The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-03-20

ullC!t tnllIf ana crlcu, ana tne OlU
men would show tears. Here, at Mont
gomcry, just outside the city, q young
lady decorated the flag with laurel and
flowers. Her father, large planter
who suffered good deal guess, in the
war, had his cotton burned, large
amount Of it, his Clubhouse burned, and
the ladies carriage filed inside with
brush and turned upside down and
burnt by Wilson or some of 'em, came
out with me when started, to bid me
goodbye, and put one hand in mine
and one on the flag and burst into tears
broke completely down, and it was
some minutes before he could get out
his uttcranccs. 'lhe tears run down his
checks.
Some thought ! might apprchcnd
men in liquor, and Of course I'vc met
some drunken men, but the most they
would do would be to take hold of me,
or touch the flag and say--you know
how men in liquor do--they dared any
body to insult that flag or the man that
INV II. IIldl NIlc wa! hlullhti hl'll
would do-challengc any one to insult
sergeant Bates or the flag. Depntatiops
from towns to the right and left of the
line would meet me, and invite me TO
pass through their towns ana visit them;
and they've sent money to my wife and
children in Il great many cases. | have
gone out in citizens dress, and gone
among all classes in disguise, especially
confederate soldiers; and they all say,
"Givc Us the Constitution and an equal
chance; that's all we want. One old
gentleman came up to me. | was rest
ing, and had the staff in my hand, and
he gra-ps it and comes up long side me
and says: "You'rc North and I'm
South, and that's as it should be, both
under thc shadow Of the flag" Whole
| towns would come out to see me. Soon
as thc flag would hCave in sight, whole
towns would turn out and run-hcre
| tho Sergeant grew excited in his remin-
i,ccnCc and half rose from his chair aud
waved hi9 arm alOft--run like charge
| Of infantry to welcome me and extend
/ the hand of friendship. Before noon, ,aS
| would be walking along, | have had
! invitations to dinner all along. In one
day there were fifteen 10. | counted
'em. They would run out and say
"COmc Sergeant, dinners all ready and
you must stop and eat" You see, if I'd
stopped before dinner, couldn't have
got five miles day. At Wick sburg al
crowded out to see me and every body
wanted 10 shake hands, and they crowd
cd around, 50 the Mayor had to open ,
path through for me to start. Ever.
body wanted to shake hands and almo-
every hand had money. refused al
but oLo mans hand. | saw it wa
white-a gcutlCman's hand-it claspet
mine and left silver half dollar. IH0
kept. NJ Selma, cX-GovcrnQr Moor
--GONcruOr Of Alabama when the Ordi
lance Of secs lion was passcd-Wantet
me to take quite an amount out of hi
private purse, and wanted me to g anc
stay at his hCuso,.o that ii could be sCCl
the rebels Wouldn't hurt me. And now
said the Sergeant, breaking short off II
Il most amazing manner and taking
dip into politics, tell you the South
crucrs are tightingncgro equality alone
not the flag. Don't you think 80
And to this query what could your cor
respondent do but just the very thinl
that he did do, assure the sergeant tha
ON that point his head was as leve
IL his heart was stout.
Receiving this assurance, Sergean
Bates rccurrcd to his undertaking, anC
gave Running diary Of his tramp Il
follows:
Agreement made llth December
1867. Started from Edgerton, Wiscon
,in, ON the llth January, IS6N, an,
reached Nicksburg, Miss, within tc
days thereafter. soon rs they knew
wa: in the city everybody came to So
t me and in particular every Coniedcrat
I officer in the place. Istaycd four day
and it seemed as though the pcopl
could not do enough for me. The
gave me cvcrything-boots, socks,
suit ufclOthcs and 80 on. The citizen
bought the silk and some dressmakel
or milliucr- made it up. The Mayo
gave me letter, signed with the St;
of the city, commanding me to til
courte-ic- of the people throughout m
, trip, and Col. j. NJ. Partridge, an c>
r Confederate, presented me the Hug IN
= very neat speech. left Nirksburg ;
, noon on the oSth of January, the da
being cool and pleasant when l startcC
r Il large crowd with Il brass band scein
+ me off, Towards night ii showed, bl
b. pushed on, crossed the Big Black an
stopped ,hat ni.ht fourteen .lil mil'
out. From Nickshurg to Selma ! tu
lowed the track of the railroad, and tn
/, passenger trains would stop n wpul
p meet them and the conductor and pas
. engers keep me supplied with paper
r and give me apples, oranges, none
, for anyl,tle thing on the way and :
q ON.
), Jupua,Y 23-Stopped ut Clinton, Mis-
,. tlullt NIlilBVi Ulu II S''ih'N'9 'H""t
II the whole town turned out to Weloon
o me.
/, Jauuy 30-Reached Jackson, Il
g capital Of Mississippi, and found qua
= tcrs provided for me at the hotel. III
e acting mayor received me with an a
@ dress at the capital, and, by request,
n left the flag ON the Speaker desk
the Convention hall till morning,
r. JuuNuY 3l--l went in and got /
.e flag Off the desk. The Convention W
!. in session, and rose. They were viii
Il black, and yellow; the hall was fill
p. some were dressed well and otherspo,
Is IS; poorly, | mean, for men in The
}. position ~ members of ConVentiC
Is That night | stopped at Brandon, Mis-