The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1864-01-28

was the hardest question | ever had To-
answer. knew not what TO say, but
in moment answered, "we are friends TO
the North" "Come up" said h., eve
are Union pckets."
l thought those were the sweetest
words that eve, heard. We thew IN
our hats high in the air, aud went with
such a yell that the sentrics thought us
crazy. When inside our rickcts we turn.
cd and said, "Good-bye, Mr.. Bradley. :"
We soon explained our boisnrous con.
duct 10 the pickcts, who where looking
on with amazcmcnt, aud then everything
was all right. My pen here fails to ex.
prcss our happiness; but to know and
feel that we were under the protection Of
Uncle Sam, and standing on the ground
over which that dear cid 1qg was tri-
umphautly floating. under whose folds
both Of US had fought on many battle.
fields, was ineIpressiblo. We were con.
Quoted to the quarters OF tho Lieutenant
OF the Guard, aud there remained until
morning. IL was Rt2 o'clock q. IN. when
we crossed the lines. We had walket
nearly 10 miles through swamps, wood,
aud briars, aud consequently our fee
were nearly used up.
had cut my boots of my feet the
night before, for my feet wcro wet from
the first night Of starting, und my boots
had contracted to my feet aud were pun.
ishing me severely. 50 ON "Wednesday
morning we were without boots or socks
our feet swollen and bruised, even bleed.
/ ing, aud it was with the utmost difficult,
Ia. ,.,,tl usaIL W.
of the huppicst boys, | suppose, in al
America at that time. What cared W,
then whether we had any feet at all o
not, for we hId our liberty. We tool
breakfast with Major Wheeling, Of tn,
4th n. Y. Cavalry. aud Provost Marsha
ot the District. lie treated US with III,
greatest kindness, and anc5 brcakIus
sen; us in his buggy TO Colonel Forest,
quarters with letter Of introduction I,
thnt officer.
Colonel West received Us kindly, nm,
gave US stocking and slippers. aud in tn,
evening sent US to Yorktown, where W,
arrived on the night Of the great fire IN,
magazine explosion. We had been or
dcrcd 20 report of General Butler at For
trcss Monroe, aud ut Yorktown wcr
furnished transportation to Goncfal.-
to the fort, with letter of introduction
To General Butler. Immediately on ON
arrival we went TO the Generals head
quarters and were shown to his room, il
rather u sorry plight to be surc---c Iothc
torn In many places BY tho briars an,
slip shod, with sore feet. Tie old Gen
eral eyed US very closely when wo en-
tered. His military eye ran oil over u
in a moment. Atcr saluting him. h
asked "Do you wish TO sec me on busl
ncssl" Whereupon we gave him our lei
ter from Colonel West. After glancin
over it he changed instantly. 1t wa
not the rigid General Butler Of momcn
before, FOR now he grasped our hand,
, shaking them most warmly. After ask
ing VS. many questions concerning on
prisoners, he placed US la care Of tn
geutlemanly Captain puffer, enc of hi
A. ID. C.'s. with orders 10 furnish us wit
clothing, transportation. and everythin
else that we needed, which wa, ali fait
fully attended to by that officer.
, At the fort we were introduced to NJ
, Mont'ort, our cuim ugcnt from indiana
He told us to come Immediately TO his o
! flee on reaching Washington. Gcncr,
Butler give us transportation to Bait
more, und General Lockwood from ,hcr
} to the capital, where We arrived on Fr
} day night, just one week from the time ,
/ leaving the walls of Libby Prison. q
! Saturday morning we went to Mr. NJ n
: fort, and he was all kindness lie il
troduced us to the PAY Department az
I to the War Department; conscquel {
: we had no trouble in getting cur pay an
, transportation TO our regiments, wit
: leave to stop nj home thirty days. lc
: Washington Oh Tuesday morning, al
, arrived ot Kokomo on Friday evening
shall Join my regiment, now near Cha
, tanoogu, within few weeks. After joil
ing IL you shall hear from me again.
Yours very truly,