andersonville-第95部分

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trying　to　make　our　escape　to　our　lines。　　This　announcement　put　new　life
into　the　old　lady；　and；　after　satisfying　herself　that　we　were　really
Yankees；　she　got　up　from　her　seat；　shook　hands　with　us；　and　declared　we
must　have　a　better　supper　than　we　had　had。　　She　set　immediately　about
preparing　it　for　us。　　Taking　up　a　plank　in　the　floor；　she　pulled　out　a
nice　flitch　of　bacon；　from　which　she　cut　as　much　as　we　could　eat；　and
gave　us　some　to　carry　with　us。　　She　got　up　a　real　substantial　supper；
to　which　we　did　full　justice；　in　spite　of　the　meal　we　had　already　eaten。

They　gave　us　a　quantity　of　victuals　to　take　with　us；　and　instructed　us　as
well　as　possible　as　to　our　road。　　They　warned　us　to　keep　away　from　the
young　negros；　but　trust　the　old　ones　implicitly。　　Thanking　them　over　and
over　for　their　exceeding　kindness；　we　bade　them　good…by；　and　started
again　on　our　journey。　　Our　supplies　lasted　two　days；　during　which　time　we
made　good　progress；　keeping　away　from　the　roads；　and　flanking　the　towns；
which　were　few　and　insignificant。　　We　occasionally　came　across　negros；
of　whom　we　cautiously　inquired　as　to　the　route　and　towns；　and　by　the
assistance　of　our　map　and　the　stars；　got　along　very　well　indeed；　until　we
came　to　the　Suwanee　River。　　We　had　intended　to　cross　this　at　Columbus　or
Alligator。　　When　within　six　miles　of　the　river　we　stopped　at　some　negro
huts　to　get　some　food。　　The　lady　who　owned　the　negros　was　a　widow；　who
was　born　and　raised　in　Massachusetts。　　Her　husband　had　died　before　the
war　began。　　An　old　negro　woman　told　her　mistress　that　we　were　at　the
quarters；　and　she　sent　for　us　to　come　to　the　house。　　She　was　a　very　nice…
looking　lady；　about　thirty…five　years　of　age；　and　treated　us　with　great
kindness。　　Hommat　being　barefooted；　she　pulled　off　her　own　shoes　and
stockings　and　gave　them　to　him；　saying　that　she　would　go　to　Town　the　next
day　and　get　herself　another　pair。　　She　told　us　not　to　try　to　cross　the
river　near　Columbus；　as　their　troops　had　been　deserting　in　great　numbers；
and　the　river　was　closely　picketed　to　catch　the　runaways。　　She　gave　us
directions　how　to　go　so　as　to　cross　the　river　about　fifty　miles　below
Columbus。　　We　struck　the　river　again　the　next　night；　and　I　wanted　to　swim
it；　but　Hommat　was　afraid　of　alligators；　and　I　could　not　induce　him　to
venture　into　the　water。

We　traveled　down　the　river　until　we　came　to　Moseley's　Ferry；　where　we
stole　an　old　boat　about　a　third　full　of　water；　and　paddled　across。　　There
was　quite　a　little　town　at　that　place；　but　we　walked　right　down　the　main
street　without　meeting　any　one。　　Six　miles　from　the　river　we　saw　an　old
negro　woman　roasting　sweet　potatos　in　the　back　yard　of　a　house。　　We　were
very　hungry；　and　thought　we　would　risk　something　to　get　food。　　Hommat
went　around　near　her；　and　asked　her　for　something　to　eat。　　She　told　him
to　go　and　ask　the　white　folks。　　This　was　the　answer　she　made　to　every
question。　　He　wound　up　by　asking　her　how　far　it　was　to　Mossley's　Ferry；
saying　that　he　wanted　to　go　there；　and　get　something　to　eat。　　She　at　last
ran　into　the　house；　and　we　ran　away　as　fast　as　we　could。　　We　had　gone　but
a　short　distance　when　we　heard　a　horn；　and　soon…the…cursed　hounds　began
bellowing。　　We　did　our　best　running；　but　the　hounds　circled　around　the
house　a　few　times　and　then　took　our　trail。　　For　a　little　while　it　seemed
all　up　with　us；　as　the　sound　of　the　baying　came　closer　and　closer。　　But
our　inquiry　about　the　distance　to　Moseley's　Ferry　seems　to　have　saved　us。
They　soon　called　the　hounds　in；　and　started　them　on　the　track　we　had
come；　instead　of　that　upon　which　we　were　going。　　The　baying　shortly　died
away　in　the　distance。　　We　did　not　waste　any　time　congratulating　ourselves
over　our　marvelous　escape；　but　paced　on　as　fast　as　we　could　for　about
eight　miles　farther。　　On　the　way　we　passed　over　the　battle　ground　of
Oolustee；　or　Ocean　Pond。

