The National tribune., 1899-04-06

dirty, cotton handkerchief in my pocket,
that had frequently been used as towel.
tore it into vile strips, considering the
length / wanted, and tied the enis to-
gether. / then tied one to my haversack
string, and holding on to the haversack and
lowering it over the wall as far down rs 1
could reach, let CO. when the handkerchief
string broke. thought the noise the haver-
sack made sounded as loud as any volley o!
musketry ever heard.
lodged my head back to escape detection
from the guard outside, and looking fearfully Y
toward the guard in the yard with me could
see the hole in the end of his musket-barrel
pointing at me, and the hole looked pretty
large, can tell you. One thought, the most
intensely absorbing at that moment, was that
he was going to shoot. 1 could almost feel
the bullet.
He again lowered his gun. think he
recognized my uniform, and took me for one
of the rebs who had been inside trading with
the Yanks; but be was certainly a good
natuIed fellow to spare me an interview, for
my speech would certainly have betrayed me.
As soon as his back was turned l climbed over
the wall and crossed the street, concealing
myself behind large poplar until l could
collect my wits and rest. l started down the
road towards the coast, past the relief
hospital guard, who did not molest me, past
the officers tents and guards in front OF
| them, then on past the main stockade relief
guard, and out of town.
/ think had gone about two miles, when
came to O cabin on the rightrhand side OF
the road. with the remains oil garden behind
it. Seeing no one around, and starving rs
was, / thought l would try for some vege-
ta1 Il he af1x
just about to enter when two dogs made ioI
me, and / beat hasty retreat down the
road. The dogs kept swapping at me, and
in self-defense picked up stone and threw
it at the nearest dog, and had the satisfac,
tion of seeing it strike him on the eye. He
and his companion retreated Just then q
man appeared at the door of the cabin in
dishabille, and tried to encourage the dogs
to attack me again, but they had had all the
Yank they wanted, and skunk away with
their tails between their legs.
The man ordered me to halt, but as he had
! no gun with him, walked away as fast as
could, and he went back into the cabin.
kept on as far as dared to go (for he had
fighteda candle. and rightly OWNED that he
would soon come out, dressed, and with gum,
then climbing fence on the other side OF
the road lay down in little ditch that rar
along just inside and awaited developments
Soon he came out into the road, as ex.
pected, with his gun, and stood looking
down the road; but not seeing me, turned
and walked back into the house Soon the
light was put out, and was just in the act
Of climbing the fence when, hearing a rum
bling noise, looked down the road and saw
a man approaching, riding the near horse Of
a team, hauling n cannon and caisson at.
tached. lay down in the ditch again. and
watched him through the crack between the
lower rails Of the fence. He soon passed me-
After lie had gone what considered safe
distance, climbed back into the road and
proceeded. After going about another mile
l came to a deserted earthwork pierced fo
three guns, and there | saw the fresh track.
of the gun-carriage that had passed me {
mile back. passed through one of the EN-
brasures, and was now in the woods border
ing the swamp. / kept on little farther
and coming to a road turning at right-ange:
and going south, | took that road, and afte
going about half mile farther, as day
was breaking, / commenced looking for
hiding-place.
soon came to fallen tree with crotchet
limb that raised the trunk OF the tree lttl