Dodge City times., 1891-01-02
ACLOSEC
A STORY OFLOVE AND WAR
RY ALFRED II. CALHOUN.
TcoPYnIGnr, 1890, by Bachcllcr 3 Cal
CHAPTER RN-CosrrSuEp.


in torrents, no unusual experience with
pressed by what felt to he the humili-
alton OF my situation, / suffered from
the cold and discomfort as never before.
1t was an hour after dark before we
went into camp and another hour before
fires were lit. The old sergeant who
acted rs my guard was an Irishman,
and had been in the regular army in
Texas when the war broke out. / had
talked with Phelin during the day and
was not a little surprised to find him an
out and out Confederate, with un-
bounded faith in the outcome Of the
cause with which he was associated and
the profoundcst contempt for the Yam
kee.
But Phelin, like many Of his COM
patriots ''to the manor born," had a
warm heart under a rough exterior.
Soon after the fires were started he
brought me some corn bread and bacon
and then found me a place of shelter
from the rain in one of the wagons. in
which he proposed to spend the night
himself.
''lf We only had little money be-
tween u.s." explained Phelin, as he
threw himself on a pile of corn sacks
beside me. Il know where I could get
something that d keep ont the.cold bet
ter nor Overcoat."
What is it?'' I asked.
whisky" he whispered. 'NOno of
the teamsters has two gallon Jug that
he shtole last night from 4 gin'ral Off
Ger, an he'll sell quart chape."
''How cheap?"
''It's worth its weight in solid soold
night like this, but he's only AKIN twin
ty dollars the BOTTLE" replied Phelin.
drew q one hundred dollar bill from
the wad obtained from Captain Jones
and told the sergeant to bury tho whis-
ky and keep the balance, an arrange
!ment that gave him an immediate re-
spect for at least one Yankee.
Although q Kentuckian, I.carcd moth
ing for whisky, had never wet my lips
with 1t before the war, nor tasted it
dozen times since, but I swear it did me
good that night, and it might have had
the samo effect on Phelin had he not
felt that it was his duty to drink while
there was q drop left, and then to go of
bowling like maniac through the camp
till the provost marshal bucked and
gagged him and left him to cool OF in
the rain.
l never saw the sergeant again. l
was sleeping soundly about an hour be-
fore day when a ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
into the wagon:
"TuRn out thar! tho prix'neu is voin'
10 be sent aheadr'
Feeling stiR and sore from the cold
and the fall of tho day before, 1 crept
out and was led over % . fro about
which were standing forty or fifty uen
IN blue uniforms and one o6icer-Cap-
tain Dawson. who had been in command
of a band Of Union men recruited IN che
adjacent mountains Of North.C Carolina.
These men had been captured in che
skirmishing Of tho day before, and IS
they were without blanketsor overuoats
they suffered intensely from,the cold.
A company Of infantry, Of the homo
guard stripe, was detailed to take the
prisoners ON to Bristol, 1T which point,
It was said, we should find caxs to trans
port the officers to LIBBY and the;en
listed men to Belle Isle.
I have often wanted to forget .he
hardships Of that march andour painful
journey to Richmond, bat it is buraed
into my memory. On the way tried to
comfort myself with the hope taat
Wharton had forgotten his threat or
that It would be lost sight Of in the
many transfers from guard to guard;
but I was doomed to disappointment-
destined to be held Is hostage for the
man whose life I had been % eager to
save.
CHAPTER K
We weee p2aoed aboard the cars ono
cold morning at Bristol and shortly
after dark that night We were In Rich
mond. At Danville we were Joined by
several hundred prisoners, who had
been gathered there, AL - cold,
hungry and lighting mad" - oar
selves.
On the way to Richmond tho UnionI
officers were not allowed to oommuni-
cate with the men, and, on reaching
there, the enlisted soldiers wero
marched over to Belle Isle, and the rest
of us were sent to Libby.
1t was after dark when We began the
walk to the prison, with compact body
of guards sufreGnding us, under the
command Of lank, chilly-looking
Lieutenant. A foezinG rain beat into
our faces from tho northeast, and the
rays from the s0ayinx gas-lamps cut
through the daxAm8 like shears Of |
flaming lanoes.
Carey street. and that's Castle |
Thunder" said ono Of the guards. in
rely to prisoner in my 'front.'
There was . canal visible to the right |
and beyond that . few yards the black,
swollen Aood Of the james. Castle |!