Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-08-29
The Experiences of a Deserter.

The Washington Star has the following
account Of the adventures of an Ohioan in
Secessia:
There is now at the Central Guard-house
in this city, man by the name of Augustus
Johnson, who was formerly a citizen of
SteubenYille, o., where be has or had few
months since mother and four children
living. In the last four months his expert.
ence have not been of the most agreeable
kind, as will beseen on reading the following
narrative of his adventures during that time.
He is quite intelligent, and gave us this
morning detailed account of his moving
accidents by food and field" his chair
breadth 'scapes," &C., from which we con-
dense the following statement:
Early last Spring he embarked on flat
boat for New Orleans, where he arrived af-
ter trip abounding with the usual incl
dents of life on the river. On the 25th day
April last he and many other Northern men
were impressed into the rebel service. To
distinguish these Northern Oolunteers FROM
the chivalry their heads were closed shaved,
SO that they might be easily spotted. 1t was
MIR. Johuson's fate to fall into the First Spe-
cial Battalion of New Orleans, Major Wheat,
commanding. After much suffering for
want Of proper food aud clothing, the bat
talon found themselves at Manassas, uslr J.
suffering more than his comrades because be
| was SuSpecteu On hCCOuub VI HIS NOIJuoIu
birth. We omit an account Of many painful
incidents and come at once to Tie 5ss;:is Of
"Stone Bridge" or" "Bull Rum Major
Wbeats battalion was stationed on the ex.
! treme left-our extreme right. Near him
was South Carolina Regiment under cover
of the pines, separated by an open space from
| the Federal infantry, also under cover. Ma
| ior Wheat advanced his men into this open
space, and was fred on by the South Caro-
| lima Regiment.
Somewhat confused by this unexpected at.
tack from friends, the battalion wavered, and
| a deadly fire was then poured in by the Fed
eral troops, Major Wheat being the first to
fall. The loss Of life by this fire was terri
BILE. Near Mr.. johnson were two other
Northern men. One of them David Vance,
of Philadelphia, was instantly killed. The
other, q comrade and warm friend of John
sons, an Illinoisan, named James II. Hutch
inson, was shot under the eye. He was in
| such agony that johnson carried him from
| the field long way to the hospital occasion
ally resting with the wounded mans head
on bis lap. After taking his friend to the
hospital, be thought the time had come to
| try an escape, as in the confusion there were
no pickets out. He took his gun and started
westward, up rsvine. After getting a con-
siderable distance from the battlefield, he
threw away his gun and cartridge. box. The
] u0nOFn OI JH6 DhbthllOu WAS COJJOn pduLs
of the mixed color known as pepper and
salt, end red shirt. Under this red shirt
johnson had checked cotton shirt. He now
changed these, by putting the checked shirt
outside and the red one under, expecting in
slant death if he was arrested as deserter.
He heard the firing all day on Sunday, and
travelled away from it in a northwest direc-
ton. At night he took two shocks OF wheat
aud made bed, on which he slept soundly,
and was awakened by the rain on Monday
merning. He shortly afterward reached a
Quaker settlement in Loudon County, where
he found haven of rest being kindly taken
care of for some weeks. Being anxious to
reach his home, he left Loudon on Friday
last and came by way of Harpers Ferry to
this city, where he is waiting for a pass to
enable him to go over the roads without in
terruption, he having no funds to deffay hi:
expenses by railroad.
Mr.. johnson says he did not receive one
cent ofpay while in the Confederate service.
He says that Loudon County is devastated
as if it had been overrun by locusts. Tht
horses and wagons have all been seized, snt
the grain and other provisions carried off
barely leaving temporary subsistence for thu
old people and children left at home.