Coming　near　to　Lake　City　we　fell　in　with　some　negros　who　had　been　brought
from　Maryland。　　We　stopped　over　one　day　with　them；　to　rest；　and　two　of
them　concluded　to　go　with　us。　　We　were　furnished　with　a　lot　of　cooked
provisions；　and　starting　one　night　made　forty…two　miles　before　morning。
We　kept　the　negros　in　advance。　　I　told　Hommat　that　it　was　a　poor　command
that　could　not　afford　an　advance　guard。　　After　traveling　two　nights　with
the；　negros；　we　came　near　Baldwin。　　Here　I　was　very　much　afraid　of
recapture；　and　I　did　not　want　the　negros　with　us；　if　we　were；　lest　we
should　be　shot　for　slave…stealing。　　About　daylight　of　the　second　morning
we　gave　them　the　slip。

We　had　to　skirt　Baldwin　closely；　to　head　the　St。　Mary's　River；　or　cross
it　where　that　was　easiest。　　After　crossing　the　river　we　came　to　a　very
large　swamp；　in　the　edge　of　which　we　lay　all　day。　　Before　nightfall　we
started　to　go　through　it；　as　there　was　no　fear　of　detection　in　these
swamps。　　We　got　through　before　it　was　very　dark；　and　as　we　emerged　from
it　we　discovered　a　dense　cloud　of　smoke　to　our　right　and　quite　close。
We　decided　this　was　a　camp；　and　while　we　were　talking　the　band　began　to
play。　　This　made　us　think　that　probably　our　forces　had　come　out　from
Fernandina；　and　taken　the　place。　　I　proposed　to　Hommat　that　we　go　forward
and　reconnoiter。　　He　refused；　and　leaving　him　alone；　I　started　forward。
I　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　when　a　soldier　came　out　from　the　camp
with　a　bucket。　　He　began　singing；　and　the　song　he　sang　convinced　me　that
he　was　a　Rebel。　　Rejoining　Hommat；　we　held　a　consultation　and　decided　to
stay　where　we　were　until　it　became　darker；　before　trying　to　get　out。
It　was　the　night　of　the　22d　of　December；　and　very　cold　for　that　country。
The　camp　guard　had　small　fires　built；　which　we　could　see　quite　plainly。
After　starting　we　saw　that　the　pickets　also　had　fires；　and　that　we　were
between　the　two　lines。　　This　discovery　saved　us　from　capture；　and　keeping
about　an　equal　distance　between　the　two；　we　undertook　to　work　our　way
out。

We　first　crossed　a　line　of　breastworks；　then　in　succession　the　Fernandina
Railroad；　the　Jacksonville　Railroad；　and　pike；　moving　all　the　time　nearly
parallel　with　the　picket　line。　　Here　we　had　to　halt。　　Hommat　was
suffering　greatly　with　his　feet。　　The　shoes　that　had　been　given　him　by
the　widow　lady　were　worn　out；　and　his　feet　were　much　torn　and　cut　by　the
terribly　rough　road　we　had　traveled　through　swamps；　etc。　　We　sat　down　on
a　log；　and　I；　pulling　off　the　remains　of　my　army　shirt；　tore　it　into
pieces；　and　Hommat　wrapped　his　feet　up　in　them。　　A　part　I　reserved　and
tore　into　strips；　to　tie　up　the　rents　in　our　pantaloons。　　Going　through
the　swamps　and　briers　had　torn　them　into　tatters；　from　waistband　to　hem；
leaving　our　skins　bare　to　be　served　in　the　same　way。

