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

days when these old shoes vent the
way OF the others aud I was again =
bare-fOOted, fOOt-sore pilgrim. I
nov took my old butternut jacket
which left me with no ciothlng but
my pants aud shirtsand, I cut the
jacket or coat in half and bound
each half securely around my feet.
The jacket was made OF strong
home made goods aud proved very
durable and by the time it Was worn
out we were within "a rty miles of
Rolla. The scarcity Of water In the
mountains caused us much suffering
As the weather NEs VERY warm aud
water could he found only In the
valleys, which were from FIVE To
fifteen miles apart When we got
within four miles Of West Plains,
Mo-, we came TO q small valley Of q
few acres In which was q dwelling
house. We had Travelled for twelve
miles without water and were very
thirsty. As we approached the
house we saw two women washing
clothes under the trees and q man
sitting In the shade near the gate.
We went up to the gate aud asked
the man u we could have a drink Of
water. He looked at US for a mo-
ment and then said who are you
and where are you goiEgc' ! told
HIM We were paroled prisoners aud
were gOingtO ROlla. He said he had
no water for any Cd id yankees
To drink and ordered us to leave
there in q hurry, aud we had To go
on To West Plains before We could
get drop of water. I will say here
that I with some others paid that
little valley a visit n few months
later and ] may tell you nj some
future time the condition We left
that valley in. At my second visit
] did not YO ~ q poor ,cringing, syrG-
phant, begging for = drink Of water.
but I went prepared To demand what
I wanted aud amply able To enforce
thy demands. Arriving within
forty miles OI RoIIa one afternoon,
IL being Vans ague day,wr stopped
at farm house Ia get permission. II
We could, Ia remain there until the
next nurning. The occupants, an
old gentleman aud lady, seemed ~
take considerable interest In us. aud
after satisfying themselves that We
were what>ws represented ourselves
to be, told us that they were union
people, and that they had sou In
the union army st hOlla. They not
only made us welcome, hut gave u
the best they had, aud there for the
first time since our capture, We had
a good meal Of vituals and good
bed to sleep In. In the morning We
persuaded the old gentleman To take
his team anu wagon aud take us to
ROlla. That nan was ~ years old.
lie was born aud raised ON the farm
on which he lived, and had never
been To- ROlla but once in his life aud
that WAS the farthest he had
ever been from home; aud u
seemed To him almost like going
out Of the world, but the deplOrahlr
condition We were in was too much
for his sympathy. aud In the morn
ing we started for RUiia. We got To
ROlla n short time before night aud
reported nj headquarters, where We
got ratiOns and lodging, but could
get no clothing. We had been thirty
five days on tue road from Little
Rock To Rolls. Some Of the boys
had got through before us aud had
gone on To ~. Louis, Others kept
coming in for several days, while
some 0T them never got through al
all and what became of them H.
only conjecture. They may have
starved tO death, or more prOl,able
they were killed 10y some rowing
baud Of guerillaS, aud. undoubtedly,
the bones OF suuIe OF them are
bleaching to-day an the Boston or
ozark mountains. Early the next
morning We took the train for 1T.
Louis, where We soon arrived. I
will here give u brief description ~
my appearance - stepped OIL
the ears in ~. Louis. My clothing
consisted Of straw hat, minus the
rim, an old hickory shirt with two
thirds Of one sleeve gone, = pair of
butternut pants minus n part Of one
leg my feet were swollen To three
times their natural size, aud IL was
with great difficulty that could
walk. We had tn report to benton
Barracks, which was three miles
from where We left the cars, and We
got on a street ear that was going to
the barracks. There was q lady on
the ear who belonged tO the sisters
OF Charity. She asked us who We
were, and when told that we had
been prisoners, she seemed To take
8 great Interest Ia us. We had not
gone far before the conductor came
for the fare. We told him We had
no money, my confederate money
not being good any more. At this
he became abusive, swearing that
no one could ride on his ear without
money, and " as about IL stop the
ear aud put Us oil, when this lady
paid our fare, remATklng that 10 hr
was not man enough to carry us to
the barracks, she could pay our fare.
After cOnversing with us for some
time shout our treatment while
prisoners, she left the ear, but he
fore leaving, she made us a present
of two dollars. Arriving at the bar
racks we reported AT headquarters,
received q good outfit of clothing
aud Joined our comrades In their
quarters, where will bid you good
bye. for the present, having tried to
show the young men who may
chance to read the above, what ar-
tive service To u snldier sometimes
means.
II any Of my old comrades should
chance To read the above aud wish
to hear further from tine, they eau
do 80 by addressing the JOURNAL.
Salina, Kansas.