Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-09
RUga1NG TEE BLOCKADE.
PnB EXPERIENCE OF A C0EPED-
ERATE SOLDIER,
His Trials and Tribusations Graphi-
oally Depicted Travelling through
the EHemy's Camp.

Written for The RECORD UNION by Samuel Sim
mons.
/ was at Charleston, S. c., in October,
1883, after having served three years IN
the Confederate army In the triple capacity
of fireman, soldier and member ofthe Am
bulance Corps | deem it necessary to in
form the reader that I served nine years in
the Volunteer Fire Department at Charles
ton, which service, under ordinary cir
cumstanccs was total exemption from
military duty; but this being an extraor-
binary occasion, and the fire company that
/ belonged to having volunteered to join
the army, made it almost imperative for
all to go. Ms q single individual, OF even
few of them, would not have the moral
courage to hold back. The authorities be-
came alarmed, and fearing they would lose
their entire fire department, interposed an
objection, on the ground that it would leave |
thecity unprotected againstfre. They stated |
that they did not wish to interfere with our |
act of patriotism, but they would oppose |
any attempt ON the part Of the Confederate |
authorities to order us out OF the State for /
military service. This squabble resulted in |
our being enrolled as an ambulance cOrDs
with the distinct understanding that when
ever it became necessary We could safely
count on being called upon to perform
military duty within the limits of the
State.
can assure the reader that we had our
hands full as it was particularly III 1863,
when the memorable bombardment Of
Charleston took place, followed by the bat
ties of James and Morris islands, in which
we had to participate, and after the battles
act both az ambulance corps and nurses in
tho hospitals. But l digreSs from nv
story. l had just finished three-years
enlistment and received a thirty-days' fur
Tough, with the understanding that if re-
volunteered at the expiration Of that time |
should receive a Lieutenant'B commission,
and il no: | would simply be conscripted
and
sENT TO TIE ARMY or VIRGINIA.
Ny parents resided in New York. and 7
hAd heard nothing of them since the eatab-
lishment Of the blockade, and Of course
had great desire to see or at least hear
from them, particularly as they depended :
partly on me for their support. Being
totally broken down in health and spirits ,
and heartily weary of military service, 7 ,
resolved to leave the country, or at least :
make the attempt to do So In br0achirg :
4 II
to my surprise that two others were about i,
to take the same step. We quietly per 7
feoted our plans, mode all of our arrange.
ments unobseryed and LEFT Charleston for :
Richmond about the middle Of October. !
The trip was very uninteresting and de-
void Of any incident except that at Wei l.
don, N. C., where the train stopped to :
allow the passengers half an hour for re !
ffeshments. l was rather amused to see y
tho T,oGSp1rnra I1tGb nd | "
the empty dining tables, while the proprie-
tor III the mean time showed n counter .
across the door to prevent egress. We y
waited patiently for our supper, and when :,
the time was nearly up we were served
with guttapercha steaks peanut coffee, or y
coffee made OF the peanut bean, and half r
baked corn bread. | was rather hungry, 4
but the food had sHch on unappehzing APP y
pearance that | decided to wait until [ =
reached Richmond and there appease nv y
hunger; 30 rising from the table I saun- =,
tered towards the door, requesting the pro- :,
p1etor to move his counter so that | could
pass out. lie positively declined TO do 50
until A
DOLLAR WAS FORTHCOMING. f;
He said it made no difference to him a
whether / had eaten anything or not. l O.
refused to pay from point Of principle, a,
and the passengers siding with me, mine 81
II. 4 I
passed out amidst many cheers We re- ~
'umed our journey, and early on the fol- az
owing morning we reached Richmond IL
We selected quarters at a private boarding N
house near the Brick yards, whose rear W
AGED the Libby prison. on the banks OF re
he James river. Here we earnestly, but &C
quietly, SET TO work TO ascertain the easiest NJ
way Of accomplishing our purpose, and N
learned that the first step TO be taken was 10
IL
the Provost Marshal Of Richmond On q
urther inquiry we found that they had ~
'eased issuing them altogether, and that q
we could not obtain them under any cir -
This, of course, made us feel | u
dispirited, as it necessitated a n
urther delay In the meantime we heard
IF two Others who were about 10 run the ~
blockade, a term then generally applied to I e
)ur undertaking. We put our heads to- ~
,ether, and learned, after considerable az
rouble and research, that the coveted oi
oasscs could be obtained from one Of Gen ii
Nlndcr's clerks at a cost Of about $50 each tt
We finally decided TO get them, and depu-
lzed one OF our party TO act for all leaving A
to his discretion, as we were in 81
orned there was considerable danger in ri
he application for them. We, however. ar
obtained them and purchased our outfits, III
consisting Of heavy boots, pistols, etc The al
lext move was to get a conveyance to take So
IS cut OF Richmond, which VIC obtained &,
.iter no small amount Of trouble We got hi
provisions enough 10 last Us for couple Of no
weeks as we imagined, and all arrange in
nents being completed the appointed time re
TTIved. 1t was on . Saturday night about 81
U O'Clock, in the beginning of December, de
BrTTEB COLD NIGHT, I'll
md It rained fearfully, when n covered vi
wagon, such as is used in crossing the ca
'lains, drew up in front Of our beading 90
Ouse. The driver alighted and Informed u
he landlord that everything was ready and re-
hat there was no time to be lost. We bid sc
ur landlord q hearty good-by and scraH- M
led into the wagon under cover of the Ou
lnya5. Anoth r h2sty adieu and we are va
IT, After riding all night through en-
renchlng rain We were anything but dry, AZ
Though under cover. The following ava
loDiug the sun shone brightly, and about lhi
O'Clock We reached Pamunky river. The Us
here informed us that this was the an
nj Of hisjoamey and would bid US God SUI
peed on our trip. We began to look about Il'
S Tor way OF crossing the river and saw q COZ
ait on the opposite shore IN possession Of We
couple OF negroes, and we began to shout
q order 70 attract their attention We not No
MY succeeded admirably in that respect, p!a
ut also IL rousIng squad Of videtteS who wa
'ere asleep under shelving rock on the tie
A'-Ai'fA % SAtpit tithtslttoI hbtfC Us. ! I'd
hey approached, and, after the customary dis
mutations proceeded to ryl
RfLINYE Us OF OUR PISTOLS, OUR FIrEs zee
nd tobacco, and 70 help themselves very an 5'il
beraliy 70 our PROVISIONS We closed q "a "a
arSain with the rafGsmen who had in the rN
leantme arrived, and our party crossed ! tIl
ne river in safety. and were directed BY my
lem what route 70 take in order TO reach 0es
ne MattaDony. Hero our provisions cave am
NJ, and 10 make matters worse we had to uol
e very circumspect in our movements in am
rder to avoid st,ubling on 10 a,,sI,5; -. un,
ickets We finally reacLe5 fS-yo .I,ry,,s5s she
nd after considerable baggj;T,r sr,c,oo5oS boa
] getting ten pounds Of -four, which was Ior
inverted into bread in the following novel VA