CHAPTER VIII. Surrounded by rebel forces--Undiscovered--Skirmishing for food--Sambo--Sambo's schemes--Sambo brings succor--At headquarters--Sambo's reward 65 CHAPTER IX. General Logan--General Sherman--Clean at last--General Hobart's hospitality--Luxurious ease--A ghastly reminder of horrors escaped--Washington "short"--Ordered back to my regiment--An honorable discharge 74 A SOLDIER'S EXPERIENCE IN SOUTHERN PRISONS. CHAPTER I. Events preceding my capture--The last day of freedom--A major's folly--My picket line captured--Warrenton--I lose a valuable pair of boots--Culpepper--Farewell to the boots--A disappointing test of good faith. My enlistment in the service of the United States as a soldier to aid in putting down the rebellion of 1861-5 bears the date, August 2, 1861. I was mustered into the service as a second sergeant of Co. I, 7th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, August 28, 1861, which regiment afterwards formed a part of the famous "Iron Brigade." I was afterwards promoted to the rank of orderly sergeant, serving as such until April 15, 1863, when I was commissioned second lieutenant, and finally on May 4, 1863, received my commission as first lieutenant, in which capacity I was serving at the time of the opening of my story. On or about the first day of October, 1863, after an attack of sickness, I was discharged from the Seminary Hospital at Georgetown, D.C., and ordered to report for duty to my regiment which was then stationed near the Rapidan River, south of Culpepper, Virginia. A few days after I reached my regiment the whole army in great haste started north for Centerville, in order to head off the rebel army which was threatening to get between us and Washington City, _via_ the Shenandoah Valley. We arrived at Centerville just in time to frustrate their well laid plans.