The Republican journal., 1898-08-04

my hearing.
was standing in the door of a shanty
cook in camp, and without a
moments warning down came about five
gallons of cold water over my head and
shoulders. | shudder now when | think
how near | came to cussing the confeder
ate soldiers who stood about to watch me.
Instead of saying word l gurgled lot
of inharmonious sounds of fright, and
looked the more like thing of wood.
In another camp | was squatting on the
ground mechanically showing my soaps
and tobaccos, and playing deaf to the
thousand and one questions artfully put
TO me, when saw by soldiers eye that
some test of my hearing was to be made.
That moment l heard the click of a
pistol being brought to cock. The weapon
was discharged within three inches of my
ear.
l never had to hold myself together
more than then. | slowly turned my head
and looked inquiringly about at the smoke
of the discharge.
When | reached Gen. Johnston's main
camp about jackson, L knew that the
crucial tests would be made. l had by
that time gained nearly all the informa-
ton l wished for Gen. Grant, and my
plans We're how to get back to the federal
lines.
l slept in a barn one night, remote
from any camp, where | could have at
least partial peace from the fear of sol
diers watching to entrap me to my death.
1t was marvellous that | was not stark
mad by that time. The next morning as
| was getting out of the barn | saw several
inf ntry soldiers out foraging. My actions
had reused their suspicious.
l wrote on my slate that I was con
federate peddler named Freeman on my
way to jackson to get new goods for sell
ing to the boys in gray.
''Oh, THAI won't do said one of the
soldiers. Il bet he's another Yank spy
Then learned from the conversation of
my captors that two of the spies sent out
from Grand Gulf at the time | was had
been caught and hanged two days previ-
ously.
Try to imagine what my thoughts
We're as the soldiers marched me across d
cotton field to the headquarters. In my
four years of warfare that was the nearest
! ever saw death before me. 1t seemed
perfectly hopeless to brave out the ordeal
| would have to undergo in the enemy's
lines without pass in my pocket and no
one to vouch for me.
/ was taken to Gen. Kirby Smith tent
The general had been informed that [ had
been arrested without pass, and that |
was suspected of being spy in the guise
of deaf and dumb peddler.
Gen. Smith said nothing.
Two or three officers in his tent went
and whispered to him. / knew they were
devising schemes to catch me if | were
spy in disguise.
/ pulled myself together and looked
absently about as if | had never seen the
interior of tent in time of warfare. |
knew that l was thoroughly suspected by
all present.
One of the officers wrote me message
on bit of paper While | was writing
an answer the man started and calculated
Look out
l wonder now that my hand did not
start involuntary. The officers and
Others We're looking at it closely.
For some minutes there was a conversa-
ton on my slate concerning why had no
pass in the confederate line. whence |
came and where | was going. | could
see it was all done to disarm me of any
fear had
An officer came forward and said:
This poor mute looks tired. It's a
shame to keep him here.' Then turn
ing to me he smilingly said, Are you
hungry?"
1t was pretty ruse, but simply star
ed at his epaulets.
Then they tried to make me pale, and
it was frightful test.
] was gwen a seat while Gen. smith
turned to other business, apparently
forgetful OF me. The other officers sat
near me and smoked and chatted. sPres-
emily they began talking abont some new
orders that had been issued to hang every
federal spy Immediately upon conviction.
They talked about how two spies that had
been hanged TWO days previously had
acted as they squrmed in death, and how
the officers were looking for more spies TO
hang on the same spot. My brain was in
a whrl. Everything swan before my
eyes, but sat with my face turned up to
the military diagrams and the rules of
camp on the tent wall before me.
More whispering followed. | wrote on
my slate: Il am hungry and tired. Why
do you keep me here?''
A colonel wrote: ''Ne think You are de
ceivlng us. If you are, it will be death to
you. He watched my face as | read the
lines.
| wrote in reply: Il have very hard
time getting living in this wal. | am
with the confeds with all my soul. Please
may / go.'
In an hour ! was taken to a shanty-like
affair and locked in. A young man in
federal uniform was lying on the floor
When | entered He rose, and looking at
me, said, my goodness gracious, have
they got you, too?''
looked vacantly at him. l wrote that
| was mute.
Then the stranger laughed and said,
"Oh, it won't do you any good to keep
that trick up longer. We're going to die
together as Union spies, and why not be
resigned to it. | was caught day before
yesterday, and We been sentenced to be
hanged. Now they'll wait for you to go
with me. Ha, ha, We'll show the Rebs
how Yankee boys can die game, won't
we?''
1t was trying moment, and | did want
to open my heart and mouth to such
Jolly federal man. While my case seemed
pretty hopeless, l could not tell what
opinion the man at Gen. Smiths head
quarters had formed of my actions.
| wrote on my slate that l was mute,
and that it was useless to try to commu-
nicate with me except by sign or writing
But the stranger talked right along, and
tried to appeal to my love for the Union
cause. He would suddenly fling a natur-