The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-10-24

Us MAS luOetu d sHScb LuSd4s Ou boAS
night we reached large river, over
which was long bridge, and which we
supposed to be the Chatahoechie river.
But in this we afterwards found we were
mistaken. We had thus far passed many
plantations, on which were many negroes,
women and children at work. The cotton
fields were planted with corn. l only
saw two or three Cotton fields in Georgia,
AID these were very small. The corn
fields were enormous in extent. Thus
far we had not seen an able bodied white
man, unless he was a confederate soldier.
All such are in the service.
On the night of the l4th we travelled
until broad daylight and then Went into
camp, roasted our sweet potatoes and went
to sleep. Only two of US ever slept at
time, and We never from the time we left
the hospital, until we crossed into Ala
bama, allowed ourselves to speak above
whisper This course we adopted know
ing how liable we were to be surprised
Three of our comrades had previously
escaped and had made their way to with.
IN days march of Sherman's lines, and
going to sleep without posting a guard
were surprised and captured by cOufed-
crate soldier who was out hunting. This
gave him three months furlOugh, one
month for every prisoner.
! On the night of the 10th We only
travelled about six miles, as We were
completely exhausted. We had come to
river, which we supposed to be the
headwaters of the east branch of the
Chocktawhatchie river. Having provid-
ed ourselves with fish lines, We tried to
catch some fish, but were unsuccessful.
Our sweet potatoes were all gone. The
woods were full Of wild game, which only
made our hunger the more craving, but
we had no means of capture. So We con
centrated ourselves with some corn which
We perched, ard found not uDpalatable
We had with US when we started a pint
of salt, so that we got along very COM
fOrtably. The next morning We started
down the river some six miles, until the
woods becoming thin, and the plantations
appearing we laid by until evening, when
We again started but did not make much
progress.
Sunday 10th. tits just one week since
we made our escape. 1t has been one o
the hardest weeks which I have ever ex
perienced, and yet on the whole, it ha!
not been so unpleasant, being the first fol
many weary months that We could breathe
the free air of beaven-undIsturbe by
the hated presence of the rebel guard
and the distressing sight of our poor suf
fering comrades. This makes our priVa
tions seem light to US, and We are thank
ful. To day we came across some wild
grapes, and such wild grapes never saw
before. They were as large as our plums
and were very sweet. We also found
some nice persimons and on these fruit;
we lived for two days. The persimons
came near getting US into a scrape The
trees grew near the road, in an open
country but under the trees were some
very high weeds. Being intent on get.
ting the fruit we neglected to watch the
road, and while thus engaged We beard
voices, and on looking up the road saw
three horsemen coming Fortunately
they did not see US, and We dropped into
the weeds and remained hid until they
had passed, and then we took to the woods,
where we remained hid until dark, when
We started on our travels, which We con.
tinued until daybreak, reaching the Chat
ahoochie river. We rearched for boat,
but not finding cue we retired to a swamp
about two miles from the river, where we
lay hid during the day. While laying
here we came very near being discovered,
as there were seVera! parties of contra
bands, accompanied by their overseers out
gathering wood. BY cutting green boughs
and piling over our place of concealmeDt
we managed to escape detection.
On the night of the 18th we started
down the river, where VIC soon found a
skif. ConGscating this we crossed the
river to the Alabama side, aud shelving
our boat adrift that it might give no clue
to our trail, we started across the country
We soon came to a road, which we fol-
lowed, but which terminated at large
gate Our curiosity prompted US to open
/ 1t and examine the enclosure. We found
ourselves in a cluster of houses or shops
where the rebels were manufacturing
Army wagons. Concluding that We had
got into the wrong pew We made our es.
cape as quietly as possible, and soon found
ourselves in a garden full of sweet pota-
toes, to which we helped ourselves, filing
our haversacks with as many as we could
we'll carry. Retreating to the woods we
made fire, cooked our potatoes, and had
good nights rest.
The next morning we started across the
country, and soon found ourselves in
corn field, which was stocked with water