the lieutenant wanted two men to volunteer to go across the mountain,
about nine miles, and find out for sure if the rebel army had gone from
Sullivan Station. I stepped forward with a young fellow by the name
of Rogen Anderson. The lieutenant told us where we would find one of
our spies over the mountain near Sullivan Station. We started armed
with a brace of good revolvers and a fine shooting revolving carbine.
It was in the afternoon, and we were to be back by night if nothing
prevented us. We started on our way and that night we arrived at a
Union spy’s place. We intended to go back just as soon as we found out
that the rebel army was gone, but the old man told us where there was
a blue overcoat which he claimed was about two miles from where he was
staying. So my friend Rogen and I thought we would go and see the man
where the coat was. He was a Presbyterian minister. There was also a
breech loading rifle here. We intended to get it if we could. The old
pilot went as far as a small piece of woods and Rogen and I started
in the direction of a large house that was about three-quarters of a
mile away. When we got within about forty rods of the house, what was
our surprise to see seven armed rebels come out of the east side and
form a line, and on the back of the spokesman was the blue coat I have
spoken of. This leader called to us to surrender. I did the talking,
and told him that we would never do so, but if they did not throw down
their arms we would advance and shoot as many as we could. We both
acted upon my suggestion, for we started, with drawn weapons. Just as
soon as these seven rebels saw our bravado they started and ran around
the house and opened an outside cellarway and down into this they went.
When we came up to the front we were very careful not to go around
to that cellarway, but instead came up in front at the piazza. I had
told these rebels that our Colonel Kirk, of the Seventh Tennessee, was
awaiting our success, and we demanded the gun. The old man produced,
and as soon as we got it we started back and struck the piece of woods
where the colonel was. We started for the mountain as fast as we
could. We had not gone quite a mile before they found out that we had
tricked them. They made all possible speed to overhaul us. We had about
three-fourths of a mile start of them, and about a mile further to
make, so we improved the time right royally, and if two young fellows
ever got there we did. None too soon did we get to the mountain either,
as they were but a short distance away, and after we had got within
a few hundred feet from the foot of the mountain we could well bid
defiance to them all, for the mountain was steep and hard of ascent for
a man let alone a horse. Soon we went back to where we left the scouts,
or Lieutenant Housley and his men.
The next day we all started across the mountain again, and we all
thought we were on our way to Knoxville, but it seemed that these
Union men wanted some satisfaction, for as soon as we got over into
Sullivan county where all of the rebels lived, and who had been over so
many times to capture them, they were bent on taking all of the home
guards that they could and make them take the oath of allegiance to our
government.
It seemed that the home of the old colonel of the home guards, or
guerillas, was the first place that I came to. It was about eight
o’clock at night. Here we found a double log block house and in the
west end of this house sat the old colonel on the floor, playing with
a young grandchild. There were five or six of our men at the door and
several at the windows, and before we gave the old man any warning the
men broke the door in and took the old man by surprise, but just as
soon as the colonel got to his feet he had a gun in hand, that hung on
a couple of pegs, and there were several other guns hanging around the
house and standing in the corners. The old man struggled to avoid being
taken, but at last submitted. The pleading on the part of his wife and
daughter was pitiful and heart-rending, but in spite of their tears
and pleadings we started in the direction of the mountain. We securely
tied the old man’s hands behind him with a rope, and then tied another
some ten feet long to that, and they had the Andersonville prisoner,
as they chose to call me, lead the old man. He swore a good deal and
was very surly about being led, but he had to go just the same. When
we came to a piece of woods the scouts came to a halt and run the
old man under a large low-limbed tree. The rope that was tied to his
hands was untied and a noose placed around his neck. The rope was then
thrown over a large limb and the rebel was commanded to say his prayers
before they strung him up. Then it was that the old man knew his time
was short. Well, to tell the truth, this made me feel sad and almost
sick to see an enemy hung after taking him prisoner, although it was
often done by the rebels to our men. As soon as the old man began to
plead very hard they gave him his choice of either taking the oath of
allegiance or dangle at the end of the rope, so he took the oath of
allegiance. Then we all went to others of the home guards and got hold
of a large number of them and made them all take the oath of allegiance
to our government.
After this we went to a large plantation and here we found the folks
had left with the rebel army, leaving the plantation in charge of
an old darkey and his wench. These two old colored people the boys
compelled to bake biscuit and hoecake for nearly three hours. We found
a large bee hive full of honey in the loft of the smoke house, and
nearly one hundred weight of butter, and here around the old planter’s
table we sat and ate until we all felt very much satisfied. Then we
all retired for the night, lying down in whatever beds we could find
to occupy. In one of these beds I found over forty yards of sheep’s
gray cloth, which was worth at this time over five dollars a yard in
gold. This I took back across the mountain and gave it to Lieutenant
Housley’s wife, and out of this cloth Mrs. Housley made me a nice pair
of gray pants, the first pair I had been able to wear for a long time.
