,illustration3 ,john ,h4 ,aughey4 ,engraved by ,samuel ,sartain1 ,phila4 ,,the ,,iron ,,furnace3 ,,or1 ,,slavery ,,and ,,secession4 ,,by ,,rev4 ,,john ,h4 ,,aughey1 ,a ,,refugee ,,from ,,mississippi4 ,cursed be the men that obeyeth not the words of this covenant1 which ,i commanded your fathers in the day that ,i brought them forth out of the land of ,egypt1 from the ,iron ,furnace4--,jer4 xi4 #c1 #d4 ,see also1 #a ,kings viii4 #ea4 ,,philadelphia3 ,,william ,s4 ,,alfred ,,martien4 #fjf ,,chestnut ,,street4 #ahfc4 ,entered1 according to the ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahfc1 ,,by ,,william ,s4 ,,alfred ,,martien1 ,in the office of the ,clerk of the ,district ,court for the ,eastern ,district of ,pennsylvania4 ,,to ,,my ,,personal ,,friends ,,rev4 ,,charles ,c4 ,,beatty1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 ,,of ,,steubenville1 ,,ohio1 ,moderator of the ,general ,assembly of the 7,o4,s47 ,presbyterian ,church in the ,united ,states of ,america1 and long ,pastor of the ,church in which my parents were members1 and our family worshippers2 ,,rev4 ,,william ,,pratt ,,breed1 ,pastor of the ,west ,spruce ,street ,presbyterian ,church1 of ,philadelphia1 ,pennsylvania2 ,,george ,,hay ,,stuart1 ,,esq41 ,,of ,,philadelphia1 ,,pa41 ,the ,philanthropist1 whose virtues are known and appreciated in both hemispheres1 ,,this ,,volume ,,is ,,affectionately ,,inscribed4 ,,preface4 ,a celebrated author thus writes3 ,posterity is under no obligations to a man who is not a parent1 who has never planted a tree1 built a house1 nor written a book4 ,having fulfilled all these requisites to insure the remembrance of posterity1 it remains to be seen whether the author's name shall escape oblivion4 ,it may be that a few years will obliterate the name affixed to this ,preface from the memory of man4 ,this thought is the cause of no concern4 ,i shall have accomplished my purpose if ,i can in some degree be humbly instrumental in serving my country and my generation1 by promoting the well-being of my fellow-men1 and advancing the declarative glory of ,almighty ,god4 ,this work was written while suffering intensely from maladies induced by the rigours of the ,iron ,furnace of ,secession1 whose sevenfold heat is reserved for the loyal citizens of the ,south4 ,let this fact be a palliation for whatever imperfections the reader may meet with in its perusal4 ,there are many loyal men in the southern ,states1 who to avoid martyrdom1 conceal their opinions4 ,they are to be pitied--not severely censured4 ,all those southern ministers and professors of religion who were eminent for piety1 opposed secession till the ,states passed the secession ordinance4 ,they then advocated reconstruction as long as it comported with their safety4 ,they then1 in the face of danger and death1 became quiescent--not acquiescent1 by any means--and they now bide their time1 in prayerful trust that ,god will1 in his own good time1 subvert rebellion1 and overthrow anarchy1 by a restoration of the supremacy of constitutional law4 ,by these1 and their name is legion1 my book will be warmly approved4 ,my fellow-prisoners in the dungeon at ,tupelo1 who may have survived its horrors1 and my fellow-sufferers in the ,union cause throughout the ,south1 will read in my narrative a transcript of their own sufferings4 ,the loyal citizens of the whole country will be interested in learning the views of one who has been conversant with the rise and progress of secession1 from its incipiency to its culmination in rebellion and treason4 ,it will also doubtless be of general interest to learn something of the workings of the peculiar institution1 and the various phases which it assumes in different sections of the slave ,states4 ,compelled to leave ,dixie in haste1 ,i had no time to collect materials for my work4 ,i was therefore under the necessity of writing without those aids which would have secured greater accuracy4 ,i have done the best that ,i could under the circumstances2 and any errors that may have crept into my statements of facts1 or reports of addresses1 will be cheerfully rectified as soon as ascertained4 ,that ,i might not compromise the safety of my ,union friends who rendered me assistance1 and who are still within the rebel lines1 ,i was compelled to omit their names1 and for the same reason to describe rather indefinitely some localities1 especially the portions of ,ittawamba1 ,chickasaw1 ,pontotoc1 ,tippah1 and ,tishomingo counties1 through which ,i travelled while escaping to the ,federal lines4 ,this ,i hope to be able to correct in future editions4 ,narratives require a liberal use of the first personal pronoun1 which ,i would have gladly avoided1 had it been possible without tedious circumlocution1 as its frequent repetition has the appearance of egotism4 ,i return sincere thanks to my fellow-prisoners who imperilled their own lives to save mine1 and also to those ,mississippi ,unionists who so generously aided a panting fugitive on his way from chains and death to life and liberty4 ,my thanks are also due to ,rev4 ,william ,p4 ,breed1 for assistance in preparing my work for the press4 ,i am also under obligations to ,rev4 ,francis ,j4 ,collier1 of ,philadelphia2 to ,rev4 ,a4 ,d4 ,smith1 ,d4 ,d41 and ,rev4 ,j4 ,r4 ,w4 ,sloane1 of ,new ,york1 and to ,rev4 ,f4 ,b4 ,wheeler1 of ,poughkeepsie1 ,new ,york4 ,may the ,triune ,god bless our country1 and preserve its integrity6 ,,john ,,hill ,,aughey4 ,,february #a1 #ahfc4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,secession4 ,speech of ,colonel ,drane--,submission ,denounced--,northern ,aggression--,no more ,slave ,states--,northern isms--,yankees' ,servants--,yankee inferiority--,breckinridge1 or immediate1 complete1 and eternal ,separation--,a ,day of ,rejoicing--,abraham ,lincoln1 ,president elect--,a ,union ,speech--,a ,southerner's ,reasons for opposing ,secession--,address by a ,radical ,secessionist--,cursing and ,bitterness--,a ,prayer--,sermon against ,secession--,list of ,grievances--,causes which led to ,secession #ac--di ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,vigilance ,,committee ,,and ,,court-,,martial4 ,the election of ,delegates to determine the status of ,mississippi--,the ,vigilance ,committee--,description of its members--,charges--,phonography--,no formal verdict--,danger of ,assassination--,passports--,escape to ,rienzi--,union sentiment-- ,the ,conscript ,law--,summons to attend ,court-,martial-- ,evacuation of ,corinth--,destruction of ,cotton--,suffering poor--,relieved by ,general ,halleck #ej--fi ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,arrest1 ,,escape1 ,,and ,,recapture4 ,high price of ,provisions--,holland ,lindsay's ,family--,the arrest--,captain ,hill--,appearance before ,colonel ,bradfute at ,fulton--,arrest of ,benjamin ,clarke--,bradfute's ,insolence-- ,general ,chalmers--,the clerical ,spy--,general ,pfeifer--,under guard--,priceville--,general ,gordon--,bound for ,tupelo--,the ,prisoners entering the ,dungeon--,captain ,bruce--,lieutenant ,richard ,malone--,prison ,fare and ,treatment--,menial ,service-- ,resolve to escape--,plan of escape--,federal ,prisoners-- ,co-operation of the ,prisoners--,declaration of ,independence-- ,the ,escape--,the ,separation--,concealment--,travel on the ,underground ,railroad--,pursuit by ,cavalry and ,bloodhounds--,the ,arrest--,dan ,barnes1 the ,mail-robber--,perfidy--,heavily ironed--,return to ,tupelo #gj--aab ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,life ,,in ,a ,,dungeon4 ,parson ,aughey as ,chaplain--,description of the ,prisoners-- ,colonel ,walter1 the ,judge ,advocate--,charges and ,specifications against ,parson ,aughey1 a ,citizen of the ,confederate ,states--,execution of two ,tennesseeans--,enlistment of ,union ,prisoners--,colonel ,walter's second visit--,day of ,execution specified--,farewell ,letter to my ,wife--,parson ,aughey's ,obituary penned by himself--,address to his ,soul--,the ,soul's ,reply--,farewell ,letter to his ,parents--,the ,union ,prisoners' ,petition to ,hon4 ,w4 ,h4 ,seward--,the two ,prisoners and the ,oath of ,allegiance--,irish ,stories #aac--adb ,,chapter ,v4 ,,execution ,,of ,,union ,,prisoners4 ,resolved to ,escape--,mode of ,executing ,prisoners--,removal of ,chain--,addition to our ,numbers--,two ,prisoners become ,insane-- ,plan of ,escape--,proves a ,failure--,fetters ,inspected-- ,additional ,fetters--,handcuffs--,a ,spy in the ,disguise of a ,prisoner--,special ,police ,guard on ,duty--,a ,prisoner's ,discovery--,divine ,services--,the ,general ,judgment--,the ,judge-- ,the ,laws--,the ,witnesses--,the ,concourse--,the ,sentence #adc--afg ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,successful ,,escape4 ,the ,second ,plan of ,escape--,under the ,jail--,egress--,among the ,guards--,in the ,swamp--,travelling on the ,underground ,railroad--,the ,fare--,green ,corn eaten ,raw--,blackberries and ,stagnant ,water--,the ,bloodhounds--,tantalizing ,dreams--,the ,pickets--,the ,cows--,become ,sick--,fons ,beatus--,find ,friends-- ,union ,friend ,no4 ,two--,the night in the ,barn--,death of ,newman by ,scalding--,union ,friend ,no4 ,three--,bound for the ,union ,lines--,rebel ,soldiers--,black ,ox--,pied ,ox--,reach ,headquarters in ,safety--,emotions on again beholding the ,old ,flag--,kindness while ,sick--,meeting with his ,family--,richard ,malone again-- ,the ,serenade--,leave ,dixie--,northward bound #afh--baa ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,southern ,,classes--,,cruelty ,,to ,,slaves4 ,sandhillers--,dirt-eating--,dipping--,t heir ,mode of ,living-- ,patois--,rain-book--,wife-trade--,comin g in to see the ,cars-- ,superstition--,marriage of ,kinsfolks--,hardshell ,sermon--,causes which lead to the ,degradation of this ,class--,efforts to ,reconcile the ,poor ,whites to the ,peculiar ,institution--,the ,slaveholding ,class--,the ,middle ,class--,northern isms-- ,incident at a ,methodist ,minister's ,house--,question asked a ,candidate for ,licensure--,reason of ,southern ,hatred toward the ,north--,letter to ,mr4 ,jackman--,barbarities and ,cruelties of ,slavery--,mulattoes--,old ,cole--,child ,born at ,whipping-post-- ,advertisement of a ,keeper of ,bloodhounds--,getting ,rid of ,free ,blacks--,the ,doom of ,slavery--,methodist ,church ,south #bab--bdh ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,notorious ,,rebels4--,,union ,,officers4 ,colonel ,jefferson ,davis--,his ,speech at ,holly ,springs1 ,mississippi--,his ,opposition to ,yankee ,teachers and ,ministers--,a bid for the ,presidency--,his ,ambition--,burr1 ,arnold1 ,davis--,general ,beauregard--,headquarters at ,rienzi-- ,colonel ,elliott's ,raid--,beauregard's ,consternation--,personal description--,his illness--,popularity waning4--,rev4 ,dr4 ,palmer of ,new ,orleans--,his influence--,the ,cincinnati ,letter--,his ,personal ,appearance--,his ,denunciations of ,general ,butler--,his ,radicalism4--,rev4 ,dr4 ,waddell of ,la ,grange1 ,tennessee--,his ,prejudices against the ,north--,president of ,memphis ,synodical ,college--,his ,talents prostituted4--,union ,officers--,general ,nelson--,general ,sherman #bdi--bfc ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,condition ,,of ,,the ,,south4 ,cause of the ,rebellion--,prevalence of ,union ,sentiment in the ,south--,why not ,developed--,stevenson's ,views--,why ,incorrect-- ,cavalry ,raids upon ,union ,citizens--,how the ,rebels employ ,slaves--,slaves ,whipped and sent out of the ,federal ,lines-- ,resisting the ,conscript ,law--,kansas ,jayhawkers--,guarding ,rebel ,property--,perfidy of ,secessionists--,plea for ,emancipation--,the ,south ,exhausted--,failure of ,crops--,southern ,merchants ,ruined--,bragg ,prohibits the ,manufacture and ,vending of ,intoxicating ,liquors--,its ,salutary ,effect #bfd--bha ,,chapter ,x4 ,,battles ,,of ,,leesburg1 ,,belmont1 ,,and ,,shiloh4 ,rebel ,cruelty to ,prisoners--,the ,fratricide--,grant ,defeated-- ,saved by ,gunboats--,buell's ,advance--,railroad ,disaster--,the ,south ,despondent--,general ,rosecrans--,secession will become ,odious even in the ,south--,poem #bhb--bif ,,the ,,iron ,,furnace2 ,,or ,,slavery ,,and ,,secession4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,secession4 ,speech of ,colonel ,drane4--,submission ,denounced4--,northern ,aggression4--,no more ,slave ,states4--,northern isms4--,yankees' ,servants4--,yankee inferiority4--,breckinridge1 or immediate1 complete1 and eternal ,separation4--,a ,day of ,rejoicing4--,abraham ,lincoln ,president elect4--,a ,union ,speech4--,a ,southerner's ,reasons for opposing ,secession4--,address by a ,radical ,secessionist4--,cursing and ,bitterness4--,a ,prayer4--,sermon against ,secession4--,list of ,grievances4--,causes which led to ,secession4 ,at the breaking out of the present rebellion1 ,i was engaged in the work of an ,evangelist in the counties of ,choctaw and ,attala in ,central ,mississippi4 ,my congregations were large1 and my duties onerous4 ,being constantly employed in ministerial labours1 ,i had no time to intermeddle with politics1 leaving all such questions to statesmen1 giving the complex issues of the day only sufficient attention to enable me to vote intelligently4 ,thus was ,i engaged when the great political campaign of #ahfj commenced--a campaign conducted with greater virulence and asperity than any ,i have ever witnessed4 ,during my casual detention at a store1 ,colonel ,drane arrived1 according to appointment1 to address the people of ,choctaw4 ,he was a member of one of my congregations1 and as he had been long a leading statesman in ,mississippi1 having for many years presided over the ,state ,senate1 ,i expected to hear a speech of marked ability1 unfolding the true issues before the people1 with all the dignity1 suavity1 and earnestness of a gentleman and patriot2 but ,i found his whole speech to be a tirade of abuse against the ,north1 commingled with the bold avowal of treasonable sentiments4 ,the ,colonel thus addressed the people3 ,,my ,,fellow-,,citizens--,i appear before you to urge anew resistance against the encroachments and aggressions of the ,yankees4 ,if the ,black ,republicans carry their ticket1 and ,old ,abe is elected1 our right to carry our slaves into the territories will be denied us2 and who dare say that he would be a base1 craven submissionist1 when our ,god-given and constitutional right to carry slavery into the common domain is wickedly taken from the ,south4 ,the ,yankees cheated us out of ,kansas by their infernal ,emigrant ,aid ,societies4 ,they cheated us out of ,california1 which our blood-treasure purchased1 for the ,south sent ten men to one that was sent by the ,north to the ,mexican war1 and thus we have no foothold on the ,pacific coast2 and even now we pay five dollars for the support of the general ,government where the ,north pays one4 ,we help to pay bounties to the ,yankee fishermen in ,new ,england2 indeed we are always paying1 paying1 paying1 and yet the ,north is always crying1 ,give1 give1 give4 ,the ,south has made the ,north rich1 and what thanks do we receive8 ,our rights are trampled on1 our slaves are spirited by thousands over their underground railroad to ,canada1 our citizens are insulted while travelling in the ,north1 and their servants are tampered with1 and by false representations1 and often by mob violence1 forced from them4 ,douglas1 knowing the power of the ,emigrant ,aid ,societies1 proposes squatter sovereignty1 with the positive certainty that the scum of ,europe and the mudsills of ,yankeedom can be shipped in in numbers sufficient to control the destiny of the embryo ,state4 ,since the admission of ,texas in #ahde1 there has not been a single foot of slave territory secured to the ,south1 while the ,north has added to their list the extensive ,states of ,california1 ,minnesota1 and ,oregon1 and ,kansas is as good as theirs2 while1 if ,lincoln is elected1 the ,wilmot proviso will be extended over all the common territories1 debarring the ,south for ever from her right to share the public domain4 ,the hypocrites of the ,north tell us that slaveholding is sinful4 ,well1 suppose it is4 ,upon us and our children let the guilt of this sin rest2 we are willing to bear it1 and it is none of their business4 ,we are a more moral people than they are4 ,who originated ,mormonism1 ,millerism1 ,spirit-rappings1 ,abolitionism1 ,free-loveism1 and all the other abominable isms which curse the world8 ,the reply is1 the ,north4 ,their puritanical fanaticism and hypocrisy is patent to all4 ,talk to us of the sin of slavery1 when the only difference between