and take the captain to a doctor, who, as +I learned by inquiry, lived a few miles away. + +Most of the men were "down upon" their commander, and all were +indifferent to his sufferings, simply doing what he asked of them, and +that, for the most part, with reluctance. + +I got him in the wagon, and, with a guard to accompany me, took him to +the doctor, who gave him medicine and got a neighboring farmer to take +him into his house. + +The sick man stuck to his carpet-sack throughout the trip, and, when he +was taken to the house, he had his money with him. After he was put to +bed, he pointed to his bank and told me to help myself, seeming to be +very grateful for what I had done. Of course, I could not take money for +any such service, and he would not have offered it had I not been a +prisoner and in a position where the possession of money might avoid +much hardship. He told the doctor that he would have died if it had not +been for that d----d Yankee, and that he was very glad he had kept his +promise by not killing us. He dwelt on the idea that, being a +Marylander, I should not have forgotten myself so far as to be found on +the wrong side. + +We saw no more of the captain, but learned from the doctor that he was +improving and would be all right as soon as the effects of the +"pine-top" whiskey had been neutralized. + +We were delayed for several days, and I got permission to go where I +pleased, on the promise that I would not run away. + +There was something inviting about the house near our camp, the home of +the man named Floyd, whose hog our leader had killed, and one day +Captain Fee and I went up to see if we could get some buttermilk. Our +personal appearance was not prepossessing, as the entire apparel of each +consisted of an old hat, a shirt which was much the worse for wear, a +ragged pair of trousers and a well-worn pair of shoes. We had dressed up +as well as we could, by washing our faces and hands, before starting +for the house, but a modern tramp would have disdained our society, and +the young girl who came to the door of the house in response to my knock +was inclined to shut the door in our faces. We soon convinced her that +we were harmless, and she then invited us to take our seats on the back +porch in company with a crippled Confederate soldier, Mrs. Floyd and +herself. We spent about half an hour in pleasant conversation, when we +made known our errand. + +Mrs. Floyd promptly offered to fill our canteens with buttermilk, +requesting us to enter the parlor in the meantime and talk to her +husband, who was confined to the room by sickness. This we did gladly, +and found that Mr. Floyd had been a very sick man, but was now +convalescent. + +The sick man was quite glad to see us and hear what we had to say. The +visit was being enjoyed very much when, looking through the open window, +he saw the doctor coming, and advised us to leave the room and not let +it be known that we had talked together, the doctor being a very strong +Southerner and he a Union man. Accordingly, we slipped out of the back +door as the doctor approached the front entrance. + +The next day the wounded Confederate soldier came down to our camp with +a bundle and a note from the young lady. The bundle contained a couple +of shirts, and the note read as follows: + +"These two shirts are from a friend, and are to be worn by the two who +are the most destitute." + +It is perhaps superfluous to add that I appropriated one of the +garments, but the shirt was not superfluous. + +The next day one of our guards, a boy about fifteen years of age, +entered into conversation with me. After talking some time, he invited +me to go with him to his father's house for dinner. Securing permission, +I went. + +His father's name was McMichael, and again I found a Union man, who was +forced to be a Confederate or lose all he had in the world. We had a +good dinner and an enjoyable chat. I learned that he had three boys in +the Confederate service, the youngest, who had given me the invitation +to dine, being in the home guard. His daughter was a school-teacher. The +wife and this girl ate with us, and all seemed very anxious and joyous +to learn of the successes of the Union forces, although the mother's +eyes frequently filled with tears as something was said which recalled +to her mind the risk run by her boys at the front. I cannot recall the +memory of a meal which I enjoyed any better than the one I ate in that +old farmhouse with those agreeable people. + +While at dinner the parents seemed disturbed by thoughts of the +possibility that their last boy would also be sent to the front, and it +was then and there agreed between us that if such should be the case he +would desert at the first opportunity and go to my home at Blakesburg, +Iowa, where he should attend school until the war was ended. The +proposal affected the parents and sister strongly when I made it, and in +agreeing to it they united in thanking and blessing me for the happy +thought and accompanying offer. + +When the time came for me to leave it seemed like a parting with dear +friends, and I often recall and see again that dear old lady's face, as, +with tears in her eyes, she bade me "Godspeed." + +By the time our march was resumed we had become very familiar with our +guards, and, in fact, it was more of a picnic excursion than a march of +guards with their prisoners. + +Each of us slept at night with one of the soldiers, and we went on +several midnight expeditions in company. One night we raided a farmhouse +and stole a sack of sweet potatoes, sitting up half the night to roast +them. Another night we confiscated a beehive and secured some delicious +honey. We were continually playing jokes upon each other, and all hands +were sorry when the time came to separate. + +We fooled along, taking things very easily, and finally reached Camp +Ford about thirty days after leaving Boston. + +Our reception by the boys in the stockade was characteristic of men +continually seeking to find something to do which would serve to kill +time and prevent despondency. + +When we were marched up to the gates we were recognized by many in the +enclosure, and were hailed by shouts, jeers, sarcastic questionings and +all sorts of welcomes. + +"How are things up North? How did you leave the folks? Got any mail? +Can't you stay awhile?" and many other similar queries were fairly +showered upon us. + +When we finally entered the enclosure the crowd was drawn up in line, +like a lot of hackmen in front of a railroad station in a large city, +and, amid much laughter and many jokes, we were hailed with: + +"This way to the Palace Hotel!" "Have a cab?" "Cab or carriage, gents?" +"_This_ way, gents, to the Ebbitt House, the best in the city!" + +Our own men gathered about us, and soon dragged us off to our old +quarters, where we were plied with question after question, and had to +relate all our experiences in detail. + +We now took up the stockade life once more, and there was but little +variation in its routine. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +INCIDENTS, AND ANOTHER ESCAPE. + + +I soon became a stockholder in a tunnel enterprise which was prosecuted +vigorously and gave many hopes of success. We started the tunnel inside +of an old cabin, using various expedients to conceal the work and get +rid of the dirt, all of which were successful. A survey was made to +locate the exit in a clump of bushes quite a distance from the stockade, +and all was ready for the final move. Quite a number of men were taken +into the scheme, and the greatest danger of discovery, that of being +"peached" upon by someone on the inside who was more anxious to curry +favor with our captors than to be true to his comrades, had been +avoided. + +The night set for the escape should have been dark, according to +calculation, but it turned out to be a clear, starlight night, and some +of us were for postponing the enterprise, but the eager spirits +prevailed, and the attempt was made. Over a hundred men silently +gathered in the neighborhood of the cabin, and the leaders, who had been +chosen beforehand, went into the tunnel, followed closely by many +others. + +A sentinel paced his beat about fifty yards from the clump of bushes in +which our tunnel was to come up, and as he slowly walked up and down, +probably thinking of home and friends and wishing for his relief, he was +suddenly startled by the sight of several dark forms springing +apparently from the bowels of the earth. The tunnel had been +miscalculated, and the men emerged several feet from the bushes, in full +view of the sentry. He was so astounded that he stood stock still for +several minutes without uttering a sound, during which time about fifty +men had climbed out of the tunnel and made a streak for liberty. +Suddenly the sentry came to his senses, fired his gun, called loudly for +the guard, and ran to the mouth of the tunnel, with his bayonet ready +for action. + +Those who had not entered the tunnel concluded that they did not want to +escape that night, and we returned to our quarters in the stockade. + +Over fifty got out and away, but the guards put the dogs after them, and +nearly all were brought back in the course of a few days. + +The most amusing feature of this abortive attempt to escape occurred at +the exit of the tunnel after it was blockaded by the sentinel. + +The narrow passage was full of men when the bayonet of the sentry +prevented further egress, and those inside could not turn back, while +none save the leader knew the cause of the halt. The rest were kept in +ignorance and suspense until the guards, who quickly gathered around on +the outside, had come to their senses and begun to permit the boys to +come out of the hole one by one. As the guards would call out, "Next!" +and let another unfortunate creep out, only to find himself still a +prisoner, the remarks to be heard were decidedly mirth-provoking, even +while the situation had its pathetic aspect. + +A day or two after this event one of the officers, a captain in another +regiment, came to me and asked if I knew where he could get a pair of +pants. His own were a sight to behold, and I told him that I had a spare +pair with which I did not wish to part, but that I hated to see him in +such a plight. He at once offered me some trinkets for them, and +proposed to pay me a big value if he ever got back home. I told him that +they would be too small for him, and appeared reluctant to sell. A crowd +had gathered, as the smallest things were of interest to the prisoners, +and when I thought he was sufficiently eager for the trade, I went into +our cabin and brought out the pair given to me by the woman whom I had +asked for patches while on my return to the stockade. When the pants +were produced, and it was seen that they were intended for a small boy, +having all conveniences, a shout of laughter went up from the crowd, +which brought all the other prisoners in the stockade to see what it +meant. The captain was half inclined to be angry at first, but he +quickly put his ill-humor aside and joined in the merriment. It is +needless to say that the trade was declared off. + +A few days later about thirty men of the guard, known as Sweet's men, +deserted, and there was trouble in the rebel camp. + +The desertion was one of the coolest things I ever saw. This portion of +the guard was a cavalry detachment. They had just mounted guard on +horseback, about 9 o'clock in the morning, when, apparently by common +consent, one man, as leader, gave the signal, and all raised their hats +politely, saying, "Good-bye, gentlemen; we are going to Mexico," and +rode off. No one dared to follow, as they were well armed. + +A new guard was sent, and the balance of the old guard relieved. It was +said that these men had been sent to this distant duty on account of +doubts as to their loyalty to the Confederacy. + +We changed our quarters to a deserted cabin nearer to the gate, and were +thereby much better prepared for the coming winter, the move being made +because it now seemed certain that we were destined to remain in prison +until spring, unless we should be able to effect an escape. + +Almost all the prisoners were in need of clothing, and we had been +informed that a lot had been shipped to us, but that it was delayed +somewhere. + +We were all on the lookout for that clothing, and when at last we heard +that it had arrived we were joyous until we were informed that, +allowing one garment apiece, there would be clothing for only +three-fourths of the men. As some men needed shirts, some coats and some +pants this promised to be quite a problem to solve, and all the officers +were instructed to find out the needs of their men, so as to simplify +the matter as much as possible. + +When the time came for distribution the clothing allotted to our +regiment was turned over to the officers, and we got together to divide +it. The men of all the companies except my own were crowding about us +and clamoring for what they wanted, but not a man of Company B was on +hand. This mute expression of their confidence in my willingness and +ability to look out for them was one which I appreciated highly, +although they had had several evidences of my willingness and +determination to secure for them at least all to which they were +entitled. + +The number of men not being the same in the different companies, it was +hard to divide satisfactorily, and it happened that there was an odd +garment of each sort. As the odd men were unequally divided, and +fractions were necessarily eliminated, we decided to draw lots for the +odd articles. I was the lucky man in the lottery, and Company B had the +best of matters. + +After the division had been made the neighborhood was a scene of +confusion, many quarrels and some fights, until all the clothing had +been as fairly distributed as was possible. My company kept away from +the crowd and in their own quarters, where I had our allowance conveyed. +The men were drawn up in line, and my first sergeant and myself +proceeded to allot the garments as seemed most fair. Only one murmur of +discontent was heard, and that from a man better clothed than any of his +comrades, the men being practically unanimous in their wish that I +should decide who needed clothing most and what was most needed. + +This incident is related principally to show my appreciation of the +conduct of my men, and because I think that I may be pardoned for +feeling proud of their confidence in me. + +The next three weeks were fully employed by all in making log cabins and +in filling up all chinks, as the winter was fast approaching. + +During this time I was informed by one of my men that a guard, who had +seen me almost every day taking part with the men of my company in some +amusement, had been asking questions about me and had sent me word that +he wanted to see me. After learning when I could see him, I approached +his post at night, when, after he had satisfied himself that I was the +right man, he directed the guard on the inside, who was one of the line +placed within the stockade when the sentries were doubled each night, to +stand aside so that he could talk to me. We leaned against the fence and +had a long and interesting conversation, during which he stated that +he had frequently noticed the interest manifested by me in my company, +and desired to do me a favor because of the attachment he felt for me in +consequence, intimating that he was disposed to help me make my escape +if I so wished. + + +[Illustration: CAPT. J. P. RUMMEL.] + + +Before I left him he had volunteered to let me out, give me a horse, +saddle and bridle, inform me as to names and locations of different +rebel regiments and furnish me with an expired furlough. I was not +inclined to be friendly to the horse idea, although I could see the ease +and celerity of my escape if all went well, for I knew that it would be +sure death to be discovered as an escaped prisoner with a horse and +equipments in my possession; but the guard was so enthusiastic over the +matter that I promised to think it over, after thanking him heartily for +his kindness. + +When I explained the plan to some of my former companions in escape they +tried to discourage the idea of escape altogether, saying that we would +soon be exchanged, and that another failure would keep us from exchange +when the time came. I had no hope of release before the end of the war, +and so I sought other companionship, believing that the guard could be +induced to help more than one of us. + +Capt. J. B. Rummel, of the 120th Ohio, had impressed me as a man of the +right sort, and I approached him on the subject. He was ready and +willing to try an escape, but he confirmed my own impression about the +risk of trying it with horses, and we finally concluded to devise a +scheme and try it on foot. He suggested that we take Capt. B. F. Miller, +of the same regiment, and we decided to do so, after finding that Miller +was as anxious to go as we were to have him do so. + +When I saw our friend the guard, he was mad because we would not adopt +his scheme, but he showed his desire to help us get away by agreeing to +let us out when we got ready, even while insisting that the safest and +best way would be to take horses. He said: + +"Why, man alive, you can start early in the evening, and the horses will +not be missed until late the next day. Then if the stable-door is left +open they will not dream that prisoners have taken the horses--at least +until you are missed from the stockade. By that time you will be so far +away that they can't possibly catch you before you reach the Federal +lines on the lower Red River." + +I was too timid, however, to risk my life in this way, as I considered +the chance of suspicion and apprehension too great, and regarded it as +certain death to be caught with a stolen horse. Notwithstanding the +risk, I can now see that the guard proposed the plan most likely to +insure a successful result. + +We determined to try it on foot, but, while we were preparing for a +start, another opportunity presented itself, and we took advantage of it +rather than risk getting our guard or ourselves into trouble. + +Miller, being a turner, manufactured a rude lathe and made numerous +articles likely to be purchased, chessmen being the principal of these, +being the most salable. We realized some cash from the demand for just +such novelties. + +Having some flour, we bought some meat on the outside, made some bread, +jerked the meat, and thus had provisions and a little money for our +enterprise. + +We sent out the provisions, little by little, and had them taken to the +hospital and concealed until such time as we were ready to start. + +Captain Fee was in the hospital at the time, just recovering from an +attack of illness, and the day before we were ready to start he came in +to see us, on a pass. As we were talking together, I asked to see his +pass, and read as follows, on a rough scrap of paper: + +"Pass Capt. Fee in and out of stockade, with soap. McCANN, Adjutant." + +I was a very good imitator of handwriting, although I had never been +guilty of using my gift for unlawful purposes, and, as I read this pass, +the manner of our escape was settled, all being fair in war. + +After some little effort on my part, Rummel, Miller and myself were each +provided with a pass similar to the one on which Fee had been admitted +to the stockade. We told no one of our intentions, but decided to leave +the next evening, it being understood that I was to go out just before +the change of guards at the gate, and that Miller and Rummel should +follow a little later, after the change, in order to avoid the +presentation of too many passes to one guard. + +At the appointed time, after much mental bracing up, I walked quietly to +the gate and presented my pass for inspection. The guard looked it over +in a hasty manner and silently opened the gate. As I passed out I saw +that several hundred men were watching me, and I concluded that in some +way our scheme had become known. The colonel and some other officers +were sitting on the porch at headquarters when I passed, and I coolly +saluted him, saying: + +"Good evening, Colonel." + +He responded politely, and I walked on to our meeting place at the +hospital. + +My comrades waited until the guards had been changed, and then, with +inward tremor and a bold, confident exterior, they walked in a +business-like way to the entrance and submitted their authority for +departure, which was duly acknowledged without a question. They soon +joined me, in high spirits over the ease with which the departure had +been accomplished. + +We had $4 in greenbacks between us, and felt quite wealthy. Securing our +provisions as soon as darkness came, we quietly slipped over into the +woods, thence to the road, and went on our way rejoicing, full of hope +and with bright thoughts of home and dear ones. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +TRAMPS ONCE MORE. + + +The date of my second escape was the 23d of December, 1864. + +We met one solitary horseman in the early part of the night, and we +avoided him by having a skirmisher out ahead, who saw the rider in time +for us to get out of sight in the woods without being seen, the traveler +being a white man, and to be avoided for that reason. + +About midnight we met a negro and learned that we were on the Shreveport +road instead of the Gilmore road, which latter we wanted to follow. The +darkey sized us up correctly in short order, but, as usual with the +negroes, the fact that we were escaped prisoners only seemed to make him +the more eager to help us, and he asked us if we would not "accommodate" +_him_ by allowing him to show us a short cut through the woods to the +Gilmore road. + +We were in a very accommodating mood just then, and we cheerfully +allowed him to lead the way. He guided us for what seemed to be a very +long distance over a rough piece of wooded country, and finally led us +into a broad, well-traveled road and informed us that we were now on +the right track. + +The darkey was so voluble in his expressions of gratitude for the honor +of being "accommodated" that I had half a notion of presenting him with +a bill for services rendered, but we let him off easy by allowing him to +thank us profusely, and he seemed to be entirely satisfied, while we did +not complain. + +We trudged along all night without any incident worthy of mention to +break the monotony of our tedious tramp, and at daylight we went off +from the road to secure retreat in the woods, and camped for the day. + +After a comfortable sleep, we ate sparingly of our provisions and +started again at dusk for the North and liberty. + +Again we traveled monotonously most of the night, seeing only the stars +above us and the weird shadows and forms of silent things about. +Occasionally one of us would speak, but it was in a low tone, and only +when necessary, for our thoughts were far away, and the solemn stillness +of the night impressed us with a keen sense of the danger which at any +moment might mean recapture or possibly death. + +In the very early hours of the morning we reached the Sabine river and +the problem of how to get across. It was dark in the river bottom, but +the stream was wide enough to let the starlight and the sheen of the +water give a fair amount of illumination on the river. + +Miller could not swim, and was afraid to trust to our support; so that +means of crossing was out of the question. + +We could see a canoe fast to the bank on the opposite side, but we could +not call up anyone to bring it over and thus take chances of discovery +and betrayal. + +Miller would not risk a log, although we explained to him how easily we +could push him across upon it. If he could have mounted the log and +ridden over it would have been all right, but he would not trust himself +in the water unless he had to do so, and we, therefore, retired to the +brush for a consultation. + +We found a thick clump of trees and bushes just a little way up stream, +and pushed our way into them until we stopped in alarm at the greatest +racket, it seemed, that we had ever heard. It was a minute or two before +we realized what it meant, and then it was all we could do to keep our +laughter within proper bounds, despite the fact that we feared the noise +about us would alarm the people who, we knew, must be upon the other +bank of the river. We had walked into a place which was apparently a +roosting spot for all the pigeons in Texas, and our entrance had caused +a racket in that still night which would have to be heard to be +realized. + +We were so startled by the unexpected noise that we were well scared +until we learned its cause, and then we quietly stole away to a spot on +the river bank where our presence would be no intrusion. + +While sitting down, discussing the