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〃Now； don't let that worry you a minute；〃 said the confident spokesman。
〃All the Rebels between here and Lee's Army can't prevent Sherman from
going just where he pleases。 Why； we've quit fightin' 'em except with
the Bummers advance。 We haven't had to go into regular line of battle
against them for I don't know how long。 Sherman would like anything
better than to have 'em make a stand somewhere so that he could get a
good fair whack at 'em。〃
No one can imagine the effect of all this upon us。 It was better than a
carload of medicines and a train load of provisions would have been。
From the depths of despondency we sprang at once to tip…toe on the
mountain…tops of expectation。 We did little day and night but listen for
the sound of Sherman's guns and discuss what we would do when he came。
We planned schemes of terrible vengeance on Barrett and Iverson； but
these worthies had mysteriously disappearedwhither no one knew。 There
was hardly an hour of any night passed without some one of us fancying
that he heard the welcome sound of distant firing。 As everybody knows；
by listening intently at night； one can hear just exactly what he is
intent upon hearing； and so was with us。 In the middle of the night boys
listening awake with strained ears； would say：
〃Now； if ever I heard musketry firing in my life； that's a heavy skirmish
line at work； and sharply too； and not more than three miles away；
neither。〃
Then another would say：
〃I don't want to ever get out of here if that don't sound just as the
skirmishing at Chancellorsville did the first day to us。 We were lying
down about four miles off； when it began pattering just as that is doing
now。〃
And so on。
One night about nine or ten； there came two short； sharp peals of
thunder； that sounded precisely like the reports of rifled field pieces。
We sprang up in a frenzy of excitement； and shouted as if our throats
would split。 But the next peal went off in the usual rumble； and our
excitement had to subside。
CHAPTER LXXVII
FRUITLESS WAITING FOR SHERMANWE LEAVE FLORENCEINTELLIGENCE OF THE
FALL OF WILMINGTON COMMUNICATED TO US BY A SLAVETHE TURPENTINE REGION
OF NORTH CAROLINAWE COME UPON A REBEL LINE OF BATTLEYANKEES AT BOTH
ENDS OF THE ROAD。
Things had gone on in the way described in the previous chapter until
past the middle of February。 For more than a week every waking hour was
spent in anxious expectancy of Shermanlistening for the far…off rattle
of his gunsstraining our ears to catch the sullen boom of his
artilleryscanning the distant woods to see the Rebels falling back in
hopeless confusion before the pursuit of his dashing advance。 Though we
became as impatient as those ancient sentinels who for ten long years
stood upon the Grecian hills to catch the first glimpse of the flames of
burning Troy； Sherman came not。 We afterwards learned that two
expeditions were sent down towards us from Cheraw； but they met with
unexpected resistance； and were turned back。
It was now plain to us that the Confederacy was tottering to its fall；
and we were only troubled by occasional misgivings that we might in some
way be caught and crushed under the toppling ruins。 It did not seem
possible that with the cruel tenacity with which the Rebels had clung to
us they would be willing to let us go free at last； but would be tempted
in the rage of their final defeat to commit some unparalleled atrocity
upon us。
One day all of us who were able to walk were made to fall in and march
over to the railroad； where we were loaded into boxcars。 The sick
except those who were manifestly dyingwere loaded into wagons and
hauled over。 The dying were left to their fate； without any companions
or nurses。
The train started off in a northeasterly direction； and as we went
through Florence the skies were crimson with great fires； burning in all
directions。 We were told these were cotton and military stores being
destroyed in anticipation of a visit from； a part of Sherman's forces。
When morning came we were still running in the same direction that we
started。 In the confusion of loading us upon the cars the previous
evening； I had been allowed to approach too near a Rebel officer's stock
of rations； and the result was his being the loser and myself the gainer
of a canteen filled with fairly good molasses。 Andrews and I had some
corn bread； and we； breakfasted sumptuously upon it and the molasses；
which was certainly none…the…less sweet from having been stolen。
Our meal over； we began reconnoitering； as much for employment as
anything else。 We were in the front end of a box car。 With a saw made
on the back of a case…knife we cut a hole through the boards big enough
to permit us to pass out； and perhaps escape。 We found that we were on
the foremost box car of the trainthe next vehicle to us being a
passenger coach； in which were the Rebel officers。 On the rear platform
of this car was seated one of their servantsa trusty old slave； well
dressed； for a negro； and as respectful as his class usually was。 Said I
to him：
〃Well； uncle； where are they taking us？〃
He replied：
〃Well； sah； I couldn't rightly say。〃
〃But you could guess； if you tried； couldn't you？〃
〃Yes sah。〃
He gave a quick look around to see if the door behind him was so securely
shut that he could not be overheard by the Rebels inside the car； his
dull； stolid face lighted up as a negro's always does in the excitement
of doing something cunning； and he said in a loud whisper：
〃Dey's a…gwine to take you to Wilmingtonef dey kin get you dar！〃
〃Can get us there！〃 said I in astonishment。 〃Is there anything to
prevent them taking us there？〃
The dark face filled with inexpressible meaning。 I asked：
〃It isn't possible that there are any Yankees down there to interfere；
is it？〃
The great eyes flamed up with intelligence to tell me that I guessed
aright； again he glanced nervously around to assure himself that no one
was eavesdropping； and then he said in a whisper； just loud enough to be
heard above the noise of the moving train：
〃De Yankees took Wilmington yesterday mawning。〃
The news startled me； but it was true； our troops having driven out the
Rebel troops； and entered Wilmington； on the preceding daythe 22d of
February； 1865； as I learned afterwards。 How this negro came to know
more of what was going on than his masters puzzled me much。 That he did
know more was beyond question； since if the Rebels in whose charge we
were had known of Wilmington's fall； they would not have gone to the
trouble of loading us upon the cars and hauling us one； hundred miles in
the direction of a City which had come into the hands of our men。
It has been asserted by many writers that the negros had some occult
means of diffusing important news among the mass of their people；
probably by relays of swift runners who traveled at night； going twenty…
five or thirty miles and back before morning。 Very astonishing stories
are told of things communicated in this way across the length or breadth
of the Confederacy。 It is said that our officers in the blockading fleet
in the Gulf heard from the negros