The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-04-19
GOODBYE TO DIXIE.
The Escaped Prisoners Story---A
Night Alarm.
[By John F. Hill, Co. K, 89h o. HLI

".
We had Just fallen into doze when the dogs
set up an alarming barking and we heard some
one halloing at the top of his voice. Our host,
Mr.. Yates, was disturbed as well as ourselves.
and, going to the door, inquired, in a gruH
voice: I" What is wanted?"
(which is the way to Thompson's tavern,
and can we stay all night?' was the reply.
The strangers were told that they were
within two miles of the tavern, but that he
did not think he could keep them over night,
since he did not know who they were or what
their business was.
To this they responded that they were Con-
federate soldiers on duty at Danville, and
were in search of some runaway Yankees who
had escaped from the prison there on Saturday
night.
"By the Eternal, you don't say So" said
Yates. 81 How many of the blue devils have
got away?"
About sixty" they replied.
Our host spoke in very loud voice, for no
other reason, as We believed, than that we
might hear what he said, and his words made
the very hair on our heads stand on end In
deed we began to fear that after all we had
been deceived.
"Come in, come in," said Yates, as if he
were commanding brigade of soldiers "eome
in gentlemen, and let us hear all about it. /
have some of as good apple-jack as you ever
drank in Old Virginia"
Good God," says Stookey to me, "we are
betrayed; what shall we do?" | advised him
to be quiet, and to watch and wait
The soldiers accepted the invitation, and we
could hear their sabers rattle as they walked
across the rooms below, and the noise they
made while laughing and talking. but could
not understand what they were saying
However, they only remained about an hour,
and with joy we heard them depart "Old
Eternal went out with them and said some
~ IL L. Al
sound of the retreating hoof-beatS OF their
horses was the sweetest music you can imagine.
We were now ready to commend our
selves to the care of an Allwise Proyi
dence for the remainder of the night, but
before we went to sleep we hastily reviewed
the scenes of the past day. Some hand more
than human had evidently guided our steps
that day and had provided us with true and
devoted friends And so we fell asleep again,
but it seemed as if we had just closed our eyes
when we were aroused by Mr.. Yates. He told
US that we must get up at once, dispose of the
breakfast which he had made ready, and then
repair with him TO new hiding place, as he
thought it would not be safe for us to remain
in or about his house during the day. He in
formed us that he had learned from the soldiers
that the authorities were making great efforts
for our recapture. A number of our fellow
prisoners had already been recaptured, and a
few had even gone back of their own accord
on Sunday, having neither the strength nor
fortitude to pursue their journey. As soon as
| breakfast was over, therefore, Mr.. Yates and
! his little SON conducted us to a dense thicket
about half mile from the house. 1t had
formerly been a cultivated field, but had been
! neglected, and the second growth of oak, chest
nut and pine was so thick that we had to get
| down on our hands and knees in order to force
our way into it. We had gone distance of
about one hundred yards from the road when
/ i
| and left us for the day, promising to send us
our dinner out by his little boy, and in the
evening to come out himself and bring us some
! clothes.
| TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH.
| We now had chance to make up the lost
| sleep of the last three days and having pre-
| pared a bed of leaves, we huddled together in it
as warm and comfortable as could be, and in a
| few moments were far away in dreamland.
1t was about noon when we awoke, feeling
much refreshed. Twelve o'clock came and we
began to look for our dinner, but no boy ap-
peared. We could hear horsemen riding up
and down the road, and we knew from the
! rafting of their sabers that they were Con-
federate soldiers, but feeling sure that they
could not penetrate to our hiding place, we
We're not greatly alarmed. The afternoon
slowly wore away, but without any signs of
| dinner, and we began to imagine that there was
| something wrong. Towards sundown how
| ever, the boy arrived with basket of pro-
| visions. He said that the Confederates had
! come to his house that morning and made his
father turn out to help in the search for us. He
told us also that eight of our men had been cap
tured that day in sight of the house. on the public
] road, along which they were travelling, and his
mother had given them their dinner. He further
informed Us that his father had not got back yet,
| and he could not tell when he would. We ate
very large supper, and after dispatching it
| felt so we'll and strong that we told the boy we
| would not wait any longer, but would resume
our journey that night. We accordingly sent a
message of thanks to his father and dismissed
| him.
/ 1t was little after dark when we began to
| crawl from our hiding place, and started out
once more for the Land of Promise We
dashed off at furious speed, IN q northeast
direction, paying no attention to roads and
making our way over cultivated fields and
through the traekless woods. We had probably
Travelled half a dozen miles, and having emerged
from a cornfield were crossing road or lane
when we heard some one riding rapidly to-
wards us. In our hurry to climb fence upon
the opposite side of the road in order to get
into the pasture beyond, we all three attempted
to climb over at the same panel, and as a result
the top rail gave way. The writer fell back
| wards into the road again, but his two COM
panions fell forwards, and had scarcely touched
the ground when they took to their heels and
went bounding off like deer. By the time ]
had got on my feet again the horseman had
ridden up. l saw instantly, by the light OF
the moon, that he was negro. As he passed
me he raised his cap and said, Howdy do
massa." OF course, l felt very much relieved
and fattered myself that was not such a fool
as my two companions, to run away from q
genteel and polite African! 1t was some time
before | found my comrades, and when l did
they were at the farther side of the pasture
hid in a fence corner and painting like dogs
After indulging in a good laugh over our fright
we started off again, and did not meet single
other person that night. We travelled very
rapidly over level country, and crossed in the
night quite large stream of water that in
wadng we found to be more than waist deep
Its name / never knew. The moon went down
about midnight, but we continued our journey
/ for an hour or so longer, until we found that ws
were beginning to wander from our course
when we halted and looked about for suitable
camping place. We finally selected the side O
a log in dense thicket of small underbrush
1t was agreed that we should all three sleeI
that night in one bed. The place in the mid
die was considered the post of pleasure, and We
got into quite an argument as to who should
occupy that station. We were all wet and cold
and each desired the place. The question wa
finally determined in favor of Sergeant Stooky
as he was the ranking officer, with the under