USA > West Virginia > History of the Fifth West Virginia Cavalry > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
We struck out about nine o'clock in the evening and made our way to the edge of the woods we were in, when Sweet started in the direction of some houses to see what chance there was for something to eat. He first encountered a warlike hog, which grunted and snorted at him until he was compelled to hide among the trees, for fear the noise would be- tray his presence. He again went toward the houses and attracted the attention of a negro boy, who took to his heels very much frightened. By considerable persuasion he was quieted, and we got him to come to us. We asked him about affairs at the houses, but the little fellow was suspicious, and would say nothing until he went and saw his mother, telling her of the presence of strangers, when she came to us inquiring what we wished. We told her who we were and what we wanted, but she was afraid at first to trust us. The slaves had become notorious as aids and guides to escaping unionists, and the confederates were in the habit of dressing themselves in the garb of union soldiers, when they would pretend to be escaping prisoners, in order to find out who among the slaves helped such persons. She was afraid we were of that kind of
292
ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
spies, and was loth to help us, but we soon convinced her that we were union prisoners fleeing from prison. We then asked her for food when she invited us into her house. We sat down in her rude cabin, where she baked us some excellent corn bread, in the red hot wood coals, and fried us the last bacon she had in the house. It was a dish fit for a prince, and there never was a set of belated fellows so fortunate as we were. With this food and plenty of sweet milk, hunger was soon satis- fied, and we were ready for a night's tramp. We bade her good bye, started on our journey, accompanied by one of her boys, whom she sent to guide us a few miles. We crossed the Nottoway river and followed the Dinwiddie road, pushing on to a large gate, where our guide left us.
We had been cautioned by our black friends, that if we met confed- erate soldiers, or citizens, on the road, in small numbers, to say noth- ing to them but pass right on. They said there were a great many de- sertions from the confederate army, and that the deserters would not disturb us if we let them alone, but that if interrupted, they would likely give us trouble. It was a fortunate bit of advice, and we had occasion to profit by it this night. . We met two armed persons, dressed like con- federate soldiers, so far as we could tell, who paid not the slightest atten- tion to us, but walked gravely on as if they were alone in the world. We set them down at once as deserters, but what they took us for we never learned. From this on we had a difficult time to keep on the right road after all the good instruction given us. We walked once about two miles out of our way, bringing up near a plantation house, and had to retrace our steps and take a new start. We then followed the highway some distance, and got on the wrong road, which almost led us to recapture. We turned aside into an orchard to get some apples, where we filled our pockets for next day's eating, and decided to go into camp. But upon looking about us we were surprised to see about twenty fine horses grazing in the orchard, and, as the surroundings looked suspicious, we decided to go into the depths of a heavy pine forest on the right of the road. We camped under a thick clump of the great jagged trees, a lonely place, surrounded on all sides by huge pines, which we found secure enough for our purpose.
When daylight appeared, Penniman made a reconnoisance through the woods, to ascertain our whereabouts. He returned in about an hour, with the information that he had been conversing with a slave, who told him we were within a mile of a confederate camp, which was directly behind the orchard that we thought of stopping in, near a place called Blacks and Whites. The horses we had seen belonged to the officers in the camp. This was startling intelligence to us, and we did , not need the caution of our black friend to keep very quiet. Occasion- ally we could hear sounds coming from the camp, the calls of a bugle telling us plainly enough that we had no friends in that quarter. Wc put in the time until evening eating the green apples we had picked, and
293
ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
in low conversation, with occasional naps of sleep, which were necessar- ily shortened by the persistent attacks of the gnats and musquitoes.
When his day's work was finished, and night came, the black joined us and guided us to a plantation about two miles distant. Upon nearing the house, he bade us lie down close to a large spring of water and await his return, when he would bring us our supper. It was a delight- ful place, where we quenched our thirst and rested beneath some stately trees. We remained here perhaps an hour, when another black ap- proached, and announced himself as our guide for the next few miles. He had us secrete ourselves in some bushes near by, where we waited until he went and got our supper. In a short time he and his wife made their appearance, with an excellent repast both in quality and quantity. Supper over, and we were ready to resume our journey. The good old woman, black and ignorant as she was, did us all the service she could, and as we parted, wrung our hands and bade us a hearty God speed.
