The Portland daily press., 1895-08-17
THE CONSCRIPTS.


O4-O VI S-AO PetASJ saw 44iO VI AOA
particulars. Under the detail from his
own regiment, Snow was marched along
the lines after the men had been drawn
up On three sides Of hollow square.
''In the early days of the war clergy
men were provided for men sentenced to
death, and those shot, as were not few
by Bragg's order at Tupalo, met death
while kneeling on their own cofins.
But poor Snow had neither a clergyman
nor coffin, nor do I think that these
accessories wonId have eased the stu
alton in the least.
''In the open space his eyes were
blindfolded, and he was made to kneel
and told that five minutes were left him
for prayer. If he heard this, he made
no response. 1t comforted me to think,
when heard Of his conduct, that he
was listening to the roar of the Union
guns, now only few miles away"
"Readyi Aiml Firal' Three short,
sharp commands, then the muskets of
the firing aOsail. blazed out, and Snow
dropped over On bis side-dead. He was
thrown into a shallow ditch beside the
track and covered over, but his rest
was as peaceful as if he slept under a
monument.
Coleman was alarmed at the fate of
bis comrade, and now that he was gone
Rnd there was nobody else whom he
could trust he decided to end his active
service with the Confederacy His posi-
tion rs lieutenant in the signal corps
gave him unusual advantages To a great
exsent he was his own master, though
subject to the orders of Bragg's chief of
staff
On Jan. and after the Confederates
had abandoned the defenses about Muir
freesboro Coleman was ordered to Ste
venson, Ala, and this he determined to
make his opportunity. An accident IA
vored him. At midnight of Jan. s the
train on which he was passenger was
stopped by washout which could not
be repaired till the morrow. Coleman
tapped wire and reported the condi-
tion of the road to Bragg and to the
officer at Stevenson. He was the most
useful man on the train, and so he was
free to do as. he pleased.
About two hours before daylight and
in the midst Of driving rain Coleman
disappeared. When daylight came and
his services We're required by the man
In charge OF the repairs, he could not
be found, but it would seem that this
neither caused surprise nor excited sus-
picion.
r,1o7, 1occ oon1 %Lo,, y.a-
ing once deserted from the army to
which he belonged, would have made
no halt till his safety was assured, but
this was a man not given to fears for
himself. He had takUn from the train a
pair Of climbing boots and his portable
instruments. Two miles southeast of
the washout he again tapped the wires
and read the messages passing between
Bragg and Bridgeport.
The Confederate general, although in
full retreat, claimed brilliant victory
in the recent battles along Stone river,
and he was very eager to get the lines
into working order so that he could COM
municate directly with Richmond. In
his anxiety for information that might
be of value to the other side Coleman
might have remained on the cross arms
until daylight had not flash of light
down the track and the changing of a
bell warned him of his danger. He hur-
ried down befare the locomotive came
up and plunged into the darkness. He
knew the direction, though the night
was as. Black as it well could be, but he
was far too sbrewa to exhaust his
strength bywalking Or running after
he had gene a safe distance from the
railroad.
As soon as it was sufficiently light
Coleman started off again. He was
young, .stsong and active, and, except
ing his pistol { and a box of cartridges,
he did not burden himself He plunged
into the foothiIfs of the Cum berland
range, guiding himself by occasional
glances atethe sun. He found the cabins
of the Iuoua taineers filled with desert
ers. bne in Speaking with them he took
good care not to give hint of his own
purpose. AIurfreesboro was his objective
point that place having been occupied
by Roseorans Immediately after Bragg's
retreat.
! As it'wss growing dark on the even
ing otEthe day Of his escape Coleman
came upon body Of Confederate horse
men who were returning from a scout
in the direction of Lebanon and the
Kentucky line. The troopers were quite
as much surprised at his coming as he
was atsaeing them, but instead of show
ing Disappointment or surprise Coleman
tossed up his hat, and after cheering, to
show his assumed delight, he shouted
out:
''By thunder, thought at first you
were Yanleesi''
The troopers, who belonged to the
Sixth Tennessee cavalry, gave him
hearty greeting The captain in COM
mand said his horses were exhausted,
and that as he had succeeded in finding
feed near by he decided to rest till
morning.
Coleman told who he was and ex-
planned that the train on which he was
going to Alabama had been detained by
a washout sn1ght before. With view