us is that our slaves are black and theirs white4 ,they treat their white slaves1 the ,irish and ,dutch1 in a cruel manner1 giving them during health just enough to purchase coarse clothing1 and when they become sick1 they are turned off to starve1 as they do by hundreds every year4 ,a female servant in the ,north must have a testimonial of good character before she will be employed2 those with whom she is labouring will not give her this so long as they desire her services2 she therefore cannot leave them1 whatever may be her treatment1 so that she is as much compelled to remain with her employer as the slave with his master4 ,their servants hate them2 our's love us4 ,my niggers would fight for me and my family4 ,they have been treated well1 and they know it4 ,and ,i don't treat my slaves any better than my neighbours4 ,if ever there comes a war between the ,north and the ,south1 let us do as ,abraham did--arm our trained servants1 and go forth with them to the battle4 ,they hate the ,yankees as intensely as we do1 and nothing could please our slaves better than to fight them4 ,ah1 the perfidious ,yankees6 ,i cordially hate a ,yankee4 ,we have all suffered much at their hands2 they will not keep faith with us4 ,have they complied with the provisions of the ,fugitive ,slave ,law8 ,the thousands and tens of thousands of slaves aided in their escape to ,canada1 is a sufficient answer4 ,we have lost millions1 and are losing millions every year1 by the operations of the underground railroad4 ,how deep the perfidy of a people1 thus to violate every article of compromise we have made with them6 ,the ,yankees are an inferior race1 descended from the old ,puritan stock1 who enacted the ,blue ,laws4 ,they are desirous of compelling us to submit to laws more iniquitous than ever were the ,blue ,laws4 ,i have travelled in the ,north1 and have seen the depth of their depravity4 ,now1 my fellow-citizens1 what shall we do to resist ,northern aggression8 ,why simply this3 if ,lincoln or ,douglas are elected1 7as to the ,bell-,everett ticket1 it stands no sort of chance17 let us secede4 ,this remedy will be effectual4 ,i am in favour of no more compromises4 ,let us have ,breckinridge1 or immediate1 complete1 and eternal separation4 ,the speaker then retired amid the cheers of his audience4 ,soon after this there came a day of rejoicing to many in ,mississippi4 ,the booming of cannon1 the joyous greeting1 the soul-stirring music1 indicated that no ordinary intelligence had been received4 ,the lightnings had brought the tidings that ,abraham ,lincoln was ,president elect of the ,united ,states1 and the ,south was wild with excitement4 ,those who had been long desirous of a pretext for secession1 now boldly advocated their sentiments1 and joyfully hailed the election of ,mr4 ,lincoln as affording that pretext4 ,the conservative men were filled with gloom4 ,they regarded the election of ,mr4 ,lincoln1 by the majority of the people of the ,united ,states1 in a constitutional way1 as affording no cause for secession4 ,secession they regarded as fraught with all the evils of ,pandora's box1 and that war1 famine1 pestilence1 and moral and physical desolation would follow in its train4 ,a call was made by ,governor ,pettus for a convention to assemble early in ,january1 at ,jackson1 to determine what course ,mississippi should pursue1 whether her policy should be submission or secession4 ,candidates1 ,union and ,secession1 were nominated for the convention in every county4 ,the speeches of two1 whom ,i heard1 will serve as a specimen of the arguments used pro and con4 ,captain ,love1 of ,choctaw1 thus addressed the people4 ,,my ,,fellow-,,citizens--,i appear before you to advocate the ,union--the ,union of the ,states under whose favoring auspices we have long prospered4 ,no nation so great1 so prosperous1 so happy1 or so much respected by earth's thousand kingdoms1 as the ,great ,republic1 by which name the ,united ,states is known from the rivers to the ends of the earth4 ,our flag1 the star-spangled banner1 is respected on every sea1 and affords protection to the citizens of every ,state1 whether amid the pyramids of ,egypt1 the jungles of ,asia1 or the mighty cities of ,europe4 ,our ,republican ,constitution1 framed by the wisdom of our ,revolutionary fathers1 is as free from imperfection as any document drawn up by uninspired men4 ,god presided over the councils of that convention which framed our glorious ,constitution4 ,they asked wisdom from on high1 and their prayers were answered4 ,free speech1 a free press1 and freedom to worship ,god as our conscience dictates1 under our own vine and fig-tree1 none daring to molest or make us afraid1 are some of the blessings which our ,constitution guarantees2 and these prerogatives1 which we enjoy1 are features which bless and distinguish us from the other nations of the earth4 ,freedom of speech is unknown amongst them2 among them a censorship of the press and a national church are established4 ,our country1 by its physical features1 seems fitted for but one nation4 ,what ceaseless trouble would be caused by having the source of our rivers in one country and the mouth in another4 ,there are no natural boundaries to divide us into separate nations4 ,we are all descended from the same common parentage1 we all speak the same language1 and we have really no conflicting interests1 the statements of our opponents to the contrary notwithstanding4 ,our opponents advocate separate ,state secession4 ,would not ,mississippi cut a sorry figure among the nations of the earth8 ,with no harbour1 she would be dependent on a foreign nation for an outlet4 ,custom-house duties would be ruinous1 and the republic of ,mississippi would find herself compelled to return to the ,union4 ,mississippi1 you remember1 repudiated a large foreign debt some years ago2 if she became an independent nation1 her creditors would influence their government to demand payment1 which could not be refused by the weak1 defenceless1 navyless1 armyless1 moneyless1 repudiating republic of ,mississippi4 ,to pay this debt1 with the accumulated interest1 would ruin the new republic1 and bankruptcy would stare us in the face4 ,it is true1 ,abraham ,lincoln is elected ,president of the ,united ,states4 ,my plan is to wait till ,mr4 ,lincoln does something unconstitutional4 ,then let the ,south unanimously seek redress in a constitutional manner4 ,the conservatives of the ,north will join us4 ,if no redress is made1 let us present our ultimatum4 ,if this1 too1 is rejected1 ,i for one will not advocate submission2 and by the cooperation of all the slave ,states1 we will1 in the event of the perpetration of wrong1 and a refusal to redress our grievances1 be much abler to secure our rights1 or to defend them at the cannon's mouth and the point of the bayonet4 ,the ,supreme ,court favours the ,south4 ,in the ,dred ,scott case1 the ,supreme ,court decided that the negro was not a citizen1 and that the slave was a chattel1 as we regard him4 ,the majority of ,congress on joint ballot is still with the ,south4 ,although we have something to fear from the views of the ,president elect and the ,chicago platform1 let us wait till some overt act1 trespassing upon our rights1 is committed1 and all redress denied2 then1 and not till then1 will ,i advocate extreme measures4 ,let our opponents remember that secession and civil war are synonymous4 ,who ever heard of a government breaking to pieces without an arduous struggle for its preservation8 ,i admit the right of revolution1 when a people's rights cannot otherwise be maintained1 but deny the right of secession4 ,we are told that it is a reserved right4 ,the constitution declares that all rights not specified in it are reserved to the people of the respective ,states2 but who ever heard of the right of total destruction of the government being a reserved right in any constitution8 ,the fallacy is evident at a glance4 ,nine millions of people can afford to wait for some overt act4 ,let us not follow the precipitate course which the ultra politicians indicate4 ,let ,w4 ,l4 ,yancey urge his treasonable policy of firing the ,southern heart and precipitating a revolution2 but let us follow no such wicked advice4 ,let us follow the things which make for peace4 ,we are often told that the ,north will not return fugitive slaves4 ,will secession remedy this grievance8 ,will secession give us any more slave territory8 ,no free government ever makes a treaty for the rendition of fugitive slaves--thus recognising the rights of the citizens of a foreign nation to a species of property which it denies to its own citizens4 ,even little ,mexico will not do it4 ,mexico and ,canada return no fugitives4 ,in the event of secession1 the ,united ,states would return no fugitives1 and our peculiar institution would1 along our vast border1 become very insecure2 we would hold our slaves by a very slight tenure4 ,instead of extending the great ,southern institution1 it would be contracting daily4 ,our slaves would be held to service at their own option1 throughout the whole border1 and our gulf ,states would soon become border ,states2 and the great insecurity of this species of property would work1 before twenty years1 the extinction of slavery1 and1 in consequence1 the ruin of the ,south4 ,are we prepared for such a result8 ,are we prepared for civil war8 ,are we prepared for all the evils attendant upon a fratricidal contest--for bloodshed1 famine1 and political and moral desolation8 ,i reply1 we are not2 therefore let us look before we leap1 and avoiding the heresy of secession-- ,rather bear the ills we have1 ,than fly to others that we know not of4 ,a secession speaker was introduced1 and thus addressed the people3 ,,ladies ,,and ,,gentlemen--,,fellow-,,citizens--,i am a secessionist out and out2 voted for ,jeff ,davis for ,governor in #ahej1 when the same issue was before the people2 and ,i have always felt a grudge against the free state of ,tishomingo for giving ,h4 ,s4 ,foote1 the ,union candidate1 a majority so great as to elect him1 and thus retain the ,state in this accursed ,union ten years longer4 ,who would be a craven-hearted1 cowardly1 villanous submissionist8 ,lincoln1 the abominable1 white-livered abolitionist1 is ,president elect of the ,united ,states2 shall he be permitted to take his seat on ,southern soil8 ,no1 never6 ,i will volunteer as one of thirty thousand1 to butcher the villain if ever he sets foot on slave territory4 ,secession or submission6 ,what patriot would hesitate for a moment which to choose8 ,no true son of ,mississippi would brook the idea of submission to the rule of the baboon ,abe ,lincoln--a fifth-rate lawyer1 a broken-down hack of a politician1 a fanatic1 an abolitionist4 ,i1 for one1 would prefer an hour of virtuous liberty to a whole eternity of bondage under northern1 ,yankee1 wooden-nutmeg rule4 ,the halter is the only argument that should be used against the submissionists1 and ,i predict that it will soon1 very soon1 be in force4 ,we have glorious news from ,tallahatchie4 ,seven tory-submissionists were hanged there in one day1 and the so-called ,union candidates1 having the wholesome dread of hemp before their eyes1 are not canvassing the county2 therefore the heretical dogma of submission1 under any circumstances1 disgraces not their county4 ,compromise6 let us have no such word in our vocabulary4 ,compromise with the ,yankees1 after the election of ,lincoln1 is treason against the ,south2 and still its syren voice is listened to by the demagogue submissionists4 ,we should never have made any compromise1 for in every case we surrendered rights for the sake of peace4 ,no concession of the scared ,yankees will now prevent secession4 ,they now understand that the ,south is in earnest1 and in their alarm they are proposing to yield us much2 but the die is cast1 the ,rubicon is crossed1 and our determination shall ever be1 ,no union with the flat-headed1 nigger-stealing1 fanatical ,yankees4 ,we are now threatened with internecine war4 ,the ,yankees are an inferior race2 they are cowardly in the extreme4 ,they are descended from the ,puritan stock1 who never bore rule in any nation4 ,we1 the descendants of the ,cavaliers1 are the ,patricians1 they the ,plebeians4 ,the ,cavaliers have always been the rulers1 the ,puritans the ruled4 ,the dastardly ,yankees will never fight us2 but if they1 in their presumption and audacity1 venture to attack us1 let the war come--,i repeat it--let it come6 ,the conflagration of their burning cities1 the desolation of their country1 and the slaughter of their inhabitants1 will strike the nations of the earth dumb with astonishment1 and serve as a warning to future ages1 that the slaveholding ,cavaliers of the sunny ,south are terrible in their vengeance4 ,i am in favour of immediate1 independent1 and eternal separation from the vile ,union which has so long oppressed us4 ,after separation1 ,i am in favour of non-intercourse with the ,united ,states so long as time endures4 ,we will raise the tariff1 to the point of prohibition1 on all ,yankee manufactures1 including wooden-nutmegs1 wooden clocks1 quack nostrums1 c4 ,we will drive back to their own inhospitable clime every ,yankee who dares to pollute our shores with his cloven feet4 ,go he must1 and if necessary1 with the bloodhounds on his track4 ,the scum of ,europe and the mudsills of ,yankeedom shall never be permitted to advance a step south of #cf deg4 #cj'4 ,south of that latitude is ours--westward to the ,pacific4 ,with my heart of hearts ,i hate a ,yankee1 and ,i will make my children swear eternal hatred to the whole ,yankee race4 ,a mongrel breed--,irish1 ,dutch1 ,puritans1 ,jews1 free niggers1 c4--they scarce deserve the notice of the descendants of the ,huguenots1 the old ,castilians1 and the ,cavaliers4 ,cursed be the day when the ,south consented to this iniquitous league--the ,federal ,union--which has long dimmed her nascent glory4 ,in battle1 one southron is equivalent to ten northern hirelings2 but ,i regard it a waste of time to speak of ,yankees--they deserve not our attention4 ,it matters not to us what they think of secession1 and we would not trespass upon your time and patience1 were it not for the tame1 tory submissionists with which our country is cursed4 ,a fearful retribution is in waiting for the whole crew1 if the war which they predict1 should come4 ,were they then to advocate the same views1 ,i would not give a fourpence for their lives4 ,we would hang them quicker than old ,heath would hang a tory4 ,our ,revolutionary fathers set us a good example in their dealings with the tories4 ,they sent them to the shades infernal from the branches of the nearest tree4 ,the ,north has sent teachers and preachers amongst us1 who have insidiously infused the leaven of ,abolitionism into the minds of their students and parishioners2 and this submissionist policy is a lower development of the doctrine of ,wendell ,philips1 ,gerritt ,smith1 ,horace ,greely1 and others of that ilk4 ,we have a genial clime1 a soil of uncommon fertility4 ,we have free institutions1 freedom for the white man1 bondage for the black man1 as nature and nature's ,god designed4 ,we have fair women and brave men4 ,the lines have truly fallen to us in pleasant places4 ,we have indeed a goodly heritage4 ,the only evil we can complain of is our bondage to the ,yankees through the ,federal ,union4 ,let us burst these shackles from our limbs1 and we will be free indeed4 ,let all who desire complete and eternal emancipation from ,yankee thraldom1 come to the polls on the ---- day of ,december1 prepared not to vote the cowardly submissionist ticket1 but to vote the secession ticket2 and their children1 and their children's children1 will owe them a debt of gratitude which they can never repay4 ,the day of our separation and vindication of ,states' rights1 will be the happiest day of our lives4 ,yankee domination will have ceased for ever1 and the haughty southron will spurn them from all association1 both governmental and social4 ,so mote it be6 ,this address was received with great eclat4 ,on the next ,sabbath after this meeting1 ,i preached in the ,poplar ,creek ,presbyterian church1 in ,choctaw county1 from ,romans xiii4 #a3 ,let every soul be subject unto the higher powers4 ,for there is no power but of ,god3 the powers that be1 are ordained of ,god4 ,previous to the sermon a prayer was offered1 of which the following is the conclusion3 ,,almighty ,,god--,we would present our country1 the ,united ,states of ,america1 before thee4 ,when our political horizon is