The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-07-05
the hated enemy. With a volley OF

peIapIo H9Ql suoneo9Idu! pure suleo
me to disrnount and surrender my
horse, which I did. And thus l was
compelled to part from my favorite
mare, "Mollie," who had borne me
faithfully through many campaigns,
and safely through more than a dozen
battles, and for whom I really felt an
affection like that q feels tor MS
"own familiar friend" Poor Mollie,
may thy new master treat thee as ten
DERBY as l was wont to do
l was at once placed under guard
with other prisoners and hurried rap
idly forward with the now advancing
enemy,-frequentiy at q double quick,
through the livelong night; reach
ing Woodstock. where their army
halted. just as the first light Of dawn
began to strike the east
Once during the night l abort1Vely
essayed an escape. We stopped for a
few moments by the roadside, under
the shelter of q barn. The night was
almost i'm pe~netrabIy dark, but, per-
ceiving the bar door to be open. /
gently lifted myself into it,-intendinS
if possible to grope through the back
part of it and thence out and make
for the woods. I found, however, the
floor, covered with recumbent an
KEGS. whether sleeping or not I
couldn't tell,) who had crept in for
protection from the night air, and so
had to retrace my steps and let myself
down into my former position. All
this was accomplished without OBJ
~servation.
September a3.-AH the prisoners
five or six hundred in number, were
penned up this morning near Sheri-
dams headquarters. How shall / at
TEN pt to describe my feelings?
and Wearied; cold. dirty and hungry;
without overCOat, blanket or change of
O1Itpr or nn9pr clnfhfpp. aanYaSSA6 at
our disaster: Inundated at the idea Of
being a captive to the insolent and Jul
bilant foe, who We're about as thick
as the locuSts Of Egypt; sad and sor-
rowful at the prospect Of close con-
ienment and long and bitter a
tiOn from my hearts treasures,-no
words can adequately portray my SEN
sations. They We're h doubt
plainly depicted upon my countenance,
for friends (and. though it may SAVIOR
Of the selfish philosophy Of Rochefou-
cault, / thank Heaven that there
we're friends and ac~quaintances among
my feIlow-prisoners) would clap me
on the back and tell mo to cheer
up" which 7 endeavored as much as
possible to do.
After remaining in our pen all day.
we were all placed in wagons Ga
commissary train going back for sup
plies) about sunset, and jolted back
~ = 81 "IlIS VIC SdII4t ca
midnight. Here I laid down upon the
ground n slept Cor tried to SLEEPY
until day, without other shelter or
mantle than the clear cold sky. Tt
was a raw autumnal night, and I suf-
fered no little.
September 24~walked and ode
part OF the way back to Winchester
a distance Of 20 understanding It
rust before night By this time we had
partially re8ained U spirits, and
surely there never vas a more defiant
and impudent set Of rebels than those
who were paraded through the streets
Of that town hat evening. a Yankee
playing Garry Me Back to Old Vir-
ginny," while thick files Of Yankee
sennnels marched on either side OF
our column. Undeterred by their
presence, we cheered long and Justify
Jeff Davis" and made the air vocal
with the strains OF Dixie" which each
one tried 20 sing to the top of his bent;
while the ladies-God bless them
alike unaWed and ~unmindful, In their
unseffsh, patriotic sympathtes, OF the
consequences. cheeFed US with the
waving of handkerchiefs and with out
spoken words OF comfort. All! it was
a seem which T never shall forget.
At night we were locked up in the
old courthouse Of the town. dirty,
dilapiaated building. A large num-
Der of us were packed in q close,
filthy room. and so. literally lying
upon each other, are now through an
other night of suffering.
September 25.-Proceeded on our
northWard journey. walked the first
eight miles, but my feet beginning TO
blister, obtained permission from my
guard to ride in a the remain
der Of the day. Reached Harper's
Ferry about ten o'clock at night
having accomplished upwards of 80
miles, &, terrible task for those who
had to foot it all the way.
Here we were confined in a large
factory, in comparison with hich our
quarters at Winchester were luxurious.
The atmosphere of the room was red
client Of bad odors, the floor was wet
and slippery with accumulated saliva.
and In one corne was a large tub ap-
propriated to cloacic purposes. In a