The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-11-04
WAR STORIES.
George {. Tanner in Augusta Chronicle. \
IContinucd from last week. 1


cotton undcrshirt and drawers N which
swan the bay, my arms almost cut
70 the bone, weak from loss Of blood
and exhaustion, subdued by the terri
&c experience had met with, which
amounted almost TO defeat aui death,
and in want Of every comfort that can
render life cndurablc, yet within
few miles of the fort, and in an enc,
mics country through which we would
have TO pass to gain our liberty, in
spite Of all these things, | ain quite
sure more perfectly happy 10y did
not exist on this earth than was
when was able 10 get to my feet and
realize that | actually stood Oh the
earth, aud, above all, away from the
hdcously dismal hell Fort Delaware.
No one can for moment know the
height of happiness who has not been
at the very bottom Of despair. Even
thcn doubt if mature human being
could be as suprcmely happy as o boy.
Day soon commenced to declare it.
self. We found ourselves, very mys-
tcriously to me, only stones throw
below Delaware City. The tide hal re-
seded and borne us there unconsciously
to omc.
We could hear movements in Della
ware City and must conceal ourselves.
The only thing which afforded any
shelter was corn field. IIithcr we
made our way. McCa.hron was in
nigh >pirits. He had on full suit,
but + declared him Confederate sol
li,., hcnco we must conceal ourselves
in day time, and travel at night. My
great terror was that McCathron would
leave me alone. ventured during our
eoncealmcnt in the corn field to go
close enough to take look at the fort.
Away off across the bay, l do not know
how many miles, it looked grim aud
severe enough.
'McCathron,' I said, that's ter
7iblc distance to swim.
Yes, said he, but the tide made
rs go almost double that distance.
'We were in tho water all night.
'Yes, from clock until 3.
DO you think they will miss us at
The fort and try to rccapturo us?
'Yes, of course, they will We must
be very cautious
Casting parting look at the fort,
my thoughts going to Worthington.
How [ did wish he were with me, or
knew my fate. How broad and free I
felt; how dark and wrotchcd the lot of
our brave boys I had just left dying
faster than they could be buried
some said thrcc hundred per day-and
where vermin, to my own knowledge,
ate to death one of our wounded men
men which common humanity would
never have put there, and who should
have been given medical attention.
But, alas, alas, and yet, alas! Why
even mention these horrors? shud-
der to this day 10 think of that hideous
hole.
sat down on corn row and the
next thing I knew McCathron was
tugging at me and saying in my ear:
'Why DOM t you wake up? Wake up.
We'll, all right
We'll, it's not all right until you
wake up. Wake up
well, what's the matter, I'm
awake.
But you said that before, but you
we're not. Get up
We'll, I'm up now, what the mat
ter?' I asked, still not fully awake.
'The matterl' exclaimed McC Cathron,
the Yankees might have had you
back in Fort Delaware 'and you would
never have known it. OF all the
sleeping I have ever seen or heard of
that beats them all. I have been
working at you for an hour trying to
wake you
The ?erspiration stood on Mos face
to cor630rate his story.
well, what's up?'
You're up now, but I've bad hell
of time doing it. Do you always
sleep that way?'
Lying down? Yes
'You did more than lie down; you
slept like dead man. It's dark and
we must be gone; come on
We sailed forth, avoiding Delaware
City we soon found ourselves on a
pretty good road in the rear Of it, 60
ing at a.rapid pace. We knew we