The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-07-11


as time went by and / saw none, | was
forced to the belief that | was the only
one who had escaped. However, just after
dawn ] saw figure fitting from tree to
tree and bush to bush, and / knew he
must be one of our boys, when just as L
Was about to start to overhaul him the
fort opposite seemed inclined TO give us
a good send-off for the last, for they
sent an entire broadside of grape clear
into the woods.
] Glanced to be directly in the line
of fire, and, seeing the flash, down |
went upon my face, and in another
minute | was half buried beneath leaves,
twigs, and branches which were cut by
the shot, but my skin was whole. After
that there was no more firing, except
now and then few stray shots. | gath
cred myself together and crawled out
from under my cover of leaves and
branches, and thought to myself that
had grown to be a very important
person, since the rebels really thought
me 4 fit subject for
AN ENTIRE BROADS1DE,
for / felt sure it was at me they were
shooting.
| would not repeat the ordeal which
/ had undergone the previous night.
Tired, weary, half frozen, and hungry
as was, / would gladly have given up;
however, as | got up from my leafy bed,
/ saw it was one Of our men whom | had
seen before the firing.
He had also seen me and my face,
and, thinking ] was killed, he had re-
turned 10 see who | was; and to my
great surprise and relief | found him
TO be Lieut. Gushing.
Alter mutual congratulations spoke
of the broadside that | had been pre-
sented with. lie laughed, and told me
they had never seen me, but were only
shelling the woods. We lodged about
for a couple of hours, in the hope of
finding some more Of our poor comrades;
but, as no more turned up, we concluded
that we alone had escaped and as this
forced itself on the Lieutenant's mind
he became very gloomy, even though l
had told him that / knew beyond a
doubt that the ram was sunk, and that
| had landed beside her. He would
still have gone back alone to make a
certainty Of it, if at that moment his
quick eye had not caught sight of sew
eral boat-loads Of soldiers from the town
with dogs in each boat, pulling for our
side cf the river, but, happily for us,
about a mile or so above us.
We then beat a hasty retreat until we
were we'll past the bend in the river, and
then commenced our sufferings in dead
earnest. We had nothing to eat and
were worn cut by fatigue; and, with our
wet clothing nearly frozen, were ready
to drop, and vet we knew that to stop
meant certain capture and perhaps death.
We did not dare approach the river,
for we knew the rebels had pickets on
both sides, and that the alarm was gen.
eral; SO that we had TO walk many
miles out Of the way, wading through
small streams, which helped to keep the
dogs from our track At last, about 4
o'clock in the afternoon, we saw brush
wood fire and a man endeavoring to dry
his shirt, while he wore his wet jacket
and pants.
We knew he was one Of our men, and
as we lad
PASSED REBEL PICKET
only short time before, Lieut. Gushing
compelled him to take off his jacket and
smother the fire, as it would surely give
US away to the enemy, who were on our
trail. He told US that a short time be-
fore he had passed halfruined shanty
in the woods, and, although If appeared
to be deserted, still, being alone, he had
given it wide berth. Thinking per
haps it might be occupied by negroes,
who would be likely to befriend US, we
concluded to seek its shelter; and, as
there were three of US, we had more
confidence.
1t was getting dusk and we were
nearl Y tagged out, and under these cir
a roof over our head was
worth little risk. We soon
found the place, and it proved to be one
Of the river or Sound fshermen's huts,
who, after the feet had held the Sound,
found his trade ruined and had moved
his belongings to Plymouth and left the
cabin TO Its fate. We were, however,
heartily glad Of its shelter that night
and not long in getting a fire going, but
first taking the precaution to close every
aperture so that not a gleam Of light
could be seen from the outside.
All the same, one Of lis stood guard in
a hollow tree about 20 feet away for
three hours at time. Cushing taking
his turn with the rest So the night went
by, and with the first peep of day we
were off again, dry and much refreshed
by our nights sleep; but how hungry
we were, all of us young men, the oldest
"a or %. was 20, and the youngest,
and all with good appetites.
Well, another day passed almost as
the first had done, until about 3 o'clock,
when we heard fearful howling of dogs,
and Gushing supposed they had found
WeIsh's fire of the night before. Our