Now the time had come for us to go in the direction of Knoxville. There
had been some of Colonel Kirk’s scouts about fifty in number, who had
come to help our boys in reaching our lines, so we started. Most all of
our men were mounted on good, fleet horses. Lieutenant Housley had a
nice little black mare that he let me have to ride. All the men in this
company would number about eighty-five men. There were some seventy
mounted men and in the neighborhood of fifteen footmen. Some of these
footmen were young boys, going to Knoxville to keep out of the rebel
army. There was one or two rebel deserters along with us. We had been
traveling a part of one night and one day along the line of railroad,
when we came to a school house, or church, I don’t just remember which,
and camped for the night. Along the way we had captured a rebel spy,
who pretended to be a good Union man, and our boys let him go. He had
not been gone more than two or three hours before there came a report
from the guard lines that we were surrounded by at least four or five
hundred rebels. This was about eleven o’clock at night, so the scouts
all fell in and made a dash in the direction of the mountains. Our men
were successful in breaking through the rebel lines, which let all of
us footmen into the mountains. There were sixteen of us besides the
pilot, who was left with us. We got high up into the mountains between
two large bluffs and here we stayed that night, or the balance of it.
The next morning found us very hungry, for we had not had much to eat
for about two days. I want to say that our boys had a very sharp and
hard time to get through these rebel lines, and some of the rebels must
have fell under the fire of the scouts.
About noon, or somewhere near that time, the pilot came to the
conclusion that he would take one of our crew and go and try and get
something for us to eat. So he started off in the direction of the
valley. He had not been gone long before I took one of the young men
and started off on my own hook, to see what success I would have, and
we started down in about the same direction. We came to where the
rebels were in pursuit of us and we went near the building where our
boys had previously had their troubles with the rebels.
We went some two miles farther into the valley, where there was a large
house standing on a very large plantation. At this house we got a
large hoecake, or a baked kettle cake of corn bread and some bacon and
started back.
As we were passing the place where we had had the trouble with the
rebels, what was our surprise to see two mounted rebels coming in our
direction. Now I knew it was all up with us unless we could get ready
for them in some way, so I told the young man to stoop down and get
hold of anything that looked like a weapon and we would make a bold
dash at them. There was a large thorn bush hedge between the rebels
and us. We made a very sudden movement toward this hedge, holding
short sticks in our hands, and called to them to surrender, when they
turned their steeds and started off in the direction they had come. We
made all the speed that we could, and soon found our way back to our
concealment.
We all had a good lunch of corn bread and bacon and were ready to start
again that night. We had to keep along the range of mountains, for we
did not dare to follow the line of railroad for a while, for fear of
the enemy. At this time we were about one hundred and twenty miles from
Knoxville, Tennessee.
After starting again on our journey there was a woman pilot sent
by Lieutenant Housley to help us along these mountain ranges, and,
oh, such rugged, rocky cliffs that we had to climb, and such tired
and aching limbs that we had during such nights of toiling up those
mountains! It is something that I can never forget.
Well, as the distance grew less between the boys in blue and myself,
my heart began to gladden and every night now began to tell on the
distance. Oh, what thoughts I had of the folk; at home, and how I
longed to see the playgrounds of my boyhood days!
After the third night our guide left us to traverse the rest of our
journey without her and we at this time were following the railroad
line to our final destination at Knoxville.
We were about thirty-five miles away the last night of our travel,
and we had got very hungry. I had slipped ahead of the boys to see
if I could not get some hoecake before the rest of them came up. I
had advanced ahead about three miles, and had come to a large block
house, about half a mile south of the railroad. I went up to the door
and looked in an old stile window. In the east end of the house was a
fireplace, and close to this was a half dozen pairs of boots, while in
the corner sat as many guns. I stood there a short time, when I knocked
on the door. Presently there was a gruff voice which demanded to know
who was there. I told him I wanted some hoecake. He again demanded a
knowledge of me as to who was there. I told him that I was a friend.
Soon he told the men who were on the floor to get up in haste, and
when I saw that they were all getting up, I ran about seventy rods in
the direction of the railroad. Here I waited until the boys came up
and I told them what had happened. The old pilot concluded to try and
make them all surrender, but in this we were mistaken, for we could
not make them do so. They seemed to be desperate in regard to giving
up their arms, so we had to abandon the idea of taking them. We all
started on again to finish up our journey.
There was nothing of any importance which occurred the balance of the
way. The next day we arrived at the Knoxville river. Here we found the
railroad bridge was gone, and there were ferry boats to take the people
over the river. When I saw the stars and stripes once more I shed tears
of joy to think I had arrived into our lines, and I had great reasons
to thank God for His deliverance from worse than death in those prison
hells.
Here I was taken to the commander’s headquarters, and I told him
something of the privations I had gone through, and after I had been
given some dinner I was taken to the sanitary commission department.
Here I found an old man by the name of David Scott. He was assistant
surgeon of the Hastings hospital of Knoxville. This old man took me
to the sanitary commission where I was given a fine suit of navy blue
clothes and a hat with an eagle on one side. Oh, how grand this made me
feel to get a good warm suit of clothes on once more and to be free.
