Year: 1864

was killed in it; another had got over the


bank in the river, and on to board that


ran out into the water. He laid on it on


bis face, with bis feet in the water, and


when | saw him was already stark and


stiff. Several had tried to hide in crew.


ices made by the falling bank, and could


not be seen without difficulty, but they


were singled out and killed. One negro


corporal, John Wilson, who was down on


the river bank, seeing that no quarter was


shown, stepped into the water SO that he


lay partly under it. A rebel coming


along asked him what was the matter


he said he was badly wounded, and the


rebel, after taking from his pocket all the


money he had, left him. Ithappened to


be near by fiatboat tied to the bank
When all was quiet, Wilson crawled into
it, aad got three more wounded comrades


also into it, and cut loose. The boat
doated out into the channel and was found
ashore some miles below. There were,
alas, few such fortunate escapes


was shot near the river just about
dark. Running for my life, burly re-
bel struck me with his carbine, putting
out one eye, and then shot me in two


places. l thought he would certainly


leave me with that, but l was mistaken.


With half dozen others, | was at once


picked up and carried to ditch, into


which we were tossed like 60 many


brutes, white and black together. Then
they covered US with loose dirt, and left
US to die Oh, how dark and desoato it
was Under me were several dead, and
right across my breast lay a white soldier,
still alive How he clutched and strain
ed! How, hurt and weak as l was, with
only one hand free, l struggled for air
and life, feeling my strength waning ey>
cry moment II was a strange thing to
lie there buried, and yet be able to think
and pray. Maybe, friend, you have
known what agony was, but you never
had such pains Of soul as ] had down
there in that living grave. ! thought ]
could feel the worms gnawing at my flesh
| am sure l had taste Of what death is,
with the added pain of knowing that !
was not dead, and yet unable to live in
that dark, dismal tomb. So | clutched
and strained and struggled on, digging
upward as | could with my one puny
hand. At last-oh joy "a faint streak
of light looked in; my hand had carved
an avenue to the world Of life But
would / dare to lift my head 3? Might
not some rebel, standing by, strike me
down again on the moment2 But ]
could not die there in that grave must
escape. Slowly, painfully, l rolled the
burden from my breast-he was dead by
that time-and then carefully crept out
from that living death II was dark, and
no one was near. A moment stood up
on my feet; then


The next thing l remember was in
the hospital where i am now. They
had found me just where fell, and bro't
me to place of safety, where, after a
while, consciousness returned. | have
been here week now and l think l
shall get we'll now.


/ lie in the cot where poor Robert Hail
lay when he was butchered by the reb-
els. They showed me, yesterday, let
ter he bad written the day before the
massacre to bis wife. He had learned to
read and write at Memphis, after bis en-
lstment, and used TO send message to
his wife and children, who still remained
there, every week or so. This was his
letter which a surgeon had helped him
put together:


"DEAR MAMMY"-it ran-"I am very !
sick in the hospital, but am better than
was, and hope to get well soon. They |
have been very kind to me and l find
it very sweet to suffer for the dear flag
that gives. me shelter. You must not
worry on my account. Tell Katy she
must not forget to say her prayers and to
study her lessons carefully now while she
has an opportunity. And, nanny, take
good care of the baby ] dreamed of her
last night, and ] think how sad it would
be to die and never see her little face
again. But then chaplain says it will all
be right in heaven, and be knows better
than we do. And, nanny, don't forget
we are free now teach both the darlings
to be worthy of their estate"


That was poor Halls letter-it had not
been sent, and we have no heart to send
it now. He will never see the baby's
face here; but then God may let him see
It up yonder.


l hope TO recover and get away from
here very soon; want to be 10 my place
again for / have something to avenge
now, and / cannot bear to wait. Poor
Halls blood is crying to me from the
ground and I want to be able, sometime,
to say to Manuel Nichols wife, up there
in Michigan, that his fall had its compen-
'ation. And may God speed the day