Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-04-28

hastened the peace which finally sue
cesded those years of fratricidal war.
In this day and generation tales from
the slave lend of the past are like tradi-
tions of the dark ages, before enlighten-
ment had taught the human race the
difference between right and wrong.
Yet the living historian need not go
back to the beginning Of his career to
draw from personal experiences many
incidents connected with the overthrow
of bondage in our own fair land. The
soldiers of Sherman, whose banners and
bayonets carried freedom to downtrod-
den raoe. frequently witnessed the effects
Of human slavery upon its victims and
q marked example from the store
may not be out OF place in this sketch,
as it takes the form of rather exciting
adventure.
During one of the early December
days Of the march, while approaching
the Ogeechee river. small advance
squad of mounted foragers
were carefully picking their way
through tho intricacies of gloomy
cypress swamp, when the sound Of
something moving through the water
attracted attention. Their horses were
spurred forward in the direction of the
disturbance, deployed in ssml-circular
order, and finally they closed together
about q huge log, halls imbedded in the
morass. The object of their search was
speedily dislodged from the water and
mud underneath the log. 1t was a
negro, black as the Doggy depths from
which he rose. dripping with the slime
OF his hiding place, and entirely naked.
His back, arms and shoulders were
lacerated and bleeding and his
head confused and cut. As he found
himself surrounded by the astonjshed
band Of bummers, with their revolvars
and carbines ready foE uss, lie was q
picture of the most intense agony Of
terror. Speeehless from fright, naked,
torn and bleeding, lodged in the almost
inaccessible reoesses OF the swamp. we
hardly knew how to classify him among
the inhabitants of that 8 re-
gion. But his skin was black
and that was the loyal hue in o
land of Caucasian treason. So We took
him ashore, slnng ACROSS the back OF q
hofse, for his knees had lost their rig-
idity and he was in a state Of physical
collapse. In the courss of time the
fears of this arrange article of fcontraband
goods we're quseted through the most
lavish promises Of friendship and pro-
lection. He explained matters, though
with much doubtng reluctance. His
master, whose name was Ben Newton,
owned an adjoining plantation and the
day previous had begun the job of fog
ging the life out of his chattel. While
the brutal punishment was in nsegress
the negro had broken loose his fasten-
ings and escaped in the swamp, where
he had eluded capture until our squad
OF union soldiers inadvertently ran upon
his hiding place. He had been told
the most horrible stories regarding the
practices of the Yanks, and in his SIM
pllcity believed them all. So when he
found himself surrounded by squad Of
supposed cannibalistic monsters from
the north it tseemed that he had jumped
from the frying pan into the fire, fgura-
lively speaking. In his crude reasoning
lusk was against him and he had better
have remained under the slaveholder's
lash and taken a mild
and christian-like departure
into the mysterious beyond, rather than
yield himself up to be dismembered and
devoured by fragments. 1t is true that
the denseiy Ignorant among tbs Africans
believed outrageous statements made by
their masters regarding the habits and
practices of the invading host. But We
disarmed the fears of cur captive and in
time induced him to give his story to
the general commanding the corps. We
kept him for that purpose until the col
umn came up, having something more
than suspicion of the consequences. The
order was issued to burn every thing on
MIR, Newton's premises and to lay
! yaate his plantation, end then the dar-
key was turned over to the care of los
pital steward. his wounds anointed and
an ontit of his masters clothing pre-
sented to him. Tho order was executed
most faithfully, and if time kas not OBJ
literated the marks Of destruction there
yet remains on that Ogeechee planta'
tion the aches Of soourge placed by
the vengefui hands of willing expon
ents of swift retributive Justice.
The psople who lives i'd the real and
supposed pathway Of Sherman's army
as it moved onward to the sea wsr,
panic stricken at the approach
|of so fo.midable force and yer,
many OF them fcolishly flee
from their homes, travelling on horse
back, in wagons or calls and on foot
icarrying with them such necessaries 81
conld be moved with their limited trans
portation facilities. In numerous in
stances miscalculations as to the pre'ba
! Bile course Of the army made refugee
!, Of families whose places Of abode wer
!! far to tbs right or the left ofethe regiol
covered BY the several federal columns
Not unfrequently these fleeing Gsor
1 gisns would place themselyea in th
way Of the army ID their eRorts to escap