Her husband took the lead and told us to follow him closely. He went on a swinging, rapid walk, through the woods and bushes, over stumps and logs, leading us into several falls and plunges into the bushes, but all the while making a bee line for the point he wished to reach. Finally he stopped at a cross roads, leaving the camp at Blacks and Whites in our rear. Here he left us, directing us to some cabins to the left, where we would get another guide. He had proved himself a true friend, and we parted from him with regret. Upon reaching the cabins of the slaves to which directed, we knocked at the door of one of them, and were admitted with a cordial welcome. One sprightly young fellow volunteered to guide us to a point some nine miles distant, thus enabling him to return in time to get some sleep. Several of the blacks were awakened, who gathered about us, all shaking hands as we extended ours to them, gratified to meet some of the union soldiers. They were full of sympathy for us, and offered anything they had that would add to our comfort. Our guide led us a lively race for about eight miles, following a path through the woods. He was constantly on the alert, and was apprehensive of the presence near us of some of the enemy, and it required all our skill and urging to keep him with us.
We had gone perhaps about eight miles, when we had an adventure that threatened to be serious, but proved to be laughable. A foraging train of the confederates was in camp on the side of the road a short distance ahead of us, but of course we knew nothing of it until we reached it. When nearly to it we were halted by two armed men, evi- dently on guard duty, who saw only the black and Anderson, who were in advance, the rest of us several yards behind them. When they saw the rest of our squad coming up in single file and in good order, they broke into the woods on a full run, not waiting long enough even to fire an alarm. We heard one of them in a few minutes call to the other, and we went silently on our way. It was an astonishing occurrence to
294
ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
us. They must have thought that a whole company was advancing, and that the best thing for them to do was to get out of the way. It was a sight to see our poor guide. He was badly demoralized and scared, but we quieted him down, though we were nearly as badly frightened as he was. We stepped aside into the woods and continued our walk, cautiously looking in every direction. In a few minutes we were right in the midst of a train of foraging wagons, and had no time to recover ourselves or retrace our steps. Several teams were standing together, and in most of the wagons the teamsters were stretched out asleep, but. standing at the end of one of the wagons, was one fellow that wasn't asleep. He was wide awake, and was trying to get something out of the wagon. He being occupied gave us our chance, and we quietly stepped behind some trees and awaited the fellow's good pleasure. He went to the other end of the train presently, and we moved off out of sight. We supposed that the fellows who took to the woods belonged to this train, and were cither on guard duty or just coming into camp. We heard no more of them, but suppose they stopped somewhere long enough to tell of what a mighty host of Yankees had driven them into the woods.
We struck off to the right of the train, and advanced about a mile, when we stopped for consultation. Our guide begged to be relieved from further duty, and as we did not want to subject the poor fellow to further danger, we dismissed him. As a reward for his services, Reader gave him his vest, the one remaining relic of civilized life in the party, which he carried off in triumph. We went to a safe distance from the train and settled down for the next day, the 25th. It was an un- eventful one, nothing occurring that gave us any concern. We found that we had camped in the midst of a berry patch, where there was any quantity of huckleberries and some blackberries. Of these we ate freely and heartily. Toward evening the rain began to pour down in a steady stream, drenching us thoroughly, and we were finally driven from our shelter, passing through the woods, and bringing up at a tobacco drying house in the clearing. Here we were sheltered from the rain, but were in full view of some houses that were about half a mile distant, across some fields. We saw some of the folks in the houses, but none came near us, so we were not disturbed. After dark we went into the open place to look for something to eat. It was Reader's turn to go to a house and he advanced for that purpose, when he suddenly came close to a woman, who evidently lived in one of the houses. Not being anxious to form her acquaintance, he asked some questions of her and retired to the woods. As no further notice was taken of him, it is probable the woman did not suspect who he was.
