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We learned from Harry that there was
no guards at the bridge, but that a citizen who was on his way
to the coast for salt had put up there for the night, and that
the light we saw was the man going to the creek to get water for
his mules, but that he had gone to sleep in his covered wagon.
So, Harry leading off, we set out again, feeling greatly relieved
of our troubles. We traveled about three miles beyond the bridge,
when we came to the plantation where Harry's master resided.
We stepped into the woods by the road side and set down to rest,
while Harry went into the potato patch and grabbled us some sweet
potatoes; and after filling our sacks with raw potatoes we renewed
our march and continued it till near daybreak.
Before halting, however, we were suddenly alarmed
by a signal similar to our own, by the road side, and a man came
walking out of the bushes dressed in rebel uniform. He inquired
of us something about the roads, supposing at first we were negroes;
but on discovering that we were white he seemed as much alarmed
as we were. For a few seconds both parties were afraid to introduce
the object of their mission. At length we inquired of him where
he was going; he replied he was going home on a leave of absence.
We then asked him what regiment he belonged to. He replied,
to a Georgia regiment, but did not recollect the number. We then
began to see the "Yankee" in disguise, and told him
that we were Yankee officers escaping from Columbia prison, which
seemed to relieve him greatly, when he acknowledged himself a
Yankee also, escaping from Charleston, and trying to reach Sherman's
lines in the direction of Atlanta.
We could give him no encouragement, as he would have
two hundred miles to march, under great difficulty. He expressed
a desire to join our party, which we would gladly have consented
to, but feeling that our party was already large enough, and being
fearful that enlarging it would endanger the safety of all, we
declined; but giving him our best wishes, we passed on our way
until it became necessary to put up for the day. We turned into
the first favorable looking place for concealment, threw ourselves
upon the ground and soon fell asleep.
But we did not enjoy our repose long. At daylight
we were suddenly aroused by the rattle of the cars, which seemed
as though they were running over us. On looking around us we
discovered that we were only a few feet from the railroad track,
and the train had passed by without any one discovering us. But
the train once out of sight, we moved further away from the road,
and concealed ourselves in a thicket of undergrowth timber, where
we ventured to kindle a fire and boil our sweet potatoes. We
remained here all day without molestation, though in sight of
a plantation house, where we could see the field hands at work.
Our provisions had again given out, and when dark set in we attempted
to see some of the negroes, but as there appeared to be too many
hounds about, we concluded it would be unsafe to remain there,
so we struck out for the Orangeburg road. We had got but a short
distance when the roaring of the hounds were
heard in our rear, and occasionally the blast of the horn. This
alarmed us much, but with cudgels in hand, we made rapid strides
toward Orangeburg. We soon became convinced that the hounds were
not on our track, but on a fox trail.
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