Year: 1865




eled road. We soon came to fork in
the road, and knew not which to take.
! Finally We started on the one we thought
most likely to be the right one. The
night was bright moonlight one, and
everything was as distinctly visible as in
the daytime. Suddenly We came upon
plantation, and alarmed the dogs. The
owner of the plantation ran out and see-
ing Us gave pursuit aud fred three times
at Smith with his revolver Smith ran
one way aud we took to the woods, where
we soon put ointment enough on our feet
to prevent the dogs following our trail.
But what had become of Smith ? We
expected be was captured. With heavy
hearts we retraced our steps to the place
where the roads forked, and here, to our
surprise we found Smith, safe and sound.
Shaking hands and ccngratnlating each
other on our narrow escape, We tried the
other road, where we soon found ourselves
very near another plantation. Discour-
aged and disguSted We abandoned the
road and took to :he woods, travelling
nearly all night, and camping in the
woods the next day about two hours, when
we again took up our march, This morn
ing We found plantation of sweet pota-
toes, and again replenished our stock.
We travelled all this day, and that night
until twelve o'clock, when We went into
camp. About sunrise we were alarmed
by the yell OF pack of hounds which
had struck our trail. Hastily putting on
our ointment" we started. The hounds
came to our camp, but could not
follow our trail further. We took to the
open fields, passing several houses, but
as it was early We were not discovered by
the inhabitants. During the day We
found some sugar cane, which We found
to be very refreshing We also found
sweet potatoes in abundance. About z
o'clock we encauped until near midnight,
in the midst of swamp of canes. We
travelled that night and the next day,
making but little progress. At night we
found cornfeld with the corn cut up
and stacked. We pulled down some
stacks and made US bed, but before
morning the excessive cold drove US out,
and going to the woods we made up
rousing FIRE, cooked our breakfast, aud
got comfortable. We stayed till sunrise,
and started on our course, through
thick forest of canes, and of course made
but little progress. About the middle of
the afternoon We went back from the
river, to get some food and find out if we
could, where we were. About two miles
from here we found hus near planta.
ton. Concealing ourselves in the brush
We waited patiently, and soon saw an old
woman coming past US to gather sticks.
Approaching her, she was very much
alarmed, and was going to scream, but We
quieted her by telling her We were con-
federate soldiers going home on fur
lough. We asked her if she could give
US some food, but she had nothing but
some corn meal. We learned from her
that her husband was the overseer of the
plantation, and was at work down the
river, building bridge, and that the
river was the ChoctaWhatchie, the stream
We had SO long been looking for. We
left her and retreated hastily to the river,
and after putting on more ointment took
our course down the river bank. For
several days We confined our course to
river banks, which were low, and thickly
covered with canes. Nothing of any
importance occurred until the eve of the
25th, when being near road, Crandall
gave signal to halt We dropped into
the brush, and held our breath with anx-
iety. Soon file of forty or fifty soldiers
passed US, with their steady tramp, tramp,
but without discovering US. What their
mission was, we uevor knew, but being
certain that their presence boded DO good
TO Us, We remained quiet for some time,
when we again resumed our march down
the river.


On the afternoon of the 26th, we found
boat, and at dark we broke the chain
and foated down the river. The river
was full of fisheries, which were logs ex-
tending ont into the river. We soon
struck one of these when over went our
boat immersing US in the stream up TO
our waists, and sinking our boat. We
soon raised it, aud again embarked, but
had hardly foated half mile before over
went oar boat again and second cold
bath was the consequence. Again We
raised the boat, baIled it out and took
our seats. but before we had gone hun
dred rods, over We went, this time In
water up to our chiDs, and our boat sunk
SO deep that we could not right it again.
So We vaded and swan ashore, and BY
the help of a friendly grape vine, climbed
the steep banks. Building a FIRE we
dried our clothes and started on, choosing
to suffer the inconveniences of the road
rather than the dangers of the river. AZ