Year: 1868

'Nht'tS WAN


The Seyenty-seventh Illinois, TO which
we belonged, lay at one time opposite Mo-
bile, and times being dull the boys in the
feet used to 20 out and gather oysters.
They would get skiff, take off their shoes
and stockings, paddle out to the fats. and
after filling their boat, return home One
day, two boys belonging to the Seventy
seventh were out, when gale sprang up.
Row as hard as they would they could
make no headway, and were driven on
shore among the rebels, captured, marched
through the streets of Mobile, and sent to
Andersonvlle. Here one of them died,
but the other u fellow from Kickapoo in
this county, managed to escape one night.
but was shot in the foot and recaptured


Though lamed for life, he managed to es-
scape second time, and successfully made
his way to the coast. He wandered until
he came to a fort guarded by gunboats,
and tearing his shirt in two he mounted
half Of it on stick and commenced wav-
ing it. lie waved it from seven o'clock in
the morning until four in the afternoon,
when the sailors on the gunboat saw him,
and putting out boat took him on board
From there they hailed the first passing
ship, which proved to be northward bound,
and sent him to New York. Here the au-
thorities pitying his emaciated condition
and wounded foot, offered him sixty days
furlough, but he refused it, declaring that
he wanted to 90 right back to his regiment.
Finally they acceded to his request and
sent him to New Orleans, where his regi-
ment was When he reached that place
he found the Seventy Just on the
point of departure for Mobile, and though
he was in no condition for service, he in
sisted SO strongly on going, that they took
him with them. He was with them during
the final attack and capture of that city.
He wanted to go in the night of the sur
render, and was deeply chagrined to find
the order to halt two miles away, spend
the night, and prepare for grand entry
on the next day. Early in the mo orning he
got up with his " chum and two other
boys, and hurried off as soon as it was day.
Those whom he went with declared that
he led them all over the place, up one
street and down another Dinner time
came and passed, still he showed no sign
of giving up all the time acting as though
! he were looking for something.


Finally, at one o'clock, his comrades told
him they were tired and hungry and meant
to go back to camp. He responded
Come across the street a minute, and
we'll 90 to camp They hurried across the
street. when the boy went up to we'll
dressed man standing on the sidewalk, and
/ fronting him, struck him full blow in the
face, knocking him fiat, and then jumped
on him with his feet. smashed his nose,
broke his teeth, ruined one eye, and would
have killed him if the others had MT pulled
him off. The bystanders picked up the
fallen man and washed the blood off, while
his assailant stood by perfectly unmoved
When the man came to, he asked the SOL
dier why he struck him? Look at me
carefully" was the answer, land see'
The man looked. :. Did you never see me
before y" said the soldier. Never
- Loo.l again." said he. g don't think
ever saw you before was the reply
Don't you remember said the boy
" about eight months ago, how two fellows
bare-footed and prisoners were led through
these streets, and how you came up to one
of them. spat in his face and trampled OF
his toes | was the fellow, and l watched
you and ] studied your face and turned
around and looked at you as long as coult
see YOU. so that ! could remember how yo,