Part 19 (1/2)

Going on to Shreveport, I found everything in a chaotic condition There were batteries without horses, officers withouttroops

We were two days about toaiting transportation, and saw that every horse that ca agons in the road and taking the ani for ho some of the Union fleet come up the river as transports, but they did not put in an appearance, and the citizens of the toere nearly frantic in consequence, on account of the plundering that was being done During a conversation with several gentleer to ascertain as known of the possible co of the Federal army could save them from total financial ruin The actions of these men were in accordance with their words, and, apparently, they voiced the sentiments of the entire business co that the as practically over, and being in need of nearly everything, ies for the liberties taken, but, on the principle that ”ht that was likely to be of use to the the problem of how to live after peace had been declared The situation, while full of exciteht of it as another illustration of the fact that ”those who dance must pay the fiddler”

Early in our reatly excited by the increasing illness of one of the sick men His birthplace and residence had been in Pennsylvania, but he had gone over the State line and enlisted in the 3d Maryland He had been sick for sorown rapidly worse while on the road, despite the sti on his way to home and friends He had been so brave and cheerful, notwithstanding his youthful age of only eighteen years, that I had become much interested in him While prostrated on his bed of cotton, he had talked to me of his ho

With a bright look on his face, he had said:

”I ive up till I have to, forhappens”

I had done what I could for the boy, and on several occasion had gotten hiivenof other than a mental memorandum, and the necessity for a better record had been overlooked in the confusion and exciteht up with me at Shreveport I was shocked to learn that he was dead I had had doubts as to his living to get home, but so early a death was a surprise and shock, which latter was turned to self-reproach and sorrohen I found that I could not recollect the naiven towhich time I frequently tried in vain to recollect the data necessary to identify hie suddenly ca about it At once I sat down and wrote to the mother, and in due time received a beautiful letter in reply My letter was the first word she had received of the boy since he had last written to her in good health and spirits, except that the books of his coainst it I recollected that he had told e a little on his own account at the ti an affidavit of the facts as I knew theet upon the records as they stood was promptly allowed her on the affidavit furnished

After waiting for the Federal transports until tired, our guards placed us on a couple of rebel boats, and we started down the river for the Yankee fleet

I was on the boat with Colonel Samansky, a Pole He had been an officer in his own country, had enlisted in the Confederate arained the rank of Colonel He lived in Texas and expected to remain there

When he asked me how I had been treated, the only co iment I claimed to him that I had been of more service to the Union as a prisoner than I could have been if I had ree, twome ever since I had been captured I showed hie cohed and coe commissioner

At theup with prisoners While exchanging boats, all who desired it had a chance to take a swim, and a number of us enjoyed the luxury Possibly 500 men were in the water at one time

One notable feature of this occasion was the fact remarked by everyone that you could tell a Yankee from a rebel as far as you could see him, even without his clothes The reason for this was that our confinement in the open air had caused us to be burned brown by the sun, even through our clothing, while the rebels hite from confinement within walls

We were taken down to New Orleans and housed there ten days in a cotton press, arriving on Sunday afternoon in our prison garb We were a rather hard-looking crowd, but never was there a happier one

The boys in New Orleans knew that ere coeant in my company, hunted me up and took hted to see me I was fed on the best he had, and arrayed in a spare uniform of his When I went back to the cotton press the boys did not know me

From the time of my capture to that of et word through to my wife, and I wrote to her as soon as I had a chance to do so after reaching that place My first knowledge of her, after h Captain Harper, who told me that she hen he had heard from home the last tih an escaped prisoner

All the officers crowded about the payet some money, and he had quite a time with them, as, while he believed what they told him of themselves, he could pay out no money until some person known to him would vouch for the recipient

Captain Harper satisfactorily identified me to the paymaster, and I dreo months' pay A proper voucher was now easily secured by as many of the officers as were personally known to me, and all such received a like amount

While in New Orleans I ton guardhouse, confined as a spy We spent the day together, and I learned his later story, as follows:

”Two days after you left they startedto discover that they had a spy on my track When I reached So on to Matamoras, but somebody would overtake me every day and try to pump me I bluffed 'e through all right, but I didn't lose any ti here by water to report

”Had a funny little experience on the orth telling A woave me the address of her brother in Texas before I left, in case I got down that way I hunted hi the wo in what I told you in Washi+ngton and spinning hi to join my wife Guess he believed me--looked like it, anyhow, for he treated old”

When we left New Orleans ere put on a boat and started up the river for Benton Barracks, St Louis When we landed at the o on shore for an hour or two, and I then learned that o on board again, and the boat left withoutthe ion I at last secured transportation and started up the river to join unboat

When I reached Duval's Bluffs reat reception, learning all the home news This was the first positive information of a recent date, about homethree or four days with the boys, I went home, and my wife and myself renewed our acquaintance