The National tribune., 1888-08-30

INSPECTED ~ TIE EATIVE WoagN.


INSPECTED BY TIE NATIVE WOAEE.
7 st fEgt thought could deceive them, aud ST.
sWered that we were sent along the road TO sss
if it was properly guarded, and II those who
were detailed for that service weTs attending
TO their duty. The guard proved 70 be an old
man and what YVES then called By the rabsl
authorities the Senior Reserve CCrps," which
was composed Of old men who were not able 70
stand tho fatigue Of the field, but who could
perform such duties as guarding prisoners Of
war, bridges and othoF light duties
When answered him IS I did conld zee
that he knew / was not telling the truth and
when be again asked who il WAS that sent Us
down the road, and to what command We be-
ioaged, answered: I guess it's 20 use trying
to deceive you. Ne are escaped prisoners from
Salisbury"
He said Z" I Thought Es much not only from
your talk but from your Uniform, which [
know Is that Of 3 Yankee soldier. Well, I
guess we'll have to take you snd send you back
azsin; although, if It had not been for
That noise you made while crossing en- the
bridge, and which woke us up, es We were gil
asleep IN our cabin below, and when va we're
swzkoR6d We could look up st the bridge and
see you against the sky. Seeing you coming
toward our end Of the bridge. We prepared TO
EeesiTs yOu. But" said he 70 me, ia an under
tone 81 would just 81 leave not have Besn you;
because re hear Ranls horrible stories ab0Us
Salisbury Prison and I don't think tie right TO
pen men UP aHd Etarve them; hut there ere too
many Of Us guards who know Of your capture,
So He will have to send yoc back"
He pat ug in ohsrze o. two GC the guards and
ordered us % be taken to their cabin directly
below the grade Of the Eoa4, where We Wors
ushersd into a email IS-foCt-squsTe cabin, the
door Of which Vas near tia right-hsnd cOraer
going in. On the opposite side xas one Of those
large 6Teplaces common 20 log cabins There
Was 8 lOEE wc8den beneh near the front Of tbs
fireplace, while Ia the lset-hznd corner from
the door was sO8s lJ8ss straw. which vas used
for bed. I took IN the situation, and mutsIy
saidJ No wonder ne could not sea any signs Of
life; for 60 coEHplasgly was thig little hut hid
by tho railroad embsnkmen that nothing skors
OF brosd daylight could hsvs reyesIsGis 70 our
view.
As soen IS We entered TIE cabin Virgins re-
guested one Of the guards to take hin out, sud
left lae IN the cabin with one guard sisting on
the bench, while IN the straw lay another.
AN ATTEMPT TO E5cAPE.
The guard who WAC On she bench was sitting
facing and talking TO ne with his back toward
the fire and HE gun resting against the wall 70
his left and behind hiIn. Kept busilJ talking
20 him, and seeing what / thought 3 chance TO
again escape oy securing MS gun, kept draw
ing nearer ana nearer to him, and them when
within reaching distance I suddenly reached
over and behind him, ssized his gnn, and leap
ed back end presented GHa mUZZls TO his head,
and said ia a hiEsing whisper: " IF yoa dare to
move or make sn alarm, OF goes your head
The guard quick as 3 lash with his right
hand grssped the barrel OF the gun, sid ], see-
ing my peril and fearing inst the guard asleep
ia the straw would awaken, and perhaps that
the one who went cut with Virgins might also
return, relinguinshed my hold, with the re-
mark:
You'll do. I Was just trying TO ses what
kind Of stuff you were made Of"
YAH" he said for he was German, and
spoke IN broken English), "it's putty danger
Gus 70 fuie nit dc guard gun; aud dsre vas
feller what got kilt for dot foolishness ind I
don't like it, mother"
was assuring him thst no barn was meant
when the guard with Virgins came into the
cabin, and Virgins Immediately commenced to
pull Of his shoes, complaining that his feet
were sore. / could say nothing to him, not
even In a whisper, but I nudged him with MY
elbow for hiua to keep his shoes on; but ne
didn't understand nae, and he took them of
and laid down in the straw alongside the rebel
guard and went sound asleep, / was firmly
impressed that l could make my escape,
but when l saw Virgins take of his
shoes and lay down, l gave the idea
up, and after talking with nay German guard
for q while, l also lay down and YVES soon
sleeping sOuudly l WGs awakened next morn
ing by hearing female voices IN conversation
with the men, and lay quiet for a while in or
der to listen. The voice of the woman sound
cd like others OF the sex that had before heard
In the South, as she said: Why they uns
look just like we uns, don't they ?" and was
wondering how we came to be away out here"
az they expressed it. Not caring TO thus be
listening to their conversation. l arose and
found that two of the guards who lived close
! by had brought over some Of their ROmen-fOlks
80 .,1 z T,-7- -.
morning and made excuse for our untidy ap-
pearance, and said hoped they would not let
our condition prejudice their minds against
the Yankee soldiers; which they answered
bashfuily and in SC low tene that I failed 20
catch their answer. They did not seem in
elined to use their conversational powers, but
| were apparently contsnt 10 stand and gaze at
US, and occasionally whisper aside to each
other After about an hour their curiosity
| seemed satisfied and they took their departure.
| ali the time We had been oHt ne had kept 10
| accurate account Of the day Of the week, and
we were informed BIZ one Of the guards that it
| was Sunday, and that the news Of our capture
| had been spread for quite q distance, aud he
! thought that We would likely be visited by q
great many more who were anxious to see 8
| Yankee soldier. He was correct, for there were
a number OF country women with sun-bOnnet5
| on who had walked long distance TO see aud
stare at US, but none of them ventured 70 enter
into conversation bu6 they We're loud II their
praise Of the bravery of he valiant guards who
captured us. The guards all of them, proved
themselves true 70 the teachings of morali-
ty and Christianity, and expressed their
sorrow IN the most humane and feeling
manner for our situation and condition, and
proved the sincerity of their words by Offering
to furnish Us with all tbe rations We could
carry, which offer We thankfully accepted
They took Us over to a e0FBfeld aud told
Us TO gather all the corn We eOnld carry, snd