Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-09-07

the thicket he found himself close to
tail soldier, but whether friend or foe ne
could not distinguish.
Eff you ar Yankee you are my
prisoner, said the tall soldier, catching
Chester by the collar, jerking him father
rudely, and hurting his wounded wrist.
i am . Confederate, said Chester,
angrily, and You will oblige me by let
ting go my coat; you have hurt me
Well, ef you belong to our side,
Mister, it is all right; Pam sorry [ hurt
you, but / thought you were a derned
Yank howsumevsr you'll excuse me if
| keep hold on you awhile ontell we can
get to light whar can see you. I let
a fellow 60 wunst cause he said'he was a
friend, and doggone efhe didn't shoot at
me after he got little ways of.
Chester saw that there was no use to |
discuss the matter with his captor, who
had size and weapons to enforce his Or
ders, SO he yielded to the inconvenience
of being carried by the collar through
swampy woods, but asked the soldier to
take him by the right side of his coat.
oh certainly, | don't mind swappin'
sides, was the answer. Sides being
swappedt' captor and captive pushed on
through the woods towards the light
which shone family on the futher side.
Were you on post ? asked Chester,
after they had'strode along for soale time
during which he occupied himself in
making a bandage of his handkerchief for
his wounded wrist.
Well, no stranger, can't say that
was; fact is / amt been in this here fight;
I've been to rear guardin' prisoners and
things generally but they marched the
prisoners away, so jes' kinder slipped
down to see what | could see sorter de-
ployed myself behind the bushes like, and
l was just about to come away as there
warn't nothing much to see but smoke
and dead men besides them big howlin
fellers come tarin' through the woods
now an then, and as one had jest burst
pretty close TO me, and seeing | didn't
have no business down there no how, L
had made up my mind to go Soaek, when
l heard you firin' your gun,.'an thought
that that was about as good time to take
prisoner rs any other, an that's why
tuck you. Not sayin by any means that
you mayn't be all right, but as l was
tellin you, youknow.'
Yes, recollect,' interrupted Chester
who was in nomood to hear the story
over again let's, hurry on, want some
thing done to my wrist .
They pursued their way in silence after
this, except that Chester's captor now
and then expressed the hope that the
wounds did not hurt him much but
Chester's answers wore so laconic that
the inquiries soon ceased and they scram-
bled on through the briars and swampy
pisces, the tall soldier retaining his hold
under all circumstances, and under any
difficulties, with a pertinacity which
would have been highly diyerting to
Chester had it not been for his wound
} which had now become quite painful.
J They were soon near enough to ciscov
er that the light for which they had so
long steered, come from fire near which
was seated group of soldiers, who were
!, so busy cooking something or other that
they..didn't,not the noise which Chester
and his companion made, until they were
/ close to the fire.
Hello !"cr;ed one of the soldiers
: Jumping up and reaching for his muske
which lay near him the others sprung
. to their feet too, on seeing the 'nev
: comers.'
r Their excitement subsided when the,
, found that Chester and his companion
3 or guard more properly, were neithe
) enemies nor the guard looking for strag
9 glers. % --...
f Hello fellers, cried the tall soldier
= who had not loosened his hold upo
= Chester, though there was no possibl
r chance of his escape, seems we jes com
/. in time, somethin' smells powerful goo
e you're cookin' of thar !; jes stand asid
: out'en the light ontell can see if thi
d here gentleman's Yankee or a whit
e man. The soldiers, who did not seer
= particularly pleased at the intrusion
- nevertheless separated without maxim
% any remark upon the tall soldiers some
ot what curt manner of ordering rather tha
it. requesting the favor, and the fire ligl
ID fell upon Chester, who looked his capt,
full in the face, and submitted to b
I'd scrutiny without saying word.
ID The tall soldier scanned him from he
of to foot, and then, putting his hand behir
It, Chester's head, depressed it. towards tt
W light. Va he said, as he caug
sight of the letters on Chester's cap,
#. they glistsned in the fire light. "
st why that's Virginny well, be blam
ne eff it amt q mistake after all but it's
ou right between friends, | spose, Virginn