The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-01-26
By WILLIAM PITTENGER,
a MEAHER or THE EXPEDITION
tCopyrighted, 1887, by War Publishing Co.. N. !
and published by arrangement with them.l
CHAPTER XVI.
OTHER PRISONERS BROUGHT IN.

OTHER PRISONERS BROUGHT N.
These most reasonable circumstances
produced no effect, and were not an
swered. On came the new victims, clam
bertng slowly-there were three OF them
-as men chained together were obliged to
do when on such a road. ] stationed my
self at the foot of the ladder, and made
TO them some such safe remark as, "This
Is q hard place to come tor and in a mo-
ment found my hand caught in n warm,
strong grasp, and "Pittenger," Gross"
was mutually whispered. 1t was An
drews, WollAm and Ross. I had seen
them chained in front OF Leadbetter'S
room Now they were here, and the sense
of misfortune seemed Hghtened by half.
To die in the company OF friends was bet
ter than TO die alone. pitied them and
wished them free; but 1t was far better to
be confined together than for us to en-
dure the same suffering in separation. A
whisper more TO Ross brought me the in
formation that they had given their names
and character. L told my story and the
while they gave me the history Of their
adventures since we had parted on leav-
ting the train. There was 30 much to tell
OF the past three days. history this was
Monday evening" that we did not do much
more in making the acquaintance OF the
East Tennesseeans that night. The latter
kindly allowed us to take a corner close to
one of the window holes, where we could
the more readily converse. Ross and
Wollam agreed with me that our best
course would be to claim, with all our
strength, TO be detailed Union soldiers,
not denying what We really did-only
claiming that we were not volunteers, but
were ordered on this expedition with no
choice, and simply obeyed orders. An
drews also approved, but said that his
case was separate from ours and much
worse.
An hour or two passed in such CONVEX
sation, not altogether unpleasantly, and
II came time to sleep. a soldier Is not
particular in such matters, but never had
been placed in such q situation as this.
Laying down in the woods unsheltered
from the pouring rain was bad enough,
but this was far worse. The night before
room, air and blankets. The lattice cage
WIS q palace in comparison with this
loathsome ''holen We were warm
enough, though we had no bedding what
ever; in fact, one OF the first things we
did was to disrobe as far as our irons
would permit. Many OF the East Tennes-
sceans who were not fettered were en-
tirely naked, because Of the intense heat.
But we adjusted ourselves in our corner
30 that our chains might cramp us as little
rs possible, and, ceasing to talk, were
soon asleep. The others in the room were
already unconscious. The one advantage
of the terribly close atmosphere was that
the great heat and the slow carbonic acid
poisoning from the impure air rendered
aiuInber easy, and we found little trouble
IN sleeping early and late. The arranging
for rect required very nice adjustment,
and IL any one wanted to change his posi-
ton he was sure to arouse all who were
near him; or, II he rose up to go for q
drink, he had TO take along those who
were chained to him, and was apt to tread
on his neighbors, which gave rise to some
warm alterations, with the result OF still
further disturbing our slumbers.
We were aroused the next morning
early-as IL seemed TO us, but really late
by the opening of the trap door, and the
delicious shower of cool air that fell upon
Ms. AS we looked up we saw the white
head of our old jailer framed in the open
ing, and heard him saying, in drawing
tones, "Boys, here's your breakfast. "
Then he lowered, hand over hand, 8
bucket at the end OF a rope, till 1t was
within reach, when IL was eagerly secured
from below.