Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-04-29

important event occurred for some
time with us. We suffered from the
cold, rain, hunger and anxiety, but
pushed on till we got up into Georgia
before we heard that Sherman haC
started on his "March to the Sea- ,
We had gone on our journey severa
nights before we dared to speak tC
any one, and were becoming very
hungry, and sought an opportunity
to find some friendly negro who could
help US. One night, walking till near
ly morning. we could not find any
woods in which to secrete ourselves
but we came to a cane-brake of some
acres and we went into that. The
cane stalks were seemingly thirty
feet in height. We had one hatchet
and we cut down place large enough
for org needs, built a fire from some
limbs and prepared to spend the re.
mainder of the night and the day. To
rid ourselves of the cane we had cut
down, we chopped them up in short
pieces and put them on the fire. Ii
was my turn to stand guard, and il
was not long before the comrades
were all asleep. Pretty soon the cane
which had been heating up, began to
pop and explode from the power OF
steam, l suppose. They popped as
loud as pistols, and the music and
noise was rather startling. A rail-
road was being built not far off, and
early in the morning large number
of negroes went along past US, to
their work on the road. We lay qui-
etly until noon, when / told the boys
| was going out to see if | could not
capture "nigger.' We had got to
such straits that we were compelled
to have some help. | agreed that if
1 fell into unfriendly hands not to
tell on the others. l approached the
road and concealed myself near the
fence and watched for my negro.
Pretty soon [ saw one approaching.
He was alone, and when he got near
me called out to him. He did not
turn very pale or white, but he was a
frightened negro. L called him to me
and made myself and my condition
known to him. He saw the case at
once and manifested a friendship to-
ward me; but 1 was suspicious, having
been betrayed once by negro. Af-
ter quite a long consultation with him
1 took him to my comrades and he
solemnly promised to help us. He
would get US something to eat, and
at night would take us few miles to
where there were some educated dark
les whs. would do anything for us.
We told him not to come back to the
cane-brake till dark but i'll about half
an hour he returned, bringing a COM
panion with him, and they said every
thing was all right and they would
return at night and help us. They
came at dark and took us to their
plantation home, where we found
good supper prepared, and darkies
enough to stock town. They were
greatly interested in us and were Gu
rious to see some live Yankees.
After we had eaten most hearty
and acceptable meal, they took us off
about four miles to the home of the
educated darkies they had referred to
the day before, and here we found
some sincere and earnest friends.
We found a newspaper and learned
that Atlanta had fallen and that Sher-
man was marching on toward the
coast. We were only fifteen miles
from Atlanta. We remained there
till morning, planning how we might
reach Sherman's lines. Our negro
friends took us to the woods and hid
us in deep ravine near some good
water, where we fixed up camp and
remained few days to recruit up
little before going any further. We
learned here that some where in the
same vicinity runaway negro, who
had escaped his master some two
years previously, was making his
home. He had been hunted by men
and dogs but could not be captured.
He was looking for an opportunity
to escape, go north and reach free
country. One day as l went to the
spring after water / came suddenly
upon large burly negro, not very
black, who stood in a threatening at
titude with some sort of a sword
weapon drawn and ready to be used
if the occasion demanded. l was
startled and frightened, but after a
moment came to my senses and asked
him what in thunder he was doing
there. He asked me if l was one of
the Yankees who was hiding in the
woods, and / told him / was. He
made himself known as the runaway
negro who had long defied the coun-
try in the attempt to capture him, ,and
begged to be permitted to join our
company and take his chances with
us for an escape. He said he knew
the country and would act as guard.
l felt it was dangerous thing to take
him into our party, as we might be
classed as negro thieves if captured
again, and it would go all the harder
with us. After consultation, we con-
cluded to take him into our company
and confidence. He proved careful
guide and most efficient sentinel. as
he slept standing, and was as wary
and yiOilant as q fox. We cOnclud-