We left this neighborhood, and passing through another wood, we came to a large plantation, upon which there was a fine residence and other evidences of thrift. Anderson went toward the house to hunt something
295
ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
to eat, and attracted the attention of a black and brought him to us. We questioned him all about our location, our proximity to Dinwiddie Court House, and the nearest road to it, and then asked him to get us something to cat. He very intelligently gave us all the information we needed, but on the all absorbing question of catables. he was compelled to deny us. He said that there were four confederate officers at the house who were to be waited upon, and it would be impossible for him to get us anything without discovery. He offered to do all in his power for us, and took us into a stable, where there were four fine horses, owned by the officers, saddled and bridled ready for use, which we might take, and he would not inform on us. It was a great temptation. but we could not consider it for a moment, as by doing this, we would have to pass through Dinwiddie Court House. the only available road being through there, where a regiment of confederate cavalry was sta- tioned. These facts we learned from the black, who advised us to try it on foot a while longer, and gave ns clear directions for avoiding the troops at Dinwiddie, and making our way to Petersburg. He put us on the way to the road, and left us then to our own resources. We got on the road at the scene of the previous night's adventures, but the wagon train had left, not leaving a sign that it had ever been there, except the torn down fences, the rains having obliterated all marks of the wagons and horses. The rain was pouring down, the roads became so slippery that we could scarcely walk, and it was so dark that we could not see where we were going, or see each other, and we kept together by the sound of our voices. We went a mile, perhaps, through this intense darkness, when finding it almost impossible to go further, we took shelter under a tree, huddling close together. and wait- ing patiently for the cessation of the rain. The air was cool and onr suffering became very severe. The rain drops fell from the branches and leaves, chilling us through, every drop seeming to penetrate the flesh, and soon we were shaking with the chills that seized upon us. We be- came almost unable to move, and were benumbed and sore, and when we attempted to walk, found it a painful effort. But we couldn't stay there, so we struck off through the woods, and presently found that we were lost in the great woods. We retraced our steps as best we could, and by groping and feeling our way back, arrived at the road, which we then closely followed.
The rain having partially ceased after walking some distance, we were soon able to reach open ground, and had not gone far when we saw lights to our left proceeding from houses. To these we made our way and found them to be some negro cabins, at the door of one of which we knocked, and entreated the inmates to permit us to enter and warm our- selves. 'They opened the door, and told us to be seated near the fire, when they heaped on wood, and soon had a blazing fire, in front of which we sat and warmed our chilled bodies. There was not a morsel
200
ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
to eat in the house, so they could not accommodate us in this way. A black from another plantation was visiting at this place, and told us that if we would go with him, he would give us something to cat, and a good fire to warm and rest by. We accepted his invitation and started with him. He took us about three miles through the woods, bringing up in front of a long row of cabins. He led us into a workshop, closed the door, and told us to keep very quiet while he made preparations for us in his cabin. In a few minutes after leaving us he returned and took us with him, giving us a place before a blazing fire. He then went to work and cooked us an excellent meal of corn bread and bacon. By the time we had finished, day was breaking, and he told us we would be safer now in the woods, and went with us to find a secure hiding place.
We passed through an orchard, picking up some of the apples, and found a safe place not far from the cabins. He told us that he would return to us in the evening, and guide us a few miles that night, and then we were left to ourselves. The day was clear and bright, and the sun soon warmed us and dried our clothing. While nothing occurred of a start- ling nature, the day was one of much anxiety to us. Confederate cav- alry in squads passed us frequently, and as we lay within a few rods of the road, we had a good view of them. Several times we were very much frightened by the near approach of the horsemen, some of whom seemed as if they must know we were hidden there, by the manner in which they rode towards us, in some cases being within a few feet of us. But the bushes hid us from them. A wagon train also passed, and there was enough going on, in connection with the vigorous attacks of mus- quitos and gnats. to keep us awake and vigilant.
As soon as it was dark enough, our friend came to us with a good supper, and he then said he was ready to guide us a short distance, and led us a few miles, leaving us at a plank road which led to Din- widdie, giving us directions for the night.
