The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-12-03


Aug. 81. To-day we have all been
i'll a hustle, wearing bright faces,
packing our clothes, rolling our
blankets and cooking our rations
and putting them away for the trip:
carrying our baggage to the wharf
and giving our surplus plumber to
our Southern brethren who are to
remain. The Yanks term them
bushwackers, murderers, thieves,
robbers, butternuts. Rev. Hobson,
native of Kentucky and citizen of
Missouri, preached this evening.
His sermon was very affecting and
many a tear was seen to trickle
down the cheeks of the war-worn
soldiers. His was the parting word,
of a brother and a Christian, ad-
monishing us of our duty to our God
and our country.
Sept. l. Up this morning at $3.50;
dressed, made some coffee and took
breakfast by candle light, deter
mined to be ready to start at any
moment. Some were for sleeping
until day, as they knew we would
have plenty of time. Some were up
at the gate by daylight, and waited
until twelve o'clock to have their
names called. The officers were
very particular to keep any of the
observation-disclosures from going out.
The COnfederates got aboard the
Island Queen, our guard being old
Follett's company on the Little
Eastern, and sailed for Sandusky at
eight o'clock. AS usual the gaping
multitude was on hand. Some
young women in the depot house, in
the upper part of the building, let
their curiosity get the better of
their prudence. A handsome wo-
man in these parts would be some
thing new; they all have the Dutch
and Irish cast-coarse featured wo-
men and monkey-faced men. In the
city a white man is as good as a
negro if he behaves well.
We learned that a Pennsylvania
man, by the name of Moore, who
belonged to the lst Ala, formerly
an ultra fire. eater, was to lecture
here tonight.
From to-day's papers we learn
that 1000 negroes freed by Curtis
have Just arrived in st. Louis.
The last of the officers having
gotten over from Johnson Island,
and gotten aboard the cars, we left
Sandusky at 2:20 p. m. Saw here
some Irish who were good Rebels.
They everywhere sympathize with
us. The first green corn we saw
made some of the boys shout for Joy.
Arrived at Clyde, o., at o'clock
Saw an ''intelligent contraband"
sitting among some white women.
Reached Bellefontaine at 4:30. AT
six we passed another village. Next
we arrived at Tiffin, a considerable
town. A citizen brought us a
bucket of water with a request that
we should remember him, evidently
expecting to meet us as drafted
soldier. He said that volunteering
had about ceased. After dark we
passed Carey, smart town, after
which we folded ourselves up to try
to sleep. But who can sleep when
the cars are crammed as full as they
can be? The Yankees have killed
off all they can by hard treatment
and we have gotten so we can stand
almost anything.
Sept. 2. At daylight we arrived
at Versailles. Here the Rebels,
paying no attention to the small
guard, scattered all over the town,
hunting for something better to eat
than ironclad biscuit and briny
shoulder meat, and came near being
left. A sergeant and one of the
guard came up missing this morn
ing. Another sergeant got drunk
and gave Cheatham a quart of
whisky. A good deal of money was
lost here as we'll as at other places
by sending it by boys to purchase
eatables, tobacco and whisky. At
o'clock We passed two little villages
l0l miles from indianapolis. Next
we came to Union, where | bought
a cup of coffee from boy. Waited
here some time for a train to pass.
They kept our train running back
and forth to keep the Rebels from
getting off or talking to citizens.
Here the two Rebel trains were
joined together with but one engine.
More money was lost here by send
ing out for eatables. Passed anoth-
er village at 8. At MunceytOwn, 81
miles to indianapolis, a young lady
remarked that the rebels were bet
ter looking than their men. Anoth-
er one nudged her and told her that
she ought not to say so. All along
the way the people seemed to be sur
prised to see such a good looking
set. They said that their papers
had represented us as being very
hard looking set. Trains we meet
have guard on them to catch Rebel
sympathizers and prevent men sub
ject to military duty from "skedad-
ding" Here some contrabands
were recognized by their masters
and wanted to go home with them,
Three Rebels reported to have been
left here.
AT eleven o'clock we crossed a
railroad running north and south
little village here. We made up
some money at this place for a
Missourian who got out of prison by
answering to a dead mans name.
We learned that they had tele-
graphed for him from Johnson
Island.
AT one o'clock we passed a little
village and arrived at Indianapolis,
200 miles from Sandusky, at 80,
Four hundred miles to Cairo! Her g
we were packed into lot of filthy
stock cars like so many hogs. 1t is
no use for Federals to talk about
bad treatment. They ought not to
expect any good treatment from us
when we have been treated worse