The following morning after bidding my host good bye I took the road to
Union Springs. On my way I caught up with General Pillow, who was riding
in a carriage drawn by two fine mules, and his son George, who was
riding horseback. I said, Hello! On your way home? He answered, Yes.
What route are you going? We are trying to make Union Springs for
tonight; father is not very well and we are making short stations. I
remarked, I am surprised they left you your horse. He said, They left us
our side arms and let father have his carriage and mules and me my
horse. I rode up to the carriage, shook hands with the old General,
whose head was as white as snow, congratulated him on his good luck of
being able to keep his outfit. He said, Yes, it was more than I
expected. We traveled together for several miles when we were met by
five men, one of which, a rather portly fellow, remarked, Boys, if this
is not Sal, I'll be hanged. And he advanced and took my mule by the
bridle, saying, This mule belongs to me, you will have to get off. I
said, I reckon not, drawing my pistol. He said, The Yankees stole that
mule from me. I said, Well, I got her from the Yankees, but she cost me
a watch worth about thirty dollars. I stated facts as they were, saying,
I am on my way to Eufaula and I am crippled and can't walk, and I shall
ride there if it costs me my life. So General Pillow interfered, saying,
Gentlemen, this is a Confederate soldier on his way home; he is crippled
and can't walk. I will pay you for the mule to end the matter. What kind
of money? Confederate, of course, I have no other. Well, that is not
worth a curse. That is all I've got. The men were still standing in
front of me and occasionally touched the reins, when I cocked my pistol,
saying, Turn that bridle loose, I am going to Eufaula on this mule.
After that I do not care what becomes of it; I expect to take the boat
there for Columbus. He answered, I tell you what I'll do; here is a gold
chain; I suppose it is worth as much as your watch. I will give you that
chain and you'll leave the mule with the hotel man and I'll get her
there. So I said all right, when General Pillow remarked, Gentlemen,
undoubtedly you are in search of stock; suppose you were to find any
that belongs to somebody else, which it would be pretty apt to be, and
the owner would come and claim it; would you turn it over to him? The
spokesman hesitated, then said, I don't know if I would or not. I said,
well, our arrangement suits me; what is the hotel keeper's name? He told
me but I have forgotten it. So we arrived at our destination about one
hour by sun and stopped all night at the house of Major Pemberton, a
friend of General Pillow's. George and I occupied the same bed. He
proved to be an excellent companion and we recounted many incidents to
one another. After breakfast we parted company. I took the route to
Eufaula, Ala., by myself, leaving General Pillow and his son with our
host, with whom they proposed to stay for a few days, before continuing
their homeward journey, which was near Franklin, Tenn. I arrived at
Eufaula at about three o'clock p. m. and inquired for the hotel, whose
proprietor I found sitting in a chair in front. Is this the hotel? Yes
sir. A soldier on his way home? Yes sir. This is a good mule you have
got; will you sell her? I said, How much will you give me for it? He
remarked, I have only Thirty-Five Dollars, in Mexican silver and some
Confederate money that nobody takes about here. I'll give you the
Mexican dollars for the outfit. You will also give me my dinner and fill
my haversack with provisions to last me home? Yes, I'll do that too.
What time will the boat leave for Columbus? At four o'clock. Well, I
have time to take dinner. I turned the mule over to him, he had me
served something to eat and paid me thirty-five Mexican silver dollars.
I took the chain, which was not gold but galvanized brass, and said, I
am glad I have made connection with the boat, I will get home sooner.
Handing the proprietor the chain, I said, There is a gentleman who may
call for me; you tell him I made connection and went on. This chain
belongs to him and I want him to have it. All right, said he. The boat,
according to schedule, left for Columbus with me aboard. In Columbus I
met Dr. Mullin, a friend of Dr. Crawford's, but could get no information
as to his whereabouts. From Columbus I traveled to Atlanta. The sight
that met my view was sickening. Instead of a nice little city, for it
must be remembered that Atlanta at that time was not the cosmopolitan of
this day, it could not have had over seven or eight thousand
inhabitants; there it lay in ashes, the work of vandalism. The brick
chimneys marked the places where comfortable shelters used to stand. Its
inhabitants fled from the approaching foe, fearing even a worse fate at
the hands of such unscrupulous barbarians. From Atlanta I followed in
the wake of Sherman's army towards Macon, and had it not been for my
trade with the hotel keeper of Eufaula to have my haversack filled, I
could not have existed to the end of my journey. As already stated, the
Country for miles in every direction was sacked and burned. I say this
much for the New England civilization, of these days, that in no
country, civilized or uncivilized, could such barbarism have excelled
such diabolical manifestation. I arrived in Macon at dusk, intending to
pass the night at my cousin's. In front of the Brown House came an
ambulance, said to contain President Jefferson Davis. They traveled at a
good trot, surrounded by a body of cavalry which I was informed were
Wilson's men, Macon being in the hands of that General to whom General
Howell Cobb surrendered that city. I was sick at heart at our entire
helplessness and complete prostration. I called on my relatives who were
glad to see me again among the living. They were much depressed at the
condition of things, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. I met
Mr. Kaufman, General Cobb's orderly, as I was about to leave for what I
called home. I stated that if there was a chance for me to get something
to ride it would greatly facilitate my locomotion. My ankle, although
still sore was healing nicely. Mr. Kaufman said, I will sell you my
horse, I have got nothing to feed him on. I said, I will give you all
the money I got for the mule, having given them already the history of
my itinerary from Montgomery to Macon. He accepted my offer and I was
again in a traveling condition. All along my route devastation met my
view. I could not find sufficient corn to give my horse a square meal.
Wherever I found a green spot I dismounted to let my horse eat grass. I
traveled at night as well as in the day time and arrived at my
destination about 10 o'clock a. m. the next day.