chances for getting across the river +and securing the canoe on the opposite side, Rummel and I drew lots to +see who should swim over and borrow it, and the pleasure of so doing was +thereby allotted to him. He secured a log, to prevent any accident, +straddled it, and in due time reached the canoe and brought it over to +us. The carrying capacity of the vessel was limited, and, in fact, it +was doubtful whether all three could cross in her at once, but we +decided to try it. + +Miller was fussy and nervous, as he had had no experience in canoe +navigation, and this particular canoe did not have an appearance +calculated to inspire confidence in one unused to boats and afraid of +the water. + +We drew the boat along the bank to a low place, where Rummel and I +seated ourselves carefully in the canoe, instructing Miller how to enter +and sit down without upsetting our calculations and ourselves, but he +was too painstaking and careful. He got both feet into the canoe, but +that was all. In being exceedingly careful to place his feet in the +proper place he forgot about the perpendicular necessities of the case, +and about the time his second foot touched the bottom of the boat his +head struck the water. + +We reached the bank in safety, pulling Miller after us, but the canoe +was then a good distance away. + +All desire to censure poor Miller for his awkwardness passed away, as he +ruefully asked: + +"How in thunder do you expect a man to walk a tight-rope in the dark?" + +Remembrances of our own first attempt to keep a canoe under us came to +our minds, and the tone in which our friend spoke caused a convulsion of +laughter which threatened to betray our presence to any persons within +rifle range. + +We now drew off to a safe place and built a fire to dry our clothes, a +few of our matches, that were in a safe place, not having been entirely +ruined. + +After we had thoroughly dried out, we recollected our pigeons, and +concluded to go back and gather in a few for a feast. It was no trouble +to locate them, as they were still keeping up their clatter in a jerky +sort of way, partially quieting down for a few minutes and then breaking +out again as some disquieted bird would sound a new alarm. The +difficulty was to catch some, and we exhausted our ingenuity, patience +and vocabulary without being able to bag a pigeon, even though the trees +and bushes were fairly loaded with them. Dark as it was, they seemed to +see us before we could see them, and would fly away just in time to +avoid us, with a total absence of regard for our feelings in the matter. + +As the day dawned it turned colder, and a breeze sprang up which had a +very prominent "edge" to it. + +We discussed the situation, and organized for the coming campaign by +electing Rummel as guide of the expedition, Miller as man of all work +and myself as minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary for all +cases requiring diplomacy. + +This day was Christmas, as we discovered by accident, Rummel remarking +that he intended to make a note of the date of our baptism, and asking +what day of the month it was. + +There was no Christmas for us, however, and we banished all thoughts of +roast turkey or pigeons and of home comforts by taking up the +all-absorbing question of how to cross the river. + +Rummel suggested that Miller should be made to cross on a log in tow of +ourselves, inasmuch as he had shown a greater fondness for the water +than he had professed, but we decided to walk a short distance up stream +in an effort to find a ford before trying to swim the river. + +About half a mile beyond the scene of our upset we found a riffle, and I +was appointed to investigate the character of the bottom and find the +best place to cross. + +Divesting myself of my clothes, and leaving them to be brought over by +my companions after I should have picked out a course for them, I +entered the cold water and proceeded to investigate. At almost the first +step I slipped from a smooth rock into a pool and went in over my head. +As I came up, Miller remarked that I need make no report on that +locality, and I tried a little farther down. This time I struck a +straight course in a depth varying from my knees to my armpits, and +reached the opposite shore, after a struggle to keep my feet at the +points where the water was deepest. + +When I emerged from the water the keen wind nearly took my breath away, +as its cold was made more intense by my recent immersion. Hastily +getting under the lee of a big tree on the bank, I shouted for my +companions to come over, and be lively about it, but they were engaged +in a discussion, and I could see that Miller was hanging back. + +My teeth were now chattering and I was shaking as if with the ague; so I +yelled spasmodically to Rummel to come on and bring my clothes if he did +not want to see me lose all my teeth. + +Rummel undressed and started, carrying his clothes and mine above his +head, and Miller followed when he saw that he was to be left behind. +Both got over in safety and without wetting the clothing, but I was so +cold when they arrived that it took over an hour for me to get over my +shivering fit. + +Captain Miller was in many respects one of the finest characters I ever +knew, and I liked him more as I knew more of him, but he was the most +apprehensive individual imaginable. He was more afraid of a river than +of the whole Confederate army, and was continually imagining all sorts +of possible contingencies, trying to decide in advance what was to be +done in each case, and losing sight of the fact that we could not +foresee any of the surrounding conditions of a probable contingency, and +hence could not meet the emergency until it and all its phases could be +clearly seen. He bothered me half to death at times by his questions as +to what I would do if such and such a thing occurred, and when I told +him that I could not tell until it happened he would look as serious as +if we were in immediate danger. + +I never could make a success of trying to anticipate details, for I +always found that my action turned upon some unforeseen thing, and I +never worried about such things, having found that the proper action for +an emergency always suggested itself to me when I stood face to face +with the necessity for doing something. + +As we proceeded on our way we came to a bayou, which we waded, and a +little later we reached one which was too deep to be forded. We seemed +to be in a section cut up by a network of these streams, and we +concluded that by a little extra walking we could probably dodge around +bends in the streams so as to preserve our general course without +recourse to the swimming which Miller so dreaded. We could see no signs +of a curve in this bayou, and it was a question of luck as to whether we +went right or wrong in our first attempt to get around the obstruction. + +Rummel was our guide, and we would have followed his lead had he started +off, but he hesitated so long, and did so much guessing, that I started +off to the left, saying that one way was as good as the other when we +had nothing to point out the best course. Of course, Miller now wanted +to go the other way, and we came as near having a row as we ever did in +all our acquaintance. After some sarcasm and heated comments, we started +off, finally, in the direction which I had chosen, and a few minutes' +walking proved that I had by accident chosen correctly, as we saw a +curve ahead of us which subsequently proved to be a bend in the bayou. +Our passage around the curve opened up a good stretch of country ahead +of us, and I could not help reminding Miller that we had lost more time +in discussion than it would have taken to prove the case one way or the +other. This was our only dispute, and it was not serious. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +DIPLOMACY. + + +We had a rubber poncho and three blankets with us, and the country +through which we had passed had seemed so sparsely settled that we were +traveling by day and sleeping at night, getting our scarce and poor food +as occasion offered and living upon anything but a generous diet. + +About dusk on the day of our little difference we were looking for a +safe place to camp, when we saw the figure of a man on the opposite side +of an open space. He was evidently surveying us intently, as he stood +stock still, and his appearance was not rendered more attractive to us +by the fact that he held a gun in the hollow of his left arm. + +We sank gracefully to the ground and waited for some hail which would +announce to us the intentions of our friend. None coming, we concluded +that he was as much afraid of us as we were of him, and I crawled to a +spot where I could see, without rising, what had become of him. He still +stood there, evidently awaiting our next move, and I slunk back to my +companions. + +We decided that the quickest way to learn who and what he was would be +to approach him, and that he certainly would not shoot if we held up our +hands. Accordingly we stood up, held up our hands, and stepped boldly +out into the clearing, I calling out: + +"We are unarmed and are friends." + +Not a move did he make, but we fancied we could see the gun move a +little, and we quickly halted, Rummel exclaiming: + +"Don't shoot! we are unarmed and peaceable citizens." + +As he said this, Miller burst into a loud laugh, and quickly ran toward +the figure. We instantly comprehended the situation and followed him, +arriving at the fantastic stump of a burned tree, to be saluted by +Miller with: + +"Would you unarmed and peaceable citizens kindly recollect this event +when you are inclined to joke me about that canoe?" + +We had nothing to say. + +The next day we met a negro, who gave us our course for Dangerfield, +describing a corner of the square in the town, from which a plain road +led to a ferry across the Sulphur Fork of Red River. + +This was the 27th of December, and we reached the outskirts of the town +late in the afternoon, hiding in some bushes until night. + +When it was late enough we started boldly through the town, found the +corner described, and took the road at a rapid gait. + +Just as the east was beginning to show signs of approaching day we +struck what we took to be another bayou. + +Miller was anxious to show that he could brave the water in some cases, +so he pulled off his pants, handed them to me for safe keeping, and +started right in to wade the stream. He took two steps and disappeared +from view. We fished him out and concluded that we would wait for +daylight before proceeding farther. + +When day broke we found that we must have made better time from +Dangerfield than we had expected, for this was certainly a river, and +could be no other than Sulphur Fork. It was high, and running swiftly in +the middle, the water being far above the banks and out into the woods +on both sides, so that it must have been fully two miles and one-half +across. No signs of a ferry were to be seen, and we hunted a good place +for a camp in which to lay over until the river should subside or +something turn up to decide us as to a way of crossing. + +In building a fire I strained my instep by kicking a limb from a log, +and it became quite sore before the day was over. + +The next day the river was as high as ever, and my foot was so sore that +I could scarcely step upon it. We lay over all day, as I could not +walk, and there seemed to be no prospect of crossing the turbulent +stream. + +On the following morning my foot was much swollen, but I could limp +around, and the river seemed to be falling, so I insisted upon some +action, and started off to look around a little, leaving my companions +to await my return. They both wanted to go in my place, but we agreed +that it was best for me to go, so far as the chance of having to deal +with an emergency was concerned. + +I hunted around for a while, but found nothing, and returned to my +companions. Just as I reached them we heard a pounding in the opposite +direction from which I had gone. + +Rummel sneaked off, and soon returned with the report that he had seen a +horse a short distance down the road. + +Again I started to investigate our surroundings. The horse was soon +found. He was hobbled, and close to him, in the woods, were two others. +It was a certainty that we had neighbors, but I could see nothing of +them, and, concluding that the owners had gone down to the river, I +walked boldly toward the animals to discover by their trappings what I +could about the riders. I had not proceeded more than a few yards before +I came to a thick clump of bushes, and, in skirting around the edge of +them, almost stumbled over three rebel soldiers, who were stretched out +comfortably on their blankets for a nap. + +They looked up inquiringly at me as I suddenly halted and gave +involuntary utterance to an exclamation of surprise. + +To say that I was scared would but feebly express my feelings. The cold +chills ran up and down my back, and I could not speak for an instant. +However, I quickly recovered myself, before they had a chance to speak, +and said to them: + +"Hello, boys! I knew you were somewhere about, for I saw your horses and +was looking for you, but I was not expecting to find you so near at +hand, and I must confess that you startled me. How can a fellow get +across this infernal river?" + +They informed me that they had been pounding to attract the attention of +the ferryman, who was on the other side, but they could not get near the +river bank, and could not see the ferry-boat, so had concluded to take a +nap. + +Without giving them time to question me, I plied them with questions, +which developed the fact that they were members of General Gano's +command, and were despatch-bearers from Kirby Smith to General Magruder. +They expressed a strong desire to cross the river in a hurry, and +threatened to take forcible possession of the boat if the ferryman did +not make another trip that afternoon. + +I then informed them that two comrades were with me, that they were in +camp a short distance back from the river, that we would join in +capturing the ferry-boat, and that if they had no objections to offer I +would go up and get the boys, so that we could cross and travel +together. + +They told me to go ahead and I went; but, after walking easily along +until out of sight in the opposite direction from where my companions +were I broke into a run, skirted around through the woods, joined Rummel +and Miller, told them the facts, and we at once broke camp, running +around the river bank a mile or more, and secreting ourselves on the top +of the bank in a thick clump of bushes and timber, right alongside of +the road, where they would not be likely to look for us if they wondered +at my failure to return. + +From the moment when my eyes had rested upon the figures of those three +soldiers I had forgotten my sore foot altogether, and never felt it +during my run and our subsequent movements. The strangest part of this +incident of my injured foot is the fact that I never afterward felt +soreness or a twinge of pain in it. I leave it for others to explain. I +simply state the facts. + +After we had settled down in our hiding place we saw a number of people +coming up the road, evidently from the ferry, and our three soldiers +were among them. From their talk as they passed us we gathered that the +ferry-boat had come over, but would not go back again before morning, +and we concluded that the three soldiers were going to some place to +stay over night. + +After these people had passed, I set out to hunt up some negro who could +help us get over the river. As I crossed the road I saw a darkey driving +a wagon toward the ferry, and I stopped to speak to him. Before I had a +chance to say more than a few words the man's master rode into view, and +I had to go on talking to avoid casting suspicion by sudden +disappearance. + +When the master rode up I talked with him, telling him what I had told +the soldiers, and saying that we had given up seeing the boat until we +had seen the people coming up from the ferry, when I had left my +friends, to see if we could cross that evening. + +We all traveled down the road together, and the negro's master showed me +where the ferryman lived, a little way off the road, and went up to the +house with me. He and the ferryman were acquainted, and, while they +talked, I went coolly up on the piazza of the house and sat down, +turning over in my mind the question of what I should tell that +ferryman. + +If I stuck to my story, as told to the soldiers, I had no excuse for a +special crossing, which I wanted to urge, and we should run great risk +of discovery if we waited and crossed with the others. As I studied the +face of the ferryman I decided upon my course of action, and when the +old gentleman who was talking to him had left to arrange for the care of +his wagon and animals for the night I gave the ferryman no chance to +think or question, but took him around to the side of the house, where +we could not be overheard by anyone in the building, and transfixed him +by saying: + +"I am an escaped Yankee prisoner from Camp Ford, Texas, and have been +water-bound on the river for two days. I have come to have you either +ferry me over the river or capture me." + +The man seemed to be dumbfounded, and he stared at me in perfect +amazement, without speaking a word. + +I told him that I had no honeyed promises to make, that the only +inducement there had been for me to attempt such a hazardous trip in the +dead of winter was my intense longing to see my wife and children in +Iowa, who did not know whether I was alive or dead, and had not known +since my capture on the 25th of the previous April, and that, after +seeing them, I expected to return to my regiment and remain until the +war ended, if I was not sooner killed. Keeping up this line of +conversation, I completely magnetized the ferryman, either by my nerve +or the apparent confidence I had in his disposition to let his humanity +instead of war's inhumanity control his actions. + +The first words uttered by him were: + +"Well, all I ask is for you to pay your fare and take your chances. The +boat is loaded at each trip, and you may be suspected by the passengers. +The fare is five dollars in Confederate, or a dollar and a-half in +Federal money." + +After he had recovered from his surprise sufficiently to agree to this, +I told him that I had two companions with me, when he exclaimed: + +"Oh, h----l But d----d if I don't help you fellows anyhow. I can't +understand why I agreed to help you, for I'm as rank a rebel as they +make, and if I am caught at it, and you give me away, I'll be shot, sure +as h----l." + +I promptly declared that I would submit to being hung myself before I +would give him away, and this seemed fully to reconcile him to his +undertaking, for he replied: + +"D----d if I don't believe you, young man." + +We had but $4 in greenbacks, which I told him, together with the fact +that we wanted some bread, and we compromised by my giving him $3 for +our fare across the river and $1 for a supply of corn bread. + +He would not make a special trip that night, as it might get him into +trouble if we were discovered, but he agreed to put us over the river in +the morning, do the best he could for us, and keep his mouth shut about +us. + +I returned to my companions to report progress, and it would have been +hard to find two happier men than Rummel and Miller; they were simply +delighted with the result of my mission. + +After a meal upon the corn bread bought from the ferryman, we turned in +for the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +MAKING PROGRESS. + + +At an early hour the next morning we were on hand at the boatman's +house. + +When we reached the boat we found our friend with the wagon and negro +driver, together with several other parties, already there, and I was +much relieved to see that the three soldiers had not arrived. + +The ferryman told us to go to the bow of the boat and avoid questioning, +which we did. + +Just as we had shoved off, and were being hauled along through the trees +to the river bank where the ferry wire was tied, we heard a shout, and, +looking back, saw three horsemen approaching on a gallop. The ferryman +did not stop, and one of the riders yelled out fiercely, and fired his +gun to show that they would make us stop if we did not choose to do so, +whereupon the boat was stopped and slowly pushed back to the water's +edge. + +Our relief can be imagined when I discovered that the riders were not +our soldier friends. + +As we emerged from the trees into the river channel the current was very +strong, and the heavy load seemed too much for the ferryman and his +helper. + +This helper was an old man of an inquisitive nature and appearance, and +I was afraid that he might say or ask something which would attract more +attention to us than was necessary for our comfort or desire for +prominence; so I got up and went over to him, taking hold of the rope +and helping him with the boat, while I plied him with questions so thick +and fast that he only got the opportunity to ask me two questions, both +of which were easily answered. + +As we reached the farther shore we had to pull and push the boat among +the trees for nearly half a mile before we reached the ground, and my +old friend was anxious that my friends and myself should be assisted +over the marshy bottom, which extended for some distance, by riding +behind the three horsemen. + +He proposed this to the riders, but the visible reluctance of these +gentlemen enabled me to get out of this disagreeable situation with +credit to ourselves, and we struck off through the swamp on our own +hook, after hearing the following remark of the ferryman, made as one of +the riders offered to pay him with a $5 bill of an issue which the +Confederacy had recalled, with a notice that they would not be redeemed +by exchange or otherwise after the coming 1st of January: + +"My God, man! I would as soon have a notch on one of them trees as one +of them bills." + +After a short walk through the swampy bottom, we struck what was then an +island, and on which were camped about 150 refugees from Missouri. They +had their live stock and all belongings with them. + +These people had been too friendly to the South, when Price was in their +State, to make it healthy there for them after he had been driven out, +and they had come to Texas and were living as best they could. From them +we learned that Price's army was at Spring Hill, and we told them that +we were members of his "walking company," as the rebels called Price's +infantry. + +As our feet were wet from our walk through the marsh, we got away from +this crowd as soon as possible and went over to the camp of an old woman +for the purpose of getting permission to dry our clothes and shoes. The +favor was granted on application, and we sat there chatting with the +woman and her sons until we were thoroughly dried out. During this talk +we learned that these refugees were disposed to be quite bitter toward +the Texans for the lack of sympathy and hospitality which they thought +should be forthcoming on account of the abuse and persecution which they +had suffered for their Southern sympathies. + +After we had dried ourselves sufficiently, we borrowed a brand from the +fire and went off to make a camp of our own. + +On our way to a choice spot we met a sick soldier, who was on a furlough +and who had a canoe. He offered to take us with him across the balance +of the swamp, but we declined, because we did not wish to cultivate his +acquaintance and because of our friend Miller. + +We waded into the swamp and went at least a mile before we found dry +land, when we picked out a secluded spot, lit a fire and again dried +ourselves thoroughly, going off to some tangled oaks for a sleep while +we waited for night. + +Our location was now about ten miles from Boston, and I knew the road; +so we dozed off, in the confidence of apparent security. + +I was awakened by a sound which startled me, and as I listened, it +proved to be a rustle in the underbrush, heard at intervals, and the +sound of a bell. The others were called by me, and we hid more securely, +as the footsteps of a man were now to be heard. Soon we saw a most +cadaverous, tall and poverty-stricken looking individual approaching in +an erratic manner, and we could now hear his low-toned mutterings as he +darted here and there. As the lower portion of his body came into view +we saw that he was driving an old sow, with a bell attached to her neck, +and that he carried an old rifle, with its stock tied on with strings. +He seemed to be one of the refugees who had been after his stray hog, +and we arose from our concealment and approached him. + +He was literally dressed in rags, and was inclined to be