The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-05-05

Prison Life in the esouth-Capt. AIban's
Narrative.
1coNTNUED FROM LAST WEEK
Travelled twenty one miles did
not start with anything in the shape
ofprovisions but salt, and had nothing
but raw corn to eat till midnight OF
the 18th. / then obtained some
sweet potatoes-how, it is needless to
say-and going into a deep forest,
built a fire and roasted them and
made hearty meal had nothing
more to eat until the night Of the Goth
when, as 1 was passing plantation,
negro and his daughter came out of
one of the huts. l approached him
and told him I wanted something to
eat-that I was Yankee officer es
capped from Columbia, and that | had
to depend on the black people to feed
me. "Well," said he, "you don't
want de white folks to know itT-
"No, certainly not" "Sce here, Tab
ithy," speaking to his daughter, "you
go and tell your Missus to send some
medicine for yer nanny, but mind
you don't say muffin bout nobody be-
in here" and then turning to me, he
said, edo you like 'possum y ooh,
yes" said I, so he went back into the
hut, and after a short absence he re-
turned with hoe cake, pitcher of
milk, and q roasted 'possum then
found for the first time in my life that
/ liked 'possum, for | really thought
Inever had eaten anything so good.
l forgot to mention that while ut Co
lumpia we did not receive particle
of meat.
While was eating, the negro seem
ed uneasy, and admonished me to
seat quick and git out OF dis, for it is
n drefI'ul dangerous place" Alter |
had eaten what wished | put the
remainder in my haversack, and went
my way convinced that there was ut
least one class of people tn the South
who were willing to risk almost any
thing TO relieve us. On the night Of
the 2lst, about ten o'clock, | met
white man. "IIallo - said he, "whO
are yout' "a stranger, travelling
through the country ! answered.
"Who are YOU, anyhow y sad he, cv
idently frightened. "a Yankee oil
Ger said | escaped from Columbia and
irving to make my way to our lines. VI
well" said he, "you had better hur
~ on" "Are you a friend p | in
nuired. Il am" said lie, whcreupou
he gave me all the instruction he.
could relative To the road. He had
been lying out TO avoid consctiption,
and was going home Tor provisions.
Nothing further worth relating,
transpired until the night Of the 22d,
when accidentally fell in with anoth
er escaped officer. had been com
PEELED To seek provision early in the
evening. and rs the negro from whom
obtained my supply did not know
the exact locality of bis kcuroost, 1t
was nearly midnight before | got
back upon the Columbia Il Greenviilc
railroad upon which ! was nov tray
cling, and being anxious 70 naIe up
lost time, was pnshiRg forward with
u speed perhaps unequaied On any
railroad (except the Findlay Branch, }
when l was hailed from the road side
with chow dye do?' l answered
that was all right, and thinking it
was one of the patrols that roam the
country to catch negroes, and rot.
wishing to make the acquaintance of
any snch person, again started on.
Hc again called, "where are You
from = "Columbia." Where are
you going 2" ITO Greenvi!le -
"You are a Yankee said he, "es-
capped from Columbia, and SO am |.
] am Lieut.. Cooper, Of the 10Th y.
Y. cavalry" Give me your hand "
l found upon inquiry that he had
been living on parched corn--that
he had broken down with rheumatism,
and that his comrades had that eve I
ming left hum to his fate. After par
taking freely of the hoe-cake with
which / furnished him, he seemed
much revived, and asked permission
to accompany me, which was readily
granted. We Immediately set for
ward, and although it was then past
midnight, and Cooper was quite lame,
we made seventeen miles by 8 clock
when we camped and slept till day
We then roasted the two chickens |
had obtained from the darliey, and
Jared sumptously on roast chicken,
sweet potatoes and hoe cake. On
the night of the oath it became ne
cessary to seek another supply of
provisions. For this purpose ! took
the lead by few rods, and hearing
some one approach, gave the usual
signal of danger Ga low whistle, and
retreated few PAGES into the woods.
AS soon as he came so near that l was
satisfied that he was black, stepped
out and accosted him in the usual
manner, telling him who we were,
and that we were dependent on the
blacks, etc. "Mas'r," said he, sour
folks sometimes talks that way to us.
They gets us to help'em and then
they whips us you isn't that kind, is
yeT' mo, sir" said l, and Cooper
who was dressed in tull uniform,
threw back his overcoat and display
cd the blue. This satisfied him, and
he promised to help US. We gave
him twenty dollars for our supper,
five chickens, and as much hoe cake