The National tribune., 1905-11-16

iSEcdtly pdCluSu. she Sdlu our Sldto
belonged with the South, and she could
never understand how or why we fur
nished to the country horrid Abe Lin.
coin. Then learning OF my capture at
Oxford, Miss, she grew more interest
led, for that was her birthplace, and she
had graduated at the oxford State Un-
iversity, of which her father was Pres
, ident. So on until breakfast was an.
nounced and during the meal she be-
gan to ply her husband about our best
course out of the country. Breakfast
over, she made US sit down while she
had food prepared for our journey.
AT last with a large sack for each,
filled with biscuit and fried chicken,
she showed US how to hang them on
our shoulders. and insisted that her
In passing around small camp OF rebel
lcavalry soldiers 10 miles ahead on the
road we should travel. To this we
would not listen for a moment, for had
he been so found 1T might have cost
him very dearly. Notwithstanding he
and his dear little rebel wife were true
ISoutherners, I sincerely hope her lines
have always been cast in pleasant
places. May God bless her always.
Another Bright Side.
I will relate one more incident upon
the bright side of the picture. Twen-
| ty-one months after the incident above
related / was, with a companion, en-.
gagged In another effort to escape, and
was passing through central North Car
olina. We depended upon the colored
people for aid and information. and
found them friendly and reliable. Late
one night We were directed by a darky
to white man named Fox, who, we
were Informed, was a good man and
one who would not betray us. Mr..
Fox seemed a sort Of patriarch Of be-
lnevolent aspect, man Of means and
the father OF seven grown daughters,
comely and unmarried. He received us
cordially. entertained us bountifully,
furnished provisions for the next day.
and gave us minute directions by which
to reach his brother-in-law next night,
22 miles ahead. We travelled during
the night. and at daylight came to
place we knew from description was
not above two miles from brother-in.
law Moore, the man we were seeking.
We hid in thicket Of old-feld pine
during the day, and after dark set out
for the home Of Mr.. Moore. We had
no difficulty in locating the gate to the
place, but were a little startled at sight
of very tall North Carolinian who
stood in front of it. On inquiry he
proved to be Moore, who swung open
the gate and invited US to come in and
take supper.
It was then nearly in the evening.
but we found table spread at which
no one had eaten. He asked us to be
seated to the meal, but we wondered
why we were SO honored that none OF
the family should eat with us. While
thus wondering there entered from an
other room one of the Misses Fox, who
had been sent forward during the day
on horseback to appraise her uncle of
Jour coming. felt almost like propos-
Ing to that dear girl on the spot, ana
have all these years felt warm spot
In my heart for all the Foxes and Tor
Mr.. Moore. hope they all have had
more than their share of the good
| things OF earth and the blessings Of
Heaven vouchsafed during the many
years that have fed.
Prisons for the detention Of Union
prisoners during the war Of the rebel.
lion have been a fruitful topic of story
and description for more than a third
Of a century.
The frequency Of public mention and
private recital Of occurrences relating
to the various prisons of that eventfut
period have depended so largely upon
the numbers confined in each that the
names Of Libby and Belle Isle, of An
dersonville and Millen, of Salisbury, CO.
lumbia and Florence have become as
| household words, while the location OF
some Of the most tragic events of that
great epoch are comparatively un-
known. The Knoxville Jail, in Eastern
Tennessee, and Castle Thunder, I'm
Richmond, are good illustrations.
Twice I'm Castle Thunder.
| I served two terms, each of two
months duration, in Castle Thunder,
and this section OF my story will re-
late Chiefly to q part Of my personal
experience and observation therein.
During the latter part of March,
| 1868, I arrived in Richmond in a de-
plorable condition as to personal ap-
pearance or comfort. My escape from
Jackson had SO far succeeded as to en-
able me to traverse a number Of hun
Il 6r-a6 Ine. IL .s1lz
demoralizing my wardrobe, for which
had no change in that three months
term, and my feet were nearly bare.
Upon my arrival at Richmond, in the
tramp from the railway, on the Man.
chester side OF the James River, to the
Castle, we encountered at least four
| inches of Spring slush snow. We ar
rived in the evening. We arrived under
due way-billing from Mobile, where we
had been confined since our Jackson
escape. We came via freight train and
had been five days in transit.
Our party consisted Of the Michigan
soldier, in whose company the escape
above referred to had been made, and
squad Of deserter rebels who had been
recaptured and were being returned to
Lees army under guard.
We two Yankees were billed to Lib
by, while the others were billed to Cas-
tie Thunder, which was more of q
Southern guard-house than a Union
prison. In the line of march from the
station to the prison we came first to
the Castle, where we stopped to. leave
the conscripts. Here the Sergeant
handed over all his papers to the off,
Ger in charge, who, discovering there
from that / was civilian, claimed it
might be found proper to file charges
against me as a possible spy, and that
they would retain me at the Castle
pending investigation. To this propo-
sal the Sergeant made protest, as I
was included in the assignment to Lib
by and he must SO deliver me.
His objection was overcome through
his being furnished a receipt for me to
the Libby officials, and Parks, the
Michigan soldier, was separted from
me, and SO was my overcoat, which he
was wearing, and neither Parks nor coat
has ever been heard from by me,
though for a few weeks my need of the
coat was urgent, our quarters having
neither windows, fire or blankets, and
the weather was fnclement.
We entered the Castle about midway
nf re tho dnor q NO.