scared at our +appearance, but we soon pacified him, and had an interesting +conversation, during which we learned his whole history. + +The interest in this incident exists in the fact that, although I had +seen many Southern men with Northern sympathies, this was the first out +and out rebel I had seen who talked "lost cause." + +When night came, we made our way to Boston and passed through the town +in the silence of the deserted streets, the hour being that of very +early morn. The fact that I had spent so many days here, after having +been recaptured on my previous runaway trip, made the spot interesting +to both my companions and myself, and I pointed out to them all the +various points of note. Had we had any chalk with us I should certainly +have left my card, in the shape of some notes, on various doors; but, as +it was, we passed through and on. We went about five miles beyond the +town and camped for the day. + +The next night we proceeded without interruption or incident worthy of +note, and reached a deserted cabin about daylight, in which we slept +soundly all day, lying on a few boards in the loft, close to the eaves, +where we were securely hidden. The hut had been used by sheep for +shelter, and it was not excessively clean, but the weather was cold and +threatening when we turned in, and we were not sticklers about trifles +like that. + +Our pants were all wet from crossing "slues" and watercourses during the +night, and we were too tired to sit up and dry them out before going to +sleep. When we awoke they were frozen stiff and we were chilled through. + +I was awakened by hearing a woman singing as she passed by the old hut, +and as we lay there, rubbing our limbs to restore the circulation, we +heard a splashing and squealing near the hut, which had awakened my +companions and now caused me to go outside to investigate, when it was +found that an enormous rat had tumbled into an old, abandoned well at +the corner of the house. We put him out of his misery and took a run +down a ravine, where we built a good fire and got thoroughly warmed up. + +After a scanty meal, we again took to the road and tramped all night, +meeting with no mishaps and making good progress. + +In the morning we profited by experience, and went into a ravine, built +a fire and dried out before turning in for the day. + +The next night we came to a bayou, about 11 o'clock, and crossed on +logs. Finding a bad road beyond, we sought a retired spot and turned in +to wait for daylight. + +In the morning we skirmished around for something to eat, and found it +in the cabin of an old negro, whom we nearly scared to death as we took +possession of his hut. From him we learned that we were in the Red River +bottom, and he directed us how to proceed on our course, telling us to +turn to the right at a certain point, which he described. + +After eating heartily of our corn bread and sow belly, we started off in +high spirits, and soon found the spot where we were to turn to the +right, which direction we followed out until the road turned into a +cow-path and finally led us to the bars of a fence across the road at +the edge of a thick wood. + +We knew that we were lost and had come a long distance since taking the +right (?) direction. Knowing that we had obeyed the instructions given +us, we were inclined to be wrathy, and we sat down for greater ease and +support while we cussed that nigger "up hill and down." Rummel and I did +the cussing, while Miller watched for a chance to break in upon our +monopoly of the conversation, when he mildly suggested that, as the +nigger was standing with his face to us when he told us how to proceed, +and as we were facing in the direction which we were to take, it was +likely that the darkey had meant his right and not ours, which plausible +explanation only made us the more wrathy, because the nigger had been +stupid instead of having willfully misled us, as we had taken it for +granted he had. + +When we had vented our spleen and rested up, we struck out, at a +venture, in preference to retracing our steps. After a tedious struggle +through the underbrush and a thorough wetting in the bayou we had to +cross we at length came upon a large field in which about 100 negroes +were burning stumps and clearing ground. Selecting a hiding place, we +lay in wait to single out some darkey who could be entrusted with our +management until we could cross the Red River and again get started on +our way. + +After some little time spent in a study of the various faces which came +near enough to be seen plainly, I selected two men who walked together +and seemed to be brothers. It took a good deal of patience to await a +chance to see them alone, and we talked over all sorts of schemes for +securing a private interview with these darkeys. About the time when we +gave up all scheming and decided to trust to chance, the question was +settled for us by the two men starting off in our direction, with an +evident intention of leaving the field. + +In my capacity of diplomat I was sent to waylay them at a proper spot +and negotiate for what we needed in the way of food and assistance. By a +little manoeuvring the darkeys were intercepted at a suitable spot, +and I found them to be very intelligent men, who were only too glad to +help us all they could. They were slaves on a plantation located on the +banks of the Red River, of which the field was a portion, and they were +on their way to the outbuildings, near at hand, for some tools. They +left me, to get the articles needed in the field, and soon returned, +bringing with them a liberal portion of their day's allowance of food, +which they gave to me. Before returning to the field they gave me +explicit directions how to find the river bank after night at the proper +place, where they agreed to meet us and set us across the river. They +gave their names as Taylor and Sam Jeans, and promised to bring us some +more provisions when they met us as agreed. + +I returned to Rummel and Miller, and we had a hearty meal, watching the +negroes at work while we ate, and continuing to watch them until they +quit work and went home. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +A PUZZLE, AND INCIDENTS. + + +When the appointed time drew near we broke camp and proceeded to the +designated spot on the river bank, which we found without much trouble. +We waited and waited, but no negroes appeared. It was now nearly +midnight, and a bright moon began to illuminate our surroundings with +the ghostly light that proceeds from a combination of the moon's rays +with the darkness and shadows of a timbered river bottom. We waited +until we could no longer hear a sound from the plantation houses in the +distance and for at least an hour after total silence reigned all about +us. Then we began to fear that the negroes had forgotten us, and I was +despatched to see what I could find. + +Now comes a part of my story which I must leave to wiser heads than mine +for explanation. I simply state the facts as they occurred and leave the +reader to satisfy himself or herself as to the controlling influence +which prompted my actions. I cannot satisfactorily explain them to +myself. + +I did not know a single foot of the ground over which I was to travel, +and my only guide as to where I wanted to go was the remembrance of the +direction in which we had heard the sounds of plantation life in the +early evening. + +I started off through a field and came upon a narrow road on the other +side, evidently a cross road. Down this I turned, in a direction which +did not accord with my memory of the proper course, and yet I seemed to +be impelled that way. I soon came to a turnstile in the fence on one +side, and through this I passed without a moment's hesitation, although +there was nothing in sight except a narrow path. Some distance down the +path I came to a double row of negro cabins, about twenty on each side +of a narrow street, facing each other. I did not know what I was to do, +and to find a particular negro in that array of cabins without arousing +the whole outfit was a problem beyond me, yet, without any +consideration, doubt or even a halt, I passed across the end of the +street to the rear of the farther row of cabins, and down the back of +that row until I reached the nearest corner of the next to the last +house. Here I halted and stood still. Why, I do not know, but I did, and +it was my first halt since I had left my companions. Shortly after I +halted I heard a voice that I recognized say: + +"Lay over dar, you Taylor!" + +Here I was, right where I wished to be, and in a very short time I had +aroused the sleeping darkeys, to learn that they had lain down to rest +until the time appointed for the meeting, naturally falling fast +asleep. They reproached themselves for their neglect, and we were soon +on our way to the river bank, with a plentiful supply of food. + +They asked me how I had found them, and I truthfully replied that I did +not know, at which they rolled their eyes and looked at me in a peculiar +manner, when I added that I was walking around the cabins in the hope of +finding someone awake, and heard Sam tell Taylor to roll over. This +satisfied them, but it has never satisfied me, for, while I heard the +voice almost as soon as I halted, I could have passed the cabin in the +short interval had I kept on, and in such event I could not have heard +what I did. + +My going directly to the cabins may be attributed to the instinct which +sometimes leads men, and my passing to the rear of the farther cabins +first to an accident of direction, but I never could account, on any +theory of chance or instinct, for the coincidence of my halt at the +proper place at the only instant in which I could have heard the call of +Sam to Taylor. + +We reached Rummel and Miller in so short a time after my departure from +them as to cause an inquiry from them as to how I had managed to find +the darkeys so quickly. I postponed explanation until later, and we +proceeded to business. + +The negroes had cooked us a goodly amount of hog meat and a pone of +corn bread, but the meat was only such as they could procure in a hurry, +and consisted of the livers, lights, noses and such portions of the +animal as would not be used by the planter and his family. + +The skiff of the darkeys had been lodged, during high water, behind a +tree, and when we got it down and afloat it looked like a sieve. We +caulked it as best we could with leaves and some old rags, but the thing +was a failure, and none of us cared to risk it. + +Sam offered to pilot us to Little Rock himself, crossing the river lower +down and then going across the country, but this offer we declined, +because of the almost certainty of death if runaway prisoners were +caught with a runaway negro. Sam still insisted, however, saying that he +had a rifle and seven rounds of ammunition, and that we could fight if +we had to, but we positively refused to take him with us, and the man +was actually inclined to be angry. The matter was settled by Taylor +giving us directions to follow the river down stream until we found a +cabin in a certain spot, which he described, and we set off in high +glee, Taylor further informing us that his name would make everything +right with the owners of the cabin, and that we would find a willing and +able ferryman there. + +It was now nearly morning, and we hastened on our way; but, when we came +to the spot where Taylor had told us we would find a path to the cabin, +we found that a large force of cavalry had recently been camped there, +and all signs of any regular path were completely obliterated by the +trampled condition of the ground and the many trails leading in all +directions, while an immense quantity of corn shucks were strewn all +about the place. + +We made a circuit of the camp, and finally struck off on a path which +looked as if it might be the one meant by Taylor, but we had not gone a +great ways when it became a blind lead, and we were soon lost in the +canebrake. The cane made it too dark to proceed farther, and we went +into camp. + +When daylight came we found ourselves in a great bend of the river, and +a little feeling around showed us a number of cavalry horses turned +loose. We therefore kept quiet, in a part of the bottom where the cane +was so thick that we once heard a man rounding up the horses without our +being able to see him. As Rummel expressed it, "We couldn't have found a +cow right there if we had had hold of her tail." + +After a while we stole out to where we could see without being seen, and +discovered a tent and big fire not far away, while in the distance was a +band of music moving away with an escort of rebel cavalry. Around the +tent and fire were a lot of men and cavalry horses, and we concluded to +adjourn. + +After a long search through the cane we found a road and started off, +keeping a sharp lookout. + +We had gone but a short distance down the road when we almost ran into +another cavalry camp, and we had to swallow our hearts to keep them in +their proper position, while we hastily executed a flank movement to +avoid the soldiers. We succeeded in passing around them without being +discovered, and again went on our way in peace for a time, but soon had +another scare. + +It was now nearly evening, and as we reached the river bank we heard +some men approaching. It was a close shave, as we barely had time to +conceal ourselves before they came out of the woods on the opposite side +of the road and started for the camp we had just passed. + +As soon as they had disappeared we started to follow the river bank, and +as we proceeded down stream, with the timber on our right and the river +on our left, we had not gone far when some men were heard coming in our +direction. Dodging into the brush for concealment, we lay there until +several men and their dogs had passed. They turned into the wood not far +from us and began cutting down a tree in which they had located a coon. +The tree was soon felled, and then occurred a lively skirmish between +men, dogs, clubs and coon, in which the coon finally got the worst of +it. + +When the battle was over and the coon-hunters had gone, we crawled out +of our hiding place and started down the river again. + +In less than a mile, and about 12 o'clock, we came upon another lot of +soldiers, camped in the road on the river bank and apparently sound +asleep, our evidence of the latter fact being the unmusical sounds +proceeding from them. + +The situation was rather on the critical order, but it was light enough +for us to see any movement of the enemy. We made a careful movement by +the right flank, and were soon around them, fortunately without +discovery. + +Proceeding on our way, we would have felt quite happy had Miller been +less miserable, but he could not forget that we had not as yet crossed +the river, and it was impossible for him to be comfortable while on the +wrong side of a stream of water. + +Coming to an opening in the timber on our right we saw a plantation. A +high fence was built along the road in front of it. Just as we had +gotten fairly started away from the timber and in front of this fence +the sounds of a horse galloping in our direction caused us to make a +sudden choice between an unwise meeting and a slide down the steep river +bank. We slid. + +The horsemen reined up in front of the farmhouse, just abreast of where +we were hugging the slippery bank, and we heard him call out some inmate +of the house and ask the way to Rondo, where, it seemed, they were +having a dance. + +The danger to result from meeting with undesirable people was +considerable, and we had quite a scare on account of our narrow margin +of time for evading this fast rider, but we soon became glad of the +forced tumble over the river bank. + +As soon as we were recovered from our scare and momentary confusion we +found that our slide down the bank had landed us within easy reach of a +canoe, the very thing most needed by us at that time. In fact, if we had +gone down the bank with more momentum either the canoe or the water +under it would have stopped our descent. + +This discovery seemed providential, and we regarded it as a good omen of +our success. + +An investigation proved the canoe to be a poor affair, but we concluded +that we could cross two at a time, and Rummel and Miller started, I +keeping pace with them on the bank as the canoe carried them down. They +got over all right, and Miller landed, Rummel coming back for me. Both +Miller and myself now walked down stream, as the canoe made as much +distance that way as across, and when Rummel had finally picked me up +and landed me we met Miller at least a mile down stream from where we +had started the movement. + +During this operation Miller and I had to keep close to the river in +order that we might not lose sight of each other or the canoe, and, by +thus being unable to choose the best places for a convenient walk, we +were pretty well scratched by the briers and other impediments that +seemed to exist in profusion just where we had to go. + +Having no further use for the canoe, we upset it and let it go. Then we +started across the river bottom. + +We had no trouble until we struck a bayou, which the moonlight showed to +be quite wide. We could not tell how deep it was, but we found that it +had a soft bottom, and we did not venture to wade the sluggish stream. +After a long search up and down the edge, during which we got tangled up +in some brush and made a row which started up some dogs in the +neighborhood, we found a fence which crossed the bayou. I shall never +forget the sight of Miller and Rummel "cooning" that fence. + +The moon shone down through the gathering clouds with a dim light, and +when we reached the fence we could see that it was built clear across +the water in our front; so I mounted it at once and was soon on the +other side. My companions had a discussion as to who should go first, +both hanging back, for the fence looked frail and the top rails were +sharp. When I got over and turned around to look, Rummel was just making +a start. + +The fence had not been used as a bridge, and some of the rails were +rotten, while most were slippery. + +I had had some vexatious experiences myself in crossing, and I was in a +position to enjoy keenly the sight of the others going through the same +experiences; so I stood in the moonlight, encouraging my friends and +laughing heartily as a slip on a broken rail caused suppressed comments +or grotesque contortions on the part of the fence-riders. They finally +got across, and we soon found the main road, but our troubles were not +yet ended, for the soil was "gumbo" of the meanest kind, and we soon had +to camp and rest up, while to add to our cheer and comfort it began to +rain. + +We spent the balance of the night in the rain and "gumbo," praying for +daylight and sunshine. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +EXPERIENCES. + + +The next morning we started on our way and had a routine march for +several days, with no incidents worth mentioning until we began to meet +a stray soldier now and then. Our growing confidence in ourselves made +it easy for us to tell a satisfactory story in each case, and we learned +from these men that we were approaching Washington, where Magruder had +his headquarters. + +From some negroes we got a full description of the town and a complete +line of directions as to what course to pursue in order to avoid +undesirable observation. + +We had to be very careful, but boldness was an essential part of the +policy of being careful, and we walked through the outskirts of the town +as if we owned it, avoiding the traveled streets, but being as free and +as easy as possible. + +It was impossible for Miller to be free and easy at any time in anything +partaking of deception, as he was too conscious and conscientious. No +amount of successful evasion of difficulties could make him forget for a +moment that we were escaped prisoners and should be locked up--from the +standpoint of the rebels; so he was continually imagining that he saw +detection in the eye of every person we met. + +We were all nervous, but, with the exception of Miller, we made a fair +show of being self-possessed and independent. We walked through the town +as if traveling on eggs; every sound made him start; every person we saw +gave him a shock of dread and uncertainty, and if we had met anyone of a +suspicious nature we should have been closely questioned, at least. As +it was, we finally skirted the town and got into the main road again, +beyond, but we had to pass right through the soldiers' quarters to do +it. We went on the principle that they were ignorant as to us, and would +have no suspicions unless we created them by our actions, but only good +luck in not being observed closely saved us from capture, for poor +Miller scarcely touched the ground, and showed his effort at restraint +so plainly that anyone with half an eye would have known that he was +doing something wrong. We "herded" him between us as best we could, and, +not being critically surveyed, succeeded in passing on our way. + +The next night we came to a blacksmith shop, where we had to take refuge +on account of a heavy rain. This shop was one of those old-fashioned +country forges, built by the roadside near some farmer's house, where he +or his neighbors tried their hands at smith work as occasion demanded. +The building was an old "shack," with a leaky roof, but it gave some +shelter, although we had to sleep on the forge as best we could, to keep +out of the puddles and mud on the earthen floor. + +I know of no word better than _excruciating_, to describe the comforts +of that night. The forge was large, and we could lie upon it after +cleaning it off, but we had to squeeze together. The edges were rough +stones, and our feet hung over. If my readers will take the first +opportunity afforded them to occupy a similar position for several hours +they will appreciate my use of the above word. To enjoy fully the +situation, aside from the pains thereof, they should have a friend stand +by with some cold water and occasionally let fall a drop, or succession +of them, upon the face, neck or ears of the victim. As a choice of two +evils it was an admirable selection; as a matter of comfort it was a +failure. + +We were not awakened by the daylight, for we were already awake, and, +when we could see that the rain had turned to snow, we started off +again, preferring the snow and mud in daylight. Coming to an open piece +of woods, and seeing a large tree which had been felled, we went to it +and found what protection we could in its thick top for the balance of +the day, the monotony of the stay being relieved by exchange from snow +to rain and from rain to snow every now and then. + +Just before dark it cleared up, and we once more started on our way, +meeting with no obstacle until we reached the Little Missouri River +bottom, which was crossed by an old corduroy road, and then we had some +more fun. + +For two miles and a half we blundered along on this road, in a gloomy +darkness, every few minutes coming to a spot where one or the other of +us would slip through between the logs and sink up to our knees in the +mud and water, which fact was generally communicated to the others by +harsh criticisms upon the efficiency of the county commissioners. + +When we reached the river we were about as tired as men can be and stand +up, but we found that the ferry-boat was on the other side, and we had +to seek some place in which to rest for the night and await daylight. +Going back a short distance from the river we found an open space where +there were signs of a former camp, and we tried to build a fire. +Everything was soaking wet, and all our efforts ended in smoke, except a +few sulphurous remarks. There was no shelter to be had; we had to sleep +in the open, and the ground was too wet to be comfortable. After some +discussion, we decided to try standing up, which means of rest we +enjoyed for the balance of the night. + +Did you ever try to find a place to rest when everything upon which you +could possibly sit or lie was soaking wet? If so, you can understand +why we chose to stand up. Did you ever try to sleep in a standing +posture, or to rest in like position for any length of time? If so, you +will appreciate the following: + +Throwing my blanket over my head, I braced myself firmly against a tree, +closed my eyes, and--the next thing I knew I was in a heap on the wet +ground, wildly struggling with my blanket, my knees having relaxed as I +became unconscious. Now fully awake, I took a walk around to find a +better spot, but soon came back to my first location and tried it again. +This time I remained awake long enough to realize, by the time that the +comfortable feelings of drowsiness were again stealing