andersonville-第97章

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When　we　were　satisfied　that　we　were　safe　for　the　present；　we　descended　to
the　ground　to　get　what　rest　we　could；　in　order　to　be　prepared　for　the
night's　march；　having　previously　agreed　to　travel　at　night　and　sleep　in
the　day　time。　　〃Our　Father；　who　art　in　Heaven；〃　etc。；　were　the　first
words　that　escaped　my　lips；　and　the　first　thoughts　that　came　to　my　mind
as　I　landed　on　terra　firma。　　Never　before；　or　since；　had　I　experienced
such　a　profound　reverence　for　Almighty　God；　for　I　firmly　believe　that
only　through　some　mighty　invisible　power　were　we　at　that　time　delivered
from　untold　tortures。　　Had　we　been　found；　we　might　have　been　torn　and
mutilated　by　the　dogs；　or；　taken　back　to　Andersonville；　have　suffered　for
days　or　perhaps　weeks　in　the　stocks　or　chain　gang；　as　the　humor　of　Wirz
might　have　dictated　at　the　timeeither　of　which　would　have　been　almost
certain　death。

It　was　very　fortunate　for　us　that　before　our　escape　from　Andersonville　we
were　detailed　at　the　cook…house；　for　by　this　means　we　were　enabled　to
bring　away　enough　food　to　live　for　several　days　without　the　necessity　of
theft。　　Each　one　of　us　had　our　haversacks　full　of　such　small　delicacies
as　it　was　possible　for　us　to　get　when　we　started；　these　consisting　of
corn　bread　and　fat　baconnothing　less；　nothing　more。　　Yet　we　managed　to
subsist　comfortably　until　our　fourth　day　out；　when　we　happened　to　come
upon　a　sweet　potato　patch；　the　potatos　in　which　had　not　been　dug。　　In　a
very　short　space　of　time　we　were　all　well　supplied　with　this　article；　and
lived　on　them　raw　during　that　day　and　the　next　night。

Just　at　evening；　in　going　through　a　field；　we　suddenly　came　across　three
negro　men；　who　at　first　sight　of　us　showed　signs　of　running；　thinking；　as
they　told　us　afterward；　that　we　were　the　〃patrols。〃　　After　explaining　to
them　who　we　were　and　our　condition；　they　took　us　to　a　very　quiet　retreat
in　the　woods；　and　two　of　them　went　off；　stating　that　they　would　soon　be
back。　　In　a　very　short　time　they　returned　laden　with　well　cooked
provisions；　which　not　only　gave　us　a　good　supper；　but　supplied　us　for　the
next　day　with　all　that　we　wanted。　　They　then　guided　us　on　our　way　for
several　miles；　and　left　us；　after　having　refused　compensation　for　what
they　had　done。

We　continued　to　travel　in　this　way　for　nine　long　weary　nights；　and　on　the
morning　of　the　tenth　day；　as　we　were　going　into　the　woods　to　hide　as
usual；　a　little　before　daylight；　we　came　to　a　small　pond　at　which　there
was　a　negro　boy　watering　two　mules　before　hitching　them　to　a　cane　mill；
it　then　being　cane　grinding　time　in　Georgia。　　He　saw　us　at　the　same　time
we　did　him；　and　being　frightened　put　whip　to　the　animals　and　ran　off。
We　tried　every　way　to　stop　him；　but　it　was　no　use。　　He　had　the　start　of
us。　　We　were　very　fearful　of　the　consequences　of　this　mishap；　but　had　no
remedy；　and　being　very　tired；　could　do　nothing　else　but　go　into　the
woods；　go　to　sleep　and　trust　to　luck。

The　next　thing　I　remembered　was　being　punched　in　the　ribs　by　my　comrade
nearest　to　me；　and　aroused　with　the　remark；　〃We　are　gone　up。〃　　On　opening
my　eyes；　I　saw　four　men；　in　citizens'　dress；　each　of　whom　had　a　shot　gun
ready　for　use。　　We　were　ordered　to　get　up。　　The　first　question　asked　us
was：

〃Who　are　you。〃

This　was　spoken　in　so　mild　a　tone　as　to　lead　me　to　believe　that　we　might
possibly　be　in　the　hands　of　gentlemen；　if　not　indeed　in　those　of　friends。
It　was　some　time　before　any　one　answered。　　The　boys；　by　their　looks　and
the　expression　of　their　countenances；　seemed　to　appeal　to　me　for　a　reply
to　get　them　out　of　their　present　dilemma；　if　possible。　　Before　I　had　time
to　collect　my　thoughts；　we　were　startled　by　these　words；　coming　from　the
same　man　that　had　asked　the　original　question：

〃You　had　better　not　hesitate；　for　we　have　an　idea　who　you　are；　and　should
it　prove　that　we　are　correct；　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you。〃

