Evening star., 1895-04-27

| ~~ read, the NJ. v. L
standing for Michi-
| gan volunteer infantry.
| How did 1t befall that my grave and
head-stone were dug and reared and
still here to tel of it? The story is sim
| pie enough when one hears it.
| Il was a prisoner at Andersonville, and
being young and strong when. I arrived
and Of presumed good characted, was put
on the police force. Just before 1 came
there had been robberies and murders
among the prisoners; certain strong ruff
fans and men of criminal bent preying
| upon their weak comrades The prisoners
held a meeting and organized a court and
a constabulary, and after that any villain
| found robbing and numbering was hauled
up and tried and executed.
| We'll. was on the police. One morning
| 1t was announced that an exchange of
prisoners had been agreed to. and doctors
came among our various companies to Sc
! lect those who were sick and about to die
for the purpose Of the exchange. The rea-
| sens for selecting the sick and dying were
two-foid. Humanity for one thing; and
| then the next, the confederates were cum
| ming enough not to send back a well,
strong man. who could go into a fight at
the front the day following his return to
| his regiment. The men they selected were
| too far gone with emaciation and sickness
| to ever aim gun or fix bayonet in war
again, and 1t was an advantage to be rid
| OF them. 1t took just that much off their
| hands.
with a method of selecting which took
| only the sick and dying of course 1 stood
| no show to be exchanged. l had been
captured but few weeks. and was hale
and strong compared with most. OF course
| l did not grudge these sick prisoners their
luck, but, as enc after the other they
| were ticketed for exchange and their names
l could not but envy them. They were
going back to liberty and the Union, / was
| to remain until l had dwindled and broken
down to be what they were. l could al
most wish l were as shattered as they so
| that l. too. might be selected
While my thoughts We're running on this
exchange then being arranged for. l had
occasion to go down toward little stream
which ran through the lines. 1 heard
groan off to one side. Being of the police
l turned to see what, If anything. was
wrong. 1t was early in the morning. hard
ly light, indeed. There under some trees
lying on thread-bare blanket, was SOL
dier in almost his last gasps. 1 asked him
what could do for him. He said there
was nothing to do. I rustled about and
built fire. and managed to get enough
coffee to make him few spoonsful 1
thought 1t might brace him up. Then 1 sat
down and had a talk with him. He said
his name was John France. and like myself,
of Michigan regiment. He told me- too,
that he had been selected for exchange
that day.
But it comes too Late said he 'shan't
live an hour
1T was he who suggested the plot
After am dead he went on. you pin
a paper with your name and regiment on
my coat. Take my name and number your
self. and be exchanged in my place. You'll
have to see the sergeant of my 100 and fix
1t with him. If he objects, bribe him with
all you've got. IL necessary. not to peach
and tell who you are. You can fix him and
get out in my name
AT first the idea didn't strike me favor
ably. 1 doubted success. And 1 wasn't at
all sure just what form rebel resentment
might take If they detected me escaping
under the alias Of a man dead and gone
But John France urged me to go.
You might better risk any chance he
said. You Will come down, down. until you
are as you see me here And he held up
hands like claws
Il half way assented. The appearance of
John France was very convincing. 1 would
have gone through a storm of lead to es-
cape his starved fate. He went on and told
me all of the incidents of his capture: the
date and the battle; with all of other data
before and since, so that might stand anv
cross-examination they might make as to
my identity.
After a bit left John France, as I had
certain duties to attend to. I fixed him to
be as comfortable as he might, and prom
ised TO come back as soon as had liberty
to see how he had got along. When l re-
turned in half an hour John France of the
hso made up my mind to take John
FRANCES offer; l would assume his name
al claim his exchange. l pulled his body
to one side. where it wouldn't be readily
observed by chance strollers. and, after
pir ming paper with my name and repi-
ment on the breast CT his blouse, covered
ms ms dead face with one corner of the
could do for the dead man. who unlocked
Al deisonville for my escape
My nrst business was to hunt up the
sergeant of John Frances leo. / found him
bull-head, sullen sort of fellow. Ha
blurtly refused to permit me to escape in
John Frances place. AS he would have Ia.
muster and march the prisoners marked
was necessary to gain this mans aid.
You can't co. he said, roughly, IF
France is dead then I'll send some other
man from my hundred in his stead. I'd 20
myseii, but my being sergeant queers ii.
They'd spot me at once, and there would
be no one to muster the men, But Won
can't have the place Here the Sergeant
assumed determined air. as one who Set
tied the business. 1 was boiling.
Il had grown fairly frantic by this time
TO get away. and the more l dwelt on the
chance to ESCAPE and reflected on how few
they We're and far between, 1 felt like
throttling this obdurate sergeant. who
stood IN my way. l controlled my wrath
as well as l could.
1t will be me or nobody who takes
John Frances place. 1 retorted He gave
me his place himself. and l will get it or
it will go wanting a candidate Since YOU
tell me shall not go, tell you that neither
shall you lor any man of your hundred
And for litter emphasis l shook my fist
rrder the sergcants nose
observing that 1 had made an impres-
sion on him. l went rapidly and almost
eloquently to the question of reward. /
was the proud owner of jim-crow watch.
which in this day of the Waterbury would
be dear at So l offered him this if he
would help me. 1t was all had
ITO make long story short he at last
after a deal of grumbling, accepted. That
afternoon. when the ticketed folk were
ordered to fall in for exchange, 1 took the
place Of John France and answered to his
Eame. I had blackened and srimed nv
face. and torn and ripped my clothes, and
with stout cane to limp with, looked as
nearly deed as I could. We hobbIed and
tottered. rather than marched. to the place
where we were to be turned over to a
guard, who would take us to Savannah,
There was a little stream at this place
with narrow foot bridge. One by one our
Eames were called. and as fast as identified
we were passed across the bridge to the
guard on the other side. At last the officer
with the list called out:
"'John France
"'Here! 1 groaned. hobbEng forward
with my cane.
s.Tba oHicor e,,rvarod ma