over me, that the +air inside of my blanket was not pleasant to breathe, and, in throwing +the covering from my head, I became wide awake again. After another +interval of wakefulness, during which I realized keenly how tired my +limbs were, and after quietly enjoying some of the experiences of my +neighbors, the demands of nature again became paramount, and I dozed +off. With a sudden sense of a harsh scraping along the back of my head, +and a dim realization of the fact that my knees had again refused duty, +I came to myself just in time to keep from sitting on the ground, this +time sliding down the tree instead of pitching forward. After a walk +down to the river to view the situation again, I returned to my tree, +adjusted my position, to guard as well as I could against former +experiences, and gradually dozed off in the belief that I was this time +scientifically and safely propped. Suddenly I realized that I was +falling, and became conscious enough to make three or four rapid steps +forward, to save myself, before I stumbled over a log and went head +first to the ground. After this, I never went to sleep during the +balance of the night, but I contented myself with a succession of nods +between the intervals of knee-bendings and losses of balance. Try it and +see how it works. + +I have slept on the wet ground--slept soundly, and never taken cold from +it, but not in a boggy location such as that was on that night, and we +all stood up in preference, again a choice of the lesser evil. + +It might be asked why we did not go back to the high ground instead of +remaining in the bottom. No one who has ever tramped over such a +miserable road as that by which we had reached the bottom--for two and a +half miles in the dark--will be likely to question why we preferred to +stay where we were. It is doubtful whether we would have undertaken to +retrace our steps over the corduroy road even if we had known in advance +just what our night's experience was to be. + +The next morning when we went down to the river we found that it had +risen several feet during the night. + +The road reached the river at a point of land which projected some +distance, and where the road had been comparatively dry the night +before, behind the point, we now had to wade in order to reach the ferry +landing. + +It was useless to attempt hailing the ferry-boat, so we went back to our +stamping ground and breakfasted upon what corn we could pick out of the +ground around the spot where former campers had tarried. This corn was +the scaled or wasted kernels left by horses at their feeding places. + +While eating we heard a noise of men talking on the river, and at once +assumed that the boat was coming over. We had no money with which to pay +for crossing, and my companions, Miller especially, were very much +excited over the question of what we were to do. Miller had a ring which +he wanted me to take for the purpose of paying the ferryman, but I would +not take it, and we nearly had a quarrel in consequence. My desire was +to go to the ferry and be governed by circumstances as to what we should +do, but the others wanted to have it all mapped out beforehand. + +"What will you tell him, Swiggett?" asked Miller. + +"How can I tell?" was my reply. + +"But suppose he asks for money or is suspicious?" + +"When he does or is I will meet him; but, boys, how on earth can you +tell what to do or say till you know what you have to overcome? Let's go +down there in a natural way and do what seems best when we get there. +Come on!" + +We went, my companions following me reluctantly, and Miller all in a +flutter of nervous apprehension. + +Reaching the landing, we found the boat nearly across, but the ferryman +had all he could do to make any progress. The rise in the river had made +a strong current along our shore. It was a hand ferry, and the rope was +fastened in a poor line for ease in ferrying at that stage of the river. + +Calling out to the man, I got in a good position to jump aboard, and +said to my companions: + +"Come on, boys! Can't you see that the man has his hands full? Let's +jump aboard and help." + +Hearing this, the fellow increased his efforts, the boat approached +nearer, we made a big jump and got aboard, helping to haul the boat to +the land. Then we learned that he had come over to shift the rope, and +we helped him do this, after which he took us across. + +Arriving on the other side I put my hand in my pocket as confidently as +if I had had a roll of greenbacks at my command, and asked the ferryman +how much we owed him. As I expected, he would not take a cent, but +thanked us heartily for our assistance, and we went on our way +rejoicing. + +It is a fact worthy of note that the response of this man to my offer of +pay was almost as well known to me before he made it as after. Not on +the principle of natural results from given causes, as many men would +have asked either all or part pay. Nor was it from any particular +judgment of the individual, as I was unable to form any satisfactory +idea of his inclination from what could be seen of him. I simply _felt_ +and _knew_ that he would refuse pay. Whether this was due to intuition, +instinct or some subtle principle of mind communication, I do not +profess to know and I do not say, but the fact was that I did not think +or believe--I _knew_, and those inclined to account for the fact will +find this point of interest to them. + +"What would you have said, Swiggett, if he had named a price?" asked +Miller. + +"But he didn't, Miller," I responded; "and he wasn't suspicious." + +"But if he had been?" + +"How can I tell? It would have depended on circumstances. My experience +is that one can never, or very seldom, carry out imaginary conversation, +and I never try to hamper myself unnecessarily by pre-arranged ideas." + + +[Illustration: CAPT. B. F. MILLER.] + + +These conversations are related simply to show how easy it is to +overcome many seeming difficulties. We can figure and calculate all +we will in advance, but it almost invariably happens that the details of +our plans must be changed on the scene of action, either to surmount +unexpected obstacles or to take the shortest and surest road to success. +The best way to dispose of obstacles is to go at them. Many and most +disappear before you reach them, while those which really have to be +surmounted are usually ridden over on lines suggested at the time of +meeting. + +In crossing the river we had given the ferryman no time to ask +questions, even had he been disposed to do so, and I had asked the way +to Arkadelphia, learning the direction to take and that the distance was +fifty-two miles, on a plain road. + +As usual, after the river was crossed, Miller was jubilant and happy +until he had time to begin worrying about the next river, which he soon +did. If my friend worries as much about crossing the final river as he +did about crossing earthly rivers in our travels together it may be that +he will have to cross much sooner than he otherwise would. + +It must not be understood that my illustrations of Miller's +peculiarities are made in disparagement of the man. We all have our own +peculiar traits of character, and it merely happened that this journey +developed in Miller some phases of a disposition that in other things +would have had more than compensating merits. He was simply more +cautious than is usual in men, and so exceedingly honest that it was +impossible for him to dissimulate. A tall, fine-looking gentleman, with +dignified bearing, and the very embodiment of honor and +conscientiousness, one to whom recapture was certain if lies were +necessary to avoid it; this was Miller. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +GOOD LUCK AND BAD. + + +We were soon out of the river bottom, and then came the question as to +whether we should keep or avoid the road. We decided to remain upon it, +because of the fact that the ferryman would probably ask the first comer +if he had met us, and a negative reply might cause questions and +suspicions; so we trudged along, in hopes of a successful issue to our +campaign. + +Soon we saw an approaching horseman, and again our friend Miller became +agitated. When a nearer view developed the fact that the rider was a +rebel officer, we had hard work to keep Miller from throwing up his +hands or running, we being entirely unarmed, but he calmed down and +behaved nicely as the officer rode up and we saw that he was a major. + +We saluted, said good morning, and passed on in a matter-of-fact way, +while the officer gave us scarcely a look as he returned our salute and +rode by; so Miller had a respite. + +Having thus met somebody to report us at the ferry, we now left the road +and went into the woods to lay up, taking pains to go a good mile from +the road in order to avoid any possible notice. + +Finding a good, thick top of a felled tree, we sought the seclusion of +its branches and indulged in a good sleep. + +We were awakened along in the afternoon by a crunching sound like that +of horses walking on gravel, and, when we realized what it was, the +horses were so close to us that we fairly hugged the ground and +trembled, feeling that it must be some people looking for us. + +The sound passing by, we got out to investigate, and we had not gone +fifteen paces through some bushes till we stopped and looked at each +other quizzically. There was another road, evidently more traveled than +the one we had taken such pains to avoid. As the joke was on all, we had +nothing to say. + +We were now out of provisions again, and, in prospecting around, we +found that the two roads came together a short distance below. + +The country in our neighborhood was a farming district, but it was now +barren. The houses and buildings were deserted, the fences down and +everything dilapidated. We could find nothing to eat, and again took to +the road. + +To show how run down and deserted that section was I state as a fact +that we ransacked every stable, corn crib and vacant house in our path +that night for a distance of about fifteen miles without seeing a soul +or finding anything eatable. But few houses appeared to be inhabited, +and these were avoided. + +Just before daybreak we came across an old stable, where we found some +corn in the mangers--that is, the small kernels left on the ends of the +cobs by horses when they eat. Of this we made a fairly good meal. + +A little farther on we came to a corn crib which had in it about 150 +bushels of corn, and here we had a feast, building a fire and parching +the corn. + +While we were eating we saw a cow coming toward the corn crib, and we +welcomed her heartily, giving her some corn shucks to feed upon while we +milked her and regaled ourselves. + +We now proceeded with little or no trouble, making far better time than +we had expected to make, and we felt almost as if at home when we came +to a finger-board bearing the inscription: "2-1/2 miles to Arkadelphia." + +I had been in this place with our army on our way to Camden the spring +before, and it now seemed as if we must soon meet some blue uniforms. + +We passed on around the town to the Caddo river, which empties into the +Washita four miles above Arkadelphia. + +When we reached the river there were no signs of a ferry, and we walked +up and down the river bank for about two miles each way before we found +any chance to cross. There seemed to be no ferry, and the chance of +crossing was based solely upon the fact that we finally discovered a +house on the farther bank, and a skiff tied to a tree near by. + +We built our hopes on that skiff, but there was no way to get it at +present, and we decided to drop down the river to a secluded place in +the bottom and await developments. + +Finding the desired place, we went into camp, building a fire, parching +some corn, warming up well and getting a good sleep. + +In the morning we again went over the ground, but found no better chance +to cross, concluding that the owner of the skiff must be the ferryman. + +We could not build a raft, as there were no logs lying about which were +suitable for the purpose. The river was too deep to wade, and the water +was so cold that we were afraid to risk an effort to swim over, +especially on account of Miller's aversion to the element, and the +necessity of towing him over on a log if we tried this method of +crossing; so, after sizing up the situation in all its aspects, we +decided to keep quiet until about sundown and then go boldly down to the +water's edge at the road and hail the ferryman, taking our chances of +results. + +Accordingly we again sought our hiding place, and passed the day in +sleeping and conversation, neither hearing nor seeing anything +throughout the day. + +At the proper time we emerged boldly from our secluded nook and sought +the road, without any attempt at secrecy, having been all over the +ground both in the morning and the night before, and having heard +nothing since. + +A short distance from the road we saw a man on the river bank, and kept +right on, taking him to be some stray individual looking for a chance to +cross the river, but we had not gone twenty paces after seeing him until +we walked right into a picket post of nine men, or, rather, right into +plain view of them, they being about fifty yards distant. + +There was no help for it but to put on a bold front, and we walked right +along about our business. Seeing them watching us, I broke the silence +by addressing them and asking the way to the ferry. + +They answered, and asked where we were going, to which I responded by +saying that we had been hunting for the ferry for an hour or more and +were going to cross, walking along in a business-like manner while +talking. + +The corporal in charge of the picket guard now called to us to come into +camp, but we did not hear him, and kept on without hurrying. Then we got +a peremptory order in a tone which meant business, and we concluded +instantaneously to hear and heed this; so we stopped and asked what they +wanted, and walked slowly into camp when the corporal repeated his +order, remonstrating against the delay as we did so. + +Miller was now so nervous that he scarcely knew on which end he stood, +but he quieted down in appearance when I asked him to keep cool, let me +do the talking, and back me up. + +We were now asked to show our papers, but we had none to show, and by +rapid questioning I learned that these men had been guarding the river +at this point for some time, but had left the river bank for better +quarters when the high water came, and had just camped again when we +came up. + +Asking the corporal his name, I learned that it was Ed. Rocket, and I +then told him that we lived in Rockport, Hot Springs county, and were +going home, being soldiers in Captain Stewart's Company A, of the 15th +Arkansas, and having come from Magruder's headquarters at Washington. + +He then asked for our passes, and I told him that he was too old a +soldier not to know that we could not possibly have a pass, it being all +that a captain's commission was worth to give leave of absence in those +days, stating to him, in explanation of our absence from our command, +that we had been in service for over two years without any leave; that +when we had begged our captain to let us go home when it was so close he +had told us that we could simply slip off, if we would promise to be +back in ten days, and he would not report us absent unless that time +elapsed before our return, and that we had taken chances on his word, +because we wanted to get home so badly. + +This seemed to satisfy Rocket that it was all right, and he hesitated +for a few minutes before he answered that he would gladly let us go on, +but that his orders were positive to let _nobody_ cross the river +without a pass or proper papers. + +I again remonstrated at the delay and annoyance, and he sympathized with +us, but was firm in his unwillingness to disobey positive orders which +left no discretion. He finally said he would take us over to +headquarters at Arkadelphia and do what he could to get necessary +permission for us to cross the river. + +There being no other course to pursue, we thanked him heartily and at +once fraternized with him and his men. + +They had just cooked supper, and we invited ourselves to eat with them, +saying that we were almighty hungry, but that they would have to put up +with it, inasmuch as we were not exactly willing guests. + +We were quite hungry, and we demonstrated the fact by eating the entire +quantity of food which the nine men had prepared for their meal, talking +and chatting the while, with the party looking on with open-mouthed +amazement at our appetites, as they waited for two of their number to +prepare an additional supply, the extra quantity being increased as +they proceeded, until they really cooked as much more as they had at +first prepared for themselves. + +Once, while we were eating, Miller inadvertently called me captain, and +asked me to pass him something. Fortunately he did not speak loud, as he +was close by my side, but I gave him a look which spoke volumes, and he +kept silent thereafter. + +After our hosts had finished their supper we started for Arkadelphia, +and, while on the road, we learned that the object of guarding the river +had been to catch refugee "Arkansaw" people and to head off such natives +as might be en route to join the 3d and 4th Arkansas Cavalry, then being +organized in Little Rock. + +This was our twenty-first night out since leaving the stockade, and we +were now 275 miles from Tyler, Texas, and fifty miles from Little +Rock--"so near and yet so far." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +IN THE TOILS. + + +On reaching Arkadelphia we were taken to the provost marshal's office, +which was located in a two-room house in the centre of the town, and +there we found a lieutenant at the desk in one of the rooms, while +fourteen or fifteen men were gathered around an old-fashioned fireplace, +telling stories and spending a pleasant evening. Some of these men were +soldiers and some were not. + +I shall never forget that little room in that old house. It was about +twelve feet by sixteen, the walls were bare, the ceiling was low and +smoke-stained, the floor was without covering, and the only furniture +was the old table which served as a desk for the lieutenant, a number of +more or less rickety chairs and the two huge old-fashioned andirons +which supported the blazing logs in the enormous, ancient fireplace. + +Rocket took the lieutenant aside and told him our story, the evident +impression being that it was all right. He then left us. + +They had a lot of cooking utensils, bedding, etc., in the second room, +and soldiers were passing in and out of the rooms at intervals. + +As we stood awaiting the termination of the interview between Rocket and +the lieutenant, I thought I recognized several of the men in the room, +and I was certain as to two of them. It is needless to say that I +avoided observation as much as possible, without seeming to do so, and I +was not recognized. + +As Rocket left, the lieutenant came up to us, and, evidently thinking it +necessary, as a matter of form, began asking questions. + +I told the same story that I had told to Rocket, while Miller and Rummel +got into the crowd before the fireplace, adding that we were from +Northern Missouri in the first place, that my wife was the sister of my +two companions, that their name was Miller and mine Swiggett, and that +we had had to leave Missouri when it had gotten hot up there, coming to +"Arkansaw" and joining the 15th "Arkansaw." + +While telling this story, which I did in response to questions asked, I +could hear comments on the side between the men sitting around, and +heard one say that Rockport was not in Hot Springs county, and then +another say that it was and that I was right. + +These comments disturbed Miller so much that he could not keep quiet to +save his soul, and I nearly laughed out aloud as I got a side look at +him and saw him shifting nervously from one foot to the other, now +rubbing his hands together spasmodically, and then recollecting himself +enough to hold them out to the fire as an excuse for the rubbing, every +second or two casting a "sheep's glance" over his shoulder at the +lieutenant and myself. + +His actions evidently excited suspicions, for, just as I was certain +that the lieutenant was satisfied, and felt confident that all was well, +he asked me whom I knew up around Rockport, and then commenced going +back over the same ground again in a cross-questioning sort of way. + +I told him that I knew no one up that way except our own folks, and, as +I heard a side comment of "Damned strange," I turned on the speaker and +said emphatically: + +"No, it isn't 'damned strange,' if you will let me tell my own story, +and not try to put words in my mouth." + +"Well, go on," said one fellow, and I continued: + +"When we left Missouri and joined the regiment we left our families +behind in Northern Missouri. They were ostracized and misused because we +had gone off and joined the rebels, and life became a burden to them. +So, when Price made his last raid into Missouri, they were only too glad +to come with him and take chances of starving among friends in +preference to accepting the grudging charity of the Yankees. They were +compelled to stop in Hot Springs county, five miles southeast of +Rockport. We have never been in Hot Springs county ourselves, and have +not seen our families since we left them in Northern Missouri." + +The lieutenant now asked me if I had no papers at all. + +Quick as a flash I said "Yes," and produced from my pocket a newspaper +published in Washington the day before, which I had picked up on the +road as we came in. + +He looked at it, laughed, and said that he did not mean that sort of +paper, but a pass or something to prove our identity. + +I said that we would not be there if we had any pass, and that I did not +see why he doubted a straight statement in accordance with facts. + +He now led me into the next room and tried to coax me into confidence +with him, but I stuck to my text, and could see that I had him on the +run, so to speak, although he had apparently suspected us of being +Arkansas Federals. + +As we walked back to the office room I saw that poor Miller was as +fidgety as a nervous man could possibly be, and his actions, as he +quickly held out his hands to the fire and as quickly withdrew them to +rub them together in an absent-minded way, caused the lieutenant to look +at me sharply and again ask to what regiment we belonged. + +This made me mad, and I answered shortly: + +"The 15th Arkansaw, as I have told you three times before." + +"What brigade?" now followed quickly. + +"Thompson's," was the prompt reply. + +"What division?" + +"Molyneux's." + +At this time we had been under fire for nearly an hour and a half +without giving anything tangible on which the lieutenant could hang +suspicion, but here he thought he had me, and he quickly responded: + +"There are no Arkansaw troops in Molyneux's division." + +Without an instant's hesitation, I came back at him with: + +"If you know more about this thing than I do, perhaps you had better +tell the story. I'm in the 15th Arkansaw, and Molyneux is our division +commander." + +The principle upon which I went in this examination was that these men +were most likely as ignorant as myself about matters not of general +importance, and I knew that they could only go on hearsay as to minor +matters, such as what troops made up a division at a certain time when +that division was widely scattered, and I therefore stood on my dignity +and was positive. + +My reply plainly staggered the lieutenant, and he fell back on what was +apparently his last ground of argument, as he looked at our dress and +asked how we came by our blue blouses and breeches. + +I laughed carelessly, and looked over the crowd in a quizzical way as I +answered: + +"If you fellows had been chasing Steele's army all summer as we have +you would be wearing them too." + +Then, turning to the lieutenant again, I said: + +"Now, see here, Lieutenant, you know that there is no such thing as a +leave of absence to be had in our army nowadays; we wouldn't have any +army if there was; and when men have been in hard service for over two +years without a chance to see their folks, it's blamed tough to keep +them standing around answering fool questions when they have only ten +days in which to go home and get back." + +I saw in the lieutenant's face that our case was won, but, as he opened +his mouth to say the words which would set us free, I heard the question +from behind: + +"Where was your regiment raised?" + +Turning, I saw that it had proceeded from a bright-looking young fellow +of about sixteen or seventeen, who sat near Miller and was looking up at +him with a quizzled glance. My heart sank within me, but I answered +promptly: + +"In Clar--" + +"Hold on, there! I didn't ask you," interrupted the young fellow; "I +haven't a bit of doubt but that you can tell every township that +furnished a man, and probably name every man in the regiment if +necessary; but you have had to do a lot of talking for your crowd, and I +would like to hear this man answer the question." + +I now knew that we were caught, and I almost laughed, even in my +misery, at the picture before me. + +Miller was almost paralyzed. He hemmed and hawed an instant and looked +inquiringly at the lieutenant and myself. + +"Answer the question," sharply said that worthy, as he at once caught +the drift of the young fellow's remarks and had all his old suspicions +awakened again by the pitiful uncertainty of Miller's actions. + +"In--In--In Clar--Hem! In Clar--Hem! Hem!