〃'Who　do　you　think　we　are？'　I　inquired。

〃'Horse　thieves　and　moss…backs；'　was　the　reply。

I　jumped　at　the　conclusion　instantly　that　in　order　to　save　our　lives；　we
had　better　at　once　own　the　truth。　　In　a　very　few　words　I　told　them　who　we
were；　where　we　were　from；　how　long　we　had　been　on　the　road；　etc。　　At　this
they　withdrew　a　short　distance　from　us　for　consultation；　leaving　us　for
the　time　in　terrible　suspense　as　to　what　our　fate　might　be。　　Soon；　how
ever；　they　returned　and　informed　us　that　they　would　be　compelled　to　take
us　to　the　County　Jail；　to　await　further　orders　from　the　Military
Commander　of　the　District。　　While　they　were　talking　together；　I　took　a
hasty　inventory　of　what　valuables　we　had　on　hand。　　I　found　in　the　crowd
four　silver　watches；　about　three　hundred　dollars　in　Confederate　money；
and　possibly；　about　one　hundred　dollars　in　greenbacks。　　Before　their
return；　I　told　the　boys　to　be　sure　not　to　refuse　any　request　I　should
make。　　Said　I：

〃'Gentlemen；　we　have　here　four　silver　watches　and　several　hundred　dollars
in　Confederate　money　and　greenbacks；　all　of　which　we　now　offer　you；　if
you　will　but　allow　us　to　proceed　on　our　journey；　we　taking　our　own
chances　in　the　future。〃

This　proposition；　to　my　great　surprise；　was　refused。　　I　thought　then　that
possibly　I　had　been　a　little　indiscreet　in　exposing　our　valuables；　but　in
this　I　was　mistaken；　for　we　had；　indeed；　fallen　into　the　hands　of
gentlemen；　whose　zeal　for　the　Lost　Cause　was　greater　than　that　for
obtaining　worldly　wealth；　and　who　not　only　refused　the　bribe；　but　took　us
to　a　well…furnished　and　well…supplied　farm　house　close　by；　gave　us　an
excellent　breakfast；　allowing　us　to　sit　at　the　table　in　a　beautiful
dining…room；　with　a　lady　at　the　head；　filled　our　haversacks　with　good；
wholesome　food；　and　allowed　us　to　keep　our　property；　with　an　admonition
to　be　careful　how　we　showed　it　again。　　We　were　then　put　into　a　wagon　and
taken　to　Hamilton；　a　small　town；　the　county　seat　of　Hamilton　County；
Georgia；　and　placed　in　jail；　where　we　remained　for　two　days　and　nights
fearing；　always；　that　the　jail　would　be　burned　over　our　heads；　as　we
heard　frequent　threats　of　that　nature；　by　the　mob　on　the　streets。
But　the　same　kind　Providence　that　had　heretofore　watched　over　us；　seemed
not　to　have　deserted　us　in　this　trouble。

One　of　the　days　we　were　confined　at　this　place　was　Sunday；　and　some　kind…
hearted　lady　or　ladies　（I　only　wish　I　knew　their　names；　as　well　as　those
of　the　gentlemen　who　had　us　first　in　charge；　so　that　I　could　chronicle
them　with　honor　here）　taking　compassion　upon　our　forlorn　condition；　sent
us　a　splendid　dinner　on　a　very　large　china　platter。　　Whether　it　was　done
intentionally　or　not；　we　never　learned；　but　it　was　a　fact；　however；　that
there　was　not　a　knife；　fork　or　spoon　upon　the　dish；　and　no　table　to　set
it　upon。　　It　was　placed　on　the　floor；　around　which　we　soon　gathered；　and；
with　grateful　hearts；　we　〃got　away〃　with　it　all；　in　an　incredibly　short
space　of　time；　while　many　men　and　boys　looked　on；　enjoying　our　ludicrous
attitudes　and　manners。

From　here　we　were　taken　to　Columbus；　Ga。；　and　again　placed　in　jail；　and
in　the　charge　of　Confederate　soldiers。　　We　could　easily　see　that　we　were
gradually　getting　into　hot　water　again；　and　that；　ere　many　days；　we　would
have　to　resume　our　old　habits　in　prison。　　Our　only　hope　now　was　that　we
would　not　be　returned　to　Andersonville；　knowing　well　that　if　we　got　back
into　the　clutches　of　Wirz　our　chances　for　life　would　be　slim　indeed。
From　Columbus　we　were　sent　by　rail　to　Macon；　where　we　were　placed　in　a
prison　somewhat　similar　to　Andersonville；　but　of　nothing　like　its
pretensions　to　security。　　I　soon　learned　that　it　was　only　used　as　a　kind
of　reception　place　for　the　prisoners　who　were　captured　in　small　squads；
and　when　they　numbered　two　or　three　hundred；　they　would　be　shipped　to
Andersonville；　or　some　other　place　of　greater　dimensions　and　strength。
What　became　of　the　other　boys　who　were　with　me；　after　we　got　to　Macon；
I　do　not　know；　for　I　lost　sight　of　them　there。　　The　very　next　day　after
our　arrival；　there　were　shipped　to　Andersonville　from　this　prison　between
two　and　three　hundred　men。　　I　was　called　on　to　go　with　the　crowd；　but
having　had　a　sufficient　experience　of　the　hospitality　of　that　hotel；
I　concluded　to　play　〃old　soldier；〃　so　I　b