The Washington herald., 1913-01-19
War Veteran Tells of Old
Days on the Mississippi
HON. He and Companion Carried Messages
Through Confederate Lines.

So we got out early and walked up the
road.
Met Two Men.
After a while we met two men CON-
ing down to the river with buckets for
water. When We got close to them. one
Of them yelled out. Give us a chew of
tobacco. We said that it was just what
We wanted. and passed on.
After two or three hours walk. we
came on to an old man. with long
whiskers. He stopped and talked to US.
As We had the same color clothes on as
he had, he gave me a lot of information.
He told us to go up this road two or
three miles to where the roads crossed
and there was a yellow flag nailed to a
tree. and for us to follow the right
hand road and it would take us to the
camp. But IL We went the Ieft-hand
road it would take us to the Yankee
pickets.
II said, %, mercy, don't want IN SOC
them
Il asked him for a chew of tobacco
and he gave me slippery elm bark. This
was all he had. l gave him a drink out
of my canteen. He smelt it first and
then drew long breath and said that IL
was the first he had had for nine
months. After while I left him after
had all the information / wanted.
We passed on up the road. 1t was
getting late, very near dark We ran
on TO the rebel pickets. We were all
dressed alike. We stated with them very
nearly all night. About or 3 O'Clock
they all went 10 sleep, and Ben and
slipped away from them and crawled
away on our hands and knees. We stole
a gun from each one and a few cartridges
and went across the creek. But followed
the compass right up. Those rebels
didn't miss US before daybreak and then
we were miles away We were four
days and nights on the road.
Lived ON Fruit and Nuts.
I'VE pushed on. and all we had to eat
was, may apples acorns, hickory nuts,
chestnuts and beach nuts. We lived rich
for those four days and nights
"On the fourth day late in the even
ing, we came on to the Yankee pickets.
We crawled up on our hands and knees.
When We were up near the pickets we
saw them standing near burning log. I,
laid down about an hour waiting to see
the color of their clothes.
About clock at night, the officer
Of the day came around to read the
orders. The sentinel picked up a piece
Of burning pine and held It near the Of
ficer so he could read the paper. The
light shone on his clothes and / saw
they were Union soldiers.
II forgot I had on a rebel uniform and
when the sentinel ordered me to halt /
was in such delight to embrace him that
did not stop and he plunged his bayo-
net in. to my chest. / staggered over to
the officer and fell in his arms. begged
him to take me to Gen. Banks head
quarters before / bled to death. that
had a message for Gen. Banks from
Capt. d. C. Woods. of the gunboat Kick
apoo up on the Red River near Aiexan-
dra, La.
''They then hurried me to Gen. Banks
quarters and called the general out.
Zone of the soldiers gave me a bayonet
TO pry open the sole of my shoe. then
got the message out and unwrapped IL
and gave it to the captain. When the
general read this he told the officer to
call the bugler and call all the men
1p. In a few minutes all hands
we're up, 1000 men. all under Gen
Banks. Then the general came to
ne and shook hands, and in about three
iours' time we heard firing. There We're
1000 Rebels and they kept up firing
LII night until about Il o'clock the next
lay. When Gen. Banks came back to
amp he wanted to know IL knew him.
told him that I thought heswas Gen. |
Banks His face was 50 black with