Sword and Pen: Ventures and Adventures of Willard GlazierOwens, John Algernon
History
Sword and Pen: Ventures and Adventures of Willard Glazier
Owens, John Algernon
Glazier, Willard W., 1841-1905; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives
Their satisfaction, however, was somewhat moderated when, at a sudden
turn of the road, they abruptly came upon a man and a boy, who were
picking their way with such velvety tread that the two parties were face
to face before either was aware of the proximity of the other. The
strangers appeared to be the more alarmed, for they were just making a
secret and rapid detour with the view of debouching into a side street,
when, feeling sure that none but fugitives would be so anxious to escape
an interview, Glazier hailed them:
"Don't be uneasy, boys! We're friends! We're Yankees!"
His conjecture proved correct. The strangers were Captain Bryant, of the
Fifth New York Cavalry, and a friend. "They had," says Captain Glazier,
"a negro guide, who was to secrete them in a hut until the next night,
when they were to proceed, as we had done, and reach the line of freedom
by the nearest route."
The interview was brief, the parties differing as to which was the most
expedient route, and the discussion terminated by each taking the one he
thought best. Glazier and his comrade made off to a swamp, and upon
securing a safe resting-place, were overjoyed to find a venerable sow
and her litter approaching. They greeted the porcine mother, says our
friend, "otherwise than did wandering Aeneas the _alba sus_ lying under
the hollow trees of ancient Italy," for, "enticing them with crumbs of
hoe-cake," they both in unison struck a juvenile porker on the head with
a heavy stick, and a mammoth knife, the gift of Uncle Zeb, came into
requisition, and did good service. Over the embers of a fire kindled in
a hole in the ground, they roasted the little fellow, and made a
delicious meal.
They had scarcely finished their unexpected feast, when the thud of an
axe in the distance smote on their ears, and Glazier crept cautiously
out to reconnoitre. The wood-cutter proved to be a colored lad, and
having a vivid recollection of their scampering friend of "chicken"
fame, he hailed him in this wise: "Hello, Sambo!"
This manner of salute left the party addressed, in doubt as to the
colors under which the young white stranger served. Off went his hat,
therefore, and he stood grinning and waiting to hear more. Our hero
walked quickly up to him, and frankly explained the situation,
concluding, as usual, with a request for information and aid. Both were
promptly tendered, and shortly after, the fugitives were concealed in a
corn-fodder house. Here, in the evening, a motley and humorous
delegation of darkies waited upon them and after ventilating their sage
opinions upon the conduct of the war, organized a prayer-meeting; and,
if the fervor of human prayer availeth, they doubtless damaged the cause
of Secession materially that evening.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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