The National tribune., 1897-07-15

panies on that blood thirsty, cow
ardly mob, who would insult and do vio-
lence 10 a few half starved men, loaded down
with chains and sbsckles. This crudely-
told incident is not very strong support
to the theory OF the chivalrous valor and
honor once so vauntingly claimed by the
slaveholding aristocracy of the South.
Twas very much relieved when the whistle
sounded and the train pulled out for Madi-
son, Ga, for i have no doubt that had we
been detained Is minutes longer, we would
have been dragged from the cars and hung
or cut TO pieces, or beaten to death in the
streets, so crazy and excited had these in
furiated demons become. / was glad to
leave them-that / am certain of.
Next morning we reached Madison, which
was q neat pretiily-situated town, although
the effects of war were visible in the de-
serted appearance Of the Streets where no
men were to be seen, except few soldiers
on leave OF absence. or cripples, aud occa-
sionally an old man. On our march to the
jail, groups of women and children thronged
the sidewalks TO stare at us.
We found the Jail here q paradise, COM
pared with our late den at Chattanooga.
We had plenty of room, light, and, best or
all, we had plenty of fresh air to breathe,
and fair supply Of very tolerable rations
We would have been more comfortable if
our chains and irons had been taken off. but,
as it was, we recruited rapidly. and soon felt
like men again, sll of which blessings we
appreciated and were as devoutly thankful
for rs ever mortal men could be-
While we were here many visitors came
to see MS Among these one day an intelli-
gent man came IN, dressed in q neat Con-
federate uniform, and whom / noticed speak
ing hurriedly in . low tone of voice to An
drews. We did not suspect anything at the
time, and from the decidedly rebel views he
expressed to us we took the officer for a
rabid secesh, but after he had been gone
some little time Andrews privately COM
nunicated to Us the fact that he was &C
qusinted with the man, and the additional
fact, surprising to Us, that he was none
other than Federal spy in the service of
the United States. We trembled at the
audacious daring of the fellow, and were
wondering whether it could be possible that
he was, in fact, as Andrews said, q Union
man running his neck into the very halter
We were inclined to doubt the correctness
of the story, until, little later, the Ser
geant Of the Guard, who came In to bring
our supper, told us that remarkable thing
had happened that afternoon.
Il.
The Sergeant said the commandment of the
town had learned, by some means, that one
of Linceln's spies had been among the visit
ors at the prison during the afternoon, and
had at once put officers on the hunt for him
TO cause bis arrest. The spy was found at
the depot, just rs the cars were coming in.
He became very indignant because of his
arrest, and told them, with great emphasis.
that he had papers in his pocket that would
prove his character anywhere. The Officer
OF the Guard was taken aback somewhat at
This information, and released his hold on
the stranger, but asked him to produce the
papers. The spy thereupon thrust his hand
In his pocket and began fumbling about. as
though trying to find them. By this time
the train had started, and the hind coach
was just passing where they stood at a
pretty good rate Of speed, when he sprang
from the guard like tiger and got aboard
the train. There was no telegraph office at
the station, and be made good his escape.
This caused the rebel commandant to for
bid any more visiting; bat we felt consola-
ton in the hope that the spy would report
our condition to the United States autbori-
ties and some efforts would be made to Sc
cure cur release. Whether The spy ever
reached the Union lines do not know
After stay of several days at the Madi-
son jail, an order came one day for our i'm
mediate return to Chattanooga, and the good
time we were having was suddenly brought
to close. Gen. Mitchell, though he had
badly frightened the citizens and rebel SOL
diers, had not taken the town. We were
burned back and incarcersted in the same
old prison We had been in before. Two cir
cumstances however, after our return. did
much 10 relieve the misery Of this prison.
The Captain of the Guard allowed a portion
of oIr party TO remain in the room above
the pit which was our first quarters.
This was great relief, at least to some of
us. and made more room for the others
below. We had, also, with the assistance of
q case-knife, which one of our men had
secured, oontrived implements by which We
could unlock our shackles, and we were
thus enabled TO relieve ourselves of this
discomfort, except at times when we ex-
pected the jailer in, when we would replace
them; as otherwise, had they found out what
was going on, they would have brought in
blacksmith and put them on to stay. besides
examining rs all down into the "hole %
again
RRGARDKD AZ DESPERATE
They must have regarded us as very des-
perate dangerous men, from the extraordi-
Aary precautions they took. Even when