The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-05-24
YHB CONSCRIPTS.
By ALFRED B. CALHOUN.
Copyright, 1895, by American Press Associa'
tion.l
CONTINUED
(CoNTINUED.1
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER II.
Soon after the arrival of Snow in
Murfreesboro James Coleman learned
that he was prisoner and the charges
against him. Indeed the accusation soon
became the property of the army, for
the two slightly wounded men who had
overheard the conversation between
Snow and the Pennsylvania were given
their liberty after they had had their
wounds dressed and made their reports,
and as no injunction to silence had been
placed on them they sought to magnify
their own importance by telling their
story wherever they went.
A more nervous man than Coleman
would have scented the danger at once,
and taking advantage of the confusion
then reigning in Murfreesboro would
have made his escape, but he chose to
stand and have it out. Not only this,
but he went to the provost's Office, and
without trouble secured pass to visit
his friend, who by this time was con-
fined in the Jail. He found Snow in
what was known as 'the condemned
CELL" but the prisoner s voice and bear
ing were as calm as if he were writing
at his own desk.
81 am sorry to see you here, old fell
low. " was Coleman's salutation as he
took the prisoners hand.
"And l am sorry to be here" re-
sponded Snow ''But I shall soon be
released. l have no fear.
Both Coleman and Snow knew that
the guards were listening outside, but
out of sight, and SO they spoke with the
knowledge that they would be reported,
but this did not prevent their commu-
nicating through a medium that only
cool, shrewd men would have thought
of. While deploring the arrest and VOW
ing fealty to the Confederacy. Coleman
took out his handkerchief and rapidly
signaled, using the former code, with
which Snow was perfectly familiar. BY
this means Coleman asked:
"Did you desert?"
Snow nodded response.
''Is the charge true?'
eyes
"Did you mention my name?'
"No, but said I had a friend hack
here"
Did you say who was?"
"No."
"When are you to be tried?"
"Tonight "
"And your defense?"
ga straight out denial.''
"And you will stick to it?''
Eyes, even unto death.''
81 will sustain you
This communication was carried on
while the two men were talking, and so
was more fragmentary than that here
set down.
When Coleman S 20 minutes were up,
md the guard appeared to escort him
out, he shook hands with his friend and
repeated that it was all mistake and
affirmed his belief that General Bragg
would release the prisoner without a
hearing as soon as he had the case called
to his attention.
Bragg, who was man Of strong
likes and dislikes, might have done as
Coleman said had he been i'll Murfrees-
boro at that time, but it was the
first day of the new year. and his army
and that of General Rosecrans were that
day engaged in a death grappel along
the banks of Stone river.
The town swarmed with the Confed-
crate wounded. Union prisoners and
the hordes Of camp followers which
seem inseparable from even the best ef=
ganized army. All day long as on the
preceding two days the air throbbed
with the booming of cannon, which
gradually came nearer and nearer, tell
ing that, despite his stHbborp resistance,
Bragg was being borne back. Already
the citizens who had been active against
the Union were preparing for flight. In
cited thereto by the activity in all the de.
partments requiring transportation.
To add to the gloom of the time, a
heavy rain that froze as it fell poured
down all day, On jaded horses couriers
and orderlies galloped through the
streets or dashed between the town and
the ever nearing scene of slaughter. The
oldest inhabitant had never seen q
gloomier New Years day. The only
persons i'll high spirits i'll Murfreesboro
| az UlIhp tAAAlO "OAO ehO PAAoOhOAo al pluO'
Ignoring their hunger and cold. they
jeered at their guardS. sang their own
patriotic camp songs, and shouted when
ever the crash of artillery seemed heavier
than usual:
"Clear the way, Johnny, the boys In
blue are comingr"
| As night came ON the rain ceased, and
bitter wind blew down from the north,
incrusting with ice the rutted roads and
freezing the shallow life currents in the
veins of the wounded out on the field.
At O'Clock that evening an orderly
called at the headquarters of the tele-
graph and signal corps and told James
Coleman that he had come to escort him
to the drumhead court martial then as
sembled at the preyost's Office to try the
spy, Snow. An assistant judge advocate,
who carried his arm in a sling, and a
half dozen other officers, all looking
particularly stern and gloomy, had as
sembled to try the spy. Snow sat in
among them with handouts ON his