The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-05-26
LIFE IN REBEL PRISONS.

LITE LIN KEDEL fklOONO.
Continued from first page.)
We remained huddled together under the
truck, as we were in less danger of detection
there than elsewhere-all but Capt. Burdick,
who was wearing a Confederate uniform.
He passed outside, went up the bank, spoke
to the engineer, inquired the distance to
Columbia, came back and entered into con-
versation with the identical guards of our
own Car, asking them if they thought there
was any danger of their prisoners escaping.
more exalted piece Of gall and impudence
has never come within my notice. So soon
as the whistle blew, we slipped out from
under the truck and lay down on the ends
of the crossties, clear of the wheels, but
covered overhead by the floor of the box
car, invisible to the guards, while the tram
rolled on, leaving us lying there on the track.
1t was case of the prison leaving the pris-
oners, instead of the usual style OF jail
breaking. There was guard sitting on
top of the last car. I watched his figure
against the sky until it completely faded out
Of sight, and then arose from the track,
all the others doing the same, and after NOV
ing off from the track about 100 yards we
stopped to have a general handshaking.
After congratulations were over we con-
c!uded that there were too many of us to
travel together (there were seven of u.s., so
after another round Of handshaking and
messages to friends, if any Of us should get
;y;I Id inh
Smith, and myself going off in direction
about due west, while the others went more
northwest. 1t was my intention to get
across to the west side of the Congaree
River first and then taking northeast
course to try 10 reach the mountain district
of western North Carolina joining East
Tennessee. / knew that we would then be
comparatively safe, as the Union League
was very strong throughout the mountain
Counties of West Virginia, Kentucky, East
Tennessee, and North Carolina. The in
habitants of these mountain districts were
not, as rule, we'll posted onmatters outside
of their own particular section, and in re-
gard to the Secession question their usual
explanations were about the same among
them all: "Our forefathers made this Gov
ernment, and Gineral Jackson fit for it, and
Jeff Davis didn't
HEv NO RITE TO BREAK IT UP"
In this mountain portion of North Carolina
lays the celebrated Buncombe County, which
prior to the war and before the advent of
railroads was about the most ut-of- the-way
place east of the Mississippi River. The
last Buncombe County man that I remem
Der to have seen was one whom / met on the
frontier of Texas about 90 years ago, when
Uncle Sam was erecting telegraph wires to
connect the chain of frontier military posts.
After examining the post and the wire for
some time he gave his opinion of the tele-
graph as follows: that it might do to send
letters on, but couldn't see how they could
ship cattle and cotton bales on it.
This portion of country covered by the
mountains contained people not much adj
vanced in knowledge and education, but
their ancestry fought the battle of Kings
Mountain during the Revolutionary war and
gave to Jackson the victory at New Orleans
in 1915.
But we were not destined to reach this
mountain country the fates seemed to for
bid The night was clear and starlit when
we escaped from the train, so that the north
star being in full view we were able to keep
4 west course toward the Congaree River,
about 10 miles to the westward but clouds
soon began to gather, and by IL o'clock the
sky was completely overcast, so that farther
travel was impossible. We then stopped in
some woods and went to sleep. When we
awol1e it was broad day but cloudy, and we
resumed our journey; but being compelled
to keep ourselves hidden from view, wemsde
day, SO that we lost our course and at night
fall we had wandered around back to the
railroad again. We concluded then that we
must get aid from the negroes, so we went to
the negro quarters of the first plantation we
came to and met with very good luck. The
negro foreman was midde-aged man
named Caleb. He gave us lodging for the
night and all next day in a house filled with
fodder; he also brought us some provisions.
We found him to be very intelligent, could
read, and was in charge generally of the
plan tation, under his masters direction. /
have forgotten his owners name, but he was
man Of large means,
OWNING A LARGE NUMBER OF SLAVES
and two plantations, one of which was
about three miles from where we were and
was called the Cabin Branch plantation.
Caleb gave US directions to the Cabin Branch
place and the cabin of darky called
Frank, who would take care of us until he
could hand us over to another one who
would put us across the river. He spoke
very encouragingly and felt sure that the
slaves on the plantations would pass us
along from one to another until we reached
the mountain district. We set out at night
to the Cabin Branch place and found Frank,
who proved to be every thing that Caleb had
represented. This plantation was situated
on the edge of the swamp which bordered
the Congaree River, and extended about two
miles from the river. Frank took us into
tbicket in the swamp, where we could build
fire without danger Of detection. even at
100 yards. Here we remained two days,
Frank bringing us provisions. The night
of +ha oe,on1 dow a 9arlrv " pamed Willis ,r