The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-11-13

Anything wrong" said my friend, with a
countenancc revealing unspeakable wo Well,
] should say there was. We're lot OF -
laundering jackasses Here we've been q
whole horrible night marching % miles
through the cold rain, and have brought up at
our old prison !"
II was even so. In the bitter moment /
would have been grateful for the consolation Of
tears or even adequate profanity.
The mishap was indeed disheartening, but
our lives for many terrible mouths had made
misfortune familiar, and as the rain ceased ut
last aud the life-warming sun came out our
spirits soon Frightened with the sky, and whilc
faint with hunger, we felt the breath of lib
erty aud as visions of home and Gods cOun-
try 7" rose before us. we once more turned our
backs TO the hateful prison ami our faces TO the
hopeful west.
And now comes the strange sequel to this ad =
venture From this second departure, until /
found myself back in prison at Camp Sor-
ehum," three or four days aiterward, my mem
DRY is a spotess blink. Not shred Of rec0i-
lection remains TO tell me of our Journey its
inevitable hardships, or even the excitement
that must necessarily have attended our re-
capture, TO say nothing of the despair of our
return to the hateful prison pen. Nor am |
able 10 say how soon after the event became
conscious of this marvellous lapse of memory.
| can easily prove by the testimony of fell
pilhhHHtH III li9Ht Nhlip "hO aie SUM lNtuef
and TO whom | was intimately known, as we'll
rs those who were with me in the escape, that
we were absent from tho camp probably four,
certainly three, days aud nights.
Both Schcl and BicrbOwer were also with
me in my last escape three months later when
we ran the deadlino at night ut Charlotte,
n. c.. under fire OF the seutinels. and were
ambushed aud captured n few miles north OF
Kings Mountain the fourth night out, return
ing To Charlotte just in time 10 share in that
ever memorable and joyful release described
by me in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE of April
"a 1890.
Every detail OF that Charlotte escape, as
well az three others-one Of them the Libby
tunnel affair more than year befOre-are
now wildly in my memory. How is it, then.
that my memory, retentive respecting
nil other escapes. so utterly fails as TO tho No
vember escape from Camp Sorghum? Nay,
how is IL that the happenings of the first
night out in that escape which | have herein
described arc SO clearly remembered, and that
the memory of tho more important and i'm
pressivo phase Of the adventure are so com
pletely oblterated? satisfactory solution of
the enigma will earn my gratitude and assur-
eddy interest the readers of this record of capt
ivty.
Such are few of the events that were re-
vived in my memory when, after the fight of %
years with their alternating scenes OF comedy
ana tragedy, tuclf successes ana failures.
laughter aud tears, revisited the field of Get
tysburg and stood among tho graves on the
lovely hin that once famed with Union can
non aud is now the peaceful bed of its slain
defenders.
Among them sleeps the twin beside the
rest of my gallant comrades that followed the
flag OF my beloved old regiment
Brave old I'D No pictured volume pre-
serves in stately rhetoric and sdmirng eulogy
the story of your marches aud battles, or dis
plays the portraits of its vanished Union braves,
but their glory lives in the affection of their
country, and is safely treasured in the hearts
of those who loved aud lost them.
The lingering few who shared in their battles
and marches will step with them still in soul
TO the immortal music of liberty.
With ditldonce this fragment of tribute is
protiered atlectonately by one of the old 73d,
who proudly followed its colors in his youth,
and will treasure it's glorious memories to the
last camping-ground.
must now take leave for the present OF my
friends in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE audi
ence, and make room around tho fire for some
other comrade for have struggled long and
having spun my yarn must shoulder my gun
and move on. Some other day when in q
reminiscent mood may come their way again.
In the meantime aH rep0ir.
The end