The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-03
\ CHRISTMAS IN DIXIE.
Adventures of Two Andersoayille
Prisoners Bound North.
by Michael Ieinan, szth Reg't P III, Yor1, Pal


but there were only six who lived to return
home, and one of these after being prisoner
four months, was paroled with lot of sick.
Each of the other FIVE who came home escaped
once or twice.
/ am prompted by the approaching holidays
TO relate my experience of Christmas in 1864
We had been taken away from brownsville
with the promise of being exchanged, but as
we had been deceived SO often before, we did
not believe it. Then it was reported that we
were TO be taken back to Andersonville. | and
comrade of mine, James Oren made up our
minds to escape if we could, as we would
rather run the risk Of a few mimic balls than
the Andersonyille stoekade, and the night Of
the 22d of December we succeeded near Albany,
Ga, without much injury. only we ran our
selves nearly to death. for we were very
WEAK AND BAREFooTED.
We had our toes nearly knocked off by STUN
bling against stumps and stones, for it was
dark. and we could not see. We ran till we
came to a cornfeld and fell over a corn shock;
we rested for a short while, for we could travel
no longer. When we rose we did not know
which way to proceed, but we went some dis
lance till we came to a road, which we found
near daybreak.
We were very hungry, and wanted to set
something 10 cat before We were recaptuFed, so
we went into the first slave cabin we came 20.
WskneB we had not dare be seen by white
people. We had TO depend upon the slaves, SO
we went TO the door and knocked and reused
the slaves from their beds. a negro woman
came TO the door. and when we went ia she
was SO scared she could hardly speak We
told her we We're Yankee prisoners, and asked
Tor something to eat but she was so frightened
she said they had nothing TO eat, and could not
give Us anything We told her what the Yam
KEGS were lighting for, and begged her not to
tell her master. She promised she wonld not,
and we left without rations. This was our
first disappointment, but, after travelling about
q quarter of mile along the road, we came TO
a turnip patch, and filled our bag nearly half
full Of tarnips.
1t was getting to be daylight, and we
thought it would not do to travel along the
road. so we went into the woods, aud, after
continuing about a mile, we met a negro man
carrying an AK. We told him what we were,
and asked him whether he could get us some
thing to cat he said he could not, and that
we had better keep hid, as there were detect
ives travelling about
HUNTING UP REBEL coNscRIPTs,
and they We're at his masters over night We
then struggled On through woods and fields,
till we came to small house near piece Of
woods, which we thought was occupied by
slaves. As it was toward evening, we thought
we would go in and get something to eat. We
found it occupied by whites-a man and a
woman, and a black woman. We told them
We were among lot of Unien prisoners that
were taken to Albany that day; that we got
OF the road TO get something to eat and lost
our way, and did not know how to 20 back
We asked the road TO Albany The old man
told us he thought we were good ways off
the road. He told US to follow the path till
we got into side road or lane, and to follow
that till we got to the main road. which was
about four miles from there, and then to turn
to the LEFT. We said we would, but meant to
the right.
We asked for something to cat. They told
us TO wait and they would get us a supper
They set the table fcy us The reader can I'M
agine how ne felt while they were putting on
the c0rn-breaa, boiled fresh pork, fried kidney,
and sweet potatoes We could hardly wait till
they told us to sit up. When it was ready we
sat up and did our duty
LIKE STARVING MIN AT A BANQUET.
We thanked them kindly, bid them good
bye, and started of with an extra big corn
pone and some roasted sweet potatoes. This
man was about eighty-fye years cid, and
could not walk; he told us his name was John
Calhoun; that he was named after the great
South Carolinian, John G. Calhoun.
That night we lost ourselves We came to a
house at piece OF woods, where we could not
see any road or path, and could not determine
which way TO 60, SO we went to the house and
raped AID knocked, but got no answer We
tried the latch the door opened We found the
house was empty, so we concluded To stay over
night, and hunt the road III the morning. We
went into large room, laid on the floor, and
covered with an old quilt we had CAPTURED
We lay there about ten minutes, studying
when 10 we heard noise like rolling ter-pins.
or distant thunder up the stairs. We listened.
jim nndged me and asked me If [ was asleep
/ answered, no. lie asked me if heard that
faf.fGa fl.,u a. Il ~. 4
the house was haunted, and that was WIN no
body lived in it, and asked what we should do
told him, draw the Old quilt over our heads
aud stay. Rest assured, We spoke in whispers.
We lay there. do not know how long, before
we went to sleep; but in the morning | was
awakened by the quilt being jerked of me-
and jim swearing. | jumped up. Thought
the spook or the devil was after me. When |
asked what was the matter, ne said: You
ought to see the :.
RATS GOING AFTER OUR TURNIPs
and rorn-brcad" As the sun was M. we Law
there about an hour and watched the rats.
How thew would come down along the scant-
ling. the house not being plastered, and when
We made little noise they would get III a
hurry There must have been about one hun
dred of them.
Ny story IS getting too long: so 1 will pass
on to Christmas eve at once when we hap
pened to get in with jolly good set of slaves,
where we got spare-ribs, corn-bread, lots Of
sweet potatoes tobacco, a flint steel and horn
TO make fire, and big Christmas cake, baked
Of corn meal and molasses 1t was good They
put us on the road to Savannah They told US
10 follow the seven stars as they always set
right at Savannah, and we tried TO do so. We
lett there at about 10 o'clock at night, but lost
ourselves several times, and did not get further
than i've or six miles, as the road was hard to
follow. In most places it was but path, and
the wire-grass covered it up.
Isabella and Irwin counties were thinIy SET
tied, rs the houses were four or FIVE miles, and
some places ten miles, apart, and the roads
were very little travelled at that time
December 25th-Christmas day-we put IN
in an old shanty in the woods, made fire and
cooked our Christmas dinner in a stew pan we
had. 1t was turnips and spare ribs While we
were cooking the door opened and a man came
in aud said Where do you fellows come
from; what are you doing here?p Jim told
him we We're rebel soldiers, going home ON
furlough. | saw that he did not believe it. so
l told him we were Union prisoners from
Andersonyille; that we had escaped and would
work for our board. lie said he knew we were
fanks, as he had been guarding at Anderson
vile Tor three months. He asked what we
worked at. told him we would work at any
thing but that was shoemaker, and would
work at that if could get it, Jim said he
was farmer and would work at splitting
rails, or anything of that kind. He told us he
could get us places TO work. He said we