The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-21

One afternoon an Orderly Sergeant came
into my couuting.room, and informed me 1t
would be necessary, in accordance with re-
cent requistion from Montgomery, tor me to
enlist. | saw it would not do to hesitate an
instant, and therefore manifested great rcadl.
ness and even eagerness to join. L was told
J could have my choice between infantry
and cavalry, and l must meet my comrades
that same night at the armory. l chose
to join the cavalry, and at the appointed
hour was on hand to enroll my name
l was very jealous apparently in my wishes
to fight the Abolitionists, and by skllltully
guarding my speech led my comrades to be-
lieve that | was the best secessionist OF them
all, and the Sergeant presented me with
splendid Colts navy revolver, which had been
stolen from the United States. ] requested
him to load it for me, as | was not posted on
that sort of thing, He did SO. Those five
charges are still In the barrels, and so help
me, they shall never be fired off, until they
arc discharged in the streets Of Augusta, and
one of them into the body of too Sergeant
who loaded it.
got away from the armory and hurried
home, where | found Powers making prepar-
ations to 20 North by the next train, which
left at half-past ten that night. | told him
must get away from Augusta that night at
any cost | asked him to take my carpet
bag on board the train and if / did not call
for it at certain time to send it to my fam
ily in Dubuque. He said he would Go SO.
| locked up my store and house-the one
completely furnished from top to bottom, and
the other containing $9,0 900 worth of goods,
which was obliged to leave behind to tall
into the hands of the rebels,
| then repaired to the depot nearly an
hour before the time for the departure OF the
train, and secreted myself under the rear
platform of the rear car, on cross-pleco
which connected the wheels Grasping my
pistol in my hand and resolving to shoot the
first man who discovered me, [ waited for
events.
Soon after l gained this position, tho Vigl-
lance Committee came into the depot. They
were party Of men appointed to see that nc
Northern man went away on the train, and to
exercise general surveillance over all suspl'
cious characters If they discovered a Nor.
thern man he was taken out. whipped, and
forced to enlist. If they found one who had
enlisted already. it Jared worse for him. he
was whipped and otherwise maltreated, anc
then usually shot, so [ knew what my fate
would be if was detected. As the hour o1
starting drew near, my suspense was agonlz
r ing in the extreme Finally little inclden
occurred, which probably insured my salvation
from their clutches. The committee wen
through the cars after the passengers were
, seated, and closely questioned and scrutlnlze(
evory individual. In one car they found an
, old man who answered to the description of ;
man who had been tarred and feathered u
Savannah and shipped off. Appended to tn
f dispatch describing him, was this Christian
: iujunction, If you catch him. give hin
. hell
One of tho rufiians lifted his gray lock
! and saw the tar still adhering to his broy
where he had been unable to remove it. Ii
q fairly yelled with delight. Here's the OIL
n devil Now we've got him etc. They the
- dragged him from The car to the platform cut
n side, although they did not know thing h
is had done amiss.
d Gentlemen said the aged man respect
r. fully, am an old man, and do not kno
e that ever did any man wrong All ask
% the privilege of getting home to my famll!
IA beg that you will release me-
They aug ghed his entrsaties to scorn, an
Is bore him away in the dark, screaming an
ID yelling like demons doubtless to torture hi
,e with scourgos, and perhaps to murder him.
l. they have SO many before him. During a
e. this time lay within a dozen feet OF som
y. of the party, expecting every moment wou
IN be discovered by some unucky fiend, 1t
IS well for him and me that he did not, for tn;
2e would have been the signal for his death.
fe would have shot as many as | could and dlt
off dearly.
e. Al last the train moved out of the dep
ht slowly around a curve, and when it was OF
" of the range of the depot lamps l droppe
sc from my perch and ctambered upon the re'
platform of the car. Going into the car
rt sat down in the darkest corner, and drew IA
n. hat over my face in order to escape recogn
- ton. BY fcigning sleep | escaped the atte
" ton and remarks of my townsmen, many
of whom we're on board the train, until mernlt
ii when we reached Atlanta, some 200 mil
Oh from Augusta. If could get beyond there
V. knew | was comparatively safe, as there W
,r- no telegraph between that place and Chatta
. ooga, though there was one from Augusta
On Atlanta.
~ 1t was daylight when We left Atlanta