The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1873-12-26


follows
eel was born IN Ohio, and educate
at one of the State colleges. Her
among others. / formed a triendshi
. with Grove Seston-s delicate DO.
comparatively friendless, who suffere
much from the city prosecutions
his turbulent companions. Grove too
fancy to me in his silent way, and
protected him from many sn onslau gh
We raised two years together, an
then I left the school to enter upo
business lite; but in the midst ct bGs
occupation often thought of him, an
wondered whether l should ever sc
his pale face again. At the openinl
of the rebellion l volunteered, ant
was appointed captain in one OF tn
Ohio regiments, my brother Jim,
mere lad, serving in the same eomps
ny. As he was determined to 60,
was glad to have him so near me. A
campaign full OF the hardships withOu
the glory of war fell to our lot. W,
marched back and forth hundreds o
miles through Tennessee and Ken
lucky, often travelling in q circle, anC
retracing our steps of the previou
day, burning and rebuilding bridges
collecting supplies, guarding passes
acting as reserves, but never actual,
participating in any thing more thai
a skirEllsh with guerrillas and bush
whackers Sometimes we hovered ol
the edge of the battle, and when i
was over helped to bury the dead
but our numbers continued intact IN
til few days before Christmas, whel
my company. out on scouting duty
was surprised and captured by Forres
with force of three times our mum
Der. This prince of raiders was {
terror throughout the Western battle
fields. He rode through the country
with such 6ashing speed, he possessed
such accurate knowledge of our move
ments, and knew the ground SC
thoroughly, that he always held US at
disadvantage. We never knew ex-
actly where he was, and he generally
appeared at the very last place where
he was expected. Always in hurry,
he wasted no time upon his prisoners,
but sent them off South under guard.
in this way we too were treated, and
within an hour after our capture we
were on the road 20 c. prison, in
Alabama. Once fairly started on our
weary journey, we were stripped OF
our valuables, our clothes exchanged
for ragged garments, our boots and
shoes taken away, and thus, bare
footed, we were hurried along over
the rough roads, and forced to keep
pace with our mounted guard. Grad
ually the food gave out. / do not
think the Confederates were in fault,
tor provisions were scarce, and some
expected supplies failed to appear
but we were soon reduced to a small
piece Of corn bread for whole DAYS
rations, and starvation began to count
its victims Oh, you ladies and gen.
tlemen living in the midst of plenty
can form no conception OF the horror.
of real gnawing hunger Some of the
men went raving mad, some droppeC
without groan, and others, like my
brother and myself, marched on witt
dull endurance, hardly knowing
whether we were dead or alive. On
cold morning found our miserable
bsnd within few miles of c.
remember some one said, Its Christ
mas at home to day. / had forgot
ten it, and raising my eyes at tht
words, l happened to catch a glimpse
of Jim's face as he trudged by the
side of a Confederate. Poor boy
The man was eIting some bacon anC
corn bread as he rode along. anC
Jim's hungry eyes followed every
morsel with the pathetic earnestnes.
of a starving dog. He did not speak
but kept up with the horse, never
dropping his gaze, although the roaC
was full of pitfalls, as though fascin
ated by the very sight of the food
The mute appeal OF his white, holloy
face, and the thought that it wa
Chrlstmas-day, overcame me, and tn
nrsr tears OF my MANHOOD rolled dow
my cheeks.
"Toward noon we were marcbe,
into C prison. 1t was an one,
lot, encircied by a high fence. anC
crowed with ragged, dirty, and sickl,
prisoners, some of them LOOKING NOR.
like savages than civilized Americans
A rough shed ran along one side .
the fence, but az only small portion
of the men could be crowded witbiI
its limits, by far the larger nnmba,
were exposed to the weather snG
consequently were suffering from Low
fever and diseases OF the lungs A,
we entered this abode of misery w.
were Immediately surrounded bv il.
gaunt inhabitants, and oyerwbeI1,,aC
with questions. Most of them seemeG
half crazed; but the saddest snecta,
cles Of all were those who sat apart
strrnly hopeless, waiting for the de-
liverance of death.
'During the afternoon a rumo,
passed through the prison that food
was coming. By this time the ber.
rors OF the scene had sank deepIy into
my mind, my courage fell, and / knew
| could not long endure such a life
Having carried Jim to corner, ] sal
down beside him. The bow wa,
some what delirious, and / aImos,
wished could change places with him
for then l could not think. There
was one at home who would hear o.
my capture. Need say my thought,
were of her 20
| At this point Adam awakened tc
a new interest in the story.
"The f5od came at last. Bad as il
was, hunger rendered it palatabIe
Even Jim revived little; and one o.
my company, young man from the
same town, cOnfided to US his inten
ton OF trying to escape during tbs
night. 1t ~ ike running tht
gauntlet of thousand deaths, but
he was not TO be persuaded from hi
purpose; Sd l gave him a penci!ed
note, breathing courage / mysel
was tar from feeling, TO take to ny
dariing-I beg your pardon; tn
word slipped out by mistake" STAN
; mered Mr.. Blunt, with a scarlet face
'.No mistake at all" exclaimed Ad
am, as we all laughed, and the sym
pathetic Miss Michon wiped her eyes
; at Is the sweetest word in the Eng
lish language, and often use 1t my
self-''
Here there was another laugh, anC
more bushes, besides those o! thi
! Young soldier, who fastened on witt
his story.
"The man got away that night
but, OF course, we could not tel
whether he was alive or dead 4
cold rain set in, and Jim sank rapidly
J Morning dawned, and another wretch
: ed day opened before Us | tried Il
! occupy myself in making a wOodel
fork and plate, so as TO save ever,
} crumb of our scaDty allowance o
food hut as the cold increased, an,
our wet clothes grew stiff, 1 gave i
! up, and, throwing myself down be
side jim, l tried 70 pray. i wa
! reused by hand on my shoulder
ord Io,LrInc, nm 7 Gaw a COpfadara4