Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-10-29

Macon by way Of Columbia, Augusta
and Atlanta, but Sherman's operations
I in Georgia compelled them to change the
route at the last moment. and we were
sent on to Savannah
In each car there were two guards.
and as the day was very hot the doors
We're left open. and about these all
crowded who could. to get a breath of
cool air and a glimpse of the low,
swampy country over which that road is
built. We had some corn bread served
to us at the station before starting. and
twice in the course of the day one of the
guards took advantage of the wooding
stops to bring in some tepid water, and
this was all we had till the following
morning
1t was midnight when we crossed the
river and We're marched up the bluff and
into Camp Davidson. stockade prison
in the eastern section Of the city. Here
we found number Of prisoners, though
not enough to use all the comfortable
tents that had been erected Bell and
myself decided to stick together, and
flndlng an empty tent we crept in and
were soon sound asleep for we were
very weak, and the trip. under the cir.
cumstances, would have taxed the pow
ers Of strong men.
When we awoke in the morning it
was like a glimpse of Eden. so great was
the contrast between this camp and that
loathsolne Jail in Charleston There
were number of fine live oak trees in
the nclosure There were Towering
shrubs htse and there. evidently the re-
mains OF line garden that had once oc-
capied this site The tents were well
set, surrounded by drains, and in good
repair The place was so very nice and
clean, by comparison with our recent
abode, as to stir rs to realization Of
our filth and rags Then the guards
were old soldiers, native Georgians. and
| will add with respectful emphasis.
they were gentlemen.
But the crowning glory Of Camp
Davidson was what Bell called ''the
fodder. The rations of corn bread ba-
con, rice and sweet potatoes were not
only good. but for the first time in long
months they were ample. To be sure
we promptly devoured everything given
to Us, and we could have eaten twice as
much with infinite relish, but doubt if
one ounce more would have been to our
advantage
There was stockade around Camp
Davidson, and there was also the custom
airy dead line. but do not thin nix that
ever a prisoner was shot there for STUN
bling beyond the prescribed limits
though in every other prison such home
guard practice was the rule
BY climbing into the trees Bell and
myself had good view of Savannah
with the fine Pulaski monument rising
from parallelogram of green in the
center. Camp Davidson had tempting
advantages for tunneling. and after be-
ing there four days number of us had
decided on one, when on the afternoon
of the fifth day we were again told to
pack mp as we were going on to Macon
We marched to the station IN
drenching rain and were again crowded
into box cars. and to keep ont the wet
the doors were closed. making the air
foul and as hot as an oven Bell had
concealed in his boot caseknife, which
he had appropriated 1t the woTkhouse.
and as the train rolled ont Of Savannah
he whispered to me:
Tonight or neverl'
These words were on my own tongue.
and was about to suggest that we
use the knife to cut hole in the bottom
of the car, through which we could drop
down to the track at some halting place
and escape in the darkness, when my
friend anticipated me by outlining the
same plan
The car floor was far from sound, so
that under the cover OF our one blanket,
though there was no light inside. we cut
away one end of a board close to the
middle OF the car. and then we whis-
pered the secret to our friends and eager
ly awaited the next stop of the train