In Defense of the Flag: A true war story: A pen picture of scenes and incidents during the great rebellion.--Thrilling experiences during escape from southern prisons, etc.Stafford, David W.
History
In Defense of the Flag: A true war story: A pen picture of scenes and incidents during the great rebellion.--Thrilling experiences during escape from southern prisons, etc.
Stafford, David W.
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Prisoners and prisons; United States. Army. Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, 83rd (1861-1865)
Now, as I continue the sad tale of my life, I would not like to
rehearse the tale that Henry revealed to me of his escape in an
endeavor to get through to our lines after he left me. He had gone
south a short distance and had come back to the plantation, not finding
any clue as to my whereabouts. He had crossed the river, which I have
already mentioned. He then concluded to go east, in the direction of
Richmond, for he had learned that it was a great deal less distance
to travel to get through to our lines in this way than to go west to
Knoxville, Tenn. So he continued to travel for several days until he
came to a plantation where there was no one at home. He said that he
succeeded in getting into the plantation house, but he did not find
anything to eat of any account. He found a ten dollar bill in an old
pair of pants that he took possession of. He then continued to travel
for some distance in the day-time, as well as night, and finally came
to a small place where there was a log hut, and located in this hut
was an old man, working at shoemaking. He went to the door of this hut
and here he found, to his amazement, three rebels in full uniform, who
invited him in, but he declined to go in, and remained at the door of
the hut. There was some corn in a pile close to the door, and he got
some of it and put it in the fire that was close at hand, and as soon
as he stepped inside to help himself to the parched corn the enemy
tried to get between him and the door, but he kept them back with a
large club that he carried in his hands. These rebels, it seemed, had
not brought any arms with them.
Well, soon Henry left this place and went right back in a piece of
woods in the same direction from whence he had come, and just as soon
as he could he went straight back to the same house and this old man’s
yard. He had a large rooster and some chickens running about. He killed
the rooster and gave the old man the ten dollar Confederate bill and
stayed right there, while the rebels took his back track. Henry
started as soon as the old man had stewed this fowl for him.
The only other incident that I remember was getting through the rebel
picket lines on the James River, near Richmond, and his making a
signal of distress to a gunboat and their coming ashore and getting
him, while on the high banks there were lines of rebel pickets that he
had succeeded in getting through. He was taken into our lines at City
Point, and here he reported that he thought the rebels had killed me
at the negro shanty. This story my comrade had told the captain of my
company about and he had sent this word to my parents at home.
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