Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-03-03
he hit upon novel plan whereby to get

his knees until his feet aud ankles were
SD swollen that the surgeon ordered him
out to hospital to be treated for dropsy.
While the sailor staid our ration con-
sisted Of milk pan Of cornmeal mush,
with sometimes few spoonfuls Of mo-
lasses, which seldom reached us before
o'clock in the afternoon. Our table
was tho deep sill Of the only window in
the cell, which was nearly on level
with the ground outside. II any rem
nant Of this breakfast remained after
our combined attack, ii served to stay
our hunger next morning. The cell con-
tanned no furniture. The only approach
10 luxury was two sticks Of cordwood
which served for pillows at night. In
the daytime We were sometimes permit
ted to walk in the yard, where / remem-
Dor to have strolled about hunting along
the ground for chance fragment Of
bread. A number Of negroes from Colo
mel Shaw's Massachusetts regiment were
ing in hiding until it was quite dark
and marched steadily west until II
o'clock. The remains Of fire blowing
about on the road in front Of us brought
us TO halt, and brief examination
convinced us that we were confronting
n picket post, which we tried to flank,
but We're thwarted by the swampy ma
ture Of the ground. We tramped back
for mile and took "a left hand road,
which we found SO indistinct IN tho
darkness that We halted and lay down.
We started again before daylight and
travelled throo miles before camping for
the day. We made our first breakfast Of
corn bread and water.
From that time and through the
month Of December we were wanderers
on the face Of the earth. AS my mind
reverts to this long, eyentful journey |
am more than ever convinced that
morciful forgetfulness has condensed the
story as no art Of mine could do, blot
ting out much that was Of minor impor-
tance and leaving the salient points
fresh and perhaps more vivid from fIe-
quent telling. The sentiment Of the
night marches, the sounds we heard aud
the very smell Of the woods remain aft
er dates and even men are forgotten.
remember viyidly how Sill and /, with
our blankets over our shoulders and
stats 10 feel the way. would be silently
struggling for the lead hour after hour,
with Lamson rolling after US on the
road | remember the dreary barking OF
the dogs and the importance We some
times attached TO their voices, the up
land cotton fields, where We struck the
bursting balls with our sticks IN revenge
upon our enemies, and the drOning
wheels, spinning in the early night, the
hours Of silence and toll that followed,
and the shrill Growing Of the cocks, her
aids Of the day. admonishing US to choose
our wood or swamp.
After walking all night we soon fell
into the habit of sleeping three or four
bours, when we arose and strengthened
our hiding place. Then We made "A
breakfast of whatever We might have III
our hayersacks, and all three Of Us took
a smoke in turn from Sills brier root
pipe. In the afternoon, II all looked
safe, we indul2ed IN anoth - sleep. On
one occasion our camp was so cold that
we trod ring in the snow and spent a
good part Of the day trotting around 1t
to keep warm.
On the evening Of Dec. Z, after lying
in the woods all day. we were out Of
provisions, and hearing the stroke Of an
AK / skulked from tree to tree until |
espied a negro. made known our
wants, and the man conducted us to a
camp of charcoal burners. Leaving US
here, no set out with horse and cart
TO drive to neighboring plantation TO
procure US provisions. He was gone "A
long time, and as we grew impatient at
the delay pious old patriarch among
the burners instituted 4 prayer meeting
for our benefit and TO express the exuber-
ance Of his joy that 1.-THE Marser Lin
CO N sojers is done come, an de ole man
gwine t'get to die III de land o Canaan
yet. Bress de Lord" IL was solemn
and picturesque scene as We knelt on
bl BAJt h''hANEf dbH'A N4A' Ns''+
forest trees, in the smoke and the warmth
Of the smoldering coal pits, and listened
to the expressions Of the simple faith Of
these patient bondsmen, waiting to be
set free in "de Lord IS" good time.
While we were thus engaged the pro-
vision cart arrived with precious little
in il. As has often happened before,
after the longest grace came the shortest
meat A dried goat ham and few
small sweet potatoes, rolling about on
the bottom Of the cart, composed all the
food supply the jealous negro had been
able to procure.
We carried the goat ham all night,
and on the following day, having made
our camp deep in an almost impenetra-
BILE dry swamp, we prepared to cook it,
building the only fire we allowed our
selves between Columbia and the noun
tains. Alas! Our prize, which was as
light as cork, was riddled with worm
holes and filed with red dust.
One wintry night when our road lay
between Greenville Court House on the
north and Pickens Court House on the
south our trio came TO halt at the foot
of a guidepost that marked the inter
section Of three roads. We climbed the
post and tried to decipher the letters
Sill was for taking the right hand road,
and pleaded for the left. Lamson re-
fused to settle the dispute. and we final
" agreed to proceed to the right until
we could find somebody 10 give us def
mite information. A mile OF two around
this turn we reached "a farmhouse stand
inc close to the road. Lamson and |
lay down III the grove opposite while
Sill made his way toward the light of
cabin in the rear Of the house.
1t was close upon midnight, and all
was dark in and about the main house
In due time negro stole out OF the
front gate and led US under the shadow
Of hedge to side window OF the cab
in, where we clambered in, to find Sill
seated before the bright fire watching
the sweet potatoes roasting IN the ashes
and the pot Of barley coffee steaming on
the Goals. Before We had finished our
supper the rain and sleet were beating
against the windows, and it was decid-
ed 10 conceal us in the barn until the
following night. Accordingly We were
conducted up on to the highest NOV,
close under the roof, and left to sleep
on the soft cornshucks to the music Of
the hail OIL the shingles.
Secure as this retreat seemed, when
the negro brought us our early break
fast he insisted upon buryiDg us three
feet under the fodder. for fear the chill