The Washington herald., 1914-12-06

had a blanket. and that in weather as
cold as in the North, with white frost
on the ground at night
Across the Dead Line.
Capt. Adams thus describes the meth
cd employed to obtain shelter:
I'VE dug a hole in the ground two
feet deep. covered II with poles set up
on ends, then with brush. and outside
coating OF dirt. This was FIRST rate
when II did not rain. but as soon as
the dirt became wet II would soak
through the brush and drop on us as
we tried to sleep.
AT night four OF us would lie down.
then the fifth would squeeze in. cover
ing US with our only blanket. when we
wanted to turn over some one would
say. A bout The old man would get
up, all turn over. then he would jam
in again"
The prisoners were in constant fear
of being shot by their guards. One day
Adams heard a shot and saw Lieut..
Young. of the Fourth Pennsylvania
Cavalry. throw up his hands and fall.
who had fired to settle a point raised
by another guard as to whether he
could hit a man at that distance"
The rations at the camp were q pint
OF cornmeAl a day and a pint of mo-
lasses every ive days. To obtain fuel.
squads of the prisoners were allowed to
visit nearby woods. under guard.
Adams and Osborne decided to take ad-
vantage OF this arrangement to escape.
They watched as a wood party went
out until sentries in front OF their part
of the dead line" were back to back.
and made a break in the direction
taken by a wood party. II held up and
not shot they intended to claim that
they were of that party. II not held up.
they intended to slip into the woods.
Find a Friend from Maine.
The journey thus begun was to last
through many days OF hardship and
carry them a good deal more than 100
miles. The fugitives rejected the idea OF
attempting to cross the mountains. as
many other prisoners had done. but
started off toward Augusta to meet
Sherman. They had a small map OF the
country. and relied on the aid of ne
groes for food and shelter in time OF
need.
Their faith in the negroes was justi-
fed from the first. On their first nights
tramp they reached a plantation. where
a negro girl gave them the first square
meal he had had in months" A dusky
guide set them on their way to another
plantation.
The first day after their escape. as
they lay concealed under hay in a barn.
a man came there to feed cattle. taking
the hay that covered them. He had
two dogs. who smelled out the prison.
ers 4 story OF their being recruits
bound to Join the Confederate army ap-
peared TO satisfy the man: but after
starting afresh the fUEitives heard
hounds baying behind them and were
Obliged to take to a brook, in which
they Travelled for some time to break
the scent.
Their road in the evening lay through
the town OF Lexington. and though
lights were burning in several houses,
the pair boldly walked through. and
reached the country beyond safely.
Negroes piIoted them and slowed
them away in cabins and barns for the
next few days. About rifteen miles from
Augusta they halted and hid in barn.
hoping to receive news OF Sherman's
army. Negroes told them OF white
man in the neiChborhoOd who would
befriend them. and. not without misgiv-
ingS they went to his house. They found
him a native OF Kents Hill. Me. named
l. II. Packard. He had gone South be-
fore the war.
Mr.. Packard greeted them kindly, but
could give them no news OF Sherman.
He provided them with guide to help
them cross the Savannah River.
Taken when Nenr Liberty.
The way of IN" tugitives now lay
through swampy country, in which
were many creeks. At a plantation to
which they were sent by Mr.. Packard
they were cared for by the negroes.
One old NANNY" seeing them nearly
ha re foot. took of her shoes and forced
a They nf
rawhide. homemade. He wore them
through the winter
On crossing the Savannah River into
Georgia. below Augusta, the escaped
prisoners found themselves in the wake
OF Sherman's 'bummers" and in the
presence of the enemy's cavalry patrols
that were following it.
As they lay at the house of a planta-
tion foreman they heard the sound Of
cannon. Negroes came to them. eNClaim-
ing. 'They'se comm! They'Se comm :.
Marse Sherman's comm! They done
burned old Sam Jones barn
II seemed too good to be true. and II
so proved. The fuGitives could see the
smoke of burning barns. but they dare
not move by daylight. and when, at
night, they had crossed a creek and
found a road, Shermans men had swept
on, and the enemys patrols were be-
In darkness and rain they plodded on.
Their nerves were raw with strain. On
reaching a fork in the road they quar-
relied as to their way. They fOrded a
stream on a raft. and on landing Adams
was thrown into the icy water
Still they pressed on. Next morning
they found a friend in a Confederate
soldier named Enos Sapp. who was
tired OF the war. and though well and
sound, was at home on Crutches. swear
ing he'd never fight again. He asked
them to dinner. and said a blessing. but
when the pork resisted his carving re-
marked that IL was "d-n tough.
Cheered by this man. the two kept on
that night until they reached planta-
only the day before. The negroes said
Sherman was then only ten miles away
Feeling in a measure secure. Adams
and Osborne crawIed into a barn. COW
cred themselves with husks. and waited
for night. They soon heard voices. Con-
federate soldiers entered the barn. The
prisoners had q hayersack. and this
protruding from the husks attracted a
eye. In a few minutes the
two fugitives were again prisoners.
With thirty-six of Sherman's bum
mers," who were also prisoners. the
the people made hostile demonstrations
against them-and thence through Au-
gusta to Salisbury, n. c. After a winter
of misery they were exchanged on Feo-
ruary 2S, 1856, near GoldsbOro, N. c.
THE t1rTCETT,TNIr, cTv1,II, T0INc