The next day I was given a pass to go to Washington, and how glad I was
to take the train in the direction of home. I started and every eastern
bound train that I could get on to without asking any questions I would
get on, until I finally found myself in New York City.
Then the next place I found myself was in Pittsburg Pennsylvania,
within ninety miles of home. Here I was accosted by a provost marshal,
who asked me where I was from. I told him. Well he concluded that I
had been taking a very good pleasure trip at the government’s expense.
He put me aboard the train and started me for Harrisburg, and when
I arrived there I met my old colonel, Chauncey Rodgers, whom I found
at the Soldiers’ Rest. He induced me to go to the state capitol at
Harrisburg. Here he introduced me to Maribee Lowery, a state senator of
Pennsylvania. Here I was seated above all of the leading senators and
related the story of my escape, while a shorthand writer wrote it down
as fast as I could tell it.
After I had sat and told the story of my escape for nearly three hours
a doctor came to me and felt of my pulse and told Mr. Lowery that if
he intended to do anything for me he must do it soon, for he told him
I was coming down with some fever. Now Mr. Lowery gave me a letter
of introduction to the adjutant general of the war department, and
the next day after I got to Washington I received a thirty-five days’
furlough to go home.
Mr. Lowery told me when I came back by the way of Baltimore and
completed the tale of my escape that he would give me five hundred
dollars in gold. Now when I started from Washington and got on the
train I found an old man who had been at the Howard hospital at
Washington, and who had buried a son and had just started for home.
I told him where I lived when at home, and found that he lived about
thirty miles from Waterford, Erie county, Pennsylvania. This old man
took care of me until I reached home.
When I got to Harrisburg I was so sick that I did not know what was
going on around me, and when I arrived at the station at Waterford it
was along about the last days of January. The snow was about two feet
deep and drifted for a distance of some two miles from the station
to a depth of ten feet. I got into a box car and remained in my old
friend’s care some two hours, while an old lady went two miles over
some terribly deep drifts to notify the stage driver of the condition I
was in.
During this time the good old man had tried to get me into some Irish
shanties near the station, but without any success. I still remained
in this cold car until my feet were badly frozen, and when the stage
did come there came with it a man by the name of Clifford Stafford, a
distant relative, if any, who had been discharged on account of wounds
received in the Battle of Gainsey’s Mill or Hall’s Hill. Now when I
got home I never knew my own folks for five long weeks, and when I did
bring myself through I did not have a spear of hair on my head, nor did
I have hardly any soles on my feet, so badly were they frozen while
escaping and being exposed to so much snow and frost.
This tale may not be so interesting to many on account of its being so
long since the close of the war, but nevertheless it is a true story.
Oh, how sad is the memory of the past! If my faith was all I had in
this world I should consider myself most miserable, but I thank God
that while I still continue to suffer, my faith is in Him.
When I got well I learned that my folks had made ready to have funeral
services for me, as Comrade Ledierer had sent word to them that I was
killed way back there at the negro shanty, at which place we were
separated from each other.
Now the time had come for me to return to Washington. General Lee’s
army had surrendered, and my time of service had nearly expired and my
furlough also.
At last the day came when I bid my kind old mother and friends good bye
and once more started to join the army.
My desire now was to continue the tale of my escape from prison to the
Senator from Pennsylvania, and get the gold he had promised to give me,
but when I got to Harrisburg, I found that he had been taken ill and
had been sent to an insane asylum, and while there had died, at least
that was the report at that time.
Soon after I got to Washington we were all mustered out of service and
sent home.
While I was on my way to Washington, and while in Baltimore waiting
for a train to go to Washington, there was a guard who attempted to
arrest me. I had been home three months, under a doctor’s care, and of
course my furlough of thirty-five days had expired, but I had a sworn
certificate from the doctor and a pass from the provost marshal of the
place where I lived, but this did not suit the guard, who was bent on
taking me for desertion.
After twenty-five years had expired I got my ransom money from Uncle
Sam on account of that guard at Baltimore keeping my furlough.
Now this ends the tale of my escape from rebel prisons, and since all
of this prison suffering I have lived in Oceana county, Michigan, and
have reared up a family of five children, one boy dying at the age of
thirteen years. I have had both shoulders broken, my right shoulder
blade, right arm and left hip misplaced and broken, and also my left
leg below the knee, and am now left almost a total cripple.
This ends the short tale of suffering, but suffering not ended until
this life is closed.
Transcriber’s Note:
The following changes have been made to the original publication:
Page 6
rebels had very strong foritfications _changed to_
rebels had very strong fortifications
Page 52
crevises of the rocks _changed to_
crevices of the rocks
Page 72
on small abuttments _changed to_
on small abutments
Page 77
through the crevises _changed to_
through the crevices
Page 85
to thank God for His deliverence _changed to_
to thank God for His deliverance
End of Project Gutenberg's In Defense of the Flag, by David W. Stafford