The National tribune., 1899-03-23
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
OUT OF REBEL PRISONS.
Struggling On Toward Freedom In a Country
Full of Ers .nies.


Full of Ere .nies.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: was one
of the "charter members of Co. F, Gath n
Y, enlisted at Randolph, N. Y. was never
absent from the regiment, except during the
Winter Of '63, '64, detailed on recruiting
service in care of Capt. Hunt. We returned
to the regiment a few days before the cam
paign which resulted so gloriousy in crush
ing the rebellion. was never absent from
duty until was wounded at Gettysburg
The night of May IL, 1864, was spent in
manuvering the Second Corps for position fol
the desperate work of May II assigned it by
its able commander. This was done a little
before day break, at Spottsylvania Courthouse.
Then came that dreadful waiting which
makes the heart sick. The order came
No firing till you take the works, then the
rush. ~
think / was the first man on top the
works for a moment, and have often wondered
that was left to tell the story. / was one
who went back with the prisoners, and then
returned to the front, passed over the works
where we had charged but short time be-
fore, and supposed we had a line-oi-battle in
front, and passed Though the woods to the
clearing.
|. Here l found circular earthwork prepared
by the rebels as protection for the wounded.
Behind it ere two wounded rebs and a Sur
geon ard about one dozen Union soldiers,
who, like myself, were caught in bad COM
pany.
Soon the formation of a new line was ac-
compliShed. and when the battle began We
A. Al. I'LL
ana prisoners
We We're sent TO Lynchburg, Danville and
Andersnuville After ENJOYING rebel hospi-
tality about six months the authorities had
orders to ssnd a tIanlOad to some other
prison, and &. NJ. Ellis, ID. WOodfor 154th
\. Y. and myself were in it.
After getting into south Carolina, and be-
irg convinced that we were being taken to
another prison, we managed to drop from the
car, living down close by the track until the
train had i.assed out of sight.
We were one month in the Confedcracv
battling Ior freedom. We had but one pan
that We thought wonld be successful. and
that was TO reach the sea. Imagine yourself
in a strange land, enemies on every land,
rivers to cross, large forests TO pass through,
with ince1s ant rains .y night and day.
We succeeded in reaching the bank of the
Santee River Throngir.tte aid OF negro
we We're s1On aflnat. and later, crossing the
land again, reached tile ieedce. Negroes
again assisted us, and before long we were
lost on the Wacamaw River, and couldn't
tell whether we were going up or down
stream. on account of the tide, so we landed.
In the morning we found we were near
Georgetown. with no possible chance of get
ting anything to eat that day. / was so ex-
hausted could not low, and could only bale
out the water that sloppei over the sides,
until we reached South Island. | crawied
out Oh the grass and rested, while my COM
radts sought a tree to climb and find out our
location. They soon returned and said we
must take the boat aga n and cross to another
island, for the darky told ms that we would
be more likely to lind something to eat, for
people had lived ON that island before the
war.
While crossing or coming round near the
lighthouse, Woodford. who was sitting in the
stern Of the boat, and had good view down
the channel, said he saw a vessel and insisted
on crossing to the island Ellis replied he
was going to have something to eat, whether
it was rebs or Yanks.
Soon we got the challenge from the vessel.
and replied that we were friends. As we
came a LITTLE nearer they hailed US again and
we told them we were escaped Yankee pris-
oners. The torpedo net was raised, and our
little boat iloated to the ladder of the ship.
We were ohce more under the Stars and
Stripes on board the gunboat PetOmskey-
SAMUEL Z. PRESTON, Sergeant, Co. +, 64th
n Y, Hanseil, Iowa.