The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-05-31

who was at that time prisoner IN Camp
Chase, Ohio.
THE HOME STRETCH.
At our friends house we met two rebel de-
serters who were waiting for an opportunity
to get inside of the Union lines, and they
agreed to go with us. We were now within
twelve miles of Fayetteville, where a brigade
of Union troops were on.duty. 1t was about
10 o'clock when we started, and we hoped to
reach the lines-which we supposed would be
two miles this side of the town-before dark.
Now that we were on the " home Stretch" we
could not help thinking how awful it would
be should we be captured after all, almost
within sight of home
We followed the river for seven miles, and
then struck across the country in the direction
of the military post. We walked very rapidly,
for the nearer we got to the lines the more I'M
easy we felt Three miles from Fayetteville
we struck the Raleigh pike. 1T is not far,
now," said our companions 'Steady! One
more EFFORT Hold your breath! Another step,
and we are-free!" A moment later as we
turned bend in the road, we saw half mile
or more ahead of us the Union pickets. Did
our eyes deceive US? No. They wore the
blue. A shout went up from our little COM
pany. Our joy was Undesirable. Bunyan's
Pilgrim, when he crossed the Jordan, felt
no happier than we did. We met the sentinel
with smiling faces. Throwing his musket
| across his arm, he said placidly, Men, let me
see your passes" And now our story had to
be told again. Thesentinel listened patiently,
as he stood there leaning upon his musket.
When we were through, he told us to stand
aside for d few moments. The deserters then
told their story, and he told them to pass in.
He then returned to us again, and said that
| his instructions were not to allow anyone to
pass inside the lines unless they had passes,
were rebel deSerters, or refugees Our claim
! H.
to him, and he could not understand how it
could possibly be true, but hoped it was. He
| also told us that he belonged to the Ninety
| first Ohio infantry, and if we were actually
Ohio soldiers, he would gladly welcome us into
| the lines. While we were still talking, the
corporal came around with the o'clock relief
accompanied by cavalry patrol. The horse
man was sent by the corporal to the COM
mander of the post-Colonel White-to know
what to do with us. The cavalryman must
have ridden like John Gilpn, for he was back
| in the twinkling of an eye with orders from
| Colonel White to arrest u.s. and bring us in
under guard, and take us before the provost
marshal for examination.
WITHIN THE LINES.
| Tt must have been rather amusing to see
three half naked, crippled, miserable crea-
| tures-one supported by two sticks-marching
| Off between a corporal and his guard, armed
with heavy muskets with fixed bayonets and
no doubt the guard had curious thoughts, for
am certain they did not give much credence to
our story. They thought it impossible that
three Yankee soldiers should have been able to
| traverse a distance of 800 miles through an
enemys country without being captured.
| However, we soon reached the town, and went
marching down one of its principal streets. We
were closely scrutinized by every one we met
| or passed. and as we were turning a corner,
! where some soldiers were standing and chat
! ting, one of the boys cried out, Johnnies, did
they rope you in?" | only smiled. Into the
august presence of the provost marshal, of Fay
etteville, we were ushered. The question was
| Immediately asked, "Who are your"
| Very calmly we told our whole story, with
| all the earnestnesso of which we were capable
/ 1t took some time TO do This, and when we had
reached the conclusion, we found that the
| afternoon was far spent. The provost marshal
! whether honest or not in his opinion, could
not tell-said he was at q loss to know what to
| do with US. He felt incompetent to pass upon
| the question whether we We're bogus or not,
| and would have to'reter the matter to Colonel
! White, the commander of the post but it was
so late that he could not send US that evening,
and would have to keep us there over night.
What should be done with us meanwhile, was
the next question, and the marshal informed us
/ that not knowing whether we were telling the
| truth not, he would have to send us to the
| guard-house for the night and keep us under
| guard until the next morning.
SAVED FROM THE GUARD-HoUsE.
Whether he acted wisely or not will leave
| it with the reader to determine. Our opinion
was that he thought more of his doubts and
| scruples than he did of our suferiRgs On
hearing the order given to commit u.s. ex-
! claimed in anger, !" Go to the guard house !!
| From rebel prison-a rebel hell-to Union
| guard How much more / said / can
not tell. For once | was as mad as March
hare, and l remember pleading with all the
| eioquence that was in me. We shook our rags
in his face,-the remnants of the loyal blue"
and pointed to my bleeding feet, and closed
| by asking whether spies could be serviceable
in our condition? The end of it all was that
we did not go to the guard house. Quite q
crowd had gathered in the office, attracted by
our novel appearance. Among them was the
captain of company A, Ninety first Ohio. He
had sat there and heard our whole story, and
! just as we were about to take up our march for
the guard house. this noble captain stepped
up, and with an oath that made the blood leap
wildly through our veins, said we should not go
to the ard-house-that we had seen enough
OF such places! Our appearance was alone
| enough to convince any one. Humanity de-
manded that we should have better treatment,
and 1t would be disgrace to the command
| anu tHey WOULD 1eeI III, 100, AFTER our true
characters were established if they dared to
put US under guard again. He wound up by
declaring that if the marshal would let him, he
would take charge of US, and would be respon-
| slble Tor our appearance the next morning at
the marshals office at o'clock sharp.
TO this proposition the marshal finally agreed,
and our new surety hurried us off to his quar-
| ters. AS it was then dark, he took us to one
OF the mess squads and gave us an introduc-
| ton to such of his boys as were present and
then told them to ego for us!" And go for
us they did. We were taken to the kitchen
where large camp kettle of water was warm
ing. Then our old rags, which had shielded
our poor bodies from the rain and cold and
wind, were stripped off, carried outside of the
camp, and thrown away, they were, l
must admit, verminous! A good warm bath
aroused our spirits, and made us feel like new
creatures. Then in came the soldiers, each
with some gift-pants, shirts, shoes-and i'll a
short time, we were as clean and respectable
looking as any of the rest, except perhaps, that
our hands and faces showed that our rations
had been very scanty for some time past.
Among my own countrymen of Ohio found a
pair OF shoes large enough for me They
were number twelves, aud just the size to go
over my bruised and swollen feet. / was less
fortunate in the matter of pants. They looked
as if they had been cut one foot too short in
the legs
| To be concluded