Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1864-1865, 1865-02-16
Vol. 3. No. 33.

5 west direction through the wood
e he Travelled during the night. and
: rested part of the day; and co atinued
ON in this way until the evening Of
r the 18th. when long fasting. want o,
; sleep. and fatigue, overcame him,
snd he was compelled to STOP. In.
5 curing of 2 negro, lie was directed
, to plantation occupied by ncgroe.
alone, the owner being n bachelor
} and in the rebel army. Here he
found plenty of every thing neces-
, 7ary for his comfort, and willing
hearts and hands TO administer to his
wants. He remained over night and
during the next day, being so sick
most of the day that he could not
st up.
At night, however. feeliag better,
he started again. lie continued 10
travel by night and rest part of the
day rs before. making slow progress
through the wood, until the evening
of the 22d, during the snow storm,
when tired, cold, aud hungry, he
stopped at house which proved to
be occupied by rebel soldier, who
was wounded mt Chickamauga.
Here he made himself known, and
expected to be delivered up to the
rebel authorities; but instead of this
lie was treated kindly, fed, and
lodged, and before leaving the pext
day, instructed where he might End
drift upon which he could cross the
ITallahatchie, and by So doing avoid
the rebel pickets. After four hours
search he succeeded in finding this
drift, and crossed in safety.
From this time forward he suffered
severely with cold, but met with no
other difficulty until he got within
thirty miles of Memphis, when he
determined TO take the road, that he
might have the benefit Of the sun
shine, and make better progress
He had not gone far in the road I'm.
til he met a rebel patrol securing
the country in search of dcserters,
and especially prisoners, and was re-
captured, and taken back to Holly
Springs.
Here he met with Union lady,
who treated him with great kindness,
gave him comfortable coat, and
actually shed tears over his misfor-
tunes. A gloomy prospect was be-
fore him, but fortune smiled again.
On the second night after his re-
capture, the guards having charge OF
him went TO sleep, and he started
again, travelling on the road during
the night, and in the wood during
the day.
lie reached the pickets near this
post on the night Of last Friday, tho
18th ult., and here a new danger
awaited him, greater than any he had
yet passed. there being some ap-
p.ehension Of an attack here, tho
piekets had been instructed to halt
no man, but fire on any one who
should approach, and before he could
make himself known, one of them
had taken good aim at short range,
and pulled trigger, but fortunately
the gun did not 90 OF, apd thus was
his life preserved.
In addition to the rations mention
ed in the foregoing account, Mr..
Oren had some parched corn, which
he procured in this way: He had an
almost worthless gold pen, in brass
holder, which the Jonnies did pot
get when they were robbing him Of
his other effects. This he sold for
ten dollars in Confederate money,
and then bought corn ut the low prico
Of three cars JOr a dpllT.
lie is now resting ut the Soldiers
Home, and will remain there for
few days yet, as he has a very disa-
greeablc cough, and his feet arc
swollen and painful from having been
frozen. He confirms previous ac-
counts Of the generalization Of
Hoods army; and says two thirds of
the rebel soldiers freely admit the
OF their cause, and
would gladly lay down their arms
and submit upon any terms, if they
were not compelled by their leaders
10 continue this carnival of death"
GEO. q. JoBEs.