Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-04-15
NiSCeIIane eOus

Torca1Ne SroRY or Contamination the
lst inst, one of our s,utlncis thought he
heard a CRY for help floating down from far
90 the river Come am .,t as 80 was the
rude faint voice that came from more than
Two miles across the water from an island OF
mud and rank g-ass. From the ramparts Of
rho fort we discovered an object which PROV
eI to ho a pole holding up 90 towel raised by
fte suffering wanderers. 4 blat was dis
ratchcd which brought IN three he>meared
starving colo-cd men. These reported mprr
non and three women in a similar situation
H.tl, further up the river. 4 second boat
rss >sut out, which after hours Of search,
I 'enturIuG close Ia the encmv's lines, rescued
4 the Ie-illed and destitute company These
refugees were a Slectacle-almost naked, the
Vom"n having only little miserable skirts
thar reached their knee. hc~mcared with
! mad. as one said, '' b,c-v A. d, bog e.elf,
: fiml-hed and almost wholly exhausted. For
i nine weary days and fearful night thcv had
'e,u feeling their IerilOus WAY from the slave
F. gems. II miles beyond Savannah. through the
. uhrl blyouacs and lines, wading through
1 .vamTs, skulAing through forests, md swim
i ming three rivers, the women clinging to the
) nocSs Of the men, hOunderng across the mud
lslaud-, as they said, '' ike dc alligators.
. TIL they discovered the dear stars and stripes
floating over Fort Pulaski. The original
lartv consisted Of twelve, iour gave out on
the way The famishcl Ierssyering eight
were consuming their la.t morsel Of food
when they deserted our garrison Tag. One of
them SAID d" When | -eed Dat fiag, IT hll me
night mp
They had been working for the Confederate
Government, and little corn bread daily was
their whole compensation. ~ we handed
ta one Of them q loaf of bread. ne calculated :
CORY, Msssa. dat he wori two OF free dollar
IN savanna In almost every sentence they
would exclaim Tank de- Lord. we Cet
away"
Two davs after the pickets Al the northern
dock saw dark speck in the middle Of the
Savannah River. floating down towards the
tort. A. it came nearor they discovered it
70 be human being astride of a slender
plank 4 boat vas Immediately sent to his
rs.cue Il was old Paul, So overcome with
fatigue and joy that he tainted the moment
he was taken by kind hands into the boat.
A. be stood upon the dock, tall, straight,
sinewv African. 80 years ot age, surrounded
hv his children and friends, the soldiers gath
cred round to listen to the story OF biz escape.
You see, children" aid he, " when |
left YOU went right To he house and went
70 bed. Mex mornn dar was great hella-
holOo bout de runaways. Ole massa axed
me did ! know whar dey war, and | sed, No
sab, dosent. spect dey's somewhar bout in
dc ncighborhOod. | - ieard dey'd ketch
YOU fore YOU crossed de rice field and de
river. But bress God dey didn't. Dat af-
ternoon We all went To de station and got
aboard de cars. JIst before the last whistle
of de ingine, | made ready for jump, and
when DC cars started | guy a spring from de
SIDE door, and maxim believe | was lef, run
srter en-. De men and bows hollered, Run
old buy, OF you II mics de train. I'd no no
tion OF ketchin dem, sure you, children
Den I came back make believe berry sorrl
70 Re left behind. axed a gemman woulC
he give me pass TO dc city, and be giv INT
one. stayed in Savannah till night. wen
down 10 de river, laid down in a fat boat
About the middle Of de night guard soge
came down to the fat, and conscience said t,
me, Now ef be come TO take YOU, seize him
throw him IN de river, and if he can STAY un
der water longer than YOU widout drowndin
den its all over wid you. But he didn
come, Arter while a culled man cam
along in skitf, and pressed him TO TAX
me 10 de Ca lima shore. Den went up t,
de rice field and saw whar YOU hae pulled d
dgg-out over. o, was 50 happy Whel
come to de river | could not cross. Dar
was de boat but no oars. Conscience said
Look in de bush, and dare find de oars
den cross over, and LET de boat and wad
troo de mash till cum to de mud river
Den what 10 do knowd not. No boat. n
pank, no nothin so | sprung in and .wum
When I gifts bout two thirds over, m,
Strength lef me and feel must sink.
raise nv hands to nv Fader in heaven an
prayed as went down, hut bress God m
Get touched de bottom, and guv sprin
forward and soon reached de shore. | wa
mighty week and uncommon hungry. bu
nov could see dc ole fort and de flag of llt
erty sIlns IN dc top. and 1t guv me coul
age ] saw whsr de Yankee sogers ha
MADE causewsy cross de mash Of Jon'
Island 10 huIid de mud fort on de oder side
lolleroi II and come 70 de place, br
1ffe vas no hat Presently found plan
ara launch him. den cit on. Fearin d.
'- -'s.r- at de tort might take me for 'ie'
''rte took ii nay shirt and held il NJ on
-lrA Tor hag Do truce De tide vas swiJ
1.Hu. - A,ated tlIl skid cpme with :
.ers, and ismpei IN sni tainted. Chiliel
.H' VOC 10 come. and ire-s De Lord l.
h.-"