The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-06-27

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 would have been brigadier's commis-
 sion to me d-n you l will hang you
 for 1t. Up to this time had taken the
 situation smilingly and pleasantly, be-
 cause did not apprehend violence; but
 the officer, lyid with rage and disap-
 pointment, directed one of his men to
 take the halter from his horse and hang
 me to a designated limb of a tree. The
 halter was adjusted around my neck.
 and thrown over the limb. Seeing that
 the officer was desperately in earnest. [
 sald, "msjor, before you perform this
 operation, allow me to make a su, ges-
 ton" Be d-d quick about it. then.n
 Suppose that was General Morgan, as
 you insist, and have led you astray. as
 you insist, wouldn't 1, being a member
 of his command, deserve to be hung if I
 had not done what you charge me with 2''
 He dropped his head for a moment,
 looked up with more pleasant expres-
 sion and said. "by God boys, he is right
 let him alone"
 am satisfied that this manner of ap-
 peal to soldierly pride is the only thing
 that saved me from his anger and cha
 grln. was placed under guard of two
 soldiers and sent across the river to camp.
 while the officer in command took his
 men over the mountain in search of Gen.
 eral Morgan. General Morgan, however,
 succeeded in making good his escape
 after several adventures, the details of
 which do not know. The next evening
 the major returned with his command
 from his unsuccessful pursuit. He ques- toned me closely, wanting to know my name; ii l was private iD the com mand, as had stated to him at the time ot my capture. Remembering that in prison the underclothing of Captain Bull lit had been exchanged for mine, and that l then had on his with his name on them In ink, l assumed the name of Bul- lit.
 ca the evening of the second day in this camp the major invited me to go with him and take supper at the house of unionist half a mile away. We spent the evening with the family until nine o'clock, when the major suggested that we should go back to camp. On reaching the front gate, twenty steps from the front veranda, he found that he had left his shawl in the house, and re- turned to get 1t, requesting me to await his return. A young lady of the family was standing in the door, and when he went in to get the shawl she closed the door. IwaS then perfectly free, but 1 could not get my consent to go. For a moment ot time while thus at liberty, I suffered intensely in the effort to deter mine what was the proper thing to do. Upon the one hand was the tempting offer of freedom, that was very sweet to me after so many months of close con. fnement, while on the other was the fact that the officer had treated me with great kindness, more as a comrade than as a prisoner, that the acceptance of his hos pitality was tacit parole and my escape would involve him in trouble. l re- until his return. He was great ly agitated, evidently realizing for the irst time the extent of his indiscretiop. and surprised undoubtedly at finding me quietly awaiting his return. had not to return to prison, but rather than break faith l awaited some other occasion, however desperate, to effect an escape. Notwithstanding all this, something excited suspicion of me, tor the next morning, while lying in a tent apparently asleep, heard the off, cer direct sergeant to detail ten men and guard me to Kingston, and he said to the sergeant, "put him on the meanest horse you have, and be watchful or he will escape" l was taken to Kingston and placed in jail, and there met three of our party who had been captured on the north side of the Tennessee river, at he time we attempted to cross. They were R. C. Church, William Church, and - Smith. After two days confinement here, we were sent under guard of welve soldiers to the camp of the Third Kentucky federal infantry, under com- nand of Lieutenant-C Colonel Dunlap. The camp was opposite the town of Low ion, and was prepared for winter quar- CTS. The large forest trees had been elled for . quarter of mile around the amp, and log huts built in regular lines or the occupation of the troops. We were placed in one of these huts with hree guards on the inside, while the ,uards who delivered us there were lo- ;ated around camp fire some ten steps D front of the only door to our hut, and Iround the whole encampment was the egular camp guard. The next day, as ve had learned, we were to be sent to Knoxville, Tenn, which was then Gen. ral Burnside's headquarters, and as 'new l would there be recognized, and. n account of my previous escape, that ny chances for freedom would be ednced to the minimum, we determined 0 escape that night.
 It was perfectly clear, the moon about nii, making the camp almost as light as lay, and as the moon did not 20 down !ntil short time before daylight we con- iuded to await it's setting. The door of he cabin was fastened by latch on the nside. The night was cold. We had nly pretended to sleep, awaiting our op- ortunity. When the moon was down re arose, one after another, from our ouches, and went to the fire to warm. We engaged the guards in pleasant con- ersasion, detailing incidents of the war.
 stood with my right next the door, fac ng the tire and the three guards, and my standing immediatelv on mv