The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-11-16
VOLUME xiv.

mediately received an invitation to a we'd
ding supper, dining party, or a feast of
some kind. How anxiously [ awaited the
announcement Of supper, and how my eyes
devoured the long table loaded with turkey,
chicken salad, roast pig, mutton, cakes and
fruit, only man in like situation can
imagine; but my eyes alone devoured these
delicacies. for the very instant that the re-
past was to begin, and before had tasted a
morsel, / always awoke. | used to wonder
why | could not sleep on until the feast was
finished, and after while, was sensible in
my dream of making an effort to continue
sleeping at the critical moment when ] was
in the act Of raising a piece of barbecued
pork to my lips | also used to try the
trick OF going to the kitchen, at these feasts
to get something to eat, before the supper
was announced, well knowing in my dream,
that | would wake up at the supper table.
But the same thing occurred here and every
where; never tasted mcrsel of the delici-
Gus yiands always saw spread out before me.
In my distorted imagination, Kennesaw
mountain used frequently to change into an
immense wedding cake, from which, with
my sword, / cut big square pieces, which
always slipped from my fingers, and rolled
down the mountain side. Regiments of
soldiers on dress parade turned into long
rows of roasted potatoes, and the Colonel
became a gigantic turkey gobler, dressed
and cooked to tune, with a carving knife
under his left wing for sword; whenever
| reached for a potatoe the Colonel gobbled
out an order, and the regiment rolled away.
Ny snmptuous dreams, which only served
to render me a modern Tantalus, finally
resolved themselves into continuous
Kaleidoscope view of all the different kinds
of eatables, chat had ever seen, piled in an
immense heap on the prison campus; and
around this; night after night, and hour
after hour, | stGlked a veritable hungry
ghost, until the roll of the morning drum
broke the horrible spell.
At last | zee surrendered, and the Govern
ment relented then they gave US navy
beans. coffee, plenty Of bread and meat, and
we were happy. The release of the
prisoners began soon after, and was
effected in alphabetical order; a squad
of fifty or seventy-fve being released
each day. AS my name was far down
the alphabet, was one of the last to leave.
The prison was almost deserted; and the
great old buildings that lately had teemed
with restless humanity, stood dark and
gloomy in the almost fearful silence of the
June evenings. The guards on the wall re-
laxed their vigilanco, and allowed us to
cross the dead line; rats began to reapPear,
and grass sprang up on the street"
The order for my release is dated June
18th, 1865 it contains on one side the
printed oath of allegiance to which | was
compelled to subscribe, "freely and volun-
tariIy, without any mental reservation or
evasion" and on the reverse side, my
descriptive list, and an order for quarter
/ lo tp flT Sh
tion by rail and steamboat to the point
nearest my home. The same day walked
the streets of Sandusky City without the
sensation of guard with loaded musket
at my side.
| On the whole route South, which, on ac-
count of the difficulties of transportation
at that time, occupied three weeks, | was
! not subjected to a single taunt nor insult ;
on the contrary, was furnished with money
and provisions by people at different points
along the route the Government i'll fur
nishing transportation, having overlooked
the trif1ing matter of something to eat on
/ the way. [ was indebted during my stay
/ in Sandusky, to the kindness of an old Lake
| Erie fisherman from ''Tyrone amongst the
bushes" for food and shelter rendered with
/ a native grace that placed me entirely at
ease; and to the hospitatities of noble
/ lady of Cincinnati during my detention
there. A Presbyterian minister in Cairo,
of Scotch-Irish lineage, handed me five
dollar bill, which l returned from the tlrst
money earned after the war. | owe five
dollars now, to wealthy merchant IN
| Louisville, from whom had a right to ask
loan, and which he granted with such a
surly grace and such a strict injunction to
return it Immediately on my arrival home,
that | never thought it worth while to dc
so: even if / had, could net at that time
have returned the minutest corner of ten
cent shinplaster l believe he has my note,
and am willing even at this late day to
make all necessary reparation by giving him
this public notice of bankruptcy through
the newspapers.
/ The order, above referred to, is stamped
all over with the red ink of quartermaster'
at the different posts along the ronte. The
last is dated Meridian, July 8th. and on the
same night reached the spot from which
four years and six months before, on thu
9TH of January, 81, had gone forth with
the heroic determination of gobbllng up
dozen Yankees "before breakfast" RAM
grass and tall sunhowers grew where thu
house had stood, and in the light OF th'
, waning moon the blackened chimneys ros
like spectres above the surrounding desoia
tion. w.
YAzoo CRY, Nov. 1881.