--H-e-m! Really, gentlemen--" +he said, as he rubbed his hands and made all sorts of faces and turned +all colors, while vainly trying to recall some names that he might +safely use. + +He finally stammered out: + +"The adjoining counties to--to--in the northern part of the State." + +His questioner then remarked quizzically: + +"Well, I'll be ----, if here ain't a fellow that has been in the army +over three years and can't name the counties in which his regiment was +raised." + +"Take these men to the jail," now ordered the lieutenant, and we were +led off to that place of abode, hearing, as we left the room, various +interesting comments and much laughter. + +They put us in a cabin, which was lined throughout with sheet iron, and +which had no opening in it except the door. A pine torch furnished the +light. The floor was covered with filth, and we had not been in there +five minutes before the atmosphere had become almost unbearable. + +I kicked loudly against the door, and soon a sergeant came to know what +was wanted. He was told that we wanted to see the lieutenant at once, +and he went away to call him. + +When the officer came he was followed by a curious crowd, and, as they +opened the door, I stepped forward and asked pleasantly if that was the +way to treat Federal prisoners. + +The lieutenant said that we were held as suspicious parties who could +not account for themselves, and who were probably endeavoring to join +the Yankee regiments now being organized in Little Rock, but that if we +could satisfy him that we were Federal prisoners he would let us out and +treat us as such. + +Having made up our minds that our best course now was to be frank, we +told him who we really were, and that we had escaped from the stockade +at Tyler, Texas, and made our way so far north on foot. + +As I told this I heard a remark in the crowd: + +"Damned if they didn't deserve to get through." + +The lieutenant turned, with a frown, and asked who made the remark, but +he had a smothered grin on his face as he turned back and invited us +out. + +This remark seemed to be the sentiment of the entire outfit, although +they now had to keep us, and intended to do so. + +We were taken to a room in a neighboring house and a guard was placed +over us, but we held a regular levee until far into the night, the whole +town apparently coming to see and talk with us. + +While we were chagrined and disappointed over our capture, we yet had +enough sense to make the best of it, and I cannot remember a night when +I had any more fun than that levee afforded. + +The crowd ridiculed the lieutenant, praised the young fellow who had +shown us up, mimicked poor Miller until he was nearly frantic, laughed +and joked with us, asked us innumerable questions about ourselves, and +generally made us feel more like being out for a lark than in +confinement as prisoners. + +During the evening we told them of our hard fare while en route, and +described our appropriation of the picket post's supper, at which they +all laughed. Then we suggested that we were even then quite hungry, and +asked for something to eat. + +After some delay they brought us a kettle of cooked fresh pork and some +meal for a pone of bread. There was probably about four pounds of pork +in the mess, and a goodly supply of bread, but we ate it all before +bedtime, holding our informal reception meanwhile. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +ANOTHER RETURN TRIP. + + +We remained at Arkadelphia for several days before we were moved to +Magruder's headquarters at Washington, and during this wait we were +treated more like guests than prisoners, excepting, of course, the being +under guard. I do not think that there was an able-bodied personage in +the place who did not come to see us, and there were several callers who +were not able-bodied. + +All the people were curious to see us, because we were Yankees, and more +curious because of our successful escape to this point, while our almost +successful effort to get through at the last was the occasion of much +admiration, many jokes and friendly actions. + +When we did not give ourselves time to think of our capture we really +enjoyed our stay. + +In discourse of time the guards who had captured us were detailed to +take us back, and they were given a leave of twenty days in which to do +so, Rocket now being a sergeant. + +Our start was made after a farewell that showed far more friendship than +enmity, and we made the fifty miles to Washington in four days, taking +it easy. + +Of the nine men who composed this squad eight were positively disloyal +to the Confederacy, but were forced to fight for it because of their +homes and families. + +Each one of the eight, at different times, talked very freely to me when +the others were not around, and each one told me that they would never +have held us at the river if the others could have been certainly +depended upon not to report the matter. We got to be very friendly with +these guards, and we were really sorry when it came time to part from +them. + +One of our guards was an old man whom his companions called Captain +Payne. He rode a sorry-looking specimen of a horse and was evidently +only a private. Wishing to be friendly, he offered to let me ride his +horse if I would allow him to hold the halter, which offer I promptly +accepted, informing him that he was welcome to hold the halter and the +horse's tail as well if he so desired. As an apology for the limitation +of my actions with his horse, he informed me that he had positive orders +to let us have no chance of escape, and to shoot us without notice if +such an attempt was made. + +In the course of conversation I asked him why he was called captain +while being under orders of a sergeant. His reply was that he had been +elected captain of 500 men who had organized to resist the draft and +afterwards joined the Federal army; that they had been informed upon and +the scheme frustrated, he having been forced to compromise between his +neck and the halter by enlisting in the Confederate army as a private. + +We were taken up behind on the horses of our guards during part of the +trip, and in one of these rides behind Sergeant Rocket I learned that he +had been in Missouri with Price, but had disliked the job very much, as +had most of his companions. When Price had commenced his retreat he had +simply broken ranks and ordered the men to fall in again at Boggy +Hollow. They had all been forced to shift for themselves, and for three +days he had had nothing to eat. After that they had lived almost +entirely on fresh meat, without salt, for twenty-four days, and the +organization had been largely broken up. + +Rocket told me that most of the people in his part of the country would +hail with joy the approach of the Federal troops. He was married to the +daughter of a planter, who was a Union man, though a slaveholder, and +had joined the Confederate army to save his family. His father-in-law +lived on the road ten miles north from Washington, and he described the +location and gave directions so that I could find the house if I had +another chance to run away, saying that if I ever reached there and made +myself known I would certainly get to Little Rock in safety. + + +[Illustration: SERGEANT E. B. ROCKET.] + + +Captain Payne, also, gave me directions how to find the home of his +people, telling me how to find Dooley's ferry, in the neighborhood, and +how Dooley would know me, set me across the river and see that I reached +the right place. He also told me that a neighbor of theirs had three +sons in the Federal army at Little Rock, and that I could easily get +horses and guides to that place. + +When we reached Washington, and Ed. Rocket bade us good-bye, he told me +that he had never been so sorry for anything in his life as that he had +been obliged to capture and hold us. + +Ed. Rocket is now a poor Baptist preacher in Arkansas. + +We were turned into a guardhouse that was about sixty by twenty feet in +size and so full that all could not lie down at once. It was far from +being pleasant. + +The prisoners confined in this building were three spies and a large +number of Confederates, the latter being held for crimes ranging all the +way from chicken-stealing to murder, and in this agreeable society we +spent ten days. + +We got acquainted with a good many of the prisoners, and had +considerable fun in various ways, but we were glad to leave. + +Cornmeal was the only food served to us during our stay, but the rebel +prisoners were treated the same as the others, and we had an extra +allowance as officers--by purchase; so we could not complain of any +unfair distinctions. + +There was one old skillet in the guardhouse, and all the cooking had to +be done with this one article. It was never cool. We took turns in its +use, and the call of "Next!" was as orderly and regular as in a barber +shop. + +By common consent the Yankees were given the first turn with this +skillet, as preferred guests, and we thereby had our meals at ordinary +meal hours. + +There were crowds coming in and going out of the guardhouse all the +time, as there was a regular system being carried out of securing +cavalry horses for other sections. + +In this part of the country they had more cavalry than infantry, while +in other sections much of the veteran cavalry was dismounted for want of +horses. So they would put these cavalrymen under arrest for +chicken-stealing or any offense whenever possible and appropriate their +horses for service elsewhere. Infantrymen were let off for the same +offenses. + +One of the rebel officers in charge offered to let us out if we would +join his company, but we declined, with thanks. + +There was plenty of money among the prisoners, and much poker-playing to +kill time. + +I had a toothpick, made of bone and representing a woman, for which I +got fifty cents in silver. With this amount I bribed one of the guards +to get us four dozen eggs. Some of these we ate ourselves, but we sold +the most of them to the prisoners for $1 apiece in Confederate money. +These eggs were procured by the guard from some paroled Federal +prisoners on the outside. + +On the day following our egg deal I got permission to go outside with a +guard for some water, and then secured permission to buy some supplies +and take them inside. After some hunting around we found a nigger who +had a lot of turnips, and I bought a bushel for $10 in Confederate +money, having a good margin left. We ate all the turnips we wanted, and +then got $1 apiece for the balance. Everything went at $1 a unit in +Confederate money. Keeping this thing up, we fed ourselves well during +our stay, and when we left we had $400 in Confederate money. + +Two of the spies mentioned were named Honeycut and Masterson, and the +latter was kept in irons. They had money, and secured extra food from +the outside, of which we got a share. + +Masterson had been captured with a lot of drugs in his possession, and +he had claimed to be from Georgia, to which part of the country he was +returning after having run the blockade with his drugs from the North, +but he had forgotten to make all his stories agree, and they had +arrested him as a spy and put leg-irons upon him. Later on, he joined +the Confederate army to save his neck. + +Honeycut claimed to have been a Copperhead in Ohio, and that he had been +drafted and had furnished a substitute, but had then been drafted the +second time, when he had sworn that he would not stand it. He claimed to +have sent his family to Matamoras, and that he had gone to New York to +join them by steamer, but had been unable to get a passport. He had then +made his way to New Orleans, and had again failed to slip through. As a +last resort he had gone to Arkansas and secured a pony, with the +intention of riding through to Mexico, but had been captured and lost +the horse and his money. + +The provost marshal, Colonel Province, was a very clever gentleman, and +he was kind to us in several ways. One of his courtesies was to grant us +a parole within the city limits. + +When Magruder's chief of staff saw us on the street and learned of our +parole he ordered Colonel Province to return us immediately to prison. +The colonel pleaded for us, saying that he knew us to be gentlemen, and +that he felt easier in regard to us while we were on parole than he +would if we were in the insecure guardhouse, even while he knew that the +parole was contrary to orders, for the guardhouse was filthy and crowded +with criminals. This plea in our favor had no effect, and the colonel +received peremptory orders to place us in prison at once, under penalty +of being reported to Magruder for disobedience. + +Three guards were sent to take us to the colonel's headquarters, where +he told us of his talk with the chief of staff, and expressed his regret +that he was compelled to obey, closing his remark with: + +"But I want to tell you, gentlemen, I am an original rebel from South +Carolina, while that ---- ---- of a staff officer is from Chicago." + +The colonel evidently thought that being a Northern man and a rebel +would account for most any kind of meanness. + +While defeated in his good intentions in the matter of parole, the +colonel tried to make up for it in other ways. He gave me a pair of +shoes which had been given to him by the Yankees while he had been a +prisoner at Johnson's Island, and which I sold to Masterson for $250, +for the purchaser could not wear his boots and leg-irons at the same +time. + +Our stay at Washington was prolonged on account of a lack of provisions +to furnish the extra supply needed for a guard and ourselves on a +journey. When it seemed certain that provisions were not to be +forthcoming we were started off for Magnolia, Ark., which point we had +to make without any supplies save what we could gather as we went along. + +When we left Washington we stopped in front of the provost marshal's +office, and Colonel Province came out to bid us good-bye and express +his regrets that he had been prevented from according us the same kind +treatment which he had received at Johnson's Island. + +The first night out we reached Spring Hill, which was then a courier +station, and were confined in an old church. One of the soldiers killed +a hog, which proceeding was an outrageous violation of orders, as well +as of the rights of the owner, but we had to eat. A guard and myself +went to a neighboring house to get a kettle in which to cook the meat. + +The difference between pork and beef in that country was about the same +in those days as the difference between greenbacks and Confederate +money. + +The guard found a negro woman in the house, and he asked for something +to eat. She gave us some beef and corn bread, but had no pork when asked +for it. In the course of the conversation the guard told her who I was +and about the escape of my companions and myself, when the darkey +remembered that there was some cold pork in an outhouse, and produced +it. + +We got the necessary kettle and cooked our meat before we went on our +way. + +After we had again started, the guards paroled us, and several of them +went home, appointing a meeting place and promising us more pork and +some biscuit when they returned, which promise they kept. + +When we reached Magnolia we found a camp of about forty badly wounded +Federal prisoners there, who were the remnants of Steele's fight at +Jenkins' Ferry. + +We were put in jail for several days to await a move of this camp to +Shreveport. + +When all were ready the convalescent cases were loaded on wagons and we +started. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +FORAGING, AND A NEW PRISON. + + +During this trip our rations were salt beef and corn bread, but the +latter was unfit to eat, and I refused all rations, preferring to take +the chances of foraging until we reached Shreveport. + +On the first day out we made about twelve miles. At dusk it commenced to +rain, and we camped in an old church at a cross roads. The wounded men +and ourselves were placed in one end of the building, they on one side +and we on the other, while the other end was used by our guards. They +piled up all their equipments in one corner, and spread their blankets +in the vacant space, then going off to a stillhouse in the neighborhood, +where they got gloriously drunk, and leaving only a sentinel at the +door. + +When leaving Washington our party had been increased by three more +runaways, who bore the names of Robinson, Fenton and Stanton, so that we +were now six in all. + +The guard at the door excited my envy, soon after his companions had +left, by coolly drawing from his haversack a lot of biscuits and the ham +of a shote. As he drew out his huge knife and began slicing off +tempting bits of lean meat my envy overcame any timidity I may have had, +and I determined to have some of that meat by fair means or foul. + +Stanton came up to me as I came to this conclusion, and I remarked to +him that I was about to take supper with the rebel. His curiosity +spurred me on, and I walked out to the sentinel and asked if I could +have some of his meat and biscuit. Much to my surprise and pleasure he +promptly said: "Tub ber shure," and sliced off for me a liberal +allowance of ham, giving it to me with some biscuits. My success led +Stanton to follow suit, and we both had a fair meal with the generous +fellow. + +It was now getting dark, and the rain kept coming down. We had full +possession of the room, and as Stanton and myself walked back to our +companions, we saw Fenton eating. Inquiry developed the fact that he had +been plundering the piled-up haversacks while we had been outside, and +when we learned that there was a supply still unappropriated we promptly +set out to empty the haversacks of everything desirable. During our talk +together the sentinel had added his haversack to the pile, and the first +thing to which we came was the balance of the ham from which we had just +dined, together with fourteen biscuits. We felt awfully mean about it, +but "self-preservation is the first law of nature," and we cleaned that +bone, throwing it and the haversack behind the wainscoting. + +This food was sufficient for our wants, and we would have been satisfied +but that we found Rummel on one side eating some light bread, which he +had purloined from another haversack. This made us ambitious again, so +we went back and took all the desirable stuff we could find in the pile +for future use. + +We got a lot of light bread, about a pound and a half of butter and some +sweet potatoes. + +The wounded men had a kettle for cooking, and I borrowed this, built a +fire in the stove and cooked our sweet potatoes. + +About this time some of the guards came back, and one of them came to me +to borrow the kettle, saying that he had some sweet potatoes to cook. + +I told the man that he would have to wait until our stuff was cooked, +and he sat down quietly and waited, chatting with us to pass away the +time. When our potatoes were cooked we gave him the utensil, which he +filled with water and put on the fire before he went for his potatoes. +Then there was a row, as his potatoes happened to be those boiled by us. + +Of course he could not identify the property, and I was indifferent, but +to my surprise, instead of accusing us, he did not seem to suspect +anyone save his comrades, and his accusation against them caused the +rest to investigate on their own hook. The row that now ensued took a +direction which we had not calculated upon, and we finally got well +scared. The men were all more or less drunk, and their denunciations and +reproaches of each other caused a row among themselves. The rest of the +party came back, and there was more investigation, more row and much +confusion. There were two classes of men in this crowd. About half were +poor whites, of the ignorant, malicious sort, and the balance of a +better class. + +The question finally settled down to a denunciation of us by the +first-named portion, and accusations against them by the others. At this +stage of the game they began to talk of searching us, and we got scared, +for we had too much on hand to be able to "bluff" them off in a general +search, and their condition of excitement would not give us much chance +for argument. + +We now did what might seem to be a very mean thing, but it was done on +the principle that, while our conviction of the robbery might, in their +present state, mean death to us, they might curse and swear mightily, +but would not harm anyone if they found the balance of their stuff where +we put it--among the wounded men. We hid it around as best we could and +awaited developments with much interest, but the row finally quieted +down and we all went to sleep. + +We were up very early in the morning, as we had to dispose of the +plunder in some way, and went to work, for it was work. We ate all we +possibly could, including the butter, and stuffed the remainder inside +of our shirts. I had a butter taste in my mouth for a week afterward, +and it was a good while before I could eat the article with my former +relish. + +Our guards made a partial search before we started, but they did not +attempt to be too personal, and we evaded the discovery of any of the +purloined food. It was plainly to be seen that we were now suspected, +but they rather regarded the thing as a good joke, now that they were +sober, and the search was for something to eat rather than to prove +anything. + +We now had several days of travel and similar scenes, but the robberies +were now joint expeditions against the potato holes on the line of our +road, where the surplus of the crop was stored for the winter, and the +guards and ourselves shared alike in the guilt and proceeds. + +When we reached Shreveport, we were taken through the town to Four Miles +Springs, where I had been before, and here we were kept for six weeks. + +A stockade and quarters had been built since my former visit, and things +were much more comfortable. + +We soon built a comfortable cabin in partnership with some other +captured runaways who had just been brought to this stockade, and one of +these, Lieutenant Bushnell, of the 120th Illinois, became my berthmate +when lots were cast to see who should occupy the several rude bunks +erected in our mansion. + +Sweet potatoes at this time were $10 a bushel in Confederate money, and +my supply of cash came in so handy that we were enabled to refuse all +rations and to live on the fat of the land; but we did not risk the gout +by so doing. The fat of the land in those days was so well streaked with +lean that everyone had to take much lean in order to get any fat, and +the rebels themselves did not live in luxury. + +There were about 250 prisoners now at this point. The rations served to +them were brought in on a board. In order to get the privilege of doing +our own cooking we asked and obtained special permission to have our +rations served raw, and so we managed to have what we wanted. + +There was a "greaser," from Mexico, on the outside, who made and sold +potato pies. I would get five for a $5 bill and give Bushnell two. At +the next pie meal he would reverse the order of things. + +We made the acquaintance of a squad of men from the 16th Regiment of +Indiana Mounted Infantry, their leading spirit being a Captain Moore. + +At roll-call the guards made the prisoners stand out in line, and Moore +was frequently prodded with a sword for hanging back and delaying +matters. + +One day we made an excellent dummy from an old log and some clothes, and +carefully deposited it in Moore's bunk, covering it naturally with what +bedclothes we had. At next roll-call Moore was not to be found, and the +guards, after much swearing, went up to his cabin and found him, +apparently, in bed and asleep. After several calls and shakes, +accompanied by some artistic profanity, one of them prodded him gently +with his sword. A little harder punch followed, when he still