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coming towards us from each way。 There's no roadnot even a wagon road
for the Johnnies to run us off on; and I guess all we've got to do is
to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord。 Bad as these hounds
are; I don't believe they will shoot us down rather than let our folks
retake us。 At least they won't since old Winder's dead。 If he was
alive; he'd order our throats cutone by onewith the guards' pocket
knives; rather than give us up。 I'm only afraid we'll be allowed to
starve before our folks reach us。〃
I concurred in this view。
CHAPTER LXXVIII。
RETURN TO FLORENCE AND A SHORT SOJOURN THEREOFF TOWARDS WILMINGTON
AGAINCRUISING A REBEL OFFICER'S LUNCHSIGNS OF APPROACHING OUR LINES
TERROR OF OUR RASCALLY GUARDSENTRANCE INTO GOD'S COUNTRY AT LAST。
But Kilpatrick; like Sherman; came not。 Perhaps he knew that all the
prisoners had been removed from the Stockade; perhaps he had other
business of more importance on hand; probably his movement was only a
feint。 At all events it was definitely known the next day that he had
withdrawn so far as to render it wholly unlikely that he intended
attacking Florence; so we were brought back and returned to our old
quarters。 For a week or more we loitered about the now nearly…abandoned
prison; skulked and crawled around the dismal mud…tents like the ghostly
denizens of some Potter's Field; who; for some reason had been allowed to
return to earth; and for awhile creep painfully around the little
hillocks beneath which they had been entombed。
A few score; whose vital powers were strained to the last degree of
tension; gave up the ghost; and sank to dreamless rest。 It mattered now
little to these when Sherman came; or when Kilpatrick's guidons should
flutter through the forest of sighing pines; heralds of life; happiness;
and home
After life's fitful fever they slept well
Treason had done its worst。 Nor steel nor poison:
Malice domestic; foreign levy; nothing
Could touch them farther。
One day another order came for us to be loaded on the cars; and over to
the railroad we went again in the same fashion as before。 The
comparatively few of us who were still able to walk at all well; loaded
ourselves down with the bundles and blankets of our less fortunate
companions; who hobbled and limpedmany even crawling on their hands and
kneesover the hard; frozen ground; by our sides。
Those not able to crawl even; were taken in wagons; for the orders were
imperative not to leave a living prisoner behind。
At the railroad we found two trains awaiting us。 On the front of each
engine were two rude white flags; made by fastening the halves of meal
sacks to short sticks。 The sight of these gave us some hope; but our
belief that Rebels were constitutional liars and deceivers was so firm
and fixed; that we persuaded ourselves that the flags meant nothing more
than some wilful delusion for us。
Again we started off in the direction of Wilmington; and traversed the
same country described in the previous chapter。 Again Andrews and I
found ourselves in the next box car to the passenger coach containing the
Rebel officers。 Again we cut a hole through the end; with our saw; and
again found a darky servant sitting on the rear platform。 Andrews went
out and sat down alongside of him; and found that he was seated upon a
large gunny…bag sack containing the cooked rations of the Rebel officers。
The intelligence that there was something there worth taking Andrews
communicated to me by an expressive signal; of which soldiers campaigning
together as long as he and I had; always have an extensive and well
understood code。
I took a seat in the hole we had made in the end of the car; in reach of
Andrews。 Andrews called the attention of the negro to some feature of
the country near by; and asked him a question in regard to it。 As he
looked in the direction indicated; Andrews slipped his hand into the
mouth of the bag; and pulled out a small sack of wheat biscuits; which he
passed to me and I concealed。 The darky turned and told Andrews all
about the matter in regard to which the interrogation had been made。
Andrews became so much interested in what was being told him; that he sat
up closer and closer to the darky; who in turn moved farther away from
the sack。
Next we ran through a turpentine plantation; and as the darky was
pointing out where the still; the master's place; the 〃quarters;〃 etc。;
were; Andrews managed to fish out of that bag and pass to me three
roasted chickens。 Then a great swamp called for description; and before
we were through with it; I had about a peck of boiled sweet potatos。
Andrews emptied the bag as the darky was showing him a great peanut
plantation; taking from it a small frying…pan; a canteen of molasses;
and a half…gallon tin bucket; which had been used to make coffee in。
We divided up our wealth of eatables with the rest of the boys in the
car; not forgetting to keep enough to give ourselves a magnificent meal。
As we ran along we searched carefully for the place where we had seen the
line…of…battle; expecting that it would now be marked with signs of a
terrible conflict; but we could see nothing。 We could not even fix the
locality where the line stood。
As it became apparent that we were going directly toward Wilmington;
as fast as our engines could pull us; the excitement rose。 We had many
misgivings as to whether our folks still retained possession of
Wilmington; and whether; if they did; the Rebels could not stop at a
point outside of our lines; and transfer us to some other road。
For hours we had seen nobody in the country through which we were
passing。 What few houses were visible were apparently deserted; and
there were no Towns or stations anywhere。 We were very anxious to see
some one; in hopes of getting a hint of what the state of affairs was in
the direction we were going。 At length we saw a young manapparently a
scouton horseback; but his clothes were equally divided between the
blue and the butternut; as to give no clue to which side he belonged。
An hour later we saw two infantrymen; who were evidently out foraging。
They had sacks of something on their backs; and wore blue clothes。 This
was a very hopeful sign of a near approach to our lines; but bitter
experience in the past warned us against being too sanguine。
About 4 o'clock P。 M。; the trains stopped and whistled long and loud。
Looking out I could seeperhaps half…a…mile awaya line of rifle pits
running at right angles with the track。 Guards; whose guns flashed as
they turned; were pacing up and down; but they were too far away for me
to distinguish their uniforms。
The suspense became fearful。
But I received much encouragement from the singular conduct of our
guards。 First I noticed a Captain; who had been especially mean to us
while at Florence。
He was walking on the ground by the train。 His face was pale; his teeth
set; and his eyes shone with excitement。 He called out in a strange;
forced voice to his men and boys on the roof of the cars
〃Here; you fellers git down off'en thar and form a lin