We had not gone far when a turn in the road found us in the midst of another wagon train. We could see that the wagons were loaded with provisions, but we were too much alarmed by the unexpected turn affairs had taken, to think of foraging on our own account. Every person about the train was asleep, and we were not observed. We retraced our steps, and made a circuit through the woods around the train, until we had safely passed all danger. We pushed forward rapidly, and by the time this little adventure had been forgotten, we encountered another wagon camp, in which all the teamsters were not asleep. The train was a large one, heavily loaded with hay and produce. Before we realized our position, we were among the wagons, and, worse than all, in the presence of one of the teamsters, who was busy working about a team. He barely spoke to us, and being intent on his own business, paid no further attention to us. We hurried along until we were at a safe dis- tance. This thing of running into these wagon trains had become
297
ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
monotonous, and we determined to keep in the woods, though we would thus make slower time. We observed this caution for a while, but pres- ently ventured out on the road again.
We had not gone far when we were startled by the sound of horses ap- proaching us. We stepped back into the woods out of sight, and watched the approach of the new danger. A squad of cavalry cantered along the road, passing us almost near enough to strike us with their sabres. We barely had time enough to get out of their way. Fortu- nately they did not see us, or our adventures as escaping prisoners would have come to an end. They went on their way, and left us in some embarrassment as to what course next to take. From the descrip- tion given us by our black friend, we felt satisfied we were close to Dinwiddie, and that the utmost caution must be observed. Turning down over the hill to our left, we came to Stony Creek, which passes near the town, and lay down on its banks for a short time. We had not lain there long, when we were aroused by a terrific noise, coming apparently from across the stream. We were on our feet in an instant, and though the clatter was kept up for some time, we could not discover what it was. It was sufficient to impel us to move forward, and we walked along the creek a short distance until we heard voices. We got under cover and soon ascertained that we were near the bridge that crossed the creek on the road that we had been traveling, and that it was guarded. At the time we heard the voices a relief was being put on, as near as we could understand, and when this was done, no sound was heard but the murmur of the waters in the creek. Our intention was to cross the bridge, as we did not expect to find it guarded, but we could not do that, so we went into a piece of woods near at hand, and put up for the day.
We were more exposed during this day than any place we had yet stopped. A few small bushes were all that kept us from the view of passersby. Persons were constantly passing on the road a few rods distant, but none discovered us. Near us on the creek was a mill that kept up a great deal of noise, which was in our favor, drowning what- ever noise we made. The day was thus passed, with but very little sleep, and not a morsel to eat. About dark we left our little camp and went to the creek, finding a crossing place near the mill. Once over the creek, we climbed a little bluff and went into the woods, stopping near some houses. Sweet and Penniman went to the houses and secured a black, who came to us, and with whom we had a long talk. We were concerned about getting past Dinwiddie, the most dangerous place on the route until we should get near our lines. He agreed to guide us around the town, and leave us where we could proceed safely without the services of a guide. We followed after him, and felt per- fectly safe as long as he kept before us. He was very cautious and careful and would not pass any exposed place without first carefully ex-
W
298
ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
amining it, and satisfying himself that the way was clear. We passed the guards with but little trouble, and went around the town, keeping to the right, and avoiding the troops that were encamped in the place. Our guide left us at the edge of a wood, after explaining to us what direction we should take. We went into the woods and became lost, traveling for some time in a circle, and finally emerging from the woods at the place we entered. This was decidedly provoking, but we enjoyed a hearty laugh over it, and started in again. This time we came out all right. We then followed the edge of the woods for some distance, when we entered a pine forest, where the trees were so close together, that we could scarcely crowd through a part of it. We were walking along busily engaged in laying plans for future operations, when a shrill cry broke upon the stillness of the night, and caused the hair to rise on our heads. It sounded like the cry of a child in distress, but we under- stood fully what it was, though we had never heard it before. Any of the readers of this who have had occasion to be much in a Virginia forest, remote from thick settlements, will not need to be told that it was the cry or scream of what is usually known as the wild cat or lynx. It followed us a short distance for an hour or more, cmitting its piercing cries, and was a cause of terror to us, though no attempt was made to attack us. The next night we were followed by it or another one, until almost daylight, and then this annoyance ceased.