overcast with clouds and darkness1 when the strong-hearted are becoming fearful for the permanence of our free institutions1 and the prosperity1 yea1 the very existence of our great ,republic1 we pray thee1 ,o ,god1 when flesh and heart fail1 when no human arm is able to save us from the fearful vortex of disunion and revolution1 that thou wouldst interpose and save us4 ,we confess our national sins1 for we have1 as a nation1 sinned grievously4 ,we have been highly favoured1 we have been greatly prospered1 and have taken our place amongst the leading powers of the earth4 ,a gospel-enlightened nation1 our sins are therefore more heinous in thy sight4 ,they are sins of deep ingratitude and presumption4 ,we confess that drunkenness has abounded amongst all classes of our citizens4 ,rulers and ruled have been alike guilty2 and because of its wide-spreading prevalence1 and because our legislators have enacted no sufficient laws for its suppression1 it is a national sin4 ,profanity abounds amongst us2 ,sabbath-breaking is rife2 and we have elevated unworthy men to high positions of honour and trust4 ,we are not1 as a people1 free from the crime of tyranny and oppression4 ,for these great and aggravated offences1 we pray thee to give us repentance and godly sorrow1 and then1 ,o ,god1 avert the threatened and imminent judgments which impend over our beloved country4 ,teach our ,senators wisdom4 ,grant them that wisdom which is able to make them wise unto salvation2 and grant also that wisdom which is profitable to direct1 so that they may steer the ship of ,state safely through the troubled waters which seem ready to engulf it on every side4 ,lord1 hear us1 and answer in mercy1 for the sake of ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,amen and ,amen6 ,the following is a synopsis of my sermon3 ,israel had been greatly favoured as a nation4 ,no weapon formed against them prospered1 so long as they loved and served the ,lord their ,god4 ,they were blessed in their basket and their store4 ,they were set on high above all the nations of the earth4 99 99 99 99 ,when all ,israel assembled1 ostensibly to make ,rehoboam king1 they were ripe for rebellion4 ,jeroboam and other wicked men had fomented and cherished the sparks of treason1 till1 on this occasion1 it broke out into the flame of open rebellion4 ,the severity of ,solomon's rule was the pretext1 but it was only a pretext1 for during his reign the nation prospered1 grew rich and powerful4 ,jeroboam wished a disruption of the kingdom1 that he might bear rule2 and although ,god permitted it as a punishment for ,israel's idolatry1 yet he frowned upon the wicked men who were instrumental in bringing this great evil upon his chosen people4 ,the loyal division took the name of ,judah1 though composed of the two tribes1 ,judah and ,benjamin4 ,the revolted ten tribes took the name of their leading tribe1 ,ephraim4 ,ephraim continued to wax weaker and weaker4 ,filled with envy against ,judah1 they often warred against that loyal kingdom1 until they themselves were greatly reduced4 ,at last1 after various vicissitudes1 the ten tribes were carried away1 and scattered and lost4 ,we often hear of the lost ten tribes4 ,what became of them is a mystery4 ,their secession ended in their being blotted out of existence1 or lost amidst the heathen4 ,god alone knows what did become of them4 ,they resisted the powers that be--the ordinance of ,god--and received to themselves damnation and annihilation4 ,as ,god dealt with ,israel1 so will he deal with us4 ,if we are exalted by righteousness1 we will prosper2 if we1 as the ten tribes1 resist the ordinance of ,god1 we will perish4 ,at this time1 many are advocating the course of the ten tribes4 ,secession is a word of frequent occurrence4 ,it is openly advocated by many4 ,nullification and rebellion1 secession and treason1 are convertible terms1 and no good citizen will mention them with approval4 ,secession is resisting the powers that be1 and therefore it is a violation of ,god's command4 ,where do we obtain the right of secession8 ,clearly not from the word of ,god1 which enjoins obedience to all that are in authority1 to whom we must be subject1 not only for wrath1 but also for conscience' sake4 ,the following scriptural argument for secession is often used1 #a ,tim4 vi4 #a--e4 ,in these verses ,paul was addressing believing servants1 and commanding them to absent themselves from the teaching of those who taught not the doctrine which is according to godliness4 ,in a former epistle he had commanded ,christians not to keep company with the incestuous person who had his father's wife4 ,he directed that they should not keep company with any man who was called a brother1 if he were a fornicator1 or covetous1 or an idolator1 or a railer1 or a drunkard1 or an extortioner2 with such a one no not to eat2 but he expressly declares that he does not allude to those who belong to the above classes that have made no profession of religion4 ,he does not judge them that are without1 for them that are without1 ,god judgeth4 ,he afterwards exhorts that the church confirm their love toward the incestuous person as he had repented of his wickedness4 ,this direction of the ,apostle to believers to withdraw from a brother who walked disorderly1 till he had manifested proper repentance2 and his exhortation to believing servants to absent themselves from the teachings of errorists1 cannot logically be construed as a scriptural argument in favour of secession4 ,were the ,president of the ,united ,states an unbeliever1 a profane swearer1 a ,sabbath-breaker1 or a drunkard1 this fact would not1 per se1 give us the right to secede or rebel against the government4 ,there is no provision made in the ,constitution of the ,united ,states for secession4 ,the wisest statesmen1 who made politics their study1 regarded secession as a political heresy1 dangerous in its tendencies1 and destructive of all government in its practical application4 ,mississippi1 purchased from ,france with ,united ,states gold1 fostered by the nurturing care1 and made prosperous by the wise administration of the general government1 proposes to secede4 ,her political status would then be anomalous4 ,would her territory revert to ,france8 ,does she propose to refund the purchase-money8 ,would she become a territory under the jurisdiction of the ,united ,states ,congress8 ,henry ,clay1 the great statesman1 ,daniel ,webster1 the expounder of the ,constitution1 ,general ,jackson1 ,george ,washington1 and a mighty host1 whose names would fill a volume1 regarded secession as treason4 ,one of our smallest ,states1 which swarmed with tories in the ,revolution1 whose descendants still live1 invented the doctrine of nullification1 the first treasonable step1 which soon culminated in the advocacy of secession4 ,why should we secede1 and thus destroy the best1 the freest1 and most prosperous government on the face of the earth8 the government which our patriot fathers fought and bled to secure4 ,what has ,mississippi lost by the ,union8 ,i have resided seven years in this ,state1 and have an extensive personal acquaintance1 and yet ,i know not a single individual who has lost a slave through northern influence4 ,i have1 it is true1 known of some ten slaves who have run away1 and have not been found4 ,they may have been aided in their escape to ,canada by northern and southern citizens1 for there are many in the ,south who have given aid and comfort to the fugitive2 but the probability is that they perished in the swamps1 or were destroyed by the bloodhounds4 ,the complaint is made that the ,north regards slavery as a moral1 social1 and political evil1 and that many of them denounce1 in no measured terms1 both slavery and slaveholders4 ,to be thus denounced is regarded as a great grievance4 ,secession would not remedy this evil4 ,in order to cure it effectually1 we must seize and gag all who thus denounce our peculiar institution4 ,we must also muzzle their press4 ,as this is impracticable1 it would be well to come to this conclusion3--,if we are verily guilty of the evils charged upon us1 let us set about rectifying those evils2 if not1 the denunciations of slanderers should not affect us so deeply4 ,if our northern brethren are honest in their convictions of the sin of slavery1 as no doubt many of them are1 let us listen to their arguments without the dire hostility so frequently manifested4 ,they take the position that slavery is opposed to the inalienable rights of the human race2 that it originated in piracy and robbery2 that manifold cruelties and barbarities are inflicted upon the defenceless slaves2 that they are debarred from intellectual culture by ,state laws1 which send to the penitentiary those who are guilty of instructing them2 that they are put upon the block and sold2 parent and child1 husband and wife being separated1 so that they never again see each other's face in the flesh2 that the law of chastity cannot be observed1 as there are no laws punishing rape on the person of a female slave2 that when they escape from the threatened cat-o'-nine-tails1 or overseer's whip1 they are hunted down by bloodhounds1 and bloodier men2 that often they are half-starved and half-clad1 and are furnished with mere hovels to live in2 that they are often murdered by cruel overseers1 who whip them to death1 or overtask them1 until disease is induced1 which results in death2 that masters practically ignore the marriage relation among slaves1 inasmuch as they frequently separate husband and wife1 by sale or removal2 that they discourage the formation of that relation1 preferring that the offspring of their female slaves should be illegitimate1 from the mistaken notion that it would be more numerous4 ,they charge1 also1 that slavery induces in the masters1 pride1 arrogance1 tyranny1 laziness1 profligacy1 and every form of vice4 ,the ,south takes the position1 that if slavery is sinful1 the ,north is not responsible for that sin2 that it is a ,state institution1 and that to interfere with slavery in the ,states in any way1 even by censure1 is a violation of the rights of the ,states4 ,the language of our politicians is1 ,upon us and our children rest the evil6 ,we are willing to take the responsibility1 and to risk the penalty6 ,you will find evil and misery enough in the ,north to excite your philanthropy1 and employ your beneficence4 ,you have purchased our cotton2 you have used our sugar2 you have eaten our rice2 you have smoked and chewed our tobacco--all of which are the products of slave-labour4 ,you have grown rich by traffic in these articles2 you have monopolized the carrying trade1 and borne our slave-produced products to your shores4 ,your northern ships1 manned by northern men1 brought from ,africa the greater part of the slaves which came to our continent1 and they are still smuggling them in4 ,when1 finding slavery unprofitable1 the northern ,states passed laws for gradual emancipation1 but few obtained their freedom1 the majority of them being shipped ,south and sold1 so that but few1 comparatively1 were manumitted4 ,if the slave trade and slavery are great sins1 the ,north is particeps criminis1 and has been from the beginning4 ,these bitter accusations are hurled back and forth through the newspapers2 and in ,congress1 crimination and recrimination occur every day of the session4 ,instead of endeavouring to calm the troubled waters1 politicians are striving to render them turbid and boisterous4 ,sectional bitterness and animosity prevail to a fearful extent2 but secession is not the proper remedy4 ,to cure one evil by perpetrating a greater1 renders a double cure necessary4 ,in order to cure a disease1 the cause should be known1 that we may treat it intelligently1 and apply a proper remedy4 ,having observed1 during the last eleven years1 that sectional strife and bitterness were increasing with fearful rapidity1 ,i have endeavoured to stem the torrent1 so far as it was possible for individual effort to do so4 ,i deem it the imperative duty of all patriots1 of all ,christians1 to throw oil upon the troubled waters1 and thus save the ship of ,state from wreck among the vertiginous billows4 ,most of our politicians are demagogues4 ,they care not for the people1 so that they accomplish their own selfish and ambitious schemes4 ,give them power1 give them money1 and they are satisfied4 ,deprive them of these1 and they are ready to sacrifice the best interests of the nation to secure them4 ,they excite sectional animosity and party strife1 and are willing to kindle the flames of civil war to accomplish their unhallowed purposes4 ,they tell us that there is a conflict of interest between the free and slave ,states1 and endeavour to precipitate a revolution1 that they may be leaders1 and obtain positions of trust and profit in the new government which they hope to establish4 ,the people would be dupes indeed to abet these wicked demagogues in their nefarious designs4 ,let us not break ,god's command1 by resisting the ordinance of ,god--the powers that be4 ,i am not discussing the right of revolution1 which ,i deem a sacred right4 ,when human rights are invaded1 when life is endangered1 when liberty is taken away1 when we are not left free to pursue our own happiness in our own chosen way--so far as we do not trespass upon the rights of others--we have a right1 and it becomes our imperative duty to resist to the bitter end1 the tyranny which would deprive us and our children of our inalienable rights4 ,our lives are secure2 we have freedom to worship ,god4 ,our liberty is sacred2 we may pursue happiness to our hearts' content4 ,we do not even charge upon the general ,government that it has infringed these rights4 ,whose life has been endangered1 or who has lost his liberty by the action of the ,government8 ,if that man lives1 in all this fair domain of ours1 he has the right to complain4 ,but neither you nor ,i have ever heard of or seen the individual who has thus suffered4 ,we have therefore clearly no right of revolution4 ,treason is no light offence4 ,god1 who rules the nations1 and who has established governments1 will punish severely those who attempt to overthrow them4 ,damnation is stated to be the punishment which those who resist the powers that be1 will suffer4 ,who wishes to endure it8 ,i hope none of my charge will incur this penalty by the perpetration of treason4 ,you yourselves can bear me witness that ,i have not heretofore introduced political issues into the pulpit1 but at this time ,i could not acquit my conscience were ,i not to warn you against the great sin some of you1 ,i fear1 are ready to commit4 ,were ,i to discuss the policy of a high or low tariff1 or descant upon the various merits attached to one or another form of banking1 ,i should be justly obnoxious to censure4 ,politics and religion1 however1 are not always separate4 ,when the political issue is made1 shall we1 or shall we not1 grant license to sell intoxicating liquors as a beverage8 the minister's duty is plain2 he must urge his people to use their influence against granting any such license4 ,the minister must enforce every moral and religious obligation1 and point out the path of truth and duty1 even though the principles he advocates are by statesmen introduced into the arena of political strife1 and made issues by the great parties of the day4 ,i see the sword coming1 and would be derelict in duty not to give you faithful warning4 ,i must reveal the whole counsel of ,god4 ,i have a message from ,god unto you1 which ,i must deliver1 whether you will hear1 or whether you will forbear4 ,if the sword come1 and you perish1 ,i shall then be guiltless of your blood4 ,as to the great question at issue1 my honest conviction is 7and ,i think ,i have the ,spirit of ,god17 that you should with your whole heart1 and soul1 and mind1 and strength1 oppose secession4 ,you should talk against it1 you should write against it1 you should vote against it1 and1 if need be1 you should fight against it4 ,i have now declared what ,i believe to be your high duty in this emergency4 ,do not destroy the government which has so long protected you1 and which has never in a single instance oppressed you4 ,pull not down the fair fabric which our patriot fathers reared at vast expense of blood and treasure4 ,do not1 like the blind ,samson1 pull down the pillars of our glorious edifice1 and cause death1 desolation1 and ruin4 ,perish the hand that would thus destroy the source of all our political prosperity and happiness4 ,let the parricide who attempts it receive the just retribution which a loyal people