ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH.–

19. July 2008 by admin.

Lieut. F. Perry and private William P. Pugh, of the Third West Tennessee cavalry were out on recruiting service, and were captured on the 7th of October, 1863, after a skirmish with Faulkner’s and Wilson’s partisans, near Como, some sixty miles from Paducah. Mr. Pugh had previously been captured by, and had made his escape from, the same parties; and being a Tennesseean, was subjected to some severities. His captors declared he should not again escape, and exercised unusual vigilance in conducting their prisoners southward.

They were forced to walk from the place of capture to Gadsden, Alabama, on the Coosa River, and were conveyed thence by boat to Rome, Georgia, where they took cars for Atlanta, and, subsequently, for Richmond. Thirty miles east of Raleigh, North Carolina, they jumped from the cars, made their way to Washington, where they were received inside the Federal lines, and thence sent north to join their comrades, who still supposed them in Libby Prison.

They suffered great privations on the march from Como to Gadsden, particularly after crossing the Tennessee River. In the Tuscumbia Valley they were three days without anything to eat, their captors stating that the Yankees had been there and destroyed all supplies. At Decatur they paid twenty-five cents an ear for corn, which was their sole sustenance the greater part of the march. They were compelled to make forced marches by by-roads, and through an unfrequented country, as Sherman was at Tuscumbia, and the rebels anticipated that he would turn south, and advance in the direction of Gadsden. Several times the prisoners heard his cannon, and fondly hoped for rescue. there was great scarcity of provisions wherever they went, and Confederate money was at an enormous discount. At Decatur, a woman offered a chicken-pie for sale, for which she wanted one dollar in silver or greenbacks. She refused to sell it for Confederate money, though ten dollars were offered. At Gadsden, the prisoners found a considerable number of rebel conscripts, who, whenever their officers and guards were not by, told them they were Union men, and would escape on the first opportunity. They generally manifested their sympathy for the boys by slipping a roll of Confederate bills into their hands, and saying they were sorry there was not more of it.

Here the prisoners found Confederate Lieutenants and other subordinate officers engaged in selling pies to Yankee prisoners. These pies were made of sweet potatoes, without sugar or shortening in the crust, and were peddled in baskets, after the fashion we see at railroad stations. A Colonel of an Alabama regiment, at Gadsden, sent a sack of corn, which he tried to sell them for greenbacks. Everywhere there was a demand for Uncle Sam’s money, which was hoarded as carefully as silver and gold, and kept out of circulation.

At Rome the prisoners saw a considerable body of Georgia State militia. They wer mostly boys under sixteen, and old men over forty-five, badly clothed, and poorly disciplined, but well armed. Mr. Perry, who was placed on his parole of honor, says that at Augusta, Georgia, he saw an immense pile of cotton, covering an area of perhaps one acre, and piled higher than any building in Cincinnati. There were also considerable quantities at Atlanta, but none that he saw at Rome.

They were detained at Atlanta some ten days, before starting for Richmond. At Columbia, South Carolina, they found that Charleston money was absolutely valueless; nobody would take it; the reason being assigned that the city might at any day fall into Federal hands, and then the currency would be worth nothing. Between Atlanta and Raleigh they saw no organized bodies of Confederate troops, and very little material out of which to make them. The resources of the country, in that respect, seemed to have been thoroughly exhausted.

When they left Raleigh for Richmond, a plan of escape was arranged between Messrs. Perry, Pugh, and John Carr, of the first Missouri Artillery, who was formerly chief clerk, at Corinth, for Gen. Carr. About three o’clock in the morning, being about thirty miles from Raleigh, on the Weldon road, the three leaped from the car, and plunged into the forest. they made as near south-east as they could, guided by the stars and the course of the clouds, concealing themselves by day.

They did not venture near any settlement or plantation, till forced to do so by excessive hunger, and one night ventured to arouse the inmates of a negro cabin, who were very inquisitive, and would not commit themselves until satisfied they were real Yankees, which was decided by an old negro, who felt Mr. Perry’s cavalry jacket, and declared it was too fine for a rebel’s. Then they were treated with great hospitality, and feasted on corn bread and “possum,” and subjected to a great deal of questioning.

Among other things, the patriarch of the cabin wanted to know whether they “hab seen Mr. Linkum,” and under the impression that they had left his presence but a short time, affectionately inquired after his health. “An’ dere’s anodder man,” said the darkey, “dey call him Mr. Britain–hab you seen him?” The Yankees were puzzled. “Ole massa,” said the darkey, explaining, “call him Mr. Great Britain, an’ says he’s on his side, an’ some says he’s on yourn.” the Yankees “took,” said they knew him, and that he was well; and having satisfied the curiosity of their hospitable entertainers and their own hunger, took up their march for Washington.

They met no Confederate soldiers until within some five miles of Washington, and there they narrowly escaped capture, running into their pickets twice, and being fired on once, at which time they lost sight of Carr, whom they supposed to have been killed or captured, and they heard no more of him. They arrived at Washington almost naked, foot-sore, and exhausted, having been ten days wandering about the country.

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