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We had traveled about five miles, when suddenly we
heard talking ahead of us, and soon discovered a buggy meeting
us. We were in an open lane, a board fence on each side, and
escape seemed impossible. I gave the signal to the others, which
was a shrill whistle, and immediately we all jumped to one side
of the road, and fell flat upon the ground, trusting to the brown
sage to shield us from the observation of the men in the buggy.
They drove up unsuspectingly, until they came opposite to where
we were lying, when their horses smelling us, scared and became
frantic. The driver struck them with his whip, when they bounded
ahead and soon conveyed them out of sight, when we again took
the road and made rapid strides on our journey southward. We
met two or three wagons during the night, but succeeded in getting
out of the road until they passed. They were market wagons on
their way to Columbia.
We traveled on until day-break, making a distance
of eighteen miles, when we turned aside and selecting a hiding
place in the woods we laid down and fell asleep. We remained
in this place all day, but were frightened several times at dogs,
which were running through the woods in search of something to
eat. We were not afraid of the dogs, but only afraid they might
bark and lead to our discovery. But the day passed off safely
to us, and when darkness came on we again took up our march.
Our haversacks by this time were rather light for our health,
but we pushed on, hoping to find some friendly negroes by whom
we could get them replenished.
After marching a few miles we discovered a light
ahead, which we supposed to be in a house, and how to pass it
without discovery was now a question of serious moment. As we
cautiously moved up a little nearer, the light disappeared, which
caused us to change our minds, and our next conclusion was, that
it was a rebel picket post. We moved up a little closer, and
discovered a bridge between us and where we had last seen the
light, which confirmed us in the belief that the bridge was guarded.
Captain Strang volunteered to move up close enough to see if
he could discover the post and how it was situated. Meanwhile
the balance of us concealed ourselves in the bushes by the roadside.
The Captain soon returned and reported that he saw a man moving
about at the other end of the bridge, but could see no others,
strengthening our conviction that the bridge was guarded, and
how to get around it was a matter that gave us much trouble.
As it was an impenetrable thicket on either side, and the banks
of the stream very high.
While consulting what we should do, our ears were
greeted by the tread of a "darkie." Captain Turner
stepped to the roadside and attempted to hail him in a whisper.
"Uncle! Uncle!" said Turner. "Who dar?"
said Harry, in a tone of voice that would have awakened all the
pickets within a mile of us. "Hush! hush!" said the
Captain, "the picket guards will hear us." Harry was
a little frightened on being hailed so suddenly, and kept on his
guard. He had not yet discovered the rest of us. "Who is
you?" said Harry, and "what does you want with me?"
"We are Yankee prisoners," said the Captain, "and
want to talk with you." "O! bress de Lord," said
Harry, (laying down a huge possum which he had suspended by the
tail) "Come out, you shan't be hurt."
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