demand1 even his execution on a gallows1 high as ,haman's4 ,let us also set about rectifying the causes which threaten the overthrow of our government4 ,as we are proud1 let us pray for the grace of humility4 ,as a ,state1 and as individuals1 we too lightly regard its most solemn obligations2 let us1 therefore1 pray for the grace of repentance and godly sorrow1 and hereafter in this respect sin no more4 ,as many transgressions have been committed by us1 let the time past of our lives suffice us to have wrought the will of the flesh1 and now let us break off our sins by righteousness1 and our transgressions by turning unto the ,lord1 and he will avert his threatened judgments1 and save us from dissolution1 anarchy1 and desolation4 ,if our souls are filled with hatred against the people of any section of our common country1 let us ask from the ,great ,giver the grace of charity1 which suffereth long and is kind1 which envieth not1 which vaunteth not itself1 is not puffed up1 does not behave itself unseemly1 seeketh not her own1 is not easily provoked1 thinketh no evil2 rejoiceth not in iniquity1 but rejoiceth in the truth2 beareth all things1 believeth all things1 hopeth all things1 endureth all things1 and which never faileth2 then shall we be in a suitable frame for an amicable adjustment of every difficulty2 oil will soon be thrown upon the troubled waters1 and peace1 harmony1 and prosperity would ever attend us2 and our children1 and our children's children will rejoice in the possession of a beneficent and stable government1 securing to them all the natural and inalienable rights of man4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,vigilance ,,committee ,,and ,,court-,,martial4 ,the election of ,delegates to determine the status of ,mississippi--,the ,vigilance ,committee--,description of its members--,charges--,phonography--,no formal verdict--,danger of ,assassination--,passports--,escape to ,rienzi--,union sentiment--,the ,conscript ,law--,summons to attend ,court-,martial--,evacuation of ,corinth--,destruction of ,cotton--,suffering poor--,relieved by ,general ,halleck4 ,soon after this sermon was preached1 the election was held4 ,approaching the polls1 ,i asked for a ,union ticket1 and was informed that none had been printed1 and that it would be advisable to vote the secession ticket4 ,i thought otherwise1 and going to a desk1 wrote out a ,union ticket1 and voted it amidst the frowns and suppressed murmurs of the judges and bystanders1 and1 as the result proved1 ,i had the honour of depositing the only vote in favour of the ,union which was polled in that precinct4 ,i knew of many who were in favour of the ,union1 who were intimidated by threats1 and by the odium attending it from voting at all4 ,a majority of secession candidates were elected4 ,the convention assembled1 and on the #ith of ,january1 #ahfa1 ,mississippi had the unenviable reputation of being the first to follow her twin sister1 ,south ,carolina1 into the maelstrom of secession and treason4 ,being the only ,states in which the slaves were more numerous than the whites1 it became them to lead the van in the slave-holders' rebellion4 ,before the #dth of ,march1 ,florida1 ,alabama1 ,georgia1 ,louisiana and ,texas had followed in the wake1 and were engulfed in the whirlpool of secession4 ,it was now dangerous to utter a word in favour of the ,union4 ,many suspected of ,union sentiments were lynched4 ,an old gentleman in ,winston county was arrested for an act committed twenty years before1 which was construed as a proof of his abolition proclivities4 ,the old gentleman had several daughters1 and his mother-in-law had given him a negro girl4 ,observing that his daughters were becoming lazy1 and were imposing all the labour upon the slave1 he sent her back to the donor1 with a statement of the cause for returning her4 ,this was now the ground of his arrest1 but escaping from their clutches1 a precipitate flight alone saved his life4 ,self-constituted vigilance committees sprang up all over the country1 and a reign of terror began2 all who had been ,union men1 and who had not given in their adhesion to the new order of things by some public proclamation1 were supposed to be disaffected4 ,the so-called ,confederate ,states1 the new power1 organized for the avowed purpose of extending and perpetuating ,african slavery1 was now in full blast4 ,these soi-disant vigilance committees professed to carry out the will of ,jeff4 ,davis4 ,all who were considered disaffected were regarded as being tinctured with abolitionism4 ,my opposition to the disruption of the ,union being notorious1 ,i was summoned to appear before one of these august tribunals to answer the charge of being an abolitionist4 ,my wife was very much alarmed1 knowing that were ,i found guilty of the charge1 there was no hope for mercy4 ,flight was impossible1 and ,i deemed it the safest plan to appear before the committee4 ,i found it to consist of twelve persons1 five of whom ,i knew1 viz41 ,parson ,locke1 ,armstrong1 ,cartledge1 ,simpson1 and ,wilbanks4 ,parson ,locke1 the chief speaker1 or rather the inquisitor-general1 was a ,methodist minister1 though he had fallen into disrepute among his brethren1 and was engaged in a tedious strife with the church which he left in ,holmes county4 ,the parson was a real ,nimrod4 ,he boasted that in five months he had killed forty-eight raccoons1 two hundred squirrels1 and ten deer2 he had followed the bloodhounds1 and assisted in the capture of twelve runaway negroes4 ,w4 ,h4 ,simpson was a ruling elder in my church4 ,wilbanks was a clever sort of old gentleman1 who had little to say in the matter4 ,armstrong was a monocular ,hard-shell-,baptist4 ,cartledge was an illiterate1 conceited individual4 ,the rest were a motley crew1 not one of whom1 ,i feel confident1 knew a letter in the alphabet4 ,the committee assembled in an old carriage-shop4 ,parson ,locke acted1 as chairman1 and conducted the trial1 as follows4 ,parson ,aughey1 you have been reported to us as holding abolition sentiments1 and as being disloyal to the ,confederate ,states4 ,who reported me1 and where are your witnesses8 ,any one has a right to report1 and it is optional whether he confronts the accused or not4 ,the proceedings of vigilance committees are somewhat informal4 ,proceed1 then1 with the trial1 in your own way4 ,we propose to ask you a few questions1 and in your answers you may defend yourself1 or admit your guilt4 ,in the first place1 did you ever say that you did not believe that ,god ordained the institution of slavery8 ,i believe that ,god did not ordain the institution of slavery4 ,did not ,god command the ,israelites to buy slaves from the ,canaanitish nations1 and to hold them as their property for ever8 ,the ,canaanites had filled their cup of iniquity to overflowing1 and ,god commanded the ,israelites to exterminate them2 this1 in violation of ,god's command1 they failed to do4 ,god afterwards permitted the ,hebrews to reduce them to a state of servitude2 but the punishment visited upon those seven wicked nations by the command of ,god1 does not justify war or the slave-trade4 ,did you say that you were opposed to the slavery which existed in the time of ,christ8 ,i did1 because the system of slavery prevailing in ,christ's day was cruel in the extreme2 it conferred the power of life and death upon the master1 and was attended with innumerable evils4 ,the slave had the same complexion as his master2 and by changing his servile garb for the citizen dress1 he could not be recognised as a slave4 ,you yourself profess to be opposed to white slavery4 ,did you state that you believed ,paul1 when he sent ,onesimus back to ,philemon1 had no idea that he would be regarded as a slave1 and treated as such after his return8 ,i did4 ,my proof is in ,philemon1 verses #ae and #af1 where the apostle asks that ,onesimus be received1 not as a servant1 but as a brother beloved8 ,did you tell ,mr4 ,creath that you knew some negroes who were better1 in every respect1 than some white men8 ,i said that ,i knew some negroes who were better classical scholars than any white men ,i had as yet met with in ,choctaw county1 and that ,i had known some who were pre-eminent for virtue and holiness4 ,as to natural rights1 ,i made no comparison2 nor did ,i say anything about superiority or inferiority of race2 ,i also stated my belief in the unity of the races4 ,have you any abolition works in your library1 and a poem in your scrap-book1 entitled ',the ,fugitive ,slave1' with this couplet as a refrain1 ',the hounds are baying on my track2 ,christian1 will you send me back8' ,i have not ,mrs4 ,stowe's nor ,helper's work2 they are contraband in this region1 and ,i could not get them if ,i wished4 ,i have many works in my library containing sentiments adverse to the institution of slavery4 ,all the works in common use amongst us1 on law1 physic1 and divinity1 all the text-books in our schools--in a word1 all the works on every subject read and studied by us1 were1 almost without exception1 written by men opposed to the peculiar institution4 ,i am not alone in this matter4 ,parson1 ,i saw ,cowper's works in your library1 and ,cowper says3 ',i would not have a slave to fan me when ,i sleep1 ,and tremble when ,i wake1 for all the wealth ,that sinews bought and sold have ever earned4' ,you have ,wesley's writings1 and ,wesley says that ',human slavery is the sum of all villany4' ,you have a work which has this couplet3 ',two deep1 dark stains1 mar all our country's bliss3 ,foul slavery one1 and one1 loathed drunkenness4' ,you have the work of an ,english writer of high repute1 who says1 ',forty years ago1 some in ,england doubted whether slavery were a sin1 and regarded adultery as a venial offence2 but behold the progress of truth6 ,who now doubts that he who enslaves his fellow-man is guilty of a fearful crime1 and that he who violates the seventh commandment is a great sinner in the sight of ,god8' ,you are known to be an adept in ,phonography1 and you are reported to be a correspondent of an abolition ,phonographic journal4 ,i understand the science of ,phonography1 and ,i am a correspondent of a ,phonographic journal1 but the journal eschews politics4 ,another member of the committee then interrogated me4 ,parson ,aughey1 what is ,funnyography8 ,phonography1 sir1 is a system of writing by means of a philosophic alphabet1 composed of the simplest geometrical signs1 in which one mark is used to represent one and invariably the same sound4 ,kin you talk ,funnyography8 and where does them folks live what talks it8 ,yes1 sir1 ,i converse fluently in ,phonography1 and those who speak the language live in ,columbia4 ,in the ,destrict8 ,no1 sir1 in the poetical ,columbia4 ,i was next interrogated by another member of the committee4 ,parson ,aughey1 is ,phonography a ,abolition fixin8 ,no1 sir2 ,phonography1 abstractly considered1 has no political complexion2 it may be used to promote either side of any question1 sacred or profane1 mental1 moral1 physical1 or political4 ,well1 you ought to write and talk plain ,english1 what common folks can understand1 or we'll have to say of you1 what ,agrippa said of ,paul1 ',much learning hath made thee mad4' ,suppose you was to preach in ,phonography1 who'd understand it8--who'd know what was piped or harped8 ,i'll bet high some ,yankee invented it to spread his abolition notions underhandedly4 ,i1 for one1 would be in favour of makin' the parson promise to write and talk no more in ,phonography4 ,i'll bet ,phonography is agin slavery1 tho' ,i never hearn tell of it before4 ,i'm agin all secret societies4 ,i'm agin the ,odd-fellers1 ,free-masons1 ,sons of ,temperance1 ,good ,templars and ,phonography4 ,i want to know what's writ and what's talked4 ,you can't throw dust in my eyes4 ,phonography1 from what ,i've found out about it to-day1 is agin the ,confederate ,states1 and we ought to be agin it4 ,parson ,locke then resumed3 ,i must stop this digression4 ,parson ,aughey1 are you in favour of the ,south8 ,i am in favour of the ,south1 and have always endeavoured to promote the best interests of the ,south4 ,however1 ,i never deemed it for the best interests of the ,south to secede4 ,i talked against secession1 and voted against secession1 because ,i thought that the best interests of the ,south would be put in jeopardy by the secession of the ,southern ,states4 ,i was honest in my convictions1 and acted accordingly4 ,could the sacrifice of my life have stayed the swelling tide of secession1 it would gladly have been made4 ,it is said that you have never prayed for the ,southern ,confederacy4 ,i have prayed for the whole world1 though it is true that ,i have never named the ,confederate ,states in prayer4 ,you may retire4 ,after ,i had retired1 the committee held a long consultation4 ,my answers were not satisfactory4 ,i never learned all that transpired4 ,they brought in no formal verdict4 ,the majority considered me a dangerous man1 but feared to take my life1 as they were1 with one exception1 adherents of other denominations1 and they knew that my people were devotedly attached to me before the secession movement4 ,some of the secessionists swore that they would go to my house and murder me1 when they learned that the committee had not hanged me4 ,my friends provided me secretly with arms1 and ,i determined to defend myself to the last4 ,i slept with a double-barrelled shot-gun at my head1 and was prepared to defend myself against a dozen at least4 ,learning that ,i was not acceptable to many of the members of my church1 whilst my life was in continual jeopardy1 and my family in a state of constant alarm1 ,i abandoned my field of labour1 and sought for safety in a more congenial clime4 ,i intended to go ,north4 ,jeff4 ,davis and his ,congress had granted permission to all who so desired1 to leave the ,south4 ,several ,union men of my acquaintance applied for passports1 but were refused4 ,the proclamation to grant permits was an act of perfidy2 all those1 so far as ,i am informed1 who made application for them1 were refused4 ,the design in thus acting was to get ,union men to declare themselves as such1 and afterwards to punish them for their sentiments by forcing them into the army1 confining them in prison1 shooting them1 or lynching them by mob violence4 ,finding that were ,i to demand a passport to go north1 ,i would be placed on the proscribed list1 and my life endangered still more1 ,i declared my intention of going back to ,tishomingo county1 in which ,i owned property1 and which was the home of many of my relatives4 ,i knew that ,i would be safer there1 for this county had elected ,union delegates by a majority of over fourteen hundred1 and a strong ,union sentiment had always prevailed4 ,on my arrival in ,tishomingo1 ,i found that the great heart of the county still beat true to the music of the ,union4 ,being thrown out of employment ,i deemed it my duty1 in every possible way1 to sustain the ,union cause and the enforcement of the laws4 ,it was impossible to go north4 ,union sentiments could be expressed with safety in many localities4 ,corinth1 ,iuka1 and ,rienzi had1 from the commencement of the war1 been camps of instruction for the training of ,confederate soldiers4 ,these three towns in the county being thus occupied1 ,union men found it necessary to be more cautious1 as the cavalry frequently made raids through the county1 arresting and maltreating those suspected of disaffection4 ,after the reduction of ,forts ,henry and ,donelson1 and the surrender of ,nashville1 the ,confederates made the ,memphis and ,charleston railroad the base of their operations1 their armies extending from ,memphis to ,chattanooga4 ,soon1 however1 they were all concentrated at ,corinth1 a town in ,tishomingo county1 at the junction of the ,memphis and ,charleston railroad with the ,mobile and ,ohio4 ,after the battle of ,shiloh1 which was fought on the #fth and #gth of ,april1 the ,federal troops held their advance at ,farmington1 four miles from ,corinth1 while the ,confederates occupied ,corinth1 their rear guard holding ,rienzi1 twelve miles south1 on the ,mobile and ,ohio railroad4 ,thus there were two vast armies encamped in ,tishomingo county4 ,being within the ,confederate lines1 ,i1 in common with many others1 found it difficult to evade the conscript law4 ,knowing that in a multitude of counsellors there is wisdom1 we held secret meetings1 in order to devise the best method of resisting the law4 ,we met at night1 and had our countersigns to prevent detection4 ,often our wives1 sisters1 and daughters met with us4 ,our meeting-place was some ravine1 or secluded glen1 as far as possible from the haunts of the secessionists2 all were armed2 even the ladies had revolvers1 and could use them too4 ,the crime of treason we were resolved not to commit4 ,our counsels were somewhat divided1 some advocating1 as a matter of policy1 the propriety of attending the militia musters1 others opposing it for conscience' sake1 and for the purpose of avoiding every appearance of evil4 ,many who would not muster as conscripts1 resolved to escape to the ,federal lines2 and making the attempt two or three at a time1 succeeded in crossing the ,tennessee river1 and reaching the ,union army1 enlisted under the old flag1 and have since done good service as patriot warriors4 ,some who were willing to muster as conscripts1 were impressed into the ,confederate service1 and ,i know not whether they ever found an opportunity to desert4 ,others1 myself among the number1 were saved by the timely arrival of the ,federal troops1 and the occupation of the county by them1 after ,beauregard's evacuation of ,corinth4 ,i had received three citations to attend muster1 but disregarding them1 ,i was summoned to attend a court-martial on the first day of ,june1 at the house of ,mr4 ,jim ,mock4 ,the following is a copy of the citation4 ,ma the #bb;d4 #ahfb ,parson ,awhay1 ,you havent tended nun of our mustters as a konskrip4 ,now you is her bi sumenzd to attend a kort marshal on ,jun the fust at ,jim ,mock4 ,when ,i received the summons1 ,i resolved to attempt reaching the ,union lines at ,farmington4 ,two of my friends1 who had received a similar summons1 expected to accompany me4 ,on the #bith of ,may1 ,i left for ,rienzi1 where my two friends were to meet me4 ,i had not been many hours in ,rienzi when it became evident that the ,confederates were evacuating ,corinth4 ,on the #ast of ,june1 7the day the court-martial was to convene17 ,i had the pleasure of once more beholding the star-spangled banner as it was borne in front of ,general ,granger's command1 which led the van of the pursuing army4 ,had ,i remained and attended the court-martial1 ,i would have been forced into the army4 ,were ,i then to declare that ,i would not take up arms against the ,united ,states1 ,i would have been shot1 as many have been1 for their refusal thus to act4 ,general ,rosecrans1 on his arrival1 made his head-quarters at my brother's house1 where ,i had the pleasure of forming his acquaintance1 together with that of ,generals ,smith1 ,granger1 and ,pope4 ,as this county was now occupied by the ,federal army1 ,i returned to my father-in-law's1 within five miles of which place the court-martial had been ordered to convene1 considering myself comparatively safe4 ,i learned that the court-martial never met1 as ,colonel ,elliott1 in his successful raid upon ,boonville1 had passed ,jim ,mock's1 scaring him to such a degree1 that he did not venture to sleep in his house for two weeks4 ,the ,union cavalry scoured the country in all directions1 daily1 and we were rejoicing at the prospect of continuous safety1 and freedom from outrage4 ,the ,rebels1 during their retreat1 had burned all the cotton which was accessible to their cavalry1 on their route4 ,at night1 the flames of the burning cotton lighted up the horizon for miles around4 ,these baleful pyres1 with their lurid glare1 bore sad testimony to the horrors of war4 ,in this wanton destruction of the great southern staple1 many poor families lost their whole staff of bread1 and starvation stared them in the face4 ,many would have perished1 had it not been for the liberal contributions of the ,north2 for1 learning the sufferings of the poor of the ,south1 whose whole labour had been destroyed by pretended friends1 they sent provisions and money1 and thus many who were left in utter destitution1 were saved by this timely succor4 ,i have heard the rejoicings of the poor1 who1 abandoned by their supposed friends1 were saved1 with their children1 from death1 by the beneficence of those whom they had been taught to regard as enemies the most bitter1 implacable1 unmerciful1 and persistent4 ,their prayer may well be1 ,save us from our friends1 whose tender mercies are cruel6 ,i have never known a man to burn his own cotton1 but ,i have heard their bitter anathemas hurled against those who thus robbed them1 and their denunciations were loud and deep against the government which authorized such cruelty4 ,it is true that those who thus lose their cotton1 if secessionists1 receive a promise to pay1 which all regard as not worth the paper on which it is written4 ,ere pay-day1 those who are dependent on their cotton for the necessaries of life1 would have passed the bourne whence no traveller returns4 ',tis like the ,confederate bonds--at first they were made payable two years after date1 and printed upon paper which would be worn out entirely in six months1 and would have become illegible in half that time4 ,the succeeding issues were made payable six months after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the ,united ,states and the ,confederate ,states4 ,though not a prophet1 nor a prophet's son1 ,i venture the prediction that those bonds will never be due4 ,the war of elements1 the wreck of matter1 and the crush of worlds1 announcing the end of all things1 will be heard sooner4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,arrest1 ,,escape1 ,,and ,,recapture4 ,high price of ,provisions--,holland ,lindsay's ,family--,the arrest--,captain ,hill--,appearance before ,colonel ,bradfute at ,fulton--,arrest of ,benjamin ,clarke--,bradfute's ,insolence--,general ,chalmers--,the clerical ,spy--,general ,pfeifer--,under guard--,priceville--,general ,gordon--,bound for ,tupelo--,the ,prisoners entering the ,dungeon--,captain ,bruce--,lieutenant ,richard ,malone--,prison ,fare and ,treatment--,menial ,service--,resolve to escape--,plan of escape--,federal ,prisoners--,co-operation of the ,prisoners--,declaration of ,independence--,the ,escape--,the ,separation--,concealment--,travel on the ,underground ,railroad--,pursuit by ,cavalry and ,bloodhounds--,the ,arrest--,dan ,barnes1 the ,mail-robber--,perfidy--,heavily ironed--,return to ,tupelo4 ,at this time--,may and ,june1 #ahfb--;all marketable commodities were commanding fabulous prices2 as a lady declared1 it would soon be necessary1 on going to a store1 to carry two baskets1 one to hold the money1 and the other the goods purchased4 ,flour was thirty dollars per barrel1 bacon forty cents per pound1 and coffee one dollar per pound4 ,salt was nominally one hundred dollars per sack of one hundred pounds1 or one dollar per pound1 but there was none to be obtained even at that price4 ,ladies were compelled to dispense with salt in their culinary operations2 even the butter was unsalted4 ,cotton-cards1 an article used in every house at the ,south1 the ordinary price of which is fifty cents per pair1 were selling at twenty-five dollars per pair1 and wool-cards at fifteen dollars per pair1 the usual price being thirty-eight cents4 ,all the cotton used in the manufacture of home-made cloth1 is carded into rolls upon these cotton-cards1 which are brought from the ,north1 there being not a single manufactory of them in the ,south4 ,when the supply on hand becomes exhausted1 the southern home manufacture of cloth must cease1 no one as yet having been able to suggest a substitute for the cotton-card4 ,there are only three factories in ,mississippi1 which must cease running as soon as their machinery wears out1 as the most important parts of the machinery in those factories are supplied from the ,north4 ,the people are fully aware of these difficulties1 but they can devise no remedy1 hence the high price of all articles used in the manufacture of all kinds of cloths4 ,all manufactured goods were commanding fabulous prices4 ,on the occupation of the county by ,federal troops1 goods could be obtained at reasonable prices1 but our money was all gone1 except ,confederate bonds1 which were worthless4 ,planters who were beyond the lines of the retreating army had cotton1 but many of them feared to sell it1 as the ,rebels professed to regard it treason to trade with the invaders1 and threatened to execute the penalty in every case4 ,as there was no penalty attached to the selling of cotton by one citizen of ,mississippi to another1 some of my friends offered to sell me their cotton for a reasonable price4 ,i was solicited also to act as their agent in the purchase of commodities4 ,i agreed to this risk1 because of the urgent need of my friends1 many of whom were suffering greatly for the indispensable necessaries of life4 ,i thought it was better that one should suffer1 than that the whole people should perish4 ,by this arrangement my ,union friends would escape the punishment meted out to those who were found guilty of trading with the ,yankees2 if discovered1 ,i alone would be amenable to their unjust and cruel law1 and they would thus save their cotton1 which was liable to be destroyed at any moment by a dash of rebel cavalry4 ,i now hired a large number of wagons to haul cotton into ,eastport and ,iuka1 that ,i might ship it to the loyal ,states4 ,on the #b;d of ,june the wagons were to rendezvous at a certain point2 there were a sufficient number to haul one hundred bales per trip4 ,i hoped to keep them running for some time4 ,on the first of ,june ,i rode to ,mr4 ,holland ,lindsay's on business4 ,i had learned that he was a rabid secessionist1 but supposed that no rebel cavalry had come so far north as his house since the evacuation of ,corinth4 ,mr4 ,lindsay had gone to a neighbour's4 ,his wife was weaving2 she was a coarse1 masculine woman1 and withal possessed of strong prejudice against all whom she did not like1 but especially the ,yankees4 ,i sat down to await the arrival of her husband1 and it was not long before ,mrs4 ,lindsay broached the exciting topic of the day1 the war4 ,she thus vented her spleen against the ,yankees4 ,there was some ,yankee calvary passed here last week--they asked me if there wos ony rebels scoutin round here lately4 ,i jest told em it want none of ther bizness4 ,them nasty1 good for nothin scamps callen our men rebels4 ,them nigger-stealin1 triflin scoundrels4 ,they runs off our niggers1 and wont let us take em to ,mexico and the other territories4 ,i ventured to remark1 ,the ,yankees are mean1 indeed1 not to let us take our negroes to the ,territories1 and not to help catch them for us when they run off4 ,the emphatic us and our nettled her1 as none of the ,lindsays ever owned a negro1 being classed by the southern nabobs as among the poor white trash2 nor did ,i ever own a slave4 ,her husband1 however1 had once been sent to the ,legislature1 which led the family to ape the manners1 and studiously copy the ultraism of the classes above them4 ,mrs4 ,lindsay became morose4 ,i concluded to ride over and see her husband4 ,on my way ,i met a member of ,hill's cavalry4 ,he halted me1 inquired my name and business1 which ,i gave4 ,he said that1 years ago1 he had heard me preach1 and that he was well acquainted with my brothers-in-law1 who were officers in the ,rebel army4 ,he informed me that his uncle1 ,mr4 ,lindsay1 had gone across the field home1 and that he himself was on his way there4 ,i returned with him1 but fearing arrest1 my business was hastily attended to1 and ,i at once started for my horse4 ,by this time one or two other cavalry-men rode up4 ,i heard ,mrs4 ,lindsay informing her nephew that ,i was a ,union man1 and advising my arrest4 ,when ,i had reached my horse1 ,mr4 ,davis1 ,lindsay's nephew arrested me1 and sent my horse to the stable4 ,after supper1 my horse was brought1 and ,i was taken to camp4 ,four men were detached to guard me during the night4 ,they ordered me to lie down on the ground and sleep4 ,as it had rained during the day1 and ,i had no blanket1 ,i insisted upon going to a ,mr4 ,spigener's1 about fifty yards distant1 to secure a bed4 ,after some discussion they consented1 the guards remaining in the room1 and guarding me by turns during the night4 ,the next morning ,i sought ,captain ,hill1 and asked permission to return home1 when the following colloquy ensued4 ,are you a ,union man8 ,i voted the ,union ticket1 sir4 ,that is not a fair answer4 ,i voted the ,union ticket myself1 and am now warring against the ,union4 ,i have seen no good reason for changing my sentiments4 ,you confess1 then1 that you are a ,union man8 ,i do2 ,i regard the union of these ,states as of paramount importance to the welfare of the people inhabiting them4 ,you must go to head-quarters1 where you will be dealt with as we are accustomed to deal with all the abettors of an ,abolition government4 ,a heavy guard was then detached to take charge of me1 and the company set off for ,fulton1 the county seat of ,ittawamba county1 ,mississippi1 distant thirty miles4 ,after going about ten miles1 we halted1 and two men were detached to go forward with the prisoners1 a ,mr4 ,benjamin ,clarke and myself4 ,our guards were ,dr4 ,crossland1 of ,burnsville1 ,tishomingo county1 ,mississippi1 and ,ferdinand ,woodruff4 ,they were under the influence of liquor1 and talked incessantly1 cursing and insulting us1 on every occasion1 by abusive language4 ,they detailed to each other a history of their licentious amours4 ,we halted for dinner at one o'clock1 and being out of money1 they asked me to pay their bill1 which ,i did1 they promising to refund the amount when they reached ,fulton4 ,this they forgot to do4 ,on our arrival at ,fulton1 we were taken into the office of the commander of the post1 ,colonel ,bradfute4 ,my fellow-prisoner was examined first4 ,woodruff stated that they had played off on ,mr4 ,clarke--calling on him1 as he was plowing in the field1 stating that they were ,federal soldiers4 ,they asked ,clarke what were his political views4 ,he replied that he always had been a ,union man--had voted the ,union ticket1 and would do it again1 if another election were held2 that he hated the secession principles1 and would enlist in the ,federal army as soon as he got his crop in such a condition that his family could attend to it4 ,on hearing this statement1 ,bradfute became very angry1 swearing that ,clarke ought to be taken out and shot then1 but that a few days' respite would make but little difference4 ,said he1 addressing the guards1 had you hung ,clarke1 you would have saved us some trouble1 and have done your country good service4 ,the ,colonel1 turning round1 glared upon me with eyes inflamed with passion and liquor1 and thus addressed me3 ,are you a ,union man too8 ,i am1 sir4 ,i have never denied it4 ,where do you reside8 ,i consider ,rienzi my home1 but have been staying for some time at my father-in-law's1 in the south-eastern part of ,tishomingo county4 ,what is your father-in-law's name8 ,mr4 ,alexander ,paden4 ,i know the old gentleman and his three sons4 ,they are all in the ,confederate service4 ,they are brave men1 and have done some hard fighting in our cause4 ,how happens it that you look at matters in a different light from your relatives8 ,i am not guided in my opinions by the views of my friends4 ,what is your profession8 ,i am a minister of the gospel4 ,i suppose1 then1 that you go to the ,bible for your politics1 and that you are a sort of higher-law man4 ,my ,bible teaches1 ',let every soul be subject to the higher powers1 for there is no power but of ,god2 the powers that be1 are ordained of ,god4 ,whosoever1 therefore1 resisteth the power1 resisteth the ordinance of ,god2 and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation4' ,i have seen no reason for resistance to the government under which we have1 as a nation1 so long prospered4 ,i command you to hush1 sir2 you shan't preach treason to me1 and if you get your deserts you will be hung immediately4 ,have you ever been within the ,federal lines8 ,i have1 sir4 ,at what points8 ,at ,rienzi and ,iuka4 ,when were you at ,iuka8 ,on last ,saturday4 ,had the ,federals a large force at that place1 and who was in command8 ,they have a large force1 and ,generals ,thomas and ,steadman are in command4 ,that is contrary to the reports of our scouts1 who say that there are but two regiments in the town4 ,i fear you are purposely trying to mislead us4 ,general ,steadman has but two regiments in the town1 but ,general ,thomas is within striking distance with a large force4 ,what was your business in ,iuka8 ,i went there to pay a debt of fifty dollars which a widow owed1 as she wished it to be paid in ,confederate money before it became worthless4 ,have you a ,federal