The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-05-18
IFor the News.
SOUTHERN PRSON-PENS.
Experience of anAnderson-
Vile Prisoner in Dixie.
NO. x.
THE LAST OF TUCKER.

| presence. Walter Graham invited
me to take dinner with him anC
Evans, which I accepted thankfully
+ 1 was permitted to go with them tt
their quarters, where they had yer,
good dinner of fried ham, butter ant
corn cake. After dinner got a good
supply of tobacco and returned tc
prison. In the evening had my frs
ague chill. Steve House came tc
my assistance with a quarter ounce
vial of quinine, which he said cost
SO in Confederate scrip.
The next morning had orders tc
prepare for marching The prepar
ing consisted of getting down the
steps and out into the street, where
we found company of Alabama in
fantry awaiting to receive us, and
we were soon on the road, moving
East-we didn't know where, but
anywhere was preferable to staying
at Canton, that accursed place.
When 1 parted with my friends
Graham and Evans, they presented
me with $40 of Confederate scrip,
which 1 expressed my thanks for.
We started afoot, and after going
about three miles 1 discovered the
boots l had received wouldn't do to
travel in. Part of one foot was con
tinually finding its way out on the
ground, and the other was shaving
a little too close to be comfortable,
so kicked them up in a fence cor
ner, and the remains of them are
problbly there to this day. I then
hobbled along barefooted.
We took the route that Gen. Sher-
man had travelled about month be-
fole, and the people were very hos
tile towards us. Sherman's troops
had used up the country for several
miles wide. The fences were thrown
down and rails burnt up whenever
they needed them for fuel. The peo-
pie wanted to take charge of us.
They couldn't be made to believe
but what we were the same men that
were with Sherman, when IN fact
there were but two of US that belong
ed to Sherman's command.
One old lady asked a guard who
we were. He told her we were Yam
kee prisoners. Eyes, said she, ''you
are the very rascals that went in my
smoke house" 1 told her we never
were along that road before, and we
didn't belong to Sherman's army,
''Now lie, you houndl you are the
very chap that skinned my milk
crooks" She followed us a hundred
yards, to enable her to pour out the
wrath that had accumulated in her
faithful breast since Sherman's army
had passed.
Billy Marooney came riding up to
me in the evening of the first days
march, looking very pale, and as soon
as he got a chance he whispered to
me that he was gone up, Il am ru
ined, said he, ''for I know one of
the guards. He and I used to be
long to the same company, and if he
recognizes me l will be shot for a de
serter. Don't you call me HarOones,
but call me Smith, or something
else" The boys were all duly eau
toned as soon as the word could be
passed from one to another quietly.
Marooney had cause for alarm, as
the sequel will show. Before the
war broke out he was a sailor, and
had been on a long cruise to the East
Indies and other places, and didn't
know that the North and South were
at war The vessel that he was on
was making her way in to New Or
leans, when a rebel gunboat fired a
shot across her bow and ordered her
to haul to and lower her flag. AS
they had no arms aboard to defend
themselves with, they surrendered
The sailors were all put in prison
that wouldn't go into the Southern
ranks. Marooney was one OF the
number that went to prison. He
laid in prison three months, and at
last, in order to get his liberty, he
enlisted in an Alabama company OF
infantry, and served with the rebels
until he got a chance, when he gave
himself up to our soldiers during an
engagement. He was treated as a
prisoner by the North and confined
at st. Louis, where he took the oath
of allegiance to the Federal Govern
ment and enlisted in the Marine
Cavalry. The only hope Billy had.
as he thought, was to escape recog
milton. He knew the consequences
if he was discovered, and he wouldnt t
walk on the same side of the road
that the guard was on
Night came on, and we went into
camp, and morning put us on the
move. The writer was tender-foo
ed, but limped along. About 2
O clock P. NJ. l took another chill.
I kept going as long as / could. but
finally got so bad 1 couldn't go. L
Jagged behind, and a guard stayed
back with me, not very tender
hearted one. for he kept URGING me