The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-02-01
Written for the News.
SOUTHERN PRISON-PENS.
Experience of an Anderson.
vile Prisoner in Dixie.
NO. XyXII.

VI ihdlue. ne Ddu WrlbLon Ills Wlle
letter and received an answer. All
that appeared to take a firm hold on
his mind, in his wife's letter, was the
fact that she had 40 bushels of pota-
toes in the cellar. He would tell
me how he would roast those pota
toes when he got home. He inform
ed me he never expected to be hun
CRY again as long as he lived that
when he went to town he woull pro
vi lie himself with a blsket of provis
ions, and when he had the least in
clinqtion to eat he would satisfy the
desire Immediately. He said. Court
House or church, it would make no
difference-he never expected to suf
fer pang of hunger again
We generally went to the dining
room together. He would fill his
pockets as he passed out. All the
scraps of bread were transferred to
his pocket, and when he got back to
the warI he would transfer the con
tents of his pocket to his stand
drawer H. woull buy cheese, beef,
crackers an | Bologna, an | kept con
stantly ON hand good assortment.
Iwtked up one night about mid
night, an my Ytnkee friend was
sitting IN tha si.le of the cot, with
the stand 1rawer open, anl eating
as if he bad tasted for three laysl l
believed then that if he lived to g-t
home the 40 bushels of potatoes
woul.l shrink rapidly.
About the 21st of December, I
convinced my physician that WIS
able to stand the trip home, and re
ceived certificate from him to the
surgeon in command. He gave me
a furlough and a pass to Baltimore.
I called on the master of transpor-
tation, and received of him a pass
over the Baltimore & Ohio and Mari
eta & Cincinnati Railroad to my
home in Ohio. fa
After 1 got fairly started, my anx
iety to get home was terrible strain
on my nerves. It was reported that
the rebel General E lrly was near the
B. & D. railroad, and my fears of be-
ing recaptured would be hard to de
scribe I expected to see Early and
his long, lean troopers dash up to the
train an1 recapture me, and then
good-by all hopel 1 don't often
climb a hill before I get to it, but
that WIS one time I struggled up the
tallest peaks of the Andes.
After we had pissed the dangers
of Early's scouts, then conjured up
all kinds of hobgoblins and spooks
to interfere with the trip.
In coming over the Alleghenies
the chances were good for some
kind of an accident, but the great
Controller of the Universe permitted
nothing to happen, and we hal
.fe trip to the Ohio river. No one
was drowned in crossing it, and once
more L set my foot on the shores of
my native State.
I couldn't get a train west until
next morning. 1t was the 23d Of
December, and l wanted to spend
Christmas at home. and to content
myself was trying task for an over
charged mind, but morning came at
last, though not as soon to me as it
would come to criminal that ex-
pected to be executed at sun rise.
1 seated myself in the cars, and
once more I was nearing home. Ny
destination was Leesburg, Highland
county, Ohio. About 4 o'clock in
the evening the cars had borne me
within the limits Of my own county,
and about miles from Leesburg,
aud five from my old home.
The cars checked up for Walnut
Creek bridge. A train of cars had
fallen through the bridge some time
before, and the R. R. company hadn't
repaired the wreck. Passengers and
baggage had to be transferred to a
train in waiting on the other side of
the stream.
I looked across the country, and
could almost see where my old home
was. soon decided to leave the
cars and foot it home. The sun was
just disappearing behind the tim
bers, and darkness would soon be
ever the land. There was a deep
snow on the ground, and it was cold
and rough for foot traveller, but was
that to prevent me from seeing some
friendly faces yet that night? No
and off 1 plunged through the snow
drifts and over fences.
About three quarters ofa mile from
where I left the train, camo to a
Mr.-'s. I saw horse standing
in the stable lot, and I concluded
to ask the owner to carry me as fal
as little town called Centerfeld
about II miles farther on. l called
at the gate, and the proprietor came
out and asked me what I wanted.
told him I was an Andersonvilla pris
oner, and lived over ON Hardin s
creek; that 1 had been sick and
wasn't able to travel, and was desi
rous of getting home that night.