pass8 ,i have none with me1 but ,i have one at home4 ,how does it read8 ,it was given by ,general ,nelson1 and reads thus3 ',the bearer1 ,rev4 ,john ,h4 ,aughey1 has permission to pass backward and forward through the lines of this division at will4' ,where were you born8 ,i was born in ,new ,hartford1 ,oneida county1 ,new ,york4 ,yankee born1 said the ,colonel1 with a sneer2 you deserve death at the rope's-end1 and if ,i had the power ,i would hang all ,yankees who are among us1 for they are all tories1 whatever may be their pretensions4 ,my being born north of the nigger-line1 ,colonel1 if a crime worthy of death1 was certainly not my fault1 but the fault of my parents4 ,they did not so much as consult me in regard to any preference ,i might have concerning the place of my nativity4 ,woodruff1 one of my guards1 now informed the ,colonel that ,i was a spy1 and1 while the ,confederates were at ,corinth1 had1 to his certain knowledge1 been three times at ,nashville1 carrying information4 ,i told ,woodruff that his statement was false1 and that he knew it2 that ,i had never been at ,nashville in my life4 ,general ,chalmers1 who was present1 and ,colonel ,bradfute1 at the conclusion of the examination1 spent fifteen or twenty minutes in bitterly cursing all ,yankees1 tories1 and traitors1 as they termed us4 ,all the conversation of the rebel officers was interlarded with the most horrid profanity4 ,general ,chalmers1 in speaking1 invariably called me the clerical spy4 ,we were placed under guard1 and sent to ,brooksville1 ten miles distant1 the head-quarters of ,general ,pfeifer4 ,immediately after our arrival1 we were soundly berated by ,general ,pfeifer1 and then sent out to the camp1 half a mile from the town1 where we were placed under guard for the night1 in a small plot of ground surrounded by a chain4 ,we had no supper1 and no blankets to sleep on4 ,our bed was the cold ground1 our covering the blue canopy of heaven4 ,the next morning we were started1 without breakfast1 under a heavy guard1 numbering fourteen cavalry1 to ,priceville1 six miles west of ,brooksville4 ,priceville was named in honour of ,general ,sterling ,price1 or rather the little village where he encamped had its name changed in his honour4 ,when we reached ,priceville we were taken to the head-quarters of ,general ,jordan1 and immediately brought into his presence4 ,after reading the letter handed to him by one of the guard1 he said1 looking sternly at me1 ,you are charged with sedition4 ,i asked him what sedition meant1 to which he replied3 ,it means enough to hang you1 you villanous tory6 ,he also asked me where ,i was born4 ,my reply was1 in the ,state of ,new ,york1 near ,utica1 in ,oneida county4 ,then you doubly deserve death1 said he4 ,as to the guilt of my nativity1 said ,i1 it is not my fault1 for ,i could not have helped it if ,i had tried4 ,but ,i glory in my native ,state4 ,she has never done anything to disgrace her4 ,she never repudiated her just debts1 nor committed any other disgraceful act4 ,well1 you ought to have staid there1 or have gone back when ,mississippi seceded4 ,give me an opportunity1 and ,i will go instanter4 ,the first going you will do1 will be to go to hell1 where1 if the devil had his due1 you would have been long ago2 and before you leave us1 we will give you a free ticket to the shades infernal4 ,thank you for your kind offer to give me a free pass to the infernal regions4 ,i did not know before that you were the devil's ticket-agent4 ,you have me in your power1 and may destroy my life2 but when you have done that1 there is no more that you can do4 ,very little was said to my fellow-prisoner1 ,clarke4 ,a few curses for a traitor1 tory1 c41 was about all4 ,we were now placed under guard1 and conducted to ,tupelo1 and after visiting the provost-marshal's office and the office of the commander of the post1 whose names were ,peden and ,clare1 we were committed to the ,central ,military ,prison4 ,as we entered1 ,captain ,bruce and ,lieutenant ,malone 7two gentlemen who had been elected to those offices by their fellow-prisoners7 received us with a cordial greeting4 ,captain ,bruce thus addressed us3 ,welcome1 gentlemen1 thrice welcome4 ,i am rejoiced to see you at my hotel4 ,we are now doing a land-office business1 as the large number of my boarders1 whom you see1 will testify4 ,we have numerous arrivals daily1 whilst the departures are very few1 giving evidence that all are satisfied with their treatment4 ,the bill of fare is not very extensive4 ,in these war times we must not expect the luxuries of life1 but be content with the necessaries4 ,it is true1 we cannot furnish you with coffee1 or molasses1 or sugar1 or salt1 or beef1 or vegetables2 but we have something more substantial--we have flour1 rather dark in colour1 to be sure1 but people must not be squeamish4 ,the boarders are required to do their own cooking1 as they could otherwise have but little exercise2 we consider it a sanitary measure1 exercise being indispensable to health4 ,we furnish the boarders1 also1 with meat--none of your lean meat1 either1 but fat middling1 with a streak of lean in it4 ,the ,bible promises the righteous that their bread shall be given1 and their water sure2 but we go beyond the promise1 and give not only bread 7or rather the flour to make it7 and water1 but also fat1 strong meat4 ,what room will you be pleased to have8 ,i replied1 that as they seemed to be crowded1 ,i would choose number #aii4 ,well1 said the ,captain1 it shall be prepared4 ,lieutenant ,malone1 have room number #aii fitted up for the reception of these gentlemen4 ,lieutenant ,malone replied1 that the room designated would be fitted up in style for our reception4 ,he asked us if we had dined4 ,no1 replied ,clarke2 we have not tasted food since yesterday at noon1 when the ,parson paid for his own dinner and the dinner of the guards4 ,we asked for something to eat1 but were as often refused1 and now we are in a starving condition4 ,i pity you1 said ,malone1 laying aside his facetious style2 you shall have something to eat as soon as it can be cooked4 ,he then went to some of the prisoners1 and set them to cooking1 and we were soon furnished with the best repast the poor fellows could supply4 ,we entered the prison ,july #c;d1 #ahfb1 at two o'clock1 ,p4 ,m4 ,our prison was a grocery-house1 its dimensions about twenty-five by fifty feet4 ,when we were incarcerated1 there were about seventy prisoners in the building1 whites1 mulattoes and negroes4 ,the prison was filthy in the extreme1 and filled with vermin2 even our food was infested with them4 ,no brooms were furnished us1 and we could not sweep the floor4 ,no beds were furnished1 and we were compelled to lie upon the floor1 with no covering1 and nothing but the hard planks beneath us4 ,several times a day officers would come in and order a specified number of men to go and work1 under a strong guard4 ,we were made to clean the streets1 roll barrels1 and clean the hospital2 but our own prison we were not permitted to clean4 ,every kind of drudgery1 and the most menial services1 were imposed upon us4 ,the crimes charged upon the prisoners were desertion1 trading with the ,yankees1 adhesion to the ,united ,states government or ,unionism1 acting as spies1 refusing ,confederate bonds1 and piloting the ,yankees4 ,the crime of the negroes and mulattoes was endeavouring to escape on the underground railroad from ,dixie land and the ,iron ,furnace4 ,these remained till their masters were informed of their arrest1 and came for and released them4 ,on the evening preceding our imprisonment1 two prisoners had been led out and shot1 and ,i soon learned that this was no unusual occurrence4 ,nearly every day witnessed the execution of one or more of us4 ,those who were doomed to die were heavily ironed4 ,in some cases1 however1 those who were not in fetters were taken out and shot or hanged1 often with no previous warning2 though sometimes a few hours warning was given4 ,our privations were so great from a want of proper food and water--for the scanty amount of water furnished us was tepid and foul--and from a lack of beds1 cots1 couches1 or something better than a filthy floor whereon to sleep1 that ,i resolved to attempt an escape at the risk of my life4 ,i felt confident that ,i could not long survive such cruel treatment4 ,as soon as my arrest was known to the thirty-second ,mississippi regiment1 encamped in the suburbs of ,tupelo1 the colonel1 major1 adjutant1 and one of the captains called upon me4 ,this regiment was raised in ,tishomingo county1 one of the companies1 the ,zollicoffer ,avengers1 being from ,rienzi1 where ,i had been for years proprietor and ,principal of the ,rienzi ,female ,seminary4 ,the daughters of many of the officers of this regiment had been educated at this ,seminary during my superintendence4 ,some of these officers had expressed themselves under great obligations to me1 for the thorough1 moral1 mental1 and physical training of their children while under my care4 ,as proof of this1 ,i have their own statements1 as published in the public journals of the day4 ,owing me a debt of gratitude1 as they professed1 could ,i expect less than the manifestation of deep sympathy for me in my sad condition--confined in a gloomy dungeon1 deprived of the comforts1 yea1 even the necessaries of life1 menaced and insulted by the officers in whose power ,i was8 ,whatever may have been my hopes1 they were doomed to be blasted4 ,these summer friends1 so obsequious in my prosperity1 conversed for a while on indifferent topics1 never alluding to my condition1 and as ,i did not obtrude it upon their attention1 they left1 promising to call again4 ,i said1 ,do so1 gentlemen2 you will always find me at home4 ,adjutant ,irion1 as he passed out1 asked ,lieutenant ,malone what the charge was against me4 ,malone replied that ,i was charged with being a ,union man4 ,the adjutant said1 in a bitter and sarcastic tone1 that ,i should never have been brought to ,tupelo1 but on my arrest should have been sent to hell from the lowest limb of the nearest tree4 ,having determined to escape at all hazards1 ,i sought out an accomplice1 a compagnon de voyage2 that person was ,richard ,malone2 his piercing eye1 his intellectual physiognomy1 led me to believe that if he consented to make the attempt with me1 our chances for escape would be good4 ,i drew ,malone to one side1 and covertly introduced the matter4 ,he soon got my idea1 and drawing from his pocket a paper1 showed me the route mapped out which he intended to pursue1 as he had for some days determined to escape1 or die in the attempt4 ,he was charged with being a spy1 and there was little doubt that they would establish his guilt by false testimony4 ,we went out now under every possible pretext4 ,we no longer shunned the guard who came to obtain prisoners to do servile labour4 ,our object being to reconnoitre1 in order to learn where guards were stationed1 and to determine the best method of escape through the town after leaving the prison4 ,during the day we made these observations3 that there were two guards stationed at the back door1 who were very verdant2 that they would1 after relief1 come on duty again at midnight2 that there was a building on the south side of the prison1 extending beyond the prison and beyond the guards2 that the moon would set about eleven o'clock1 ,p4 ,m42 that there were no guards stationed on the south side of the prison during the day2 that one of the planks in the floor could be easily removed2 and that there were several holes1 when we were once under the floor1 by which egress might be made either on the north or south side2 that the coast was probably clearest in the direction of a corn-field some two hundred yards distant in a northwest direction4 ,at four o'clock ,p4 ,m41 our plan was fully matured4 ,at midnight1 7the moon being down1 and the verdant guards on duty7 we would raise the plank1 get under the floor1 and myself in the advance1 make our exit through one of the holes on the south side of the jail1 then crawl to the building1 some fifteen feet distant1 and continue crawling till we passed the guards2 then rise and make our way as cautiously as possible1 to a point in the corn-field1 a short distance in the rear of a garment which was hanging upon the fence4 ,the one who first arrived must await the other4 ,a signal was agreed upon1 to prevent mistake4 ,if the guards ordered us to halt1 we had resolved to risk their fire1 our watchword being1 ,liberty or death6 ,about this time the prisoners chose me their chaplain by acclamation4 ,during the day1 we made known our intention of escaping to several fellow-prisoners1 who promised us all the assistance in their power4 ,all the prisoners who knew of the matter1 earnestly desired our escape1 and co-operated with us in effecting it4 ,clarke and ,robinson begged us to take them along1 averring there was no doubt that they would be shot4 ,malone told them that no more than two could go together2 that if they wished to escape1 they could make the attempt half an hour after us1 which they agreed to4 ,clarke1 however1 came to me1 and desired me to take him along1 as he would rather go with us than with ,robinson4 ,he had a wife and five small children dependent on him for support1 and if he perished1 they must perish too4 ,i consulted ,malone1 but he would not agree to have ,clarke go with us4 ,three would be too many for safety1 and he doubted whether ,clarke had sufficient nerve to face the glittering bayonet1 or tact enough to pass through the camps without detection4 ,he might commit some blunder which would endanger our safety4 ,i informed ,clarke that the arrangement made1 in which he and ,robinson were to go together1 must be adhered to4 ,he begged me1 by all that was sacred1 to take him along4 ,but ,malone was inexorable1 and ,i thought it best to acquiesce in his judgment4 ,night drew on apace4 ,thick darkness gathered around us1 and murky clouds covered the sky1 as we sat down with the ,federal prisoners to our scanty allowance4 ,while partaking of our rude fare1 ,malone thus spoke3 ,this day is the #dth of ,july1 #ahfb1 the anniversary of our patriot fathers' declaration of independence of ,british tyranny and oppression4 ,they had much to complain of4 ,they suffered grievous wrongs and cruel bondage4 ,but eighty-six years ago to-day they declared themselves to be a free and independent people1 who would rather die than be again enslaved4 ,of what worth was their declaration if they had remained inactive8 ,supineness would not have saved them4 ,but trusting in our ,god1 who gives success to the righteous cause1 they imperilled their lives1 they hazarded their fortunes1 and with untiring energy and sleepless vigilance they contested to the bitter end against all efforts to deprive them of their inalienable rights4 ,success crowned their efforts1 and they rid themselves of tyrants' chains4 ,we 7,i allude to my friend1 ,parson ,aughey1 and myself17 degenerate sons of these noble sires1 have suffered wrong1 nay1 gross outrage4 ,citizens of the sunny ,south1 guilty of no offence whatever1 not even of constructive crime1 we are immured in a loathsome dungeon1 deprived of the comforts of life1 separated from our families1 and suffered to have no communication with them2 dragging out a miserable existence1 which an ignominious death on the scaffold must soon end4 ,we1 therefore1 ,john ,h4 ,aughey and ,richard ,malone1 in view of these accumulated wrongs and outrages1 solemnly swear before ,high ,heaven1 and in presence of these witnesses1 that we will be free1 or perish in the attempt4 ,appealing to the ,god of liberty1 of truth1 and of righteousness1 for the rectitude of our motives and the justness of our cause1 we commit ourselves into his hands1 and implore his protection amid the dangers through which we are about to pass1 and humbly pray that he will give us success1 and restore us speedily to our families and friends1 and to the enjoyment of our inalienable rights1 life1 liberty1 and the pursuit of happiness4 ,grasping the ,lieutenant by the hand1 ,i consented to this ,declaration of ,independence of rebel thraldom4 ,we gave our respective addresses to our friends1 who promised1 that if they were ever liberated1 and we were killed by the guards1 they would write to our families1 informing them of the manner of our death4 ,about ten o'clock1 ,malone raised the plank1 and ,i went under to reconnoitre4 ,i remained under the floor about ten minutes1 having learned that there were no guards patroling the south side of the house1 as we feared might