The National tribune., 1900-06-28
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY JUNE 49, 1900

when, emerging from the brush, abou. 40
feet from it. saw three men sitting in the
doorway. l was "in for it." Being too
close to run l went up and spoke to them,
upon which one said to me:
From, your clothes, take you to be a
Yankee"
told him was, but that was deserter
10 what command do you belong?' was
the next question: then was asked where
had left the command. l told them at
Athens, Ala. They next asked where /
was going? told them was going home.
Then thinking it my time To ask questions,
asked the spokesman if he lived there.
He said his mother did; he lived in the army
most of the time, but was home on furlough
now. He told me there We're about one
half of Forests army diSbanded on 10
days furlough in Mississippi l then
asked for something to eat and got good
meal.
When l returned two of the Johnnies
had disappeared. My host said they were
neighborS, and had gone home. Then L
told him l wanted him to give me some
instructions as to how 10 reach Passport,
and whether there was danger OF my being
captured by the Yankees trying to get
there. He said there was no danger, but
after crossing The river l would have to
look out, for the 7th Ill. and I'd Tenn. Cav
were all over that country.
After learning all that | could took my
leave and went my way the best could.
This was the last i had to eat for two days
in hiding most all day, for l was getting
almost played out. / had stopped in view
of house. | saw a man start from 1t
towards me, but he stopped at Il crib in the
field got some corn. brought it to the fence
and threw it over to some hogs. L waited
till he went back, then slipped down and
took the three ears of the corn which re-
mained. This was all / got till l reached
EaStpOrt.
Now, the problem OF crossing the river
was bot Iering me. knew was too weak
to swim, and that all the boats were locked
against runaway negroes, so L decided tC
play deSerter on the ferryman, thinking
once across | would be safe.
got in sight of Eastport in the morning,
and took a position so L could watch the
town. There was but one family living
there then, that of the ferryman. Waiting
until sundown | ran down the hill to where
the old man was at work in his garden, and
begged him to put me across the river as
quick as you can. l am q dese,ter from
the Yankees, and old Philips is coming
down the river with his cavalry, and is
within two hours ride Of here now, and if
they get me they will shoot me-"
He dropped his hoe and started, telling
me to come by the house. ! told him to
hurry up. AS we passed the house he
went in and came out with two biscuits,
chicken and some whisky. He told me
TO drink the whisky. l told him did not
care for it, but | could eat the grub as we
went to the boat.
1t did not take long to get across the
river Upon arriving on the other side l
found a camp of refugees from southern
going North. l asked for
to eat; they said they had moth
ing, but had sent boy to mill seven
miles, to get some meal, and when he came
back they would have some bread. l
asked an old lady for blanket to sleep on.
She gave me two quilts. l took them,
went about quarter of mile into the
woods, and lay down. l never awakened
until the sun was shining next morning.
That was the first night of sleep l-had had
for nine nights.
In the morning I went back, gave the
lady her quilts, got some cornbread, and
started for Clifton, 80 miles distant.
1t took me three days to make it. When |
reached our picket-line was almost dead.
could not walk any farther, so rode one OF
he pickets horses into camp. At Clifton
found the I'd Tenn. Cav, one section OF
battery and one gunboat. l stopped here
wo weeks, then went with detail OF the
,avalry sent with dispatches to Pulaski,
IN reaching which l found that my regi-
nent had moved down the line to Athens.
took the first train and joined the regi-
nent at Athens. A few days after got to
Jlifton my old chum Jones came in
THOMAS J. MARTIN, Co. B, 7th ILL.,,
Jhelan, Wash.