Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-07-31
Civil War Stories
~~~~~~~~~~~
Escape from the Run Pen.

James Walker was born near Knox.
vile, in East Tennessee about the year
1885, so that he was in his twenty
eighth year when our Civil War began.
tie had fair common school education.
and learned the trade OF machinist, nj
which he was an expert. When 28
years Of age Walker was offered the
position OF master mechanic in the rail-
road machine shops ia Atlanta, ca. Be
ing a single man, he accepted the offer.
though, like all East Tennesseeans. his
devotion TO the mountains Of his native
Stste was one Of the strongest i'm
pulses of his life.
walker was strong Union man, as
were all his mountain kinsmen, but
when Georgia seeded he found it would
De dangerous to express his views. so
ne Kept them to himself, resolving in
the meantime TO escape 10 the North
and join the Union forces at the first
opportunity, The conscript laws were
early enforced IN the South. Planters
with large estates, professional men and
mechanics, although forced into the
service, where they did not volunteer
as most of them CALAMITY did-were ex.
empted, under the impression that their
services would be more valuable to the
Confederacy if they were permitted to
remain back at their usual vacations,
In this way Walker, although sworn
iuto the service of the Confederacy, was
de,ailed TO lcnlain Ia charge of the
same shop.
The war had been going on for eight
months when Walker, who had care
fully prepared his plans, escaped from
Atlanta one Saturday night, aud before
his fight was discovered he had reached
friends In the Cumberland Mountains
Within a month, for the man was a
born leader, Walker had recruited 1877
mountainecrs, and, without any war
rant, swore them into the Union serv-
Ice. Walker received captains com
mission and his men were known as
Walkers scouts
In our pursuit of Bragg l was cap
tured, with some sixty men. All the
Union prisoners were sent on TO 1.-THE
Bull Pen" an unroofed enclosure in At
lanta, from which point the officers were
forwarded to Libby prison and the en-
listed men to Belle Isle, in the James
River.
1t was cold, sleety evening in early
nponnahas. vrbo,, MO ,,,aro ,,,a ,.i,.l &c..
the cars at Atlanta to the Bull Pen at
the edge of the town. The enclosure
was than ankle deep in mud In less
than the space of half an acre 1900
shivering men were packed. About the
center of the enclosure there were two
brick piles, remnants of the chimneys
Of house that had been burned down.
As l was stiff, my horse having fallen
on me when he was shot, my comrades
helped me TO the chimneys and made NE
seat of some of the bricks
l sat down, and had Just uttered q
groan caused by mental rather than
physical suffering, when my attention
was attracted by the clankiag OF q
chain near by. Looking quickly uR, |
was surprised and shocked TO see the
tall form of Captain Walker bending
over me. About his right ankle there
was a heavy iron ring, and fastened 10
this a log chain, at the other end Of
which was an iron ball that looked like
a UNDERGROUND shot. This ball the
captain carried ON his shoulder with the
greatest ease, but he dropped it beside
me and made seat OF il, when he
took my hand in both of bfs, and whis-
pered, as he wrung it:
My. Cap, but ! am glad to see you
here 7"
Glad to see me here, walkerYo / re-
peated.
That's what said, old fellow"
We'll, ] don't think that | hate any
man SO much that I'd like to see him
in this PEN and / waved my hands at
the guards ON the high platform about
the stockade and the poor fellows trudg-
ing through the mud to keep warm.
Bending nearer and sinking his voice TO
ShS WV EVAN plNNh btfiDeG 80 ont
of keeping with his character, Walker
said:
God knows, I'm not glad to see you
premier, old fellow, and you know II.
too. But as you see," here he shook
the chain. II am In a bad fix, and I'm
here waiting for some man to show up
that know has the interest In me 10
see me through"
You can count on me and my BOYS.
Walker" / responded But what does
this ball and chain mean on a prisoner
Of war and an officerT'
That is just it," he FASTENED TO say
i am not regarded as federal soldier.
as they call our people"
"How then do they regard youY' I
asked. Through knowing much Of his
past. / half guessed at the truth. In
1ls habitually quiet way, Walker went
N to explain his former position In Al.
anita, aad how he had been conscrlpted
ind then detailed to work in the rail.