The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-01-27
CHAPTER LXXVII,

LEAVE FLORENCE INTELLIGENCE OF
THE FALL OF WILMINGTON COMMUNE
GATED TO US BY A sLAVE-THE TUR-
PENTINE REGION OF NORTH CAROLINA.
WE COME UPON A REBEL LINE-OFBAT-
TLE-YANKEES AT BOTH ENDS OF THE
ROAD.
Things had gone on in the way de-
scribed in the previous chapter until
past the middle of February. For
more than a week every waking hour
was spent in anxious expectancy of
Sherman-listening for the far-of rattle
of his guns, straining our ears to catch
the snllen boom of his artillery, scan
ming the distant woods to see the rebels
falling back in hopeless confusion before
the pursuit of his dashing advance.
Though we became as impatient as
those ancient sentinels who for 10 long
years stood upon the Grecian hills to
catch the first glimpse of the flames of
burning Troy, Sherman came not. We
afterward learned that two expeditions
were sent down towards us from Cheraw,
but they met with unexpected resist
ance, and were turned back.
1t was now plain to US that the Con-
federacy was lettering to its fall, and we
were only troubled by occasional mis-
givings that we might in some way be
caught and crushed under the topping
ruins. 1t did not seem possible that,
with the cruel tenacity with which the
rebels had chung to us, they would be
willing to let us go free at last, but
would be tempted in the rage of their
final defeat to commit some unparalleled
atrocity upon us.
One day all of US who were able to
walk were made to fall in and march
over to the railroad, where we were
loaded into box-cars. The sick, except
those who were manifestly dying, were
loaded into wagons and hauled over.
The dying were left TO their fate without
any companions or nurses.
The train started off in northeasterly
direction, and as we went through Flor
ence the skies were crimson with great
fires, burning in all directions We
were told these were cotton and military
stores being destroyed in anticipation of
visit from part Of Sherman's forces.
When morning came we were still
running in the same direction that we
started. In the confusion of loading us
upon the cars the previous evening I
had been allowed to approach too near
rebel officers stock of rations, and the
result was his being the loser and myself
the gamer of canteen filled with fairly
good molasses.
Andrews and / had some cornbread,
and we breakfasted sumptuously upon
it and the molasses, which was certainly
none the less sweet from having been
stolen.
Our meal over, we began reconnoiter-
ing-as much for employment as any
thing else. We were in the front end
of box-car. With saw made on the
back Of case-knife we cut hole
through the boards big enough to per-
NIT us to pass out, and perhaps escape.
We found that we were on the foremost
box-car of the train, the next vehicle to
us being a passenger coach, in which
were the rebel officers.
On the rear platform of this car was
seated one of their servants-a trustv
old slave, we'll dressed for negro, and
as respectful as his class usually was.
Said l to him:
"Well, uncle, where are they TAX
ing us?"
He replied: "Well, sab, couldn't
rightly say
"But you could guess if you tried,
couldn't your"
Yes, sah."
He gave quick look around to see
if the door behind him was so securely
shut that he could mot be overheard BY
the rebels inside the car, his dull, stolil
face lighted up as q negro's always does
in the excitemenhi0f doing something
cunning, apd he said in loud whisper:
"Dey's a-gwine tb take you to Will
mington-ef dey kin git you dar!"
"Can get us there!" said in aston
ishment. Z" Is there anything to prevent
them taking US there
The dark face filled with inexpress-
ible meaning. Iasked:
1T isn't possible that there are any
Yankees down there to interfere, is it?"
The great eyes famed up with intel
ligence to tell me that l guessed Alright;
again he glanced nervously around to
assure himself that no one was caves
dropping, and then he said in whisper,
just loud enough to be heard above the
noise OF the moving train:
De Yankees took Wilmington gester-
day manning"
The news startled me, but it was true,
our troops having driven out the rebel
troops, and entered Wilmington, on the
preceding day-the 22d Of February,
1865, as | learned afterwards.
How this negro came to know more
of what was going on than his masters
puzzled me much. That he did know
more was beyond question, since if the
rebels in whose charge We were had
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