Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-03-18
Civil War Stories

- AAO-' OuA4uS Tie Wal d LlSI IAou-
tenant In the Sixth Missouri infantry,
and A. D. c.. Second division staff,
r1rteenth Army Corps, tells tale OF
1ahKee invention, pluck and endur-
ance, that is as exciting as strange.
Lieut.. Bailey was taken prisoner by
the Confederates, before Atlanta, Ca,
On July ~, 1864 His experiences be-
Tore the time from which we give our
extract will be passed over. Hungry,
deSpo1led of clothing and everything
worth taking, he was in the hands of
the foe when he wrote as follows:
July Is, 1864-Continued silence In
the direction of Atlanta What was
the result of the battle? What does
The silence mean? Has Sherman fall
Ell back? Has Hood evacuated? Were
questions asked continually, but no
reliable responses elected One genius
said: THE Yankees can't fight for
awhile, all the live 'uns are busy bury
Ing the dead uns"
How long are we to be kept in
this miserable place." How long are
we to be kept on quarter rations?"
Nobody seemed to know We knew
that exchanges of prisoners had ceased
because Of a disagreement about the
status of negro troops, and there was
little prospect of the question being
speedily settled The gloomy pros
pect Of Andersonville doomed up, and
a careful mental consideration and ad-
justment Of chances for life resulted
in favor of desperate attempt to es-
cape rather than attempt to survive
Andersonv1lle. While thus contem-
plating, we We're startled by the loud
command of the Confederate major, or
dering, Fall in, prisoners! Hurry up"
hasty formation into lines (nO
trouble about baggage), march south
ward, the officers separated from the
private soldiers. Where are we go
ing? Don't know; can't ascertain; but
toward Andersonville.
Confederate officers rather provoke
argument on the subject of the war,
and many interesting discussions en-
sue. No opportunity afforded to st
tempt to escape Near evening we
march through Jonesboro, Ga, some
twenty miles south of Atlanta, situated
on the Macon railroad. Inhabitants
line the street; first Yankees great
curiosities. Whites rather jubilant,
the plying chances of the blacks indi-
cate their sympathy. Desiring con-
tirmation an opportunity was sought
to converse with negro. A beckon-
ing, an approach. Stop that" said
the guard Get back there, YOU
nigger!" But the mere prompt effort
to respond, on the part of the black
man, was convincing enough of friend
ship. Two miles below the town we
reach our quarters for the night-an
open field A blanket is carelessly
thrown among the prisoners and falls
upon the writer. Providential, a great
luxury, comforting rest assured.
July %, 1864-When we were gruff-
ly ordered to Fall in, prisoners!" and
over dusty roads marched rapidly
southwark No rations. At early even
ing we were corralled in "a large in
closure or pasture some ten miles
north Of Griffin, Georgia, near Big
Sandy Creek" Again we have the
earth for a resting place, the sky for
a covering The writer lay and gazed
upward into the 'dim-lit vault above
him, and was busy with his thoughts.
"Andersonville," they say; mo chance
for exchange; fuss about the colOred
troops; you won't live a week in An
Jacksonville" Ills a desperate alterna-
tive, but I'll take my chances in at
tempting to escape. There's a gully
out there. through a brier-patch. New
light; escape by way of burial.
Plan matured; trusty comrade-offi-
GERS assist Tin-cup, muscles, will,
calculating ingenuity, friendly sugges-
tions, briers cut to stick in the earth
concealing the writer and present un-
inviting appearance to pedestrians, and
cautious work were brought into re-
QUESTION and the grave-digging was
completed During the labor the cap
tive's thoughts dWelt, with some mis-
givings, upon the imperative orders of
the Major, issued the day. before in
the presence of the prisoners: Shoot
stragglers without warning. If you
catch man hiding, bayonet him with
out a word. No nonsense" Intended
for intimidation, Ell? Well, it's safer
to consider it as dead earnest. He
thought also of the immature plan to
disarm our guard; how they were to
be set upon simultaneously; how in
formation of three companies behind
deferred us, and how disappointed
some were when wiser counsel dis
couraged the attempt. But the
grave" Col Warren Shedd, Thir-
teenth Illinois Infantry, now rendered
his assistance. Boughs and grass were
gathered: the adventurer fitted in:
satisfaction ''All right, cover up"
First came grass and boughs, then
'-Oh, here, Lieutenant. here are some
things you'll need Col. r. K. Scott,
Sixty-eighth Ohio Infantry, presented
some maps Clinen) of the country
rolled up in which was a small pocket
compass, the gift of Col. Shedd A
canteen was also handed in and served
A h1rv,. It'd no. Icsl,