The National tribune., 1897-09-16

skeleton, which, in truth, was nothing
but skin and bones. The well-fed, sleek
looking sailors seemed to look on in
horror, but not more so than the gen
erous-hearted Commander, who was
moved almost to tears, as he was reach
ing over to help me as | came to the top
of the step-ladder. They stared at lis
| in silent wonderment, while the sailors
looked down into our little boat with
comical curiosity.
No pen can tell my feelings when /
fully realized that | was under the dear
old flag and among friends, for such we
found them. Mark was so overcome
that he could scarcely speak, and so weak
that he could hardly stand 1t was with
much effort that | was able to choke
down my feelings, so that could answer
the few questions asked me.
Pretty soon the old Commander anger
got the better of him, and he raved and
swore as he paced up and down, and
stamped the deck until the air seemed
fairly blue with birthstone. think if he
could have gotten hold of old jefferson
Davis, or some other first-class rebel,
about that time, he would have hung
him, and then tried him afterwards.
The vessel we had boarded was the
United States gunboat Somerset, of the
Gulf blockading squadron, and the off
Ger in command, who had taken us up,
was Lieut. Commander j. F. Crossman.
Peace to his ashes. 1t was with unfeigned
sorrow that | learned of his death by
accident in the year 1872.
A nobler, more kind-hearted and more
sympathetic man for those in distress
never wore the United States uniform.
He ordered lis each new suit of clothes,
and gave orders to his cook to get dinner
for us. He conducted us to the cabin,
dirty and ragged as we were, and gave
us each few swallows of brandy, after
! which he sent us aft with the sailors to
wash up, which we did with soap, the
first time we had used the article since
we had left our comrades at Shelbyville,
nearly eight months before. We then
rugged ourselves out in sailors clothes,
after which we were invited to the Com
mander's cabin, where we took dinner
with him.
A SQUARE MEAL AT LAST.
We were so hungry that we were
ashamed to even attempt to satisfy our
appetites, although we were made vel
come to everything he had. 1t seemed
to me as though | could not get filled
up. The Commander talked freel y with
us, and cordially invited us to stay with
him until we were recruited up, but we
told him we would like to get back as
soon as possible, or to some part of the
Federal lines where we could report, and,
if possible, save our comrades in the
Atlanta prison, if the poor fellows were
not already executed. He told US he
would be pleased to have us stay until
we were recruited from our starved con-
dition, and that we would be made vel
come on his vessel, but that if we insisted
on going right on he would signal a
cruiser then lying not far away, to await
further orders, which he did. This was
the large-looking vessel we had been
steering for when hailed by Commander
Crossman, and which was just ready to
set sail for Key West.
After dinner he interviewed us fur
Their, and again fell into a swearing
frenzy. | thought he was the maddest,
most furious swearer [ had ever heard
or seen. He wrote and forwarded dis
patches to the Navy, and, | think, to the
War Department; for my understanding
of the case at the time was, and is still,
that Secretary Stanton at once took the
matter in hand and notified the Confed-
crate authorities at Richmond that any
further executions of members of the
Mitchell party would be met with prompt
retaliation. My reason for thinking so
will appear farther on in my story.
The Commander also gave us letters to
the Commandments at the Naval Station
at Key West and other points in our
route. He furnished us with everything
he could think Of to make us comfort
able, even to a supply Of tobacco, and
with a hearty farewell and handshake
and wishes for better fortune in the
future and safe voyage, the noble old
man sent us off in boat to the cruiser,
on whose great, dark hull was lettered
her name, Stars and Stripes.
We cast many a grateful look back
at Commander Crossman, as he leaned
over the rail looking after us, and to the
last of my life shall | associate his name
and that of the boat, the Somerset, with
that eventful day Of my existence when
Providence delivered me up from a
miserable bondage and almost linger-
ing death into the hands of SO kind and
generous friend.
Soon after we came ON board the Stars
and Stri pes, she took up her anchor and
was under way for Key West, and soon
after we were out of sight of land
where so many sorrows came upon US,
and for which we had but few pleasant
memories. crept upon the upper deck,
and for the first time in my life gazed
out upon the majestic ocean, | was al