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forced voice to his men and boys on the roof of the cars
〃Here； you fellers git down off'en thar and form a line。〃
The fellows did so； in a slow； constrained； frightened ways and huddled
together； in the most unsoldierly manner。
The whole thing reminded me of a scene I once saw in our line； where a
weak…kneed Captain was ordered to take a party of rather chicken…hearted
recruits out on the skirmish…line。
We immediately divined what was the matter。 The lines in front of us
were really those of our people； and the idiots of guards； not knowing of
their entire safety when protected by a flag of truce； were scared half
out of their small wits at approaching so near to armed Yankees。
We showered taunts and jeers upon them。 An Irishman in my car yelled
out：
〃Och； ye dirty spalpeens； it's not shootin' prisoners ye are now； it's
cumin' where the Yankee b'ys hev the gun； and the minnit ye say thim yer
white livers show themselves in yer pale faces。 Bad luck to the
blatherin' bastards that yez are； and to the mothers that bore ye。〃
At length our train moved up so near to the line that I could see it was
the grand； old loyal blue that clothed the forms of the men who were
pacing up and down。
And certainly the world does not hold as superb looking men as these
appeared to me。 Finely formed； stalwart； full…fed and well clothed； they
formed the most delightful contrast with the scrawny； shambling； villain…
visaged little clay…eaters and white trash who had looked down upon us
from the sentry boxes for many long months。
I sprang out of the cars and began washing my face and hands in the ditch
at the side of the road。 The Rebel Captain； noticing me； said； in the
old； hateful； brutal； imperious tone：
〃Git back in dat cah； dah。〃
An hour before I would have scrambled back as quickly as possible；
knowing that an instant's hesitation would be followed by a bullet。
Now； I looked him in the face； and said as irritatingly as possible：
〃O； you go to ； you Rebel。 I'm going into Uncle Sam's lines with as
little Rebel filth on me as possible。〃
He passed me without replying。
His day of shooting was past。
Descending from the cars； we passed through the guards into our lines；
a Rebel and a Union clerk checking us off as we passed。 By the time it
was dark we were all under our flag again。
The place where we came through was several miles west of Wilmington；
where the railroad crossed a branch of the Cape Fear River。 The point
was held by a brigade of Schofield's armythe Twenty…Third Army Corps。
The boys lavished unstinted kindness upon us。 All of the brigade off
duty crowded around； offering us blankets； shirts shoes； pantaloons and
other articles of clothing and similar things that we were obviously in
the greatest need of。 The sick were carried； by hundreds of willing
hands； to a sheltered spot； and laid upon good； comfortable beds
improvised with leaves and blankets。 A great line of huge； generous
fires was built； that every one of us could have plenty of place around
them。
By and by a line of wagons came over from Wilmington laden with rations；
and they were dispensed to us with what seemed reckless prodigality。
The lid of a box of hard tack would be knocked off； and the contents
handed to us as we filed past； with absolute disregard as to quantity。
If a prisoner looked wistful after receiving one handful of crackers；
another was handed to him； if his long…famished eyes still lingered as
if enchained by the rare display of food； the men who were issuing said：
〃Here； old fellow； there's plenty of it： take just as much as you can
carry in your arms。〃
So it was also with the pickled pork； the coffee； the sugar； etc。 We had
been stinted and starved so long that we could not comprehend that there
was anywhere actually enough of anything。
The kind…hearted boys who were acting as our hosts began preparing food
for the sick； but the Surgeons； who had arrived in the meanwhile； were
compelled to repress them； as it was plain that while it was a dangerous
experiment to give any of us all we could or would eat； it would never do
to give the sick such a temptation to kill themselves； and only a limited
amount of food was allowed to be given those who were unable to walk。
Andrews and I hungered for coffee； the delightful fumes of which filled
the air and intoxicated our senses。 We procured enough to make our half…
gallon bucket full and very strong。
We drank so much of this that Andrews became positively drunk； and fell
helplessly into some brush。 I pulled him out and dragged him away to a
place where we had made our rude bed。
I was dazed。 I could not comprehend that the long…looked for； often…
despaired…of event had actually happened。 I feared that it was one of
those tantalizing dreams that had so often haunted my sleep； only to be
followed by a wretched awakening。 Then I became seized with a sudden
fear lest the Rebel attempt to retake me。 The line of guards around us
seemed very slight。 It might be forced in the night； and all of us
recaptured。 Shivering at this thought； absurd though it was； I arose
from our bed； and taking Andrews with me； crawled two or three hundred
yards into a dense undergrowth； where in the event of our lines being
forced； we would be overlooked。
CHAPTER LXXIX。
GETTING USED TO FREEDOMDELIGHTS OF A LAND WHERE THERE IS ENOUGH OF
EVERYTHINGFIRST GLIMPSE OF THE OLD FLAGWILMINGTON AND ITS HISTORY
LIEUTENANT CUSHINGFIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE COLORED TROOPSLEAVING
FOR HOMEDESTRUCTION OF THE 〃THORN〃 BY A TORPEDOTHE MOCK MONITOR'S
ACHIEVEMENT。
After a sound sleep； Andrews and I awoke to the enjoyment of our first
day of freedom and existence in God's country。 The sun had already
risen； bright and warm； consonant with the happiness of the new life now
opening up for us。
But to nearly a score of our party his beams brought no awakening
gladness。 They fell upon stony； staring eyes； from out of which the
light of life had now faded； as the light of hope had done long ago。
The dead lay there upon the rude beds of fallen leaves； scraped together
by thoughtful comrades the night before； their clenched teeth showing
through parted lips； faces fleshless and pinched； long； unkempt and
ragged hair and whiskers just stirred by the lazy breeze； the rotting
feet and limbs drawn up； and skinny hands clenched in the last agonies。
Their fate seemed harder than that of any who had died before them。
It was doubtful if many of them knew that they were at last inside of our
own lines。
Again the kind…hearted boys of the brigade crowded around us with
proffers of service。 Of an Ohio boy who directed his kind tenders to
Andrews and me； we procured a chunk of coarse rosin soap about as big as
a pack of cards； and a towel。 Never was there as great a quantity of
solid comfort got out of that much soap as we obtained。 It was the first
that we had since that which I stole in Wirz's headquarters； in June
nine months before。 We felt that the dirt which had accumulated upon us
since then would subject us to assessment as real estate if we were in
the North。
Hurrying off to a litt