The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-02-28

mand OF the camp. / was taken 10
their guard house, where / found
quite q number Of iohnnies who were
doing penAnce for some OF their
misdeeds. / was greatly surprised
to find In the guard house, a man
from my own regiment, who had
been captured by them some six
weeks previous. This comrade |
shall call Van, a. ! shall have to
speak OF him frequently, a. we were
together from this time on until we
got back TO Gods country. We were
held rs prisoners here for about two
weeks, moving from one camp to an-
other almost every day. The treat
ment we received from them was
generally very good. There was q
class Of ignorant creatures among
them, who seemed 10 think 70 an
act Of bravery To insult aud abuse q
prisoner In every way they could,
and whenever they treated me In
tlist way, managed to pay them
back In their own coin, not being at
all choice I'm the language or the
means l used to pay them, and i'm 90
doing TRained a large number Of
friends among the better class 81
them. One morning we Wan aud
myself were ordered TO report at
headquarters. When we arrived
there We found that Colonel Palmer
was going to Little Rock, Arkansas,
to transact some business with Gem
eraI HiBEman, and he had concluded
to take IT, two yanks aud turn us
over to the command there. We
soon started on our trip, Van and
myself being mounted on two
vretrhed old nays, while the colonel
aud the two guards were mounted
On fine horses. The weather was
very warm aud We marched leisurely,
stopping for our meals aud lodging
nj the farm houses along the way.
At one house where We stopped for
dinner, We found a line, healthy
looking young man, who looked
with a great deal OF hatred sud SEEM
ing contempt upon IT, two yank pris-
Oners. While awaiting the prepar-
alton Of our dinner, he entered into
conversation with me about the war.
He became 80 abusive and insulting
that the colonel turned abruptly to
him and said, "lf you don't stop
abusing that prisoner, | will give
him my revolver and let him shoot
HI out or you" II lightning had
struck that "brave son of the south"
he could not have been more sur
prised. After being several days on
the road, late one afternoon We
crossed n road running north and
south, which ] at once recognized A.
the CrOley Ridge road. the road that
my regiment had taken on the way
to Helena, and II our guards could
have known what was In my mind
the rest of that afternoon, they
would surely have bound us hand
aud foot. After passing that road
about two miles We stopped for the
night, and while the guards were in
the stable taking care OF the horses,
I got the opportunity Of telling Van
that that big road we had crossed
was the road our regiment went
down on, aud II we could get the
chance we would skip out and
get back to our regiment, To which he
quickly agreed. dur being so fsr
from our lines had caused our guards
to become negligent-they not think
ing that We would attempt to escape.
That night We were to sleep on the
floor Of the dining room, and, the
night being very warm, the doors
were left open. We spread down
our blankets and were soon, To- all
appearances, sound asleep; but Van
aud were far from sleeping, and
about l. O'clock, all being quiet, We
quietly went out, taking with us the
rOlOneI's revolver aud the two guns
belonging Ia the guards. We went 20
the stable aud -addled the cOlOneI's
horse and the best one belonging to
the guards, led them IA distance from
the stable, mounted, aud ruad away.
DIETING IO the main road We struck
s0uth-the way our regiment had
gone six weeks previOus-and fOrtu-
nately having two eXtra-gOOd horses
We made good time that night, rid
ing until nearly daylight, when We
went about Ons-quaTter Of a mile
from the road and found large paw
paw thicket, where We secretad our
selves aud horses very nicely. The
next night We started out about nine
o'clock, and having had nothing To
eat for over twent y-fOur hour. We
began To think about fOraginR lit
tie. At that time Of the year there
was au abundance OF wild fruit aud
apples and peaches ia that country,
and about midnight We came to an
orchard where We found some nice
ripe apples aud pearhes, and while
trying to devise some plan for cary
ing some ol the fruit with us, I dis
covered some clothes hanging Oh a
line, aud upon closer investigation
discovered a large, unmentiOnable
article belonging To- u ladies ward
robe, which I immediately cOntis-
Gated, aud tearing strip from il
tied up one end, thus making q very
good sack, which proceeded To MI
with apples and peaches. We then
proceeded on our way with plenty OF
fruit Ia eat. Before morning we re-
lieved another clothes line Of large
pair of hutteTnut pants, and these
we filled with corn for our horses.
We made all the speed that night
We thought our horses could stand
and at daybreak we took up our
quarters In large rane-brake.
where we remained until the next
night, when We resumed our journey.
During the day white one Of US
would sleep the other would stand |
guard. The third night we laid In |
another supply Of fruit aud corn,
and ut the first approach of day We
took shelter In another friendly |
We had rode so fast |
since our escape that I began to /
think we could not he far from
our regiment, aud WAS anxious to /
get some Information about Il.
About four o'clock y. m. Van was
asleep and | was watching around
{ he canebrake, when I saw an old
darkey coming past the canebrake,
and made up my mind TO interview
said darkRy APrnrdInVIv 4 stannaH |
behind a tree, and when the darkey
came up ] suddenly sprang In front
Df him with my revolver leveled at
his head. III ever a negro turned
pale with fright that one did. NV
object in addressing him thus, was
10 Keep him from running away.
asked him II he knew where the
yanks were, - soon a. he recovered
rom his fright, aud he said, de
l.aud helps yO soul maser, | speeks
ley is right down heah by de ribah."
soon learned from him that q part
u the regiment with the wagon
rain was down 10y the L'Auginlle
liver, about six miles from there.
determined tu start Immediately
or the regiment so awakened Van,
We mounted our horses and started.
Ne soon got To the river where TO
'ur great Joy we found our train |
mi one hundred forty men the reg
ment had crossed the river that day
nd had gone about l. miles from the {
liver, the train was To cross the
liver the next day and go ON to
there the regiment was. Now I be- {
EVE that We were the two happiest
title yanks la the Southern Confed- :