slept, and +then a vicious one, when they threw back the covers and discovered the +deception. A crowd had followed them, and they were now well laughed at, +but they took it good-humoredly, only swearing at Moore for his +deviltry. When we went back to roll-call Moore was in his place in line, +and, as he gave a good excuse for absence and disclaimed all knowledge +of any joke, the guards had to be satisfied with some general cussing. + +The rebel prisoners were also kept in this stockade--men who, as at +Washington, were imprisoned for various crimes and offenses. + +One rebel prisoner complained of a theft. Moore hunted around, found a +suspect, convened a court-martial, had the man tried, found guilty and +sentenced to receive ten lashes, which were duly administered. + +The court-martial and punishment are worthy of note. All the +preparations for the trial were made in due and ancient form, as +formally as if it had been ordered by the regularly-constituted +authorities in military life. The army (the prisoners) was well +represented by a judge-advocate, and the culprit by "learned counsel." +The offender was placed on the stand, and then witnesses for both sides +were thoroughly questioned and cross-questioned. Being found guilty in +usual form, the prisoner was sentenced as solemnly as if before a +regular court. The punishment was given by causing the thief to be bent +over a stump, with his hands and feet held by Confederate prisoners, +while the ten stripes were laid on with a halter strap in the hands of +another, who did not spare the victim. The rebel prisoners endorsed the +proceedings as being perfectly legal and just. + +The feverish desire to escape was constantly present with every man in +the stockade, but there seemed to be little chance for getting away. We +were allowed to go out after wood, but there was a guard for each +prisoner when we went. + +One rebel guard talked to me, and made a proposal. He was a rebel from +principle, he said, but had lost everything, and was now over forty +years old. What the outcome was to be he did not know, but he did know +that he wanted to make some money for himself and family, and had a +chance to do so if he had some help. + +He told me of two steamboats, loaded with cotton, then lying tied up on +Red River, not over five miles away, and kept in readiness for a run up +some secluded bayou if the Yankees approached, calling my attention to +the fact that, as only two guards protected each vessel, the fires kept +in the furnaces made it a comparatively easy job to capture and get away +with one of the boats and its load. He said that he had contemplated the +capture of one boat for the purpose of taking it to New Orleans and +selling the cotton, but had given up the idea of trying it as originally +intended, fearing that the cotton and boat would be confiscated at New +Orleans, because he was a rebel, even if he succeeded in getting there. + +The suggested scheme struck me as being a good one, and in several trips +made outside for wood with this man as my guard we perfected our plans +for making the attempt. + +I was to select a pilot and crew from the prisoners, and he agreed to +arrange for our exit from the stockade. We kept up daily communication +with each other until all was in readiness. + +I had found a pilot and crew to man the boat. The capture seemed an easy +job, as we would most likely find the guards asleep. We had accumulated +some rations for the trip, and it was settled as to what night the +start would be made. + +The stockade was made with two-inch planks, twelve feet long, placed on +end on the ground and strongly braced. The soil was sandy. + +When the appointed time came our party quietly went to the place which +had been selected for the work, and we were busily digging our way out, +under the fence, when someone _inside_ of the stockade reported us to +the sergeant at the gate, who yelled out: + +"Sergeant of the guard! Prisoners escaping!" + +The sentinel on whose beat we were to escape could do no less than fire +his gun, which he promptly did, and the bullet came through the fence at +about the proper distance above the ground to perforate the body of +anyone not lying down. It seemed almost a miracle that no one in our +party of eight was hit. + +All was confusion in short order, and it is needless to say that our +party left for a better neighborhood. When a file of soldiers ultimately +appeared on the scene they found almost everyone up and asking +questions; but the parties who had drawn the fire of the sentry were +among those sleeping peacefully in their quarters and dreaming of a home +without rebel guards. + +Added to the keen disappointment which we experienced over the +frustrated effort to escape, we had the usual regrets incident to the +failure of a business operation, for that boat and cargo in New Orleans +would have meant a snug little pile to divide, and in this respect my +own regrets were above the average felt by the crowd, for it had been +agreed upon by the party that the rebel manager and myself should have +an extra share of the spoils if the plan should be a success. By the law +of compensation, or of force, he and I now had the lion's share of the +disappointment. + +With the sentinel a party to our escape and one of us as well, the thing +had seemed so easy that, speaking for myself at least, we had in +imagination seen ourselves, with bulging pockets, at home with our loved +ones. + +Our feelings can better be imagined than described. + +It was always one of the mysteries of life to me how any prisoner could +deliberately betray his comrades, and almost as much of a mystery how +schemes of escape became known to others. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +TO CAMP FORD AND JOY. + + +While we were in Shreveport my regiment was exchanged, and marched +through on its way home. I tried very hard to be allowed to go with +them, but Captain Burchard, who was in charge, refused to allow it. I +had quite a row with him after pleadings and diplomacy had failed, but +nothing did any good. It was decided that I must go back to Tyler on +account of my two attempts to escape. + +Shortly after this bitter disappointment the stockade got too full, and +a lot of us were sent to Tyler under a heavy guard, Captain Rummel being +left behind on account of sickness. These guards had special orders to +shoot me if I tried to escape, evidently the result of my row with +Captain Burchard. This fact was told to me by one of the guards, but I +joked about it and professed not to believe it. + +One of the guards was a boy, who seemed more inclined to general +conversation than the rest. He walked and talked with me a good deal. In +one of our talks he mentioned that he was from "Kasseder," in Davis +county. As I knew several people in the place, having stopped there on +my former return to Tyler, I at once surprised him by airing my +knowledge. As I desired to amuse myself by quizzing him, I was +mysterious and non-committal. He was puzzled considerably, and went off +and told his captain. + +The officer rode up to my side a little later and entered into a +conversation. I treated him the same as I had treated the boy, and when +he left me he was almost overpowered with curiosity. + +I now discovered that one of the guards was the man whom I had met with +a wagon when we crossed the Sulphur Fork of Red River. We talked +together, but he did not recognize me. At first I claimed to have seen +him before, but he thought not. After bothering him to my heart's +content, I reminded him of our having crossed Sulphur Fork together, +when he said that he had been suspicious of us at the time. This was so +much of the "I-told-you-so" order that I had a good laugh at him for his +"hindsight." + +The other officers kept dropping back to interview me, and I got their +curiosity inflamed to a high degree by talking familiarly of different +places and of an imaginary plan of an underground railroad. This caused +the officers to become agitated, and I saw that they suspected me of +something serious. When a detail was finally sent to take me before the +officer in command I concluded that the matter had gone far enough, and, +when questioned, I explained how I had become acquainted, on a previous +runaway trip, with the people and places spoken of so familiarly. The +matter ended in much laughter and some jokes. + +During the rest of the march I talked negro suffrage and equality, at +times nearly driving our captors wild by picturing the pleasures to come +to them when these liberties should prevail. They got mad at times, but +seemed to like hearing me talk, and evidently saw that I said more than +I meant in some ways; yet I told many truths--which made them mad--about +the actual practice by Southern whites of equality with negroes, as +evidenced by the thousands of mulattoes among them. + +Another source of amusement to me was to bother the guard at night by +sleeping away from my companions and as near the guard line as I could. +The guards would remonstrate and get mad, but I would blarney them a +little and say that I had money on my person which I was afraid my +companions would steal, and that I wanted to keep close to them for +protection. They could not reasonably object to this, but it made them +keep an eye on me in particular, and the various characteristics of the +different men were a constant source of study and amusement. + +My feelings on this journey were of a kind that kept me constantly on +the "_qui vive_" for something to divert my mind from reflections. To +have escaped twice and been recaptured each time was bad enough, +especially when one venture had been so nearly a success, and the +failure through treachery of the last attempt to get away had seemed to +cap the climax at the time; but to see all my regimental comrades file +before me on their way to home and friends, while I was sent back to +confinement, was the proverbial last straw--only, in this case, it did +not break the camel's back; but it was a close call. + +I had no interests in Camp Ford that I was not entirely willing to +sacrifice for the sake of being at home or with my men, and the +Confederacy was welcome to my rations if they would dispense with my +presence; but, while my residence in Texas, with free board and lodging, +was insisted upon so strongly as being necessary for the good of the +country, I really could not leave the good people, not even for the sake +of personal pleasures. + +Talking to myself in this way when reflections crowded upon me, and by +seizing every opportunity to amuse myself at the expense of the guards, +I got the camel's back in pretty fair shape again, and resigned myself +to the inevitable. + +We finally reached the familiar stockade at Tyler, and about 250 of us +were in line when we fell in for roll-call. Each man entered the +stockade alone as his name was called. + +As before described, the entrance of prisoners was a noisy occasion, +and one scene was very much like another; but, when I stepped into the +enclosure, there was a movement of surprise and then a dead silence. +Most of the men knew me, and their knowledge was communicated quickly to +the rest. Seeing me come in after my long absence, and after my regiment +had been exchanged, caused a sympathy that brought about silence almost +as if by command. + +I was not feeling particularly joyful anyway, and had had hard work to +keep up my spirits on the road, so that this evidence of sympathy nearly +caused me to break down altogether. + +Soon after my return to the stockade I gained the title of Exchange +Commissioner. I was familiar with the forms of all passes, furloughs, +etc., and, as before stated, I could imitate almost any handwriting. As +the new men in the place became acquainted with me and my +accomplishments I was besieged with requests for different papers that +would facilitate egress or escape. + +The older prisoners were not as anxious for escape as the younger, or, +rather, newer ones, as they had seen so many failures and punishments +that they wanted a pretty sure thing before they risked an attempt. + +Men even went so far as to ask me to get them out of the stockade, but I +told them that I would give any papers they wanted, leaving to them the +getting out. + +My exchange or furlough business was conducted about as follows: + +A man would come to me for the means of escape, or, rather, the means of +avoiding recapture after escape. I would make out a written application +from him to his captain for a leave of ten, twenty or thirty days, in +which was stated the necessity for his going home to Upshur county, +Texas, to procure clothing, which all Confederate soldiers then needed. +On the back of this application would appear the approval of his +captain, colonel and brigade commander, as well as the final and +effective endorsement of Kirby Smith's adjutant, General Boggs, all the +endorsements being made by me, except that of General Boggs, which was +completely counterfeited by the adjutant of the 77th Ohio. Thus being +fortified with legal authority to return to his regiment on an expired +furlough, the prisoner would endeavor to appear as a dutiful Confederate +soldier going to the front, get out as best he could, after receiving +careful instructions as to his route and actions, and take his chances +of success. + +My escapes and experiences were talked over, and the men seemed to think +that I could do most anything desired, the accidental character of our +captures not being regarded as any reflection upon my ability in the +attempts to escape. + +A Colonel Jamison was now the commander of the stockade, and the officer +who brought us in related to him some of my talks about negro suffrage +and equality, which amused him very much. + +One day he sent for me to come to him in order that he might hear some +of my talk on these subjects. I evaded the topics as well as I could, +but made so good an impression upon him that he gave me a pass to go in +and out at will, with twenty men, upon my promise that I would not take +advantage of it to escape myself or let any of my companions do so. My +excuse for asking it was that we wanted to swim in the stream near by, +gather wild greens and take proper exercise. + +A few days later, as ten men and myself were in swimming under this pass +in a creek about half a mile from the stockade we saw a couple of young +negro boys watching us. I told the men to go ahead with their fun while +I talked with the boys. One of these youngsters was about fourteen years +old and the other nineteen. They knew who I was and all about my +escapes, and were anxious to see me get away, urging me to break away +right then, as there was no guard around, but I told them that I was out +on parole and could not. They then told me that they had charge of the +horses of the major at headquarters, and that I could at any time have a +horse and uniform to help me get away, showing me the cabin where they +lived and where I could come for this assistance. + +I told the boys that I would take the first chance I had to get out +without breaking parole, and they left me. I was greatly excited at the +prospect, for I now knew the country so well that I had little fear of +not being able to make my way to Little Rock with such assistance as I +knew I could get along the road. + +When we went back to the stockade I prepared some despatches from Kirby +Smith to Gano, and planned the whole route and system which I would +follow in general. My plan was simply to get out at night, get my +uniform and horse, and ride for Dooley's Ferry despatch-bearer, taking +my chances on my presence of mind being sufficient to carry me through +in any emergency. + +Recollecting all that had been said to me by Captain Payne--the guard +who had let me ride his horse just after leaving Arkadelphia on the +return trip--I figured that I could make Little Rock in about five days +by hard riding, stopping here and there on the way to feed and rest, and +having an easy time after reaching Dooley's Ferry. + +The negro boy promised to keep the loss of the horse covered as long as +possible, by pretending that the animal had gotten loose and strayed +away, so that it was reasonable to assume that enough time would be +spent in hunting the animal to render futile any pursuit from the +stockade after my leave of absence became known to the guards. My +despatches should take care of any ordinary obstacle in my way to the +river, and, with my ability to "bluff" the average person or persons +likely to be met, I felt confident that only an accident or +extraordinary stoppage could upset my plans. Dooley would know me when I +referred to Captain Payne, and my passage of Red River was assured if I +reached that point, while he would also direct me to the captain's +place, some ten or fifteen miles away, where I would be certain of +concealment and assistance. The captain's neighbor, who had sons in the +Federal army, would find a way to get me within our lines, with the +assistance of horses from Payne's corral. Altogether, I could almost see +myself at home again. + +The thing was feasible, and I was anxious to try it, scarcely being able +to sleep at nights for thinking about it. + +The men about me all tried to dissuade me on account of the risk of +capture with a horse in my possession, and because Lee had surrendered +and the war could not last much longer, saying that I was foolish to +take any risks at such a time. + +There was much talk at this time, among the rebels, of Kirby Smith's +holding out in the Southwest and being heavily reinforced by the +scattered remnants of other armies. This had an appearance of being +reasonable, as matters then looked to us, and I would listen to no +arguments against my proposed scheme; so a day was set for my +departure, and I fully intended to go. + +When I was sufficiently well supplied with food and really ready to +start, my companions begged and pleaded with me so hard not to risk it +till we were more certain of continued imprisonment that I compromised +by postponing the date. + +This thing went on for several weeks, I making postponement after +postponement, until I finally settled it decidedly that I would go on +such a day unless we got some favorable news. + +Before the fixed time came around we saw Captain Burchard ride by the +stockade and go to headquarters. Knowing that he was after some more +prisoners for exchange, we sent out a man to learn who were to be the +favored ones. The messenger came back, all in a flutter of excitement, +and announced that all were to go. + +The scene of confusion and excitement which ensued cannot be described. +The men simply went wild. For myself, I had to sit down to quiet my +nervousness. + +The guards began to leave for home as soon as the news became known. +Twenty-four hours after Captain Burchard arrived there were no guards to +be seen anywhere, except the higher officers, and we could have broken +out any time after that. We were not silly enough to do this, however, +as it would have relieved the rebels too much, for they were bound to +feed and escort us if we stayed. + +We were kept three days in the stockade, awaiting the arrival of +rations, and during this time we had no regular food, as the mill which +the rebels had used to grind grain had broken down just at a time when +they seemed to need it most. + +The citizens flocked in to see us, and brought us food, or we should +have gone hungry during this interval. They came to trade for the things +which we would leave behind us, and we sold off the pots and kettles +belonging to the Confederacy, until the authorities learned the fact and +placed a guard at the gate to prevent any further depletion of their +stock of cooking utensils. As the prisoners now had nothing to cook, +they commenced to break up and throw into the cesspools all that was +left of the cooking outfit, and before long there was not a pot or +skillet to be found. + +By this time the stockade was broken in several places, and we could +pass in and out at will, but it was more the desire to feel that we +could do so which prompted any egress than any desire to go anywhere, as +we were all anxious to get home, and did not want to go by ourselves +when all were going so soon. + +An irrepressible Zouave prisoner got into the headquarters room one day, +and, filled with enthusiasm and the conviction that the Confederacy was +busted, nearly destroyed the records in the office before he was +discovered and kicked out. + +Finally, the rations not coming, the rebels got an ox-team with which to +haul the sick men, and we made a start for Shreveport. + +It is a matter of record that I was the last man to leave the stockade +on this occasion, and consequently the last prisoner confined in it. I +made it a point to see that every other human being was out of the +enclosure before I departed, and to have others know the fact. I will +not attempt to describe my feelings as the final exit was made; suffice +it to say that it was one of the happiest moments of my life. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +LIBERTY AT LAST. + + +On the second day out from the stockade, and before reaching Marshall, +we came to a house where a farmer was offering to trade for blankets. +Mine was on a horse at the head of the procession, but I had a ten-cent +"shinplaster," with which I bought some biscuits of the man. He had two +loads of blankets piled up close by, which he had already secured by +trading, and he had some wine in bottles for further use. + +I was very anxious to possess some of that wine, and I hustled around +among the prisoners and borrowed a blanket from a young fellow who was +willing to take my word that I would return it or give him mine when we +caught up with the leaders of our band. I secured three bottles of wine +for the blanket, and we had some refreshments, eating the biscuits and +drinking the wine until there was no more left. + +As we hurried on to catch up I saw a pile of blankets near the fence, +and I at once returned the boy's blanket to him in the shape of a better +one, taken from this pile. + +The next morning I gave myself permission to leave the rest of the +outfit and forage on ahead, which I kept up till we reached Four Mile +Springs, where I arrived thirty-six hours ahead of the main body. + +Here I found a lot of Smith's men who had deserted, and who were red hot +for Sherman to call for troops to go to Mexico for the purpose of +clearing out Maximilian, who was just then usurping authority. These men +were not nursing resentment against their opponents in our war, but +would have hailed with joy any enterprise in which Federals and +Confederates could stand shoulder to shoulder, for, as they expressed +it, "the combination would sweep the earth." + +Going on to Shreveport, I found everything in a chaotic condition. There +were batteries without horses, officers without men, and most of the +stores had been looted by the departing troops. + +We were two days about town, awaiting transportation, and saw that every +horse that came within range was confiscated by soldiers, even to +stopping wood wagons in the road and taking the animals away from them, +the soldiers then leaving for home. + +There was much expectation of seeing some of the Union fleet come up the +river as transports, but they did not put in an appearance, and the +citizens of the town were nearly frantic in consequence, on account of +the plundering that was being done. During a conversation with several +gentlemen, who were eager to ascertain what was known of the possible +coming of the fleet, they told me that only the coming of the Federal +army could save them from total financial ruin. The actions of these men +were in accordance with their words, and, apparently, they voiced the +sentiments of the entire business community. + +The Confederate soldiers, realizing that the war was practically over, +and being in need of nearly everything, made no apologies for the +liberties taken, but, on the principle that "might makes right," +appropriated everything in sight that was likely to be of use to them in +solving the problem of how to live after peace had been declared. The +situation, while full of excitement for all, had its amusing aspect, and +I thought of it as another illustration of the fact that "those who +dance must pay the fiddler." + +Early in our march from the stockade I had had my sympathy greatly +excited by the increasing illness of one of the sick men. His birthplace +and residence had been in Pennsylvania, but he had gone over the State +line and enlisted in the 3d Maryland. He had been sick for some time +previous to our departure from the stockade, and had grown rapidly worse +while on the road, despite the stimulation of being on his way to home +and friends. He had been so brave and