The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-02-07

no AinC OF the morrow came from the
mussled lips of him who had lifted
our hopes SO high. Calmly and
cody we smoked our kily kinick.
and surveyed the embarkation of
troops, konstruin it to be some grand
hanover of military strategy. About
10 o'clock we retired to rest to dream
OF tomorrow viktory. Sleep soon
overpowered us like the fog that
klvered the earth, but nary bright
dream had kun, nary vision of free
dom and glory. On the kontrary,
our rest were uneasy-strawberr
and cream seemed to be holdin seces-
sion meetins within our corporate
limits, when suddenly in the twinklin
OF an eye Il friend aroused us from
our slumber and put new faze upon
the situation. Gen. Johnston was
retreatin, an the blue-nossed Yankees
were to pollute our sakred soil the
next mornin. Then came the jug of
war. With hot feverish haste we
started out in search of transport,
but no transport could be had.
Time-honored friendship, past favors
shown, everlastin grattitood, numer-
GUS small and luvely children, kun
federate kurrency, new isshoes, bank
bills, black bottles, oil influences
were strongly urged and used to
seizure korner in kar, but nary
korner - too - late-too late-the
pressure for time was fearful and
tremengious-the steady clock moved
OHIO Joshua about to lengthen out
the night, no rollin stock, no steer,
no mule. With reluktant and hasty
steps we prepared to make good our
exit by that overland line which rail
roads do not control, nor A. o. Ms
impress. s
With our families and little cloth
ing we crossed the Etowah bridge
about the broke Of day on Wednes-
day, the 18th of May, 1864, prezakly
q year and two weeks from the time
when General Forrest reached in
triumph through our streets. BY
and by the bright rays of the mornin
sun dispersed the heavy fog which
like a pail of deth had overspread oil
natur. Then We're exhibited to our
afflicted gaze n highway crowded
with wagins and teams, katie and
hogs, niggers and dogs, woman and
children, all movin in dishevelled
haste to places and parts unknown.
Mules were brayin, cattle were lowin,
hogs were squeelin, sheep were
blatin, children were cryin, waggipers
cussin, whips were poppin, and
horses stallin, but still the grand
kavan moved on. Everybody was
continually a lcokin behind, and
driven before-everybooy wanted to
know everythin, and nobody knew
nothin. Ten thousand wild rumors
filed the sirkumambient air. The
everlastin kavalry was there and as
they dashed to and fro gave false
alarms of the enemy bein in hot |
persuit.
About this most kritikul juncture |
of affairs, some philanthropik frend |
passed by with the welkum news that
the bridge wer burnt, and the danger
all over. Then ceased the panik;
then came the peaceful calms of
heroes after the strife of war is over; |
then exclaimed Frank Rails, my de-
moralized friend, 'sthank the good
Lord for that, Bill, let's return thanks,
and stop and rest. Boys, let me git |
out and lie down, Tn as humble as a
ded niger: [ tell you the truth. I |
sung the long meter doxology as I
crossed the Etowah bridge, and ex-
pekted to be a ded man in fifteen
minutes. Be thankful, fellers-let's
all be thankful; the bridge is burnt,
and the river is three miles deep.
Good sakes! do you rekun them Yam
KEGS kan swim? Git up, boys-let's
drive ahead and keep movin. I tell |
you, there's no akkounting for any
thing with blue clothes on these days.
Dinged, ef I amt altered of blue
tailed fly"
With the most distressin flow of |!
language, he kontinued his rhapsody
of random remarks.
Then there was that trump of good !
fellows, Big John-as clever as he is
fat, and as fat as old Falstaf:-with
lnde.fM-igable diligence, he had Sc
kured,, as a last resort one-horse
steer spring wagin, with q low, fiat
body a settin on two riketty springs.
Bein mounted thereon, he was urgin
Il more speedy lokomoshun, by layin
on to the karkass of the poor old
steer with thrash-pole some ten feet
long. Having stopped at house, he
procured two-inch augur, and BORN
q hole through the dashboard, pulled
the steers tail through and tied ND
the end in q knot ssMv ,,,n,;n go, |