Year: 1864

been his business TO hunt out Yanks
since the commencement of the war,
and he could tell by my looks and talk


/ told him that as was fairly caught,


there was no use OF denying it, and


told him that had escaped from a
train. He said it was strange time
for prisoner to be SO close to the arr
my just before a great battle, and add


ed that there were lots of scouts trav-.
cling among them just at that time, and


that he would take me TO Johnston's


headquarters, and that, perhaps if


could prove that had escaped, it


would be all right At midnight he
told the other officers that as they had


been up the night before, they had bet
ter lay down, and he would watch me.
AS soon as they gotto sleep / told him
that l had not had any rest in six days,
so I told him that 1 had not had any
rest in six days, so l wished to sleep
till morning He then spread some
blankets on the floor, and 1 laid down
and was snoring in five minutes, but /
kept one eye open, and in a short time
he also commenced to snore, beiug
thrown entirely off his guard, and
thinking would not awaken till day
light. AS soon az he got to sleep
got up, put on my coat, took my shoes
in my hand, went to the door, and O.
+pened it. Unfortunately it made a
noise and one Of the officers on bed
close by awoke and grabbed at me. 1
caught his hand in the door, and went
acout eight rods before they got out.
They then let loose q pack of hounds
which came to me and sent them on.
| started to cross a creek, but fell from
a rock about six feet, striking my side
on stone and broke three of my ribs.
1t was about an hour before could get
out of the water. | then went about
a mile and concealed myself till sun
down, when again started on my
way, travelling about three miles
through the woods till came to the
Federal road again. This / took,
travelling all day and stopping till night
/ then resumed my journey, but found
that our forces hadlef for Cleveland.
/ travelled thenin two nights 36 miles
and stopped ut sunrise to get something
to eat, as | had had nothing for 36
hours. Here / found good Union
man by the name of Henry Tucker,
where ! stopped all day; got three meals
and full haversack, and instructions
concerning the road TO our nearestpost
which was at Cleveland, ls miles. /
arrived there mt sunrise next morning,
May lst, reported to the Provost Mar
shall, then to Gen. Howard, and next
day got TRANSPORTATION and arrived at
Chattanooga, where found my COM
pany about 5. p. M. ,. u5,.sr..I


The country through which passed
looked desolate and forsaken, all telling
the same story that they had not pro-
visions enough to last till harvest, and
complaining that Providence was work
ing against them, as their wheat was
struck with rust before heading, and
did not near all head The frost, also
had killed their fr,rit- aud the sprino
was over month behind the usual
time. They were not putting in more
than one-fourth as much corn as usual,
and no cotton, and saw but very little
wheat growing. There is not through
the country over one COW to ten per-
sons, or one sheep to 20. There are
no horses or mules fit the work, and
what few hogs and cows there are they
arc killing to subsist their army. The
living of the citizens consist, i'm most
cases, of corn bread with no meat or
milk. The soldiers of Johnson's ar
my are getting extra rations at present
to prepare them for the great battle.
They are now getting a pint of meal
and one-third of q pound of bacon.
The sufferings of the prisoners is too
hard for tongue to express, or pen to
describe, so will not make the at
tempt. u ALFRED J. SKINNER.