cheerful, notwithstanding his +youthful age of only eighteen years, that I had become much interested +in him. While prostrated on his bed of cotton, he had talked to me of +his home and mother, and had spoken bravely of his chances of dying. +With a bright look on his face, he had said: + +"I may pull through, Captain, and I may not; but I won't give up till I +have to, for mother needs me; only I want you to let her know if +anything happens." + +I had done what I could for the boy, and on several occasion had gotten +him milk and other things. He had given me his mother's name and +address, but the absence of writing material at the time had prevented +the making of other than a mental memorandum, and the necessity for a +better record had been overlooked in the confusion and excitement of the +trip. When the main body of our command caught up with me at Shreveport +I was shocked to learn that he was dead. I had had doubts as to his +living to get home, but so early a death was a surprise and shock, which +latter was turned to self-reproach and sorrow when I found that I could +not recollect the name and address given to me. + +Fifteen years afterward, during which time I frequently tried in vain to +recollect the data necessary to identify him, the name, address and +other knowledge suddenly came to me one day when I was not thinking +about it. At once I sat down and wrote to the mother, and in due time +received a beautiful letter in reply. My letter was the first word she +had received of the boy since he had last written to her in good health +and spirits, except that the books of his company bore his name, with an +"absent without leave" score against it. I recollected that he had told +me of his having slipped off to forage a little on his own account at +the time of his capture. Making an affidavit of the facts as I knew +them, I sent it to her, and the pension which she could not get upon the +records as they stood was promptly allowed her on the affidavit +furnished. + +After waiting for the Federal transports until tired, our guards placed +us on a couple of rebel boats, and we started down the river for the +Yankee fleet. + +I was on the boat with Colonel Samansky, a Pole. He had been an officer +in his own country, had enlisted in the Confederate army, and had gained +the rank of Colonel. He lived in Texas and expected to remain there. +When he asked me how I had been treated, the only complaint that I could +consistently make against those having me in charge was that I had not +been exchanged with my regiment. I claimed to him that I had been of +more service to the Union as a prisoner than I could have been if I had +remained in the service, as I had kept, on an average, two men busy +watching me ever since I had been captured. I showed him some samples of +my work as exchange commissioner, and purposely magnified the matter. He +only laughed and complimented me upon my enterprise, he being the rebel +exchange commissioner. + +At the mouth of the Red River we met some Federal boats coming up with +prisoners. While exchanging boats, all who desired it had a chance to +take a swim, and a number of us enjoyed the luxury. Possibly 500 men +were in the water at one time. + +One notable feature of this occasion was the fact remarked by everyone +that you could tell a Yankee from a rebel as far as you could see him, +even without his clothes. The reason for this was that our confinement +in the open air had caused us to be burned brown by the sun, even +through our clothing, while the rebels were white from confinement +within walls. + +We were taken down to New Orleans and housed there ten days in a cotton +press, arriving on Sunday afternoon in our prison garb. We were a rather +hard-looking crowd, but never was there a happier one. + +The boys in New Orleans knew that we were coming, and Capt. S. H. +Harper, formerly a sergeant in my company, hunted me up and took me home +with him. He was there on a detail, and was delighted to see me. I was +fed on the best he had, and arrayed in a spare uniform of his. When I +went back to the cotton press the boys did not know me. + +From the time of my capture to that of my arrival in New Orleans I had +only once been able to get word through to my wife, and I wrote to her +as soon as I had a chance to do so after reaching that place. My first +knowledge of her, after my capture, was acquired through Captain Harper, +who told me that she was well when he had heard from home the last time, +and also told me that she had heard of me through an escaped prisoner. + +All the officers crowded about the paymaster's office in New Orleans, +trying to get some money, and he had quite a time with them, as, while +he believed what they told him of themselves, he could pay out no money +until some person known to him would vouch for the recipient. + +Captain Harper satisfactorily identified me to the paymaster, and I drew +two months' pay. A proper voucher was now easily secured by as many of +the officers as were personally known to me, and all such received a +like amount. + +While in New Orleans I met Honeycut on the street. I had left him in the +Washington guardhouse, confined as a spy. We spent the day together, and +I learned his later story, as follows: + +"Two days after you left they started me off south alone, giving me +orders to report to Kirby Smith, but it didn't take me long to discover +that they had a spy on my track. When I reached Smith's headquarters and +told my story they allowed me to go on to Matamoras, but somebody would +overtake me every day and try to pump me. I bluffed 'em all off, and +kept on my way in a natural manner, getting through all right, but I +didn't lose any time, after I once got clear, in getting here by water +to report. + +"Had a funny little experience on the way; worth telling. A woman I +know, up in Ohio, gave me the address of her brother in Texas before I +left, in case I got down that way. I hunted him up on my way down, and +told him a fairy story about my being the woman's husband and her being +in Matamoras, bringing in what I told you in Washington and spinning him +a long yarn about my treatment while trying to join my wife. Guess he +believed me--looked like it, anyhow, for he treated me royally and let +me have two hundred and fifty in gold." + +When we left New Orleans we were put on a boat and started up the river +for Benton Barracks, St. Louis. When we landed at the mouth of White +river we were allowed to go on shore for an hour or two, and I then +learned that my regiment was up the river at Duval's Bluffs. I did not +go on board again, and the boat left without me. + +After spending two days among the mosquitoes of that region I at last +secured transportation and started up the river to join my regiment. We +had to be convoyed by a gunboat. + +When I reached Duval's Bluffs my company was doing guard duty. I found +all hands and had a great reception, learning all the home news. This +was the first positive information of a recent date, about home +matters, received by me since my capture. + +After spending three or four days with the boys, I went home, and my +wife and myself renewed our acquaintance. + +She had heard of me through an escaped prisoner, who had reported me as +being in the stockade, but she had received no other information +concerning me until the boys had gotten home after the exchange. My +letter from New Orleans had been a very welcome missive. + +My friends at home flocked to see me, and I was kept busy telling my +story. + +Having gone through it all, I was disposed to drop the hardships from +the story, except when questioned, and to treat the thing as a huge +picnic. My natural disposition being to see the bright side only, the +hardships of which I had to tell were made to have another aspect than +the usual one presented of prison life. As a consequence of this fact, +my story differed considerably from that of a number who had been +prisoners with me. + +Friends would come to me and hear my story, frequently saying: + +"My! Swiggett, you do not seem to have had such a bad time of it. The +others tell such horrible stories that it is a relief to hear yours; and +yet you were in the same prison. How is it?" + +I replied in such cases that most of my time as a prisoner had been +spent outside of the stockade, in one way or another, and that, aside +from the monotony and the separation from family, we did not see much +more hardship than comes in the every-day life of lots of people out of +prison, and that there was a bright side to it all. + +"But you don't damn the rebels, Swiggett, like the others," they would +say, to which I would reply that the rebels had treated me as well as +they could under the circumstances, and that when people did the best +they could they should not be damned for what they failed to do, +especially as prison life was necessarily a hardship at its best. + +There were cases of personal ill-treatment which came under my notice, +but they were the great exceptions, and, as a rule, the rebels of my +acquaintance did for their prisoners all that was possible with the +means in their power, and treated them as well as prisoners could expect +to be treated. + +It may be of interest to the reader to learn that all the men who were +my companions in escape are still living, except Capt. J. B. Gedney and +Adjt. Stephen K. Mahon. + +The rebels did not treat us as well as we might have been treated, as it +was possible for Jeff Davis to have invited us to Richmond, arrayed us +in his Sunday clothes, fed us at his own table and confined us in his +front parlor. It may have been only an oversight that he did not do so, +but it was not expected, and we harbored no ill-feelings because of the +neglect. On the other hand, we were not treated as badly as we might +have been, inasmuch as we were not deprived of companionship, and, as a +rule, were allowed to sleep when we pleased, to rest as much as we +desired, to be late for dinner if we wished, and to eat in our shirt +sleeves without protest. Many a man is deprived of these privileges in +his own home, and I have eaten food of a less nourishing character than +that given us by the rebels, even at the table of a newly-married +couple, where perfect bliss should reign supreme. + +The war is over. Our foes had neither our resources nor our advantages +in its prosecution, and many things that were easy for us were +impossible for them. Abuse of authority is not a trait of man, but of +men, and those who are indirectly responsible should not be too harshly +censured for what they cannot altogether control. Incidents by the +thousand of heroic, heart-touching actions performed for humanity's sake +during our war by those on one side for those on the other reflect as +much credit upon rebels as upon Yankees, and I have always felt that, on +the whole, our antagonists did the best they could for their prisoners. + + +THE END. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +Brief Sketches of my Companions. + + +FRANCIS MARION DRAKE, GOVERNOR OF IOWA. + +The parents of Governor Drake were John Adams Drake and Mrs. Harriet +O'Neil Drake. They were natives of the Old North State; removed to +Rushville, Ill., where the son, Francis Marion, was born December 30, +1830. From Rushville they removed to Fort Madison, Iowa, in the fall of +1837. The father was a merchant in Illinois, but served as judge of +probate of Lee county, Iowa, when a resident of Fort Madison, until the +spring of 1846. He then removed to Davis county, Iowa, and founded the +village of Drakeville. Francis Marion received his early education in +the common schools, and also acquired a knowledge of law. + +When the gold excitement in California was at its height he crossed the +plains in 1852 with ox-teams, and again in 1854 with a drove of cattle. +On the first trip across, his company of sixteen men had a severe +engagement with the Pawnees at Shell Creek, Neb., in which they +encountered about 300 Indians, who were defeated with heavy loss and +driven across the Platte river. On his return from California, October +1, 1854, he was a passenger on the ill-fated steamer "Yankee Blade," +which was wrecked and totally lost, and he was picked up five days later +on a barren coast which he had succeeded in reaching. + +He had been successful in his California ventures, and on the 1st of +January, 1855, entered the mercantile business with his father, and +brother, J. H. Drake, under the firm name of Drake & Sons, at +Drakeville. In June, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the volunteer +service of the United States and served until the close of the war, +being promoted to captain, major, lieutenant-colonel and from +lieutenant-colonel to the rank of brigadier-general by brevet. He was in +many severe engagements, in one of which he was seriously, at first +thought mortally, wounded, and from which wound he has never entirely +recovered. His record for bravery and efficiency was universally +commended by his superior officers, and his military career is one of +which he may well be proud. + +On resuming civil life, General Drake engaged in the practice of law, in +which he was eminently successful, for a period of three years, when he +entered the railroad business, organizing and building what is now known +as the Keokuk & Western Railroad. He resumed his law practice for +another period of three years, associated with Gen. A. J. Baker, who +became attorney-general of the State, when he again entered upon the +railroad business, and has organized and built by his own efforts over +400 miles of railroad, a large part of which he still controls, being +president of the Indiana, Illinois & Iowa, Albia & Centerville and +director in the Iowa Central and Keokuk & Western railroads. He has also +been successful as a banker, and is president of the Centerville +National Bank. + +His material interests have not prevented him from taking an active +interest in educational matters and missionary work. He is president of +the board of trustees of Drake University, at Des Moines, named after +him, on account of his great liberality to that institution in its +building and endowment. He has also been a contributor to many other +educational institutions. + +In 1895 he accepted the nomination of the republican party for Governor +of the State of Iowa, and was elected by a large majority, having +received the largest vote ever given for a candidate for Governor of the +State. + +On the 24th of December, 1855, he was married to Mary Jane Lord, who +died on the 22d day of June, 1883. He has six children, four daughters +and two sons. The daughters are Amelia, Jennie, Eva, and Mary Lord; the +sons, Frank Ellsworth and John Adams. + +Amelia is the wife of T. P. Shonts, of Chicago, general manager of the +Indiana, Illinois & Iowa Railroad; Jennie is the wife of Dr. J. L. +Sawyers, of Centerville, Iowa; Eva is the wife of Henry Goss, wholesale +and retail boot and shoe merchant, of Centerville, Iowa; Mary Lord is +the wife of George W. Sturdivant, banker, at Moravia, Iowa. Frank +Ellsworth is president of the Centerville Block Coal Co., of +Centerville, Iowa; John Adams is secretary and treasurer of the Indiana, +Illinois & Iowa Railroad Co., of Chicago. + +Governor Drake's photograph is inserted opposite page 18. + + +CAPTAIN THOMAS M. FEE. + +Thomas Milton Fee was born at Feesburg, Brown county, Ohio, on April 18, +1839. His father was Thomas J. Fee, who was of English ancestry and a +native of Virginia, and his mother's maiden name was Sarah Hastings, she +being of Irish descent and born in Pennsylvania. His father laid out the +town of Feesburg. + +The son began an independent career at the age of nineteen, by finding +occupation as a school-teacher. In a short time he went to Ottumwa, +Iowa, and began to read law. Early in 1862 he was admitted to the bar, +and the following spring he located in Centerville, Iowa, and began the +practice of his profession. For two years, while reading law, he was +principal of city schools at Ottumwa. + +In August, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company G of the 36th Iowa +Infantry, and in October was the choice of his company for captain, +receiving his commission from Governor Stone. He served with his command +until captured at Marks' Mills with the writer and the rest of the +brigade, and was a prisoner at Tyler, Texas, for ten months, except +while absent without leave. After his exchange he was on detached +service; first as Assistant Inspector-General of the Trans-Mississippi +Department, and afterwards as Inspector of the Seventh Army Corps. When +discharged at the close of the war he returned to Centerville, Iowa, and +permanently entered upon the practice of law. In 1874 he was elected +District Attorney of the Second Judicial District of Iowa for the term +of four years, and Judge of the same district. He is a married man, and +has five living children, three sons and two daughters. His photograph +is inserted opposite page 89. + + +CAPTAIN B. F. MILLER. + +B. F. Miller was born in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland county, +Pennsylvania, on October 2, 1832, of native parents, but of English and +Scotch descent, his father being Benjamin Miller, and his mother's +maiden name being Martha Hemphill. His business was farming until four +years before the war, when he went west, spending two years of the four +in the Rocky Mountains. + +Coming east again, he enlisted at Wooster, Ohio, in Company D of the +120th Ohio Infantry, and served as private, sergeant, first lieutenant +and captain. He was captured on May 3, 1864, at Shaggy Point, on the Red +River, in Louisiana, and was imprisoned at Camp Ford, Texas, except +during the attempt to escape, until exchanged on June 1, 1865. He was +mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, on June 30, 1865. + +On September 26, 1865, he married Julia A., sister of L. S. Baumgardner, +of Toledo, Ohio, and farmed in that State until about three years ago, +when rheumatic afflictions caused his cessation of active work. He then +moved to Wooster, Ohio, where he now lives with his family, having but +one child, a daughter. It is unnecessary to say more of Captain Miller, +as he is mentioned frequently elsewhere. His photograph is inserted +opposite page 167. + + +CAPTAIN J. P. RUMMEL. + +J. P. Rummel was born in Worthington township, Richfield county, Ohio, +on February 7, 1840, and worked in the blacksmith shop of his father +until he was eighteen years of age. He was the son of Peter and Susanna +Rummel. Qualifying as a teacher, he began work as such in a district +school, and was so engaged when the first call was made for troops to +put down the rebellion. + +He enlisted as a private in Company I of the 16th Ohio Infantry, was in +the first two engagements in Western Virginia, and was regularly +discharged on August 18 of the same year. He re-enlisted on August 4, +1862, in Company B of the 120th Ohio Infantry, and became a second +lieutenant before leaving camp. After the engagements at Chickasaw Bayou +and Arkansas Post he was promoted to a captaincy on March 14, 1863, and +was with his regiment in the campaign of Vicksburg and in part of the +Red River campaign, being captured in December, 1864, while en route up +the river with an expedition to reinforce General Banks at Alexandria. +He was sent to Camp Ford, Texas, for imprisonment, escaped with the +writer, as described elsewhere, was taken sick at Shreveport, La., after +being recaptured, and remained there until the close of the war, being +finally discharged from the army on June 29, 1865. + +On his return home he became a clerk in a hardware store, and continued +at this occupation for about a year and a half, during which time he +married Miss Eva R. Redrup, of Mansfield, Ohio. In 1867 he engaged in +business for himself in Mansfield, and is now the principal proprietor +of a manufacturing establishment there. He has four living children. His +photograph is inserted opposite page 115. + + +ADJUTANT S. K. MAHON. + +Stephen Keith Mahon was born in Ireland on June 30, 1838. He was the son +of John and Sarah Mahon, and his father was a gentleman farmer and +merchant in the old country. The family came to the United States in +1849, living in Green County, Ohio, for five years, and then moving to +Ottumwa, Iowa. At the outbreak of the war Stephen was employed in a +general store at Blakesburg, Iowa. + +He enlisted when the 36th Iowa Infantry was organized, was appointed +sergeant-major at the staff organization, and was commissioned adjutant +in August, 1863, in which capacity he served until mustered out at the +close of the war. He participated in all the skirmishes and battles of +his regiment up to the time of his capture with the writer at Marks' +Mills, having been breveted captain for gallantry in the battle of +Helena, Ark. His unsuccessful attempt to escape with the writer is +elsewhere recorded, and he remained a prisoner at Camp Ford until +regularly exchanged about the close of the war. + +In February, 1866, he received a second lieutenant's commission in the +regular army, and was assigned to the 11th U. S. Infantry. In July, 1866, +he was promoted, and again in July, 1882, becoming a captain in the 16th +Infantry at the latter date. His services in Virginia, Mississippi and +Louisiana during the reconstruction period were highly creditable, and +he was at one time ordered by President Grant to Washington for personal +interview on reconstruction matters in Mississippi. + +The hardships of prison life sowed the seeds of the disease which caused +his death, and in August, 1879, he was compelled to go home from Fort +Sill, Indian Territory, on a sick leave, which was extended until he was +placed as captain on the retired list of the army in 1883. He was a +great sufferer from the time of his sick leave until his death, which +occurred at his home on January 11, 1885. Even at the last he loved to +hear again and talk of the old stories of the camp. + +Our adjutant never married. He was a brother of Maj. Samuel Mahon, of +Ottumwa, Iowa; Capt. William Mahon, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mrs. Col. +C. W. Kittredge, of Trinidad, Col. Another sister lives in Ottumwa. +Adjutant Mahon was a high-minded, honorable gentleman and a true friend. +His picture is inserted opposite page 69. + + +CAPTAIN CHARLES BURNBAUM. + +Charles Burnbaum was born in Lockport, Ohio, on February 16, 1834, of +German parentage, his father having emigrated in 1824 and later married +a German lady in Ohio. Young Burnbaum started out for himself at the age +of sixteen, and learned the trade of harness-making at New Philadelphia, +Ohio. Later he moved to Eddyville, Iowa, where he engaged in +merchandising until the time of his enlistment in the army. + +In 1862 he became a member of Company D of the 36th Iowa Infantry, and +was elected lieutenant. He participated in all the marches and +engagements of his company and his regiment until the time of his +capture with the writer at Marks' Mills, Arkansas, in 1864, and was a +prisoner at Camp Ford, Texas, except during the attempt to escape, until +regularly exchanged about the close of the war. He was made captain on +his return to his company. + +After being mustered out in 1865 he located in Marshalltown, Iowa, and a +few years later moved to Chicago, becoming a commercial traveler. He +afterwards engaged in the hardware business at Milan, Mo., and in 1878 +he married Miss Kate Gilmore. His present residence is Hot Springs, +Ark., where he is successfully engaged in the wholesale grocery +business. His photograph is inserted opposite page 94. + + +CAPTAIN JAMES B. GEDNEY. + +James B. Gedney was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, on December 10, +1825. In 1838 he removed to Lee county, Iowa, and there, in 1848, he +married Miss Sarah Linch. Five years later he removed to Appanoose +county, Iowa, and became one of its foremost citizens in every +enterprise for the good of the community, being one of the first +settlers in that section. In 1859, during the gold excitement, he made a +brief trip across the plains to what was then known as "the Pike's Peak +country." + +In 1862 he enlisted as a private, was elected captain, and he and his +comrades were assigned as Company I of the 36th Iowa Infantry. He +participated with his command in all its campaigns and engagements until +captured with the writer at Marks' Mills, and remained a prisoner at +Tyler, Texas, except during the attempt to escape, until regularly +exchanged about the close of the war. + +On his return home after the war he again took up farming in Appanoose +county, keeping at this until 1890, when he bought property in +Centerville, the county-seat, and became a resident of that town. +Captain Gedney held many positions of honor