Late in the night, as we were pushing rapidly forward, Sweet suddenly disappeared in our front. We couldn't imagine what had become of him, when one of us called out: "Hello, Sweet; where are you ?" "All right," was the response, "come on." Anderson was next, and after sliding a few feet on an inclined rock, went over the edge of it, the others of the party following fast and hard, all alighting in the mud, and barely missing a large number of rocks that were to our left. It gave us an opportunity for a hearty laugh, and we concluded to hunt a camp, as the night seemed to be full of mishaps and scares. We walked up a small hill, coming to an open space where there were a few houses. To these we went and tried to get something to eat, but it was a failure. Daylight was near at hand and it behooved us to hunt a hiding place. This we found without any trouble, and lay down hungry and tired.
We experienced nothing unusual in this day's solitude, except that we were very hungry, and had nothing with which to satisfy it. The air was hot and close, and with the attacks of the gnats and musquitos, sleep was out of the question. Toward dark we moved castward to the edge of the woods, hoping to find something that would alleviate the suffering we were undergoing from hunger. We saw some cabins at a distance, to which it was agreed we would send one of the party to seek for food. It was Reader's turn to forage, and he went within a short distance of the cabins, when seeing some one coming from that direc- tion, he stopped and took refuge behind a tree. He supposed it to be
299
ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
a black, but was very much astonished to see instead a man with a blanket thrown across his shoulder and a haversack strapped to his side, and apparently fully equipped. There was not enough light to tell cer- tainly whether he was armed, but he had all the appearance of an armed soldier ready for the march. He noticed Reader, and having passed him a few feet, stopped and said: "Who are you?" There Reader stood, not knowing what to do or say. Capture seemed inevitable, and he thought, with sinking of heart, of his three comrades safely hidden in the woods behind him. It was the worst scrape of the whole trip, and it looked as if all his hardships and suffering to keep away from Andersonville, were to go for naught. Two ways were open before him, submit to recapture, or run and risk being shot. He chose the latter. All this occurred in a few moments, and before the new-comer had time to say or do anything further, Reader deliberately turned from him and walked away, until he had got some distance from him, when he turned off into the woods on a run to where he had left his com- rades. Singularly enough, no attempt was made to follow him, but he was permitted to depart in peace. It was the most puzzling event that had occurred to us. We could not come to any satisfactory reason for the fellow's conduct, except that he was a deserter from the confederate army, and was himself anxious to avoid discovery. A large force was but a short distance from us, and it is possible that he was deserting from them. We at once changed our quarters, going to a thick part of the woods, where we remained for awhile. Hearing nothing further that was suspicious, Reader was sent to try what he could do at the same cabins, this time following a safer course. When he reached the cabins he saw a negro woman sitting in a door, with her back to him.
Desiring not to alarm anyone, as the plantation house was but a few rods distant, he stepped up to the woman, laid his hand on her shoulder and spoke to her. To his surprise and consternation, she jumped to her feet and ran across the room, screaming at the top of her voice. Her cries could be heard at all the houses in the immediate neighborhood, and the alarm would certainly bring some one to the place. He hurried at once to the rear of the cabin and hid against the side of an outside chimney. The mud between the logs of the building having fallen out in many places, he could see all that was going on in the house. The inmates were badly frightened and greatly excited, and scarcely knew what they were doing. The woman calmed down suffi- ciently to order a boy to take a big dog and go out and see what had scared her. They went on their errand, but fortunately were not zeal- ous enough in their search to hunt very closely for the fugitive. Pres- ently one of the men of the family, a burly black, came into the house, and learning the state of affairs, went on the search of Reader, whom he found in a few minutes. The latter gave an account of the scare he had been the innocent cause of, which amused the old darky greatly.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.