The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-02-07

the bravest and most original characters l
ever met. He was at this time about
twenty-five years of age, but wound in
the right breast, which had not healed
after seven months, and the hunger and
disease gave him the appearance of a man
of forty-tve or more He was about
six feet in height 1.-the, and with form
that denoted great powers of endurance.
The hair was long and dark, and the beard
of warmer shade, was soft silk. He
had steady. blush gray eyes, and the
strong features of men Of that cast usually
found among the Scotch Irish.
At first Belize said his name was Tom
Bell and not Thomss-was inclined to be
distant, and he rather repealed my we'll
meant advances, but | was neither an
gered nor discouraged, for l knew just how
he telt. His speech at first seemed pain
fully slow, and he had the unmistakable !
accent of the East Tennessee and North |
Carolina noun taineer, with the same ten |
dency to use words long since obsolete in
the outside world, such as the old Saxon |
form "hit'' for it, lyon" for yonder. and to
add ''uns" to the plural pronouns. He was
l think, the most accomplished and uncon- |
Sclous swe2rer | ever met, and curious |
enough the mans nature was intensely re-
ligious; indeed, l never knew him to lie
down for the night without first dropping
on his knees and mutterlng prayer; STILL /
he often confessed to me: EFF the wah
don't turn out jest bout right, my faith in
the wisdom and goodness of an overrulling
Providence will be so shook up that hit
won't be mighty good fo much after"
While / was trying to break the ice with
Bell the hospital steward returned with
four opium pills, which | was to take one
every night for the dysentery-and bat
tered tin can containing some scraped
sweet potato and vinegar, which, be as
sured me, would KNOCK scurvy higher'n a
kite" spoonful every three hours was
the prescribed dose, and as no spoon was
to be had he suggested that guess at it,'
adding, ut won't hurt you if you take it all
at once" and this l found to be the case,
for Bell and ate it for desert after we had
finished our pone of corn bread and thin
soup that evening.
| The workhouse hospital was wretched
when the sunlight strained in through the
window bars, but If possible it was still
worse at night. A few lean candles
fastened to the walls in tin cans, that made
them drip and burn "out Of plumb, " as Bell
put 1t, served to reveal the spectral figures
lying without a moan and with scarcely a
sign of life along the floor. After nine
o'clock the guards outside began their half
hourly cry of "Alrs WELL" signal that
had grown very familiar with in Libby,
but here it sounded even more like mock
cry.
The night was nearly as hot as the day,
the air being heavy with a suggestion of
sulphur In 1t, for some shells had exploded
near by that evening. Bell and myself had
become quite good friends by the time nine
O'Clock came, so we made one bed of our
blankets and lay down side by side, using
our boots and coats for pillow. In this
position Bell became more communicative
and told me his very remarkable story.
| Briefly, 1t was this:
He was born IN the western part of Bun |
com ha C0OnfV in tha maintains Of North !
Carolina, as his father and grandfather had |
been before him. All the men in that sec |
ton were right straight up add down, no. |
mistake Andrew jackson Democrats, and !
some of we uns didn't never own no slaves !
| and didn't want to-" They were opposed |
| to secession and didn't want no new flag |
so longs the old one was allyn some |
w'eres in Gods breeze" Many Of these |
| North CarollDians fled into East Tennessee, |
and uniting with the Union men there, they /
! fought their way to Kentucky and joined |
the Union army
1t is not generally known that every |
southern state South Carolina excepted, /
had white military ORGANIZATIONS Ia the .
| Union army. Tie First North Carolina .
did excellent service in the fall campaign ,
with Burnside in 1863 and subsequently, |
and the Second North Carolina WIS author |
lied by the President, Rua men Wsre con-
missioned and sent INTO the blue Ridge to !
| recruit ii from The hardy mouuIaineers |
who had stubborny refused to volunteer !
or to be drafted INTO the Confederate army. |
Ben had been sergeant In the Second /
! East Tennessee, but as ne was particularly |
well qualified to help recruit the proposed |
regiment he commissioned Iirst lieutenant |
| and sent on that mission. To guard against |
being regarded as spy If Captured, he |
wore the Federal uniform. and once on the |
ground be took no pains 10 hide his pur-
! pose or to conceal sentiments.
| He was meeting with good success and |
was in hopes of filing his complement by
| the end of December when rashiy he ven
! tured too far to the east. He Was be- |
trayed by 2 man he thought his friend and
| captured one morning while IN the act
OF dressing, and when he did not THINK |
there was uniformed Confederate within |
miles. He was charged with beng SPY, |
and with his arms bound behind him wes
! forced at the point OF a rifle TO march 10
Ashevile, thirty miles away. acre he |
was brought before a court, and alter a
mockery of trial was found guilty aud |
sentenced 10 be hanged on the following |
! Friday, which gave him three days Srsce |
On the night preceding t no day Set for his !
execution he escaped with the conn"Ance
| OF a guard, but instead of making his wBy
! directly back he thought il more prudent |
| TO keep along the foothills 20 the east of !
| Blue Ridge till he reached the head waters
| OF the Savannah, when he would tura west |
| into Tennessee. After being cut for q
week he was wounded and recaptured by a
! party who were out hunting deser' ers and !
! taken oAuGusta. Here he gave his correct |
name and his old regiment, and he was sent
on to Richmond. When at Brauchviile he
escaped again, aud this time he determined
TO make his way TO the sea, ia the hope IF
falling in with some of Fosters command
or reaching one OF the gunboats then opcr-
ing along the coast.
ITO BE CONTINUED.
WOREMIy NkEp