and trust, serving five +years on the board of county supervisors and six years as president of +his county's agricultural association, besides having the confidence of +his neighbors in other ways. + +The disease which caused his death was contracted in the army, and on +July 27, 1893, he died at the age of sixty-eight years, honored and +loved by all who knew him. His memory will live long in the hearts of +his comrades, because of the soldierly and manly qualities that endeared +him to all his associates. His photograph is inserted opposite page 79. + + + +LIEUTENANT WALTER S. JOHNSON. + +Walter S. Johnson was born in Union county, Indiana, near Liberty, on +May 24, 1835. His ancestors were orthodox Quakers, and were early +settlers near Lynchburg, Va., about 1690. About 1826 his grandparents +moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and a few years later to Liberty, Indiana. +When Walter was about fourteen the family located in Appanoose county, +Iowa, and at the age of eighteen he built the first store in the new +town of Cincinnati, Iowa, and began merchandising. In 1855 he married +Sarah B., daughter of James X. Gibson, and is now the father of five +living children. + +On July 8, 1801, he enlisted in Company D of the 6th Iowa Infantry, +under the Hon. M. M. Walden, and was assigned to General Fremont's +command in Missouri. In July, 1862, he was discharged for disability +caused by hard marching and exposure while recovering from an attack of +the measles. The spirit of patriotism was too strong to permit +inactivity after his recovery, and he again enlisted on August 11, 1862, +reporting in person to Adjutant-General Baker with 100 men for duty, and +being assigned as Company I of the 36th Iowa Infantry. He served with +his command until captured with the writer, as elsewhere described. + +While the regiment was at Camden, Ark., four days previous to the +capture, George W. Gibson, a brother of Lieutenant Johnson's wife, came +to Company I as a recruit, and was killed in the fight at Marks' Mills. + +The lieutenant remained a prisoner, except as narrated elsewhere, until +regularly exchanged about the close of the war. After being mustered out +he returned home and resided on a farm of his until the fall of 1870, +when he was elected Clerk of the District Court of Appanoose county, +which position he filled for three terms. He was then elected Mayor of +Centerville, Iowa, after which he again engaged in merchandising until +the spring of 1890, when he moved to his present home in Lincoln, Neb., +to be nearer his children. His photograph is inserted opposite page 39. + + + +SERGEANT E. B. ROCKET. + +E. B. Rocket was born on July 14, 1841, in Jefferson county, Alabama, +and moved with his parents to Arkansas in 1852. In 1859 he married +Amanda, daughter of Absalom Holcombe. + +In 1863 he enlisted in the Confederate army, and served until the close +of the war, gaining the rank of sergeant. He was a member of Company B, +Munson's regiment, Cobbles's brigade, Fagan's division, and was with his +company in all its marches and engagements. + +His wife died in 1881, leaving five girls and one boy to the care of the +father. In 1885 he married Martha J. Davis, a widow, and four girls have +blessed this union. At the age of seventeen Rocket became a convert to +the tenets of the Missionary Baptist Church, to which he still adheres, +his present occupation being that of preacher in this church, with his +home in Center Point, Arkansas. + +The writer's first meeting with Sergeant Rocket is fully described in +the body of this book, and, while the acquaintance was unsought, it +resulted in a lasting friendship, our captor proving to be a good +soldier and a Christian gentleman. His photograph is inserted opposite +page 189. + + + + +The following is a list of casualties among the officers and enlisted +men of the Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry at Marks' Mills, Arkansas, April +25, 1864: + + Colonel F. M. Drake, wounded and captured. + Major A. H. Hamilton, captured. + Surgeon Colin G. Strong, captured. + Assistant Surgeon Patrick A. Smyth, captured. + Adjutant Stephen K. Mahon, captured. + Chaplain Michael H. Hare, captured. + + +NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF. + + Quartermaster Sergeant Barton A. Ogle, captured. + Commissary Sergeant David A. Stanton, captured. + Pr. Mus. Joseph Peach, captured. + + +COMPANY A. + + Captain John M. Porter, captured. + First Sergeant Davison P. Bay, captured. + Sergeant Asa S. Baird, captured. + Sergeant Thomas G. Robb, mortally wounded and captured. + Corporal Charles S. Deyo, captured. + Corporal James Nickol, wounded and captured. + Corporal John Lucas, captured. + Private Benjamin Bennett, killed. + Private Peter Boyer, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Isaac Belles, killed. + Private Hezekiah M. Chidester, captured. + Private Thomas L. Castle, captured. + Private George O. Catron, wounded and captured. + Private William Castle, captured. + Private John M. Connett, captured. + Private John Dempsey, captured. + Private William H. Dean, captured. + Private Robert A. Dunn, captured. + Private Alexander Elder, wounded and captured. + Private John Foreman, captured. + Private Albert Grimes, wounded and captured. + Private George W. Grass, captured. + Private Jacob Hendrix, captured. + Private John Kritzer, captured. + Private Francis G. Livingston, captured. + Private George Lindsay, captured. + Private Robert Martin, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Sylvester Mefford, killed. + Private Joseph Madow, wounded and captured. + Private James McKissick, wounded and captured. + Private William E. McKissick, captured. + Private Almond McNeil, captured. + Private William Martin, captured. + Private Samuel F. Noel, captured. + Private David Parks, captured. + Private Daniel Shepherd, killed. + Private Darius Stacey, captured. + Private Grandison F. Stephenson, captured. + Private William F. Sperry, mortally wounded and captured. + Private John C. Taylor, captured. + Private Leander Tyrrel, captured. + Private Robert B. Thompson, wounded and captured. + Private Laurel H. Tyrrel, captured. + Private William W. Wills, captured. + + +COMPANY B. + + Captain S. A. Swiggett, captured. + Lieutenant Josiah H. McVay, captured. + Sergeant John W. Woods, captured. + Sergeant James Gandy, captured. + Sergeant Thomas R. Cole, captured. + Corporal Benjamin F. Chisman, captured. + Private William I. Barker, killed. + Private Lucius Bond, wounded and captured. + Private John Barnes, captured. + Private Henry C. Brown, wounded and captured. + Private John N. Belles, captured. + Private Isaac N. Belles, killed. + Private Benjamin Carter, killed. + Private Lorenzo H. Case, captured. + Private Noyes Chisman, wounded and captured. + Private John W. Clark, captured. + Private Banion O. Custer, killed. + Private Thomas W. Crandall, captured. + Private Nelson Derby, captured. + Private Jesse Dutton, captured. + Private William C. Derby, captured. + Private Samuel W. Fail, captured. + Private James R. Fent, wounded and captured. + Private James H. Finley, wounded and captured. + Private Levi Gates, wounded and captured. + Private Daniel Good, captured. + Private Peter Good, wounded and captured. + Private John Harsbarger, killed. + Private Amos W. Kent, killed. + Private Daniel W. Kirkpatrick, killed. + Private Henry R. Kirkpatrick, captured. + Private Thomas McCormick, wounded and captured. + Private Josiah D. McVay, captured. + Private James S. Major, captured. + Private Richard W. Moore, captured. + Private George W. Olney, captured. + Private Hiram A. Pratt, captured. + Private John Pence, wounded and captured. + Private Israel H. Pollock, captured. + Private William P. Riley, captured. + Private John M. Rose, captured. + Private John W. Rubel, wounded and captured. + Private Charles W. Reece, captured. + Private Madison E. S. Rubel, captured. + Private Annon L. Silvey, captured. + Private Mordecai Scaggs, captured. + Private Albert Stevenson, captured. + Private William H. H. Scott, captured. + Private Eli A. Spain, captured. + Private Calvin H. Smith, wounded and captured. + Private Jacob West, captured. + Private Sanford C. West, captured. + Private Daniel W. Williams, wounded and captured. + Private David E. Williams, wounded and captured. + Private William West, captured. + + +COMPANY C. + + Captain Allen W. Miller, captured. + Lieutenant W. F. Vermilyea, captured. + Sergeant Marion H. Skinner, captured. + Sergeant George W. Dean, wounded and captured. + Sergeant Benjamin S. Vierling, wounded and captured. + Corporal Jesse G. Dean, captured. + Corporal William F. Patterson, wounded and captured. + Corporal James H. Bovell, wounded and captured. + Fifer Christopher D. Conrad, wounded and captured. + Private Wilson Burris, captured. + Private Nathan I. Bray, captured. + Private Jesse Clark, wounded and captured. + Private Eli Cummings, mortally wounded and captured. + Private John P. Goodvin, wounded and captured. + Private Jacob A. Grubb, killed. + Private Cyrus S. Hedgecock, captured. + Private Lucien B. Hudgins, captured. + Private Samuel A. Hayes, wounded and captured. + Private Joshua Jones, captured. + Private Alexander Kennedy, wounded and captured. + Private Uriah Link, wounded and captured. + Private James Lamar, captured. + Private James A. Miller, killed. + Private William H. H. McKim, captured. + Private Elias Mitchell, captured. + Private Mathias McCoy, killed. + Private George Matherly, captured. + Private Jehu McCoy, wounded and captured. + Private John W. Needham, killed. + Private Thomas B. Porter, killed. + Private Robert R. Polk, captured. + Private Alexander P. Primm, captured. + Private Thomas I. Robinson, captured. + Private William H. Riggle, captured. + Private Hugh G. W. Scott, captured. + Private Daniel H. Sumner, captured. + Private Isaac Smith, captured. + Private Andrew J. Stansberry, captured. + Private John A. Stansbury, mortally wounded and captured. + Private James R. Sumner, captured. + Private Cyrenias Thomas, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Michael K. Tedrow, captured. + Private Epraim Vandoon, captured. + + +COMPANY D. + + Captain Thomas B. Hale, captured. + Lieutenant Charles Burnbaum, captured. + Sergeant Francis M. Eperson, captured. + Sergeant Hiram Underwood, captured. + Corporal Joseph Griffis, captured. + Corporal William L. Palmer, captured. + Corporal George W. Nicely, killed. + Corporal Peter Stuber, mortally wounded and captured. + Corporal Thomas West, captured. + Corporal Francis M. Dofflemyer, captured. + Fifer Joseph Peach, captured. + Private William Amos, captured. + Private James Anthony, captured. + Private Howard R. Allen, captured. + Private George W. Blair, captured. + Private Moses R. Butler, captured. + Private Watson W. Coder, wounded and captured. + Private Jacob F. Coder, captured. + Private Francis M. Crane, captured. + Private Lafayette Campbell, captured. + Private Andrew Crook, captured. + Private John D. Dofflemeyer, captured. + Private John S. Foster, captured. + Private Benjamin F. Gordon, captured. + Private John S. Gray, captured. + Private David Gushwa, captured. + Private William B. Griffis, captured. + Private Sylvester Hendrix, captured. + Private Anthony Jones, captured. + Private Mervin T. Keran, captured. + Private Leonard Knox, captured. + Private James Kavanaugh, captured. + Private Horace M. Lyman, killed. + Private Charles L. Ladd, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Charles E. Little, captured. + Private Abner W. Lyman, captured. + Private Franze Marquardt, captured. + Private William W. Mardis, captured. + Private John H. Miller, captured. + Private Hugh H. Miller, captured. + Private Daniel Myers, captured. + Private George Myers, captured. + Private Curtis Moffat, captured. + Private David F. Newsom, captured. + Private Lucian L. Parker, captured. + Private Henry Parish, captured. + Private John W. Robinson, captured. + Private David H. Robinson, captured. + Private Philip Sinclair, captured. + Private Christopher Sharon, captured. + Private Henry G. True, captured. + Private Abram Umbenhower, captured. + Private Harmon Varner, captured. + Private Andrew I. Willsey, captured. + Private Joseph G. Williams, wounded and captured. + Private Asberry Way, captured. + Private Peter Warner, wounded and captured. + + +COMPANY E. + + No officer. + First Sergeant Henry Slagle, captured. + Sergeant Lewis Myers, Jr., mortally wounded and captured. + Corporal Elias Parke, wounded and captured. + Corporal Michael E. Jackson, wounded and captured. + Corporal George W. Dennis, captured. + Corporal Frederick Campbell, captured. + Corporal Peter Shearer, captured. + Corporal Edward C. Soper, captured. + Fifer Thomas Skinner, captured. + Private Henry Adcock, wounded and captured. + Private James G. D. Aumack, captured. + Private Joseph Bivin, captured. + Private John I. Chance, captured. + Private Carey N. Carson, captured. + Private Samuel D. Cooper, captured. + Private Samuel W. Campbell, captured. + Private John H. Decker, captured. + Private John Duffee, captured. + Private Thomas W. Fenton, wounded and captured. + Private Alonzo Garrison, captured. + Private John Harness, wounded and captured. + Private John Henderson, captured. + Private Greenville Hale, captured. + Private Hiram Hale, captured. + Private Henry C. Hale, captured. + Private Richard Jackson, captured. + Private William W. Jackson, captured. + Private Joseph Kigar, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Peter H. Loy, wounded and captured. + Private Joseph Leslie, captured. + Private William H. Leslie, captured. + Private George L. McMahon, captured. + Private Isaac Mathews, captured. + Private Jonathan Nelson, captured. + Private Joseph Peden, wounded and captured. + Private George W. Phillips, wounded and captured. + Private Frederick Rachke, captured. + Private Benjamin F. Randall, captured. + Private John C. Scully, captured. + Private Andrew J. Stanton, captured. + Private Elias Sheffer, captured. + Private Jesse B. Skinner, captured. + Private Charles A. Stadler, captured. + Private John W. Stadler, captured. + Private Jesse H. Thompson; captured. + Private John A. Vermeulen, wounded. + Private Francis M. Watkins, captured. + Private George E. H. Ward, killed. + Private David M. Wallace, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Thomas H. Wallace, wounded and captured. + Private Woodson Wallace, captured. + + +COMPANY F. + + Captain William F. Vermillion, captured. + Lieutenant John W. May, captured. + Lieutenant John N. Wright, captured. + First Sergeant Wm. R. Davenport, wounded and captured. + Sergeant William R. Kemper, captured. + Corporal Reuben D. Fouts, captured. + Corporal William H. Shuterly, captured. + Corporal John T. Sheeks, captured. + Private David H. Barnhart, captured. + Private William Bartlett, captured. + Private John Clark, captured. + Private George C. Carpenter, wounded and captured. + Private John L. Clowser, captured. + Private Joel Curtis, killed. + Private John Davis, wounded and captured. + Private Andrew J. Day, captured. + Private Simon Ely, captured. + Private John M. Elgin, wounded and captured. + Private John Free, captured. + Private Joseph Y. Funkhouser, captured. + Private William H. Fuller, captured. + Private Stephen A. D. Fenton, captured. + Private Manoah Graham, wounded and captured. + Private Thomas Galbraith, wounded and captured. + Private Albert Gillman, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Henry Hontz, captured. + Private David Howell, wounded and captured. + Private James R. Huiatt, captured. + Private Bial D. Kines, captured. + Private Perry G. Luzader, wounded and captured. + Private Charles B. Main, killed. + Private Lewis Main, captured. + Private Levi McHenry, captured. + Private Ephraim Nicholson, wounded and captured. + Private William K. Neel, captured. + Private Greenberry Owen, wounded and captured. + Private Thomas W. Patrick, captured. + Private Wesley Perigo, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Daniel Peppers, captured. + Private Charles W. Ryckman, captured. + Private James H. Ryckman, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Samuel H. Smith, captured. + Private Henry H. Swift, captured. + Private David A. Stewart, wounded and captured. + Private John Standley, wounded and captured. + Private Barney S. Sullivan, wounded, and captured. + Private John Whitset, captured. + Private John Wafford, captured. + Private Levi H. Zentz, captured. + + +COMPANY G. + + Captain Thomas M. Fee, captured. + Lieutenant B. F. Pearson, captured. + First Sergeant Andrew J. Boston, captured. + Sergeant Nicholas Snedeker, captured. + Sergeant Silas A. Snider, captured. + Sergeant James S. Thompson, captured. + Sergeant James Thompson, captured. + Sergeant James A. Lowry, captured. + Corporal Francis M. Snider, captured. + Corporal Ezra Wade, killed. + Corporal James Lowrey, captured. + Corporal Willis Higgenbotham, captured. + Private Martin Benge, wounded and captured. + Private William I. Buck, captured. + Private Smith Bowen, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Eli Bryant, wounded and captured. + Private Isaac Beaman, captured. + Private James Bridgeman, captured. + Private Thomas Crage, captured. + Private George T. Cavanah, captured. + Private Michael Cridlebaugh, captured. + Private Isaac Cross, captured. + Private James G. Davison, captured. + Private James A. Douglass, captured. + Private William R. Fisk, wounded and captured. + Private John Gilbert, wounded and captured. + Private John R. Hodge, captured. + Private Francis Hall, captured. + Private Amos Hays, captured. + Private John Herring, wounded and captured. + Private M. W. Harney, wounded. + Private Newton Kirby, captured. + Private Simon Launtz, captured. + Private Amos Moiril, captured. + Private Enoch F. Mapes, captured. + Private John J. Morrison, captured. + Private William Morril, wounded and captured. + Private Arloff Maring, captured. + Private Harrison B. Masters, captured. + Private Wesley Mansfield, captured. + Private Robert B. Smith, captured. + Private Charles A. Smith, captured. + Private Samuel R. Shaw, captured. + Private William Thomas, captured. + Private William I. Zimmer, captured. + + +COMPANY H. + + Lieutenant James M. Thompson, captured. + Corporal Darius T. Anderson, captured. + Corporal David H. Conger, captured. + Corporal Jacob Breon, captured. + Corporal John Archibald, captured. + Corporal Thomas Dyson, captured. + Corporal Isaac W. Powell, wounded and captured. + Corporal Levi Overman, wounded and captured. + Private John E. Atwell, wounded and captured. + Private William H. Atwell, wounded and captured. + Private George Anderson, captured. + Private John Breon, captured. + Private Theodore S. Burns, wounded and captured. + Private James M. Cooper, captured. + Private Sylvester M. Carr, captured. + Private John N. Davis, captured. + Private Archibald S. Ervin, killed. + Private John W. Fuller, captured. + Private Solomon T. Holsey, captured. + Private Enos Hockett, mortally wounded and captured. + Private John T. Hobbs, captured. + Private William Hamilton, wounded and captured. + Private William H. Hudson, wounded and captured. + Private Daniel King, captured. + Private Francis M. Kitterman, captured. + Private George W. Kitterman, wounded and captured. + Private George Lowe, captured. + Private James M. Lamb, captured. + Private David Lowe, captured. + Private John Marrow, captured. + Private Thomas W. Moffatt, captured. + Private James Moore, captured. + Private James H. McCune, captured. + Private James Morrison, captured. + Private Samuel T. McFall, wounded and captured. + Private Henry McKowan, captured. + Private Horace O. Owen, captured. + Private Jeremiah Padget, killed. + Private William J. Powell, captured. + Private John E. Richards, captured. + Private Francis M. Scott, captured. + Private Ferdinand Southard, captured. + Private Marcus L. Spurlock, mortally wounded and captured. + Private William Stinson, mortally wounded and captured. + Private John P. Thomas, captured. + Private James Wright, captured. + Private Daniel C. Wolfe, wounded and captured. + + +COMPANY I. + + Captain Joseph B. Gedney, captured. + Lieutenant George R. Houston, captured. + Lieutenant Walter S. Johnson, captured. + First Sergeant Henry Jaquiss, captured. + Sergeant Henry Dodge, killed. + Sergeant Oliver H. Perry, captured. + Corporal James C. Hartly, wounded and captured. + Corporal George Athey, captured. + Corporal Truman E. Gilbert, wounded and captured. + Corporal John B. Adamson, captured. + Corporal James L. Stone, captured. + Fifer James N. Hodges, captured. + Wagoner George Holbrook, captured. + Private Jacob A. Bower, captured. + Private John C. Baggs, captured. + Private Josephus Brown, wounded and captured. + Private Andrew I. Braymen, killed. + Private Simeon Baker, captured. + Private James Baker, wounded and captured. + Private Levi Copple, wounded and captured. + Private David Conger, wounded and captured. + Private Henry W. Davis, wounded and captured. + Private James F. Denvon, captured. + Private Reuben Faloner, captured. + Private Isaac Frost, captured. + Private Benjamin F. Guy, captured. + Private Cyrus W. Gibson, wounded. + Private George W. Gibson, killed. + Private William M. Harvey, wounded and captured. + Private Dillman Hutchison, wounded and captured. + Private John H. Harris, killed. + Private David John, captured. + Private William Jarvis, captured. + Private John Kingsberry, wounded and captured. + Private Rozzel Lewis, captured. + Private John W. Morgan, captured. + Private William F. Marshall, captured. + Private Isaac O. Medis, captured. + Private James M. Odell, captured. + Private Orin Parks, captured. + Private Samuel E. Pugh, mortally wounded. + Private Horace E. Park, wounded and captured. + Private Edward Streepy, captured. + Private Isaac Streepy, captured. + Private Henry W. Stephenson, captured. + Private George Sutton, captured. + Private William H. Thompson, wounded and captured. + + +COMPANY K. + + Captain John Lambert, captured. + Lieutenant John A. Hurlburt, captured. + Sergeant Josiah T. Young, wounded and captured. + Sergeant Eli Moak, captured. + Corporal Benjamin Kimbrell, captured. + Corporal James W. Taylor, captured. + Corporal Edward Eads, captured. + Corporal James Moneyhan, captured. + Corporal Luther C. Bailey, wounded and captured. + Fifer William B. A. Carter, captured. + Private Henry H. Andrew, captured. + Private Allen M. Bailey, captured. + Private Wesley Banister, killed. + Private Levi Banister, captured. + Private George W. Brott, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Thomas Barker, captured. + Private Samuel T. Boales, captured. + Private Aaron A. Campbell, captured. + Private Thomas H. Case, captured. + Private Joseph Chambers, captured. + Private Henry W. Cline, killed. + Private William S. Collins, wounded. + Private Nathan Hummel, killed. + Private Jacob Hager, captured. + Private William G. Jackson, captured. + Private James D. Johnston, captured. + Private William W. Keeling, captured. + Private Elisha Kenworthy, captured. + Private Conrad Kirkendall, wounded and captured. + Private Joseph Morford, captured. + Private Jackson Maxwell, wounded and captured. + Private James A. Murphy, captured. + Private Daniel Oneil, captured. + Private Jacob G. Potts, captured. + Private Jordan Pike, killed. + Private Edwin Robins, captured. + Private Byron Richmond, mortally wounded and captured. + Private Charles B. Reed, captured. + Private William Stephens, captured. + Private Charles B. Smith, captured. + Private Robert Turner, captured. + Private James T. Thair, captured. + Private Reuben M. Tharpe, captured. + Private John Thomas, captured. + Private George Wiggins, captured. + Private Smith V. Walker, killed. + Private Abraham P. Waugh, mortally wounded and captured. + Private William J. Young, captured. + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Passages in italics are indicated by _italics_. + +The following misprints have been corrected: + "distinguishng" corrected to "distinguishing" (page 25) + "cooly" corrected to "coolly" (page 118) + "expresssions" corrected to "expressions" (page 121) + "ganted" corrected to "granted" (page 141) + "consistenly" corrected to "consistently" (page 223) + "meeing" corrected to "meeting" (page 242) + +Other than the corrections listed above, the original printing has been +retained. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bright Side of Prison Life, by +Samuel A. Swiggett + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRIGHT SIDE OF PRISON LIFE *** + +***** This file should be named 33035.txt or 33035.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/0/3/33035/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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