We　started　again；　moving　slowly　and　bearing　towards　the　picket　fires；
which　we　could　see　for　a　distance　on　our　left。　　After　traveling　some
little　time　the　lights　on　our　left　ended；　which　puzzled　us　for　a　while；
until　we　came　to　a　fearful　big　swamp；　that　explained　it　all；　as　this；
considered　impassable；　protected　the　right　of　the　camp。　　We　had　an　awful
time　in　getting　through。　　In　many　places　we　had　to　lie　down　and　crawl
long　distances　through　the　paths　made　in　the　brakes　by　hogs　and　other
animals。　　As　we　at　length　came　out；　Hommat　turned　to　me　and　whispered
that　in　the　morning　we　would　have　some　Lincoln　coffee。　　He　seemed　to
think　this　must　certainly　end　our　troubles。

We　were　now　between　the　Jacksonville　Railroad　and　the　St。　John's　River。
We　kept　about　four　miles　from　the　railroad；　for　fear　of　running　into　the
Rebel　outposts。　　We　had　traveled　but　a　few　miles　when　Hommat　said　he
could　go　no　farther；　as　his　feet　and　legs　were　so　swelled　and　numb　that
he　could　not　tell　when　he　set　them　upon　the　ground。　　I　had　some　matches
that　a　negro　had　given　me；　and　gathering　together　a　few　pine　knots　we
made　a　firethe　first　that　we　had　lighted　on　the　tripand　laid　down
with　it　between　us。　　We　had　slept　but　a　few　minutes　when　I　awoke　and
found　Hommat's　clothes　on　fire。　　Rousing　him　we　put　out　the　flames　before
he　was　badly　burned；　but　the　thing　had　excited　him　so　as　to　give　him　new
life；　and　be　proposed　to　start　on　again。

By　sunrise　we　were　within　eight　miles　of　our　lines；　and　concluding　that
it　would　be　safe　to　travel　in　the　daytime；　we　went　ahead；　walking　along
the　railroad。　　The　excitement　being　over；　Hommat　began　to　move　very
slowly　again。　　His　feet　and　legs　were　so　swollen　that　he　could　scarcely
walk；　and　it　took　us　a　long　while　to　pass　over　those　eight　miles。

At　last　we　came　in　sight　of　our　pickets。　　They　were　negros。　　They　halted
us；　and　Hommat　went　forward　to　speak　to　them。　　They　called　for　the
Officer　of　the　Guard；　who　came；　passed　us　inside；　and　shook　hands
cordially　with　us。　　His　first　inquiry　was　if　we　knew　Charley　Marseilles；
whom　you　remember　ran　that　little　bakery　at　Andersonville。

We　were　treated　very　kindly　at　Jacksonville。　　General　Scammon　was　in
command　of　the　post；　and　had　only　been　released　but　a　short　time　from
prison；　so　he　knew　how　it　was　himself。　　I　never　expect　to　enjoy　as　happy
a　moment　on　earth　as　I　did　when　I　again　got　under　the　protection　of　the
old　flag。　　Hommat　went　to　the　hospital　a　few　days；　and　was　then　sent
around　to　New　York　by　sea。

Oh；　it　was　a　fearful　trip　through　those　Florida　swamps。　　We　would　very
often　have　to　try　a　swamp　in　three　or　four　different　places　before　we
could　get　through。　　Some　nights　we　could　not　travel　on　account　of　its
being　cloudy　and　raining。　　There　is　not　money　enough　in　the　United　States
to　induce　me　to　undertake　the　trip　again　under　the　same　circumstances。
Our　friend　Clipson；　that　made　his　escape　when　we　did；　got　very　nearly
through　to　our　lines；　but　was　taken　sick；　and　had　to　give　himself　up。
He　was　taken　back　to　Andersonville　and　kept　until　the　next　Spring；　when
he　came　through　all　right。　　There　were　sixty…one　of　Company　K　captured　at
Jonesville；　and　I　think　there　was　only　seventeen　lived　through　those
horrible　prisons。

You　have　given　the　best　description　of　prison　life　that　I　have　ever　seen
written。　　The　only　trouble　is　that　it　cannot　be　portrayed　so　that　persons
can　realize　the　suffering　and　abuse　that　our　soldiers　endured　in　those
prison　hells。　　Your　statements　are　all　correct　in　regard　to　the　treatment
tha