Wichita eagle., 1888-08-05

bundled them up, wet and soggy as they were,
brought ont from my desk some bread and
bacon had saved up, and at O'Clock, bundle
in hand, I stepped outside. It WIS a dark
night, with a steady drizzle Of rain, and l
put on the heutenant's cap and passed tho
camp sentinel with wave of my hand I
went down into the village, passing nuner-
Gus soldiers on their way back to camp, and
without coming in contact with any one,
took the highway running west bad made
a break, and could not expect that my sb-
sence would remain long undiscovered.
While IN feverish haste to get as far away as
possible. did not run. The dogs could not
follow mo. owing to the rain, and if pursued
by shorsemen, hoped to hear and avoid
them
Luckily for me, after going about two
miles without meeting any one, heard men
coming from the west lay down beside g
log, and as they passed made out it was a
portion Of some nome guard company pro-
ceeding to the post to do duty. l. was lucky
for NE, because, when met nearer the town
by those in pursuit OF NE, they truthfuIy
declared they had encountered no one on the
highway. After the guards passed took to
the road and pushed on at the rate Of Eve
miles an hour. was strong and hearty and
a good walker, and was determined that day
light should find me far away. Twice be-
fore midnight l had to give up the road 70
horsenen, but after that hour met no one. l
put in at least nine hours walking between
the time Of my escape and daylight, and
was justified in believing that l was over
thirty miles from Andersonville when 1
sought hiding place l was mistaken, how
IT, A. -,
the slightest suspicion on my part, l had
taken the wrong road at the first forks and
gone toward Columbus l had thus cheated
myself out Of fully ten miles
As daylight began to break entered upon
a plantation having for the last half hour
been following the road through the WOODS.
Il was still raining, and l wanted shelter for
the day. AS soon as 1t was light enough to
take an observation | crossed an old cotton
field to cabin or building. which turned out
TO be filed with cow peas on the wire. l
climbed in over the vines end slowed myself
away near the roof, cold. soaked through
and through, and SO tired out that l could
not 90 a rod further Ny crackers had been
reduced to dough by the rain, and the bacon,
none too good at the start, now disguised me.
| therefore lay down without tasting food,
and was just doing off to steep when two or
three people came TO the building. A little
later they went to work on the peas and
made out that there were at least three old
negroes in the party. They were below me
and entirely unsuspici0us, and after a time
got over my scare and went to sleep. 1t was
noon when | awoke and what broke my
siunbers was the voice of white man who
came riding up TO the place. Looking out
between the logs | saw that he was Con-
feierate cavalryman, and from his mud
splashed appearance 1 could guess that he
had ridden many miles His salutaeion as hs
rode up was
''Ho! thar, you niggers, come out!'
Yes, mas'r,n answered all in chorus as
they hurried to the door.
You are hiding white man in thar. he
came here this morning. Bring him out or
Ill have the three of you skinned alive"
"A white man" queried one.
"Yes, d-n you'll Bring him OUT"
For moment | gave up, believing 1 had
been seen as | crossed the fields. Ny heart
was in my throat as one Of tine negroes
finally said:
NO, mas'r, no white man ar hidfn' yere.
Nobody but us has dun been yere dis
ma~nin'."
IF you lie to me I'll shoot your shouted
the trooper.
''Fo' God, but ives dun toled de troof,
masr."
well, keep your eyes open. II you see a
strange white man around yere do you let
'em know at the house at once"
Git away from de prison pen, sahf'
Eyes, last night. Keep your eyes peeled"
''Yes, sab"
With that he rode OF, and / was satisfied
that no trace had been found of me. fell
asleep again in little while, and when I
awoke it was night. ! was now thoroughly
rested, but sharp set. Satisfied that ran a
great risk in trying for anything to eat on
the plantation, l headed for the highway,
and as soon as struck it l set of at brisk
pace. While the rain still continued, there
was considerable travel, and every half hour
at least had 20 hide myself to let travellers
pass. | had walked ten miles before l sus-
pected that was headed. for Columbus I
kept on until midnight however, hoping to
come TO landmarks which l should have
found long ago on the right road. then
met q negro, who told me it was only nine
miles to Columbus. He had bundle, and
was, suspected, a runaway. Igave him my
confidence at a venture, and it was my sal
walton. He had been sold the year before by
his master ct jackson. Miss, to 4 man living
near Hswkinsville, Ga A week before
met him he had run away, planning TO get
to Grants line in Mississippi ard Just as
encountered him be had been raiding plan
tatiou for provisions. In ten minutes we
knew We could trust each other.
Up to this time had carried the Ieuten-
-
came to worst, and put on bold face. The
negro. who was called James, advised me- to
abandon 1t, which did, and We entered the
woods, cooked some Of his meal and bacon
and lay hid all next day. When night cana
we fanked Colunbuy by the left passed into
Alabama and headed for Tuskogeo. That
was tho beginning OF q tramp lasting forty.
one nights During this time we lay hidden
by day IL swanps, barns and thickets, fed by
negroes and hunted by white men, and sew
eral times narrowly escaping capture. We
passed to the LETT Of Montgomery and Selma,
right through Demopolts, and near the Mis-
sissipbi state limo were hidden three days and
three nights in a swamp, while q hundred
men beat up the neighborhood for U.s. When
we were finally picked up by Federal scout
ing party had walked nearly 500 miles. had
not been in bed for forty-three nights
weighed thirty-seven pounds less than when
started snd was 50 sore and lame and full
Of aches that the last night Of our journey
the negro carried me seven or eight miles On
his back.
Below Selma, az was trying TO get into
corn house one night, while the negro Wa
after bacon, q white man came upon me sud.
denly, gun il hand struck him with club
had IN hand and have no doubt that broke
his skull Again, near De,nopolis, we wers