be the case after night4 ,we had learned1 from observation1 that there were none during the day4 ,just at the noon of night1 we heard the relief called4 ,malone and ,i endeavoured to find the prisoners who were to raise the plank1 but not being able readily to do so1 we raised the plank ourselves1 and both got under without difficulty4 ,malone getting under first1 was1 contrary to agreement1 compelled to take the lead4 ,as he was passing out1 he made considerable noise4 ,to warn him of the danger1 ,i patted him on the back4 ,reaching back1 he gave my hand a warm pressure1 to assure me that all was right1 and passed out4 ,i followed1 and reached the designated point in the corn-field in about half an hour1 having to use the utmost precaution1 and in some cases to pass the guards by crawling in a serpentine manner4 ,when ,i arrived1 ,i gave the preconcerted signal1 but ,malone was nowhere to be seen4 ,i waited for him two hours at least1 when ,i was compelled to seek my safety alone4 ,not being able to meet with my friend1 ,i regarded as a great misfortune1 because1 after reaching a point ten miles north of ,tupelo1 he would be familiar with the country4 ,i had frequently passed through the town on the railroad1 but knew nothing of the country through which ,i must travel4 ,somewhat depressed in spirits at the loss of my compagnon de voyage1 ,i resolved to reach my family by the safest and most practicable route4 ,still in the midst of camps1 ,i had considerable difficulty in making my way out of them4 ,when ,i thought that this had been effected1 ,i found that day was brightening in the east4 ,looking around for some place to hide1 ,i soon found a dense1 though small thicket1 in which ,i secreted myself as covertly as possible4 ,having slept but little since my arrest1 ,i endeavoured to compose myself to slumber1 and partially succeded2 but soon the noise and confusion of soldiers passing and re-passing near1 awoke and alarmed me4 ,i soon learned that ,i was near a camp1 and that the soldiers had found a suitable place for bathing in a creek which ran within thirty yards of my place of concealment4 ,there were two paths by which they reached the creek4 ,on one1 they passed within fifteen feet of me2 on the other1 within six or seven4 ,about nine o'clock1 ,i heard the booming of cannon all around me1 proceeding from the different camps4 ,the soldiers who passed me stated1 in their conversation1 that the cannon were firing in honour of a great victory obtained over ,general ,mc,clellan1 in ,virginia4 ,according to their statement1 his whole army1 after a succession of losses1 during eight days' fighting1 had been completely annihilated1 and that ,stonewall ,jackson would be in ,washington city before the close of the week4 ,the day passed slowly away4 ,at one time two soldiers came within a few feet of me in search of blackberries1 but passed out without detecting me4 ,at another time two soldiers sat down to converse1 so near that their lowest tones were distinctly audible4 ,one informed the other that he had been in town in the morning1 and had learned that the ,clerical ,spy1 ,parson ,aughey1 and a fellow by the name of ,malone1 had broke jail1 but that they would soon be brought in1 as a company of cavalry had been put on their track1 with a pack of bloodhounds4 ,soon after this1 one of them arose and struck a bush several times1 which seemed to be but a very short distance above my head4 ,i thought that he had discovered me1 and was about to rise and run1 when ,i heard him say to his companion1 that he had attempted to kill a very large snake1 which had escaped to the bushes4 ,i began to feel somewhat uncomfortably situated when ,i learned that ,i was in close proximity to a large snake1 though ,i would have preferred meeting with an anaconda1 boa-constrictor1 rattlesnake1 or even the deadly cobra di capello1 rather than with those vile secessionists thirsting for innocent blood4 ,i thought this #eth of ,july was the longest day ,i had ever known4 ,the sun was so long in reaching the zenith1 and so slow in passing down the steep ecliptic way to the occident4 ,the twilight1 too1 seemed of endless duration4 ,but as all long days have had an end1 so had this4 ,the stars came glittering one by one4 ,i soon recognised that old staunch and immovable friend of all travellers on the underground railroad1 the polar-star4 ,rising from my lair1 ,i was soon homeward bound1 guided by the north-star and an oriental constellation4 ,plunging into a dense wood ,i found my rapid advance impeded by the undergrowth1 and great difficulty in following my guiding stars1 as the boughs of the great oaks rendered them invisible1 or dimly seen4 ,fatigued1 hungry1 and sleepy1 ,i at length lay down at the foot of a large swamp-oak tree1 intending to take a nap1 and then rise and pursue my journey4 ,when ,i awoke the sun was just rising4 ,i arose filled with regret for the time ,i had lost4 ,though somewhat refreshed by my sound sleep1 yet ,i was very hungry and almost famished with thirst4 ,after travelling about half a mile ,i came to a small log-house on a road-side4 ,feeling sick and faint1 ,i resolved to go to the house to obtain water1 and1 if ,i liked the appearance of the inmates1 to reveal my condition and ask for aid4 ,upon reaching the house ,i met the proprietor1 but did not like his physiognomy4 ,he looked the villain2 a sinister expression1 a countenance revealing no intellectuality1 except a sort of low cunning1 bore testimony that it would be foolish to repose confidence in the possessor of such villanous looks4 ,i asked for water1 intending to drink and leave4 ,he pointed to the bucket2 ,i drank and bade him good morning1 and turned to leave4 ,i had proceeded but a few steps1 when ,i was ordered1 in a stentorian tone1 to halt4 ,on looking round1 ,i saw a soldier within a few steps1 presenting a double-barrelled gun2 another soldier was standing near1 heavily armed4 ,i asked by what authority he halted me4 ,to which he replied3 ,i know you1 sir2 ,i have heard you preach frequently4 ,you are ,parson ,aughey1 and you were arrested and confined in prison at ,tupelo4 ,i was in ,lowrey's regiment yesterday1 and learned that you had broken jail2 and now1 sir1 you must return4 ,my name is ,dan ,barnes4 ,you may have heard of me4 ,i had indeed heard of him4 ,he had been guilty of robbing the ,united ,states mail1 had fled to ,napoleon or ,helena1 ,arkansas1 where he was arrested1 brought back1 and incarcerated in jail at ,pontotoc1 and confined there for nearly a year4 ,as the evidence against him was positive1 he would have been sent to the penitentiary2 but1 fortunately for him1 at this juncture ,mississippi seceded4 ,there being then no ,united ,states officers to execute the laws1 he was liberated1 and soon after joined the army4 ,after breakfast1 which ,i paid for1 ,barnes called me to one side1 and told me that he felt sorry for me1 and would afford me an opportunity of escaping1 if ,i would pay him a reasonable sum4 ,he had been in a tight place himself1 and would have been glad had some friend been near to aid him4 ,he named two hundred and forty dollars as the reasonable sum for permitting me to escape4 ,after getting my money1 their horses were saddled1 and telling me he was playing-off on me1 said ,i must go to ,general ,jordan's head-quarters at ,priceville1 to which place he and ,huff1 the proprietor of the log cabin1 conducted me4 ,on my arrival1 ,general ,jordan ordered me to be put in irons1 and placed under guard4 ,i was taken to a blacksmith's shop in the town1 the ,general accompanying the guard1 and heavy iron bands were put around my ankles1 and connected by a chain4 ,the bands were put on hot1 and my boots were burnt in the operation4 ,the blacksmith seemed averse to the order1 and only obeyed it upon compulsion4 ,the ,general stood by1 and saw that it was well done4 ,iron him securely--securely1 sir1 was his oft repeated order4 ,the ironing caused me much pain4 ,my ankles were long discoloured from the effects of it4 ,illustration3 ,i was taken to a blacksmith's shop1 and heavy iron bands put around my ankles4 ,page #ajd4 ,after my manacles were put on1 ,i was taken back to ,tupelo by ,barnes and another guard4 ,on my arrival1 the commander of the post and the ,provost ,marshal were filled with joy4 ,barnes gave them the history of the arrest1 stating that ,i had attempted to bribe him2 that he listened to my proposition with indignation1 and when he had got the money1 performed what he regarded his duty4 ,the commander replied that all the property of traitors was theirs1 and that he did right in deceiving me1 after accepting the bribe4 ,he also recommended ,barnes for promotion for his heroic and patriotic act in arresting me4 7,perhaps it secured for him a captaincy47 ,the following colloquy now took place between the commander of the post1 the ,provost ,marshal1 and myself3 ,why did you attempt to leave us8 ,because1 sir1 your prison was so filthy1 and your fare so meagre and unwholesome1 that ,i could not endure it long1 and live4 ,parson1 you know the ,bible says1 the wicked flee when no man pursueth1 but the righteous are as bold as a lion4 ,you must have been guilty of crime1 or you would not have tried to escape4 ,i may have been guilty of the offence charged against me1 and yet innocent of real guilt4 ,you shall never be taken back to the prison you left1 rest assured of that4 ,did any of the prisoners know of or aid you in your escape8 ,no1 sir2 none of them knew anything about it4 ,are you telling the truth8 ,i am4 ,where is ,malone8 ,i never saw him after ,i left the building4 ,he cannot escape2 the cavalry are after him1 and he will be brought in soon1 dead or alive4 ,why did you attempt to bribe ,barnes8 ,it was his own offer4 ,i knew that his cupidity was great1 and thought it no harm to accept his offer4 ,if ,barnes had his deserts1 he would now be hard at work in the penitentiary4 ,did the jury that tried him1 acquit him8 ,no4 ,the secession of ,mississippi saved him4 ,i refer you to ,colonel ,tison1 who is in ,tupelo1 for the particulars4 ,he being marshal of ,north ,mississippi1 arrested ,barnes1 and knows all about it4 ,he found on his person the evidence of his guilt1 the money and checks stolen when he robbed the mail4 ,parson1 you will not be immediately executed1 but you will1 without doubt1 hang in a week or two1 so that1 if you have any word to send your family1 you have permission to do so4 ,may ,i write a letter to my wife8 ,you may1 and ,i will see that it is forwarded to her4 ,i sat down and wrote a letter1 a very common-place letter1 to my wife1 inserting1 occasionally1 a word in phonography1 which1 taken in connection1 read thus3 ,if possible1 inform ,general ,rosecrans or ,nelson of my arrest4 ,while inspecting the letter1 ,lieutenant ,peden noticed the phonography1 and asked me to read it4 ,i read it thus3 ,my dear wife1 ,i hope to be at home soon4 ,do not grieve4 ,this letter they never sent4 ,it was merely an act of duplicity on their part1 to obtain some concession1 which might be used against me4 ,the guard1 receiving orders1 now conducted me to a hotel1 and placed me in a small room1 two guards remaining inside1 and two at the door outside1 with orders to shoot me if ,i made the least attempt at escape4 ,i remained in this room only a few hours1 after which ,i was taken to my old prison4 ,as ,i entered1 my old friends1 the prisoners1 crowded around me1 and ,captain ,bruce addressed me in his facetious manner4 ,in prison1 his wit had beguiled many a tedious hour4 ,his humour was the pure ,attic salt4 ,parson ,aughey1 you are welcome back to my house1 though you have played us rather a scurvy trick in leaving without giving me the least inkling of the matter1 or settling your bill4 ,i replied3 ,captain1 it was hardly right2 but ,i did not like your fare1 and your beds were filled with vermin4 ,well1 you do not seem to have fared better since you left1 for you have returned4 ,captain1 my return is the result of coercion4 ,some who oppose this principle when applied to themselves1 have no scruples in enforcing it upon others4 ,no rogue e'er felt the halter draw1 ,with good opinion of the law2 is an old saw1 and the truth of proverbs is seldom affected by time4 ,i am your guest upon compulsion2 but remember1 ,i will leave you the first opportunity4 ,upon hearing this1 an officer present swore that when ,i again left that building1 it would be to cross the railroad1 7the place of execution47 ,the prisoners gathered around me1 and ,i related to them my adventures4 ,they then informed me of what had transpired during my absence4 ,clarke was taken out of prison to guide a cavalry company in search of me4 ,clarke informed me that they scoured the country1 and then went to my father-in-law's2 and after searching the premises1 returned1 believing that ,i had gone due north towards ,rienzi1 in which direction another company had been despatched4 ,on their return1 ,clarke was remanded to jail4 ,at roll-call--seven o'clock1 ,a4 ,m41 we were missed4 ,the cavalry were immediately sent in pursuit4 ,all the guards on duty during the night were put under arrest4 ,our method of escape was soon discovered1 and the guards were released1 as they were not at fault4 ,a large number of spikes were hammered in the floor1 the guards were doubled1 and greater vigilance enjoined4 ,the prisoners were questioned1 strictly and individually1 to learn whether any of them knew of our intention to escape1 or had rendered us any assistance4 ,they all positively denied any knowledge of the matter4 ,they asked me whether ,i had given the officers any information about their knowledge of our designs1 and cooperation in effecting them4 ,i replied that ,i had positively denied that any except ,malone and myself were privy to our plans4 ,i may state here that it is difficult to justify a falsehood4 ,we ought to utter truth always1 without exaggeration or prevarication1 leaving consequences with ,god4 ,we should do right without regard to results1 for with consequences we have no business2 but in this case the temptation to utter an untruth was great4 ,these wicked men1 thirsting for my blood1 had no right to make me criminate myself or my coadjutors4 ,it would have been wrong for me to give them the information they desired4 ,truth is too precious for a secessionist1 thirsting for innocent blood4 ,had ,i refused to answer1 they would have suspected that some of my fellow-prisoners aided us1 and would have either forced me to tell who they were1 or would have hanged me instantly for my refusal4 ,if ,i had given information1 and criminated those who had befriended us1 they would have been severely punished1 and ,i have been guilty of the basest ingratitude2 ,i would have been shunned by the prisoners1 and regarded as one of the meanest of men1 one of the veriest wretches in existence2 ,i could never again ask nor expect aid in a similar attempt to save myself from a violent death4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,life ,,in ,a ,,dungeon4 ,parson ,aughey as ,chaplain--,description of the ,prisoners--,colonel ,walter1 the ,judge ,advocate--,charges and ,specifications against ,parson ,aughey--,a ,citizen of the ,confederate ,states--,execution of two ,tennesseeans--,enlistment of ,union ,prisoners--,colonel ,walter's second visit--,day of ,execution specified--,farewell ,letter to my ,wife--,parson ,aughey's ,obituary penned by himself--,address to his ,soul--,the ,soul's ,reply--,farewell ,letter to his ,parents--,the ,union ,prisoners' ,petition to ,hon4 ,w4 ,h4 ,seward--,the two ,prisoners and the ,oath of ,allegiance--,irish ,stories4 ,i was remanded to jail on ,sabbath1 the #fth of ,july1 #ahfb4 ,on the day of my escape ,i had been elected chaplain4 ,captain ,bruce asked permission for me to hold divine service1 to which no special objection was made4 ,i conducted the services as ,i would have done were ,i in my own pulpit4 ,the best order was maintained by the prisoners1 and a deep seriousness prevailed4 ,the songs of ,zion resounded through the prison-house1 and a great concourse of soldiers assembled outside the guards in front of the door1 causing considerable interruption by their noise and insulting language4 ,several officers1 also1 saw fit to come in and interrupt the services by conversing in a loud tone1 and asking me how ,i liked my jewelry1 referring to my fetters4 ,the prisoners protested against their rude and ungentlemanly conduct1 but with little effect4 ,they sent a remonstrance to the commander of the post1 but he treated it with