The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-04-26

the dead-line to the woods near by to cut
wood for Winter use, as Winter was close at
hand. My mates and myself managed to cut
poles enough and carry them into the stockade
to build little hut to shelter us from the in
clemency of Winter. We put rude door to
the hut. and arranged also for hunks on the in
side. Thus we were equipped for the Winter,
=" great deal of our seriously idle time was
passed in card playing, as matter of necessity.
We were sitting playing cards one day in our
hut when the order came from Johnny with
out
"'Go to the dead-line' everybody special
parole!'
1--WE had heard this order so much and an
swered it so many times b0otlessly that we
played on and paid no attention to it this time
at all. After while a passing guard struck
our frail door with the butt of his gun, almost
battering it down, at the same time shouting;
=" Git outen thar, you blasted Yanks.'
1--WE went toward the dead-line, more like
dumb driven cattle than willing human beings.
Ii was clear day in early Winter, and ! will
never forget it while l live. Anxious creatures
were there, with bodies scarcely dressed at all
in even wretched rags, hoping that their names
would be the next ones. / had not quite
reached the dead-line and was walking leis-
urely and grumly along, when l heard in clear
tones from the parole officer:
4" Lieut.. Will Willis, Co. ii, 51st Ind
" Like flash yelled out Justify:
"' Here!'
az was just in the nick of time, for if had
not answered to my name, some one else would
have done so and signed the parole papers and
gone home on my credit. And no one would
have blamed him for it.
:" No one can imagine what joy felt when l
realized what had happened to me, nor how
nervously and yet how eagerly l signed the
papers of my parole. Life had come back again,
real. The darkness and gloom of awful prison
l,ol
of joyful meetings once more with old friends
at home filled me too full for utterance. The
very earth seemed changed and the sun shOne
with greater brlliance The blood bounded
madly joyous through my young veins and my
thoughts chased each other like mad | did
not sleep one wink all night long, so overcome
was / with my emotions. The regret | felt for
those to be left behind, if anything, only in
tensifed my happiness.
THE ORDER after the parole was completed,
was
eco back now, and wait for the boats to-
morrow
"This was not quite as would have it; but,
then, day made little difference now. ] was
to be free once more. Nearly two years in
rebel prison pens was quite enough, should
think, 10 make one feel glad on obtaining his
freedom.
"When / went back to my hut the poor fell
lows who could not go loaded me with messages
and letters and kind words to their friends at
home. The rebels did not allow US to take let
ters away with US, for fear probably of some
harm coming to them from shrewd men acting
as spies. If letters were found on US, we were
sent back to the stockade and the parole an
nulled. l fastened the letters securely in my
tattered clothes, and was not detected.
There were $50 of US on the boat that car
ried Us to the Union vessel at Charleston, over
which foated proudly the Stars and Stripes,
the emblem of my country. The sight Of the
flag was JOY unspeakable.
g The boat containing us poor, suffering, half
starved mortals neared the Union vessel, and
one over-anxious fellow, in his irrepTessible
JOY, leaped out of the boat as soon as he was
near enough to do so, and tried to enter the
vessel. But the JOhunes made him 90 back,
aud be the last one to leave the boat They
seemed to take an ihnuman delight in inflict-
ing punishment on all they could. At last we
were all on board the Union vessel and the
thrill ofjoy / experienced over this fact cannot
be measured in words. A great can Of coffee,
| something like a barrel in size, with a cup to
dip up the coffee, stood there, free to us and
| then we were furnished with piece Of bacon
and bread. We could go where we pleased to
eat our lunch-alone or anywhere. l thought
it the incest thing had ever seen in my life.
o, glorious freedom!
We were conveyed on board this vessel to
Annapolis. My companions were Capt. Swayze,
of the Sd Ohio; Lieut.. Richie, of the same regi-
ment, and Capt. Westlake, of the I'D Ind
1t was in December when we landed in An
napolis. Our long imprisonment had greatly
reduced our wardrobe; indeed, we were bare
/ footed, our breeches worn halfway off to the
knees, our blouses gone to the elbows, and this
simple dress, all we had in the world was other
wise well worn. In this ragged, penniless con-
dition we took the train for Washington city.
On the way we four held a consultation as to
where We would 20 and what we would do
when we got to Washington. We had no money,
but we expected pay from the Government for
all the time we were in prison, and that would
relieve US of all our wants, we hoped. But what
we were TO do till we got our money we did not
know. None Of US had ever been to Washing
/ ton before, and we did not know where to go.
/ 1t was settled, however, that we would put up
at some retired place where our expenses would
be light, and where we could probably get credit
/ till we drew our money. And so one suggested
this thing, and the other that. At length Capt
I Swayze said
a. Isn't there Metropolitan? I think I've
heard Of such a place there. think it is quiet
! place, and just the thing we want
. So 1t was agreed to go to the Metropolitan.
a clothing drummer, who sat just behind US
/ In the car on the way down from Baltimore be-
came interested in US. Our sorry appearance
/ doubtless struck him with pity And, then. the
/ haps enlisted him in our favor. He said he could
/ do nothing for US himself, but he would use his
/ influence with his house to let us have clothing
1 on credit until we drew our pay. He gave us
/ his card and we thanked him for his interest
/ in our behalf
We were nearing Washington city. 1t was
| Friday evening, and after dark then We did
not know how to find the Metropolitan after
/ dark in a strange city.
'' have just money enough said Capt.
] Swayze, to pay our bus fare to the hotel aud
after we get there we will take the risks of what
/ is to come
We found the right bus at the depot when
/ the train stopped, despite the hustle and hustle
i and confusion and noise, and were driven d.
rectly TO the Metropolitan. In our bare feet
] We assembled the steps Of the hotel We were
/ greatly astonished to fad it brilliantly lighted
/ up with gas and guests going about in the
clothing Of people of the highest class. 1t was
! on Pennsylvania avenue, the business center of
/ the city, and was the leading hotel Of the Cap
/ ital 1t was not what we had imagined it at
1 all. But We were in for it, and must make the
1 best of our circumstances We four ragged
! halfcad released prisoners approached the
clerks quarters, and the first thing | saw stun
ned me. 1T was these words Just above the
| clerks head: Gentlemen without baggage will
please pay in advance We had neither bag
gage nor money. / was young and inexperi-
enced, and concluded that we had made grand
mistake in our selection of hotel. We tacitly