The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-02


b!are; while Manuel Burr, F'reem Har-
ford. Doc Lewis and Seed Rogers, from as
many different squads-and bless their
generous tenderness to the end Of their
civilian days i-endeayOred 10 win me
back to comradeshIp, through cards, in
the adroit bestowal upon my fortunes of
various tempting ''Jack-pOts.'
But / carried my secret and hurt alone !;
the sorriest way on earth 70 carry griev-
Gus load
Added to its crushing weight was au-
other mOmentOus secret which almost
frenzied my boyish heart.
At department and corps headquarters
my frequent visits had made officials and
attaches unmindful of my tiny presence.
l had seen enough and heard enough TO
dimly comprehend the coming scattering
Of Atlanta's inhabitants and the complete
humiliation of the city by fire
Whatever depths of dolor this life may
have in store for me- there can never
again come the dread. the actual despair
aud the agony of compassion which l. as
that boy soldier, constantly suffered until
this measureless brutality of pretended
military necessity was partially complete.
Contemplation of the monstrOus lnhu-
manlty, coupled with It's certain eXtlnC-
ton of my last hope to succor the Inflated
Beatrice, so maddened my childish soul
that l would almost have committed muir
der 10 have ayerted it. / or the few days
between the FORMULATION of the order
for the city's depopuIation and this sad
deSt exodus Of modern history, l was half
beside myself with impotence and grief.
The highway leading from the city to
the confederate lines above LOveloy's,
trailed alongside our camp. Sherman's
huge army wagons were utilized to trans
port such as had no other means of con
veyi nee. A double line of federal guards
fenced in the highway to a point where
the flags of the union and the confederacy,
with the white emblem Of truce between,
stood almost side by side.
Here confederate guards carried on the
bristling fronts OF soldiery to the picket
and main lines of the southern army.
Nearly 10000 souls, driven ruthlessly
from their homes, were forced through
this Infamous Highway Of Despair; and
with flashing eyes and heart of shame
for my country and its cause, l believe l
looked into The face of every refugee that
passed that way. May God spare the
world another such frightful panorama
Of human woe!
Toward evening on the third and last
day of that dreadful exodus, all but
half score wagons had passed our camp.
Interested and curious comrades in sol
emn-taced squads, from time to time had
kept me company.
Come on to mess, boys. That's the last
OF 'em"' cried one of the artillerymen
and all but myself. who was watching
the cavalcade to the last laggard refugee,
and Sergeant MCGEE, who was regarding
me gravely and quiziCally. departed has
lilly Tor their suppers beside the camp
fires
l had risen from my seat on the old
stone wall AUDITING the road to return to
my tent with Dennis; but at that moment
J saw two faces which set my little body
attending.
One was the dark face of a man of
Latin blood. Jolted from side to side by
the heavy wagon, he was wheedling and
scowling and half supporting as best he
could the slight figure of a maiden. The
other, when the violence of the wagons
Joltlng had for an instant tossed her curls
aside, | knew was the face of Beatrice.
'Ge have a bad chill" said Dennis
CURLY, turning toward the tents. Come
along, Little Buttons, an Wen bate that
agy wild drop O. tn rale right sortn'
In the moment his back was to me, 1
had sprung into the open end of the
wagon behind the one containing Sig.
BeIIlnl and Beatrice, wagon filed with
singing and wailing negroes; and in an
other moment Sergt MCGEE and the
pleasant camp of Battery d were shut
from sight by the binding dust of the
road. .t,.. r.7.. ....
All roads may be alike to the madness
of south but the road that led to the
possible rescue of this helpless girl was
the only one then open on earth to me.
All the transport wagons belonging to
Gen. Sherman had been rapidly returned.
The last few which were being hurried
forward belonged to the enemy. l could
see, from occasional chances as we passed,
the guards, done with their sad work
deploying into squads and the squads
gradually forming in dark blue masses
for impatient return TO the friendly en-
vlronments of their own camps.
The point of truce was soon gained
Here cavalry from both forces had been
stationed. The formalities of their final
separation were trihing. AS the flag of
truce was furled, the hostile flags moved
in opposite directions. With grim salutes
and right-a bout-faces. tne soldiers of
each tag fell into marching order and
went their separate ways. Our wagons
were shortly beyond Hoods outlying pick
cts and here | suddenly realized that I
was union soldier, in full uniform and
without warrant, inside the confederate
lines!
do not think that this startled me at
first II simply spurred me to action. l
remember that my instant impulse was
to IN some manner change my apparel
Some Of the blacks were stupid from
drink, and eIectlng this was not difficult.
With one l exchanged my hat. with
another my jacket, with this one my
padded artillery vest and with another,
In the darkness, my tidy artillery trous-
er5.
Hardly had this been done. when we
came upon belated refugees camp, out
side OF Hoods main lines, but close under
the confederate advance redoubtS. Here
few hundred humans were huddled.
without shelter from the night, beside a
small stream. Some were dejectedly
munching scanty food; but most had
fallen spiritless or from exhaustion be-
side their pitiably meager belongings
where the wagons had hurriedly left
them.
Noticing these things, but with nv at
tention liked upon only two human beings
l followed the latter 10 the edge of the
stream beside an abandoned campfire,
where. after almost threatening injunc-
lions for the girl to remain where hidden,
the Italian left her apparently to make
provision for food and for the night.
In an instant l was beside her, ex-
cltedly whispering:
Beatrice. Beatrice!"
She was not even startled. She seemed
merely listening as in q dream for surer
token of kinShip and affection in the half
aspirated calling Of her name.
Beatrice! Beatricel"
l bent close TO her wan and haggard
face.
ooh, God! Have one of Won come at