The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-05-20

no. Off Ger OF the guard. whose merit was
not All IN name. came upon duty. aud see
Ing my sufferings loo>enei the straps around
my wrists So that | could recliu. after !
fashion though | got no sleep, Is a con
unual stream Of soldiers thronCei the door
of the cabin, and. as may be imagined, their
remarks Were not conducive 10 sleep.
I'D spy He going TO be shot this af
terDoor. Ought to be hanged as high ar
Haman Isn he a harl looking
case were specimens Of the constantly
recurring remarks of the lounging Blue
coats. | do not think was frightened
thereat but they naturally served to keen
the mind in a strain of apprehension, won
denng what next was about to transpire.
RIBBED IN A PIG sTYE.
During the afternoon the prisoner was re-
moved TO an old carriage house, where there
could he no fire, nor any floor to sleep upon;
and where the accumulation of filth was
nauseating. One end OF the shed was open,
and here a sentinel was posted day and
night. Six other soldiers occupied a tent
directly in front, as a Reserve Guard in case
| should give trouble. Yet there was little
hands and feet, and was now very weak
from lack of food. Toward sunset Lieut..
S. became so exhausted he was forced to
swallow pride, and beg the guard to bring
him something to eat, and also to allow him
a board from the fence to form a bed. The
corporal hesitated long; but eventually gave
the board, aud about dusk brought a tin
cup of very weak tea, and two hard tack"
or crackers The tea was unsweetened, the
crackers "wormy,' yet even this meagre
Rtorsel had the flavor Of ambrosia after my
long fast. Besides my hands we're neces-
sarIIy loosened from behind my back during
'meal-time, so-called, which was an indis-
cribable relief from the pain Of a steady pos
| ture.
HALE
And now, will the reader credit it :? [
must state that for seven consecutive days !
was kept bound hand aud foot In that filthy
pen. and was allowed only the half pint of
dish water tea, and the two worm eaten
crackers twice a day VIZ. at 9 a. M. and 3
.. m. Occasionally. however, a guard, see
ing the furnished condition of the prisoner,
would cut the thick rind from his ration of
salt pork. and having broiled it in the fire
would hand it in by meansof a long switch.
| have often wondered why this bread
and water diet was inflicted upon me be
cause even one under sentence of death is
entitled to humane treatment. Long, and
weary, and drcary, was this week OF waiting,
especially after a cold rain storm set In to
increase the gloom. But ! could congratu
late myself on having a root over my head );
whereas there were one thousand other
Confederate prisoners In q held near by
without tents or any kind Of shelter. Squads
of these, accompanied by a guard, were
continually passing In front of the carriage
shed on their way to the spring and it at
torded the prisoner some amusement to
watch the quick change IN their counter
anccs: at first all curiosity, az they craned
their necks 70 see the desperate charac
ter" then a sudden lengthening # phiz, as
they heheld his manacles, and an expression
which said loudly as words-'Ah! poor
devil! You're gone upl Tight as . rat in
a trap Wish | could help you bit you
see I'm jagged myself
RAIDERS IN THE sEARI
Suddenly on the morning of the 18th
| there was an uproar in camp, Drums rat
tied, and the %sentry's talked together ia
the prisoner gathered that the bulk of
Grants army had crossed 10 Petersburg as
[ insisted he was doing; and that Wade
Hampton with a powerful column was raid
ing around 10 ''gooble up the stra ygiers,
and cut off the rear guard. IF that Is go"
~-ouoth the guard--'we shall have to make
quick time for the White House
Something Of this was really The ease.
The sound OF moving trains which 1t. s.
heard ON the night OF the liIA, were Orant $
extra baggage and munit,on trains filing
down the peninsula in the direction Of New
Kent court house, to get beyuud Lee 5
right flank at Bo.tom's Bridge. ard then
cross owe. the narrow strip between the
Chickahomipy anu the .,a,nes, passing the
former river at the Long Rrilge. and Jones,
So miles east .,f Richmond. Next day the
whole body OF fighting men TOOK the same
route, and formed Ell n,sssc upon the high
bluffs Of the Jalues near Wilcox landing,
not far from Charlie City court house and
! below City Point. Next da, pontoon
bridge! we're laid. and Grant threw himself
upoo the south side Of the James river,
more than twenty mile. farther distant from
Richmond than when he confronted Us at
Coal Harbar!
HCRRfING 10 TIE rAUN,SkE..
Ato J. 10. without giving him br aktas,,
the prisoner sanrkle- we're r~crns7-a sa1 he