silent contempt4 ,as the prisoners insisted upon it1 ,i persisted in preaching1 notwithstanding the persecutions endured1 as long as ,i remained with them4 ,we were a motley assemblage4 ,some were dressed in cloth of finest texture2 others were clad in filthy rags4 ,there were present the learned and the illiterate1 the rowdy and the minister of the gospel1 the holy and the profane1 the saint and the sinner4 ,all the ,southern ,states1 and every prominent religious denomination were represented4 ,the youth in his nonage1 and the gray-haired and very aged man were there4 ,the superior and the subordinate were with us4 ,the descendants of ,shem1 ,ham1 and ,japheth1 were here on the same common level1 for in our prison were ,afric's dark-browed sons1 the descendants of ,pocahontas1 and the pure ,circassian4 ,death is said to be ,,the great leveller2 the dungeon at ,tupelo was a great leveller4 ,a fellow-feeling made us wondrous kind2 none shared his morsel alone1 and a deep and abiding sympathy for each other's woes pervaded every bosom4 ,when our fellow-prisoners were called to die1 and were led through us with pallid brows1 and agony depicted on their countenances1 our expressions of sorrow and commiseration were not loud 7through fear7 but deep4 ,on ,monday morning an officer entered2 my name was called1 and ,i arose from the floor on which ,i had been reclining4 ,i recognised him as my old friend1 ,colonel ,h4 ,w4 ,walter1 of ,holly ,springs1 ,mississippi4 ,after the ordinary salutations1 he informed me that he was ,judge ,advocate1 and that my trial would take place in a few days1 and inquired whether ,i wished to summon any witnesses4 ,i gave him the names and residences of several witnesses1 but he refused to send for them1 upon the plea that they were too near the ,federal lines1 and their cavalry might be in danger of capture were they to proceed thither4 ,i told him that the cavalry which went in pursuit of me had visited that locality4 ,he then wished to know what ,i desired to prove by those witnesses4 ,i replied that ,i wished to prove that the specifications in the charge of being a spy were false4 ,your own admissions are sufficient to cause you to lose your life1 said the ,colonel1 and ,i will not send for those witnesses4 ,i replied3 ,i know that ,i must die1 and you need not go through the formality of a trial4 ,if condemned as a spy1 ,i must be hanged4 ,i only wished the witnesses to prove that ,woodruff is a man of no moral worth1 that his testimony is false2 that ,barnes is a mail-robber1 and that his testimony1 therefore1 should be rejected4 ,proving these facts1 the other charges which ,i admit1 will cause me to be shot4 ,i hope ,i am prepared to die1 but do not wish to die a dog's death4 ,promise me that ,i shall be shot1 and not hanged1 and ,i will cavil no more4 ,parson ,aughey1 your chances for living are very slender4 ,the proof against you on both charges will be established2 the testimony as to your guilt is positive1 and spies are always hanged4 ,he then stated the charges and specifications against me as follows3 ,first charge--,treason4 ,specification #ast4 ,that said ,aughey stated to a member of ,hill's cavalry1 that if ,mc,clellan were defeated1 the ,north could raise a much larger army in a very short time2 that the ,north would eventually conquer the ,south1 and that he was a ,union man--this for the purpose of giving aid and comfort to the enemy4 ,specification #b;d4 ,that when said ,aughey was requested to take the oath of allegiance to the ,confederate ,states1 he refused1 giving as a reason1 that ,england1 ,france1 and himself1 had not yet recognised the ,southern ,confederacy1 stating1 also1 that he had voluntarily taken the oath of allegiance to the ,united ,states ,government1 which he regarded as binding--this in ,north ,mississippi4 ,specification #c;d4 ,that said ,aughey was acting as a ,federal agent in the purchase of cotton1 and had received from the ,united ,states ,government a large amount of gold1 to pay for the cotton purchased4 ,second charge--,acting as a spy4 ,specification #ast4 ,that said ,aughey1 while a citizen of the ,confederate ,states1 repeatedly came into our lines for the purpose of obtaining information for the benefit of the enemy1 and that he passed through the lines of the enemy at pleasure1 holding an unlimited pass from ,general ,nelson1 granting that privilege--this in the vicinity of ,corinth1 ,mississippi4 ,witnesses1 ---- ,wallace1 ,dan ,barnes1 ,ferdinand ,woodruff1 ---- ,williams1 ,david ,huff4 ,i demanded a copy of the charges1 which ,colonel ,walter promised to furnish4 ,about three o'clock in the afternoon1 ,i went to a couple of prisoners who were heavily ironed2 they were handcuffed1 had a chain on their legs similar to mine1 and were chained together to a post1 or to some fixture at the side of the jail4 ,i inquired for what offence they were incarcerated4 ,the prisoner whom ,i addressed was a tall gentleman1 with a very intellectual countenance1 and of prepossessing manners4 ,he was somewhat pale1 and wore a sad countenance4 ,he replied3 ,we are charged with desertion4 ,did you desert8 ,i enlisted in the ,confederate service for twelve months4 ,at the expiration of my term of service1 ,i asked permission to return home1 stating that my family were suffering for the necessaries of life2 that they lived in ,tennessee1 which is occupied by ,federal troops4 ,confederate bonds are there not worth the paper on which they are printed2 provisions are scarce1 and my family have not the means of purchasing4 ,i wish to relieve their wants1 and as my term of service has expired1 ,i wish a discharge4 ,this they refused1 stating that the ,confederate ,congress had passed a law requiring all troops who had enlisted for any term1 however short1 to be held to service during the war1 and all who left before that time would be considered guilty of desertion1 and if arrested1 would be shot4 ,i attempted to return to my family1 regarding the law a tyrannical enactment4 ,i was arrested and committed to this prison4 ,what will be your fate8 ,i know not1 but fear the worst4 ,i learned that the other prisoner had about the same statement to make1 and was also in dread of capital punishment4 ,i left them and walked to the opposite side of the prison1 when ,i observed a file of soldiers drawn up in front of the building4 ,two officers entered1 and walking up to the two prisoners whom ,i had just left1 unfastened their chains1 and ordered them to follow4 ,one of the prisoners asked whether he should bring his blanket4 ,no1 replied the officer1 in a jocular tone2 you have no more need for a blanket in this world4 ,on reaching the door1 the soldiers separated1 received the prisoners in their midst1 closed up1 and marching them across the railroad1 shot them4 ,as the officers passed ,captain ,bruce1 he asked where the prisoners were going4 ,they replied1 ,going to be shot6 and showed him the warrant for their execution1 having written across it1 in red letters1 ,condemned to death6 ,thus was perpetrated an act of cruel tyranny1 which cries loudly to ,heaven for vengeance4 ,two families1 helpless and destitute1 were thus each deprived of its head1 on whom they were dependent for support1 and abandoned to the cold charity of a selfish world4 ,the wages they earned by a year's faithful service in behalf of the wicked1 cruel1 and vindictive ,confederate ,states1 was an ignominious death and a dishonoured grave4 ,will not ,god visit for this8 ,the widow and the fatherless cry to ,heaven for vengeance1 and their cries have entered into the ears of the ,lord of ,sabaoth4 ,on ,tuesday morning1 six young men1 who had been arrested for their ,union sentiments1 resolved to escape4 ,their plan was to enlist in the ,confederate service1 then to desert on the first opportunity1 and make their way to the ,federal lines4 ,they consulted me as to the propriety of taking the oath of allegiance under these circumstances4 ,such a step would give them another chance for life2 but were they to profess adherence to their ,union principles1 they had no hope of living many days4 ,if permitted to enlist1 they thought there was little doubt of their escape in a few days2 and should a battle take place1 no ,federal soldiers would be injured by them1 and an opportunity to desert might occur during the engagement4 ,i drew up a paper for them1 requesting permission to enlist in a company which they specified4 ,their petition was granted by the authorities1 and they were removed from prison to the camp4 ,i feel confident that ere this1 they are safe in the ,federal lines1 for they knew the whole country1 so as to be able to travel by night or by day1 with little danger of detection4 ,they had all been arrested at their homes by the ,rebel cavalry4 ,they were bitter in sentiment against the military usurpation1 self-styled the ,confederate ,states of ,america4 ,this 7,tuesday7 evening1 ,colonel ,walter called again1 to give me a copy of the charges against me4 ,he informed me that my trial had been deferred till ,monday1 the #aeth inst4 ,he also informed me in advance1 that ,i must die1 and that1 doubtless1 on the day after the trial4 ,i asked and obtained permission to send for the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,lyon1 of ,columbus1 ,mississippi1 to be present at my execution4 ,dr4 ,lyon and ,i were co-presbyters1 both being members of the ,tombeckbee ,presbytery4 ,colonel ,walter was a renegade ,yankee4 ,coming from ,michigan to ,mississippi1 he married the daughter of a wealthy slave-holder4 ,obtaining through her the control of a large number of slaves1 he became a very ultra advocate of the peculiar institution1 and a rabid secessionist4 ,soon after ,colonel ,walter left1 ,colonel ,ware came in1 and asked me if ,i had been ,president of a ,female ,college in ,rienzi4 ,i replied in the affirmative4 ',tis strange1 said he1 that one who has been so favoured1 and one who has accumulated property in the ,south1 should prove a traitor to the land of his adoption1 and side with his enemies4 ,i replied that ,i had given a fair equivalent for every dollar ,i had obtained from the citizens of the ,south2 that for eleven years ,i had laboured faithfully as a teacher and minister of the gospel to promote the educational and spiritual interests of the ,southern people2 and that now ,i was receiving my reward in being chained1 starved1 and insulted2 and that they intended soon to pay the last instalment by putting me to death ignominiously on the scaffold2 ,i also denied being an enemy to the ,south4 ,i regarded those who imperilled all her best interests1 and plunged her into a protracted and desolating war1 as the real enemies of the ,south4 ,if my advice had been followed1 the ,south and the whole country would now be enjoying its wonted peace and prosperity4 ,he only replied with cursing and vituperation4 ,believing my end to be near1 ,i sat down upon the floor of my dungeon1 and penned the following letter to my wife4 ,,tupelo ,,military ,,dungeon1 ,july #ajth1 #ahfb4 ,,my ,,dear ,,mary--,the ,confederate authorities announce to me that ,i have only a few more days to live4 ,when you receive this letter1 the hand that penned it will be cold in death4 ,my soul will have passed the solemn test before the bar of ,god2 ,i have a good hope through grace that ,i will be then rejoicing amid the sacramental host of ,god's elect1 singing the new song of redeeming love in the presence of ,him who is the ,chief among ten thousand1 and the one altogether lovely4 ,mary1 meet me in heaven1 where sorrow1 and crying1 and sin are not known1 and where the wicked cease from troubling1 and the weary are at rest4 ,i will request your brother ,ramsey1 and cousin1 ,captain ,tankersley1 to convey my body to you4 ,bury me in the graveyard at ,bethany4 ,plant an evergreen--a cedar--at my head1 and one at my feet1 and there let me repose in peace1 till the ,archangel's trump shall sound1 calling the dead to the judgment of the great day1 and vouchsafing to saints the long wished-for redemption of the body4 ,as to my property1 it has all been confiscated2 and after years of incessant toil1 ,i leave you penniless and dependent2 but trust in ,god4 ,to his protecting care ,i commit you and our dear little ,kate1 who has promised that he will be the widow's husband1 and the father of the fatherless4 ,rest assured1 the ,lord will provide4 ,only trust in him1 and love him with your whole heart1 and soul1 and mind1 and strength4 ,i know that it shall be well with those that love ,god4 ,be not faithless1 but believing1 and though clouds and thick darkness surround you at present1 a more auspicious day will dawn1 and ,god will bring you safely to your journey's end1 and our reunion in heaven will be sweet4 ,our dear little daughter1 ,kate1 bring up in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord4 ,teach her to walk in wisdom's ways1 for her ways are ways of pleasantness1 and all her paths are peace4 ,her mind may be compared to wax1 in its susceptibility for receiving impressions1 and to marble1 for its power of retaining those impressions4 ,o that she may be satisfied early with the mercy of ,god1 that she may rejoice and be glad all her days6 ,teach her to remember her ,creator in the days of her youth1 before the evil days come1 in which she shall say1 ,i have no pleasure in thee4 ,make the ,bible her constant study1 and let its words be as household words to her4 ,inspire her mind with a reverence for the ,book which is able to make wise unto salvation4 ,see to it that the words of ,christ dwell richly in her soul1 that she may be filled with wisdom1 and knowledge1 and spiritual understanding4 ,pray for the ,holy ,spirit to bless your labours and instructions1 without which all your efforts would be in vain1 and pray that the ,third ,person of the adorable ,trinity may take up his abode in her heart1 and dwell with her for ever4 ,as my duties in regard to instructing our child1 will devolve solely on you1 take for your guidance1 in this respect1 ,deut4 vi4 #e-i4 ,let your example be such as you would wish her to follow4 ,children are much more inclined to follow example than precept4 ,exercise care in this respect1 for1 as is the mother1 so is her daughter4 ,i regret my family will1 from the force of circumstances1 be compelled to remain in a land where my death will be considered disgraceful1 but it cannot be avoided4 ,the time may come when1 even in ,mississippi1 ,i may be regarded as a patriot martyr4 ,my conscience is void of offence1 as regards the guilt attached to the charges made against me4 ,i am charged with treason against the ,confederate ,states4 ,the charge and the specifications are true1 except that ,i was not a ,federal agent in the purchase of cotton4 ,that was a private arrangement altogether4 ,i am also charged with acting as a spy4 ,the specifications under this charge are false4 ,i think that this accusation was made to prevent retaliation by the ,federal generals2 and in the ,rebel army they are not at a loss to prove any charge1 however false4 ,ferdinand ,woodruff is their tool to prove me a spy1 and he will do it1 though he knows his testimony to be as false as that of the suborned witnesses who bore testimony against the ,saviour4 ,how long shall the wicked triumph8 ,how long will ,god forbear to execute that vengeance which is his1 and which he will repay sooner or later6 ,i feel confident that the right cause will prevail1 and though ,i will not live to see it1 for my days are numbered1 yet ,i firmly believe that the rebel power will be destroyed utterly4 ,truth1 crushed to earth1 will rise again2 ,the eternal years of ,god are hers2 ,but error1 wounded1 writhes in pain1 ,and dies amid her worshippers4 ,i write this letter amid the din and confusion incident to a large number of men crowded into a narrow compass1 and free from all restraint4 ,this letter will be transmitted to you by friends4 ,the names of those friends you will know hereafter4 ,they will present your case to ,general ,rosecrans or ,nelson1 who may obtain a pension for you4 ,my services heretofore in the ,union cause are known to them1 and ,i think they will see that you do not suffer2 all my real estate will be restored to you if the ,union cause triumphs1 and ,i think there is no doubt as to its success4 ,give my love to all my friends4 ,remember that ,i have prayed for you unceasingly during my imprisonment1 and my last utterances on earth will be prayers for your welfare4 ,farewell4 ,god bless you1 and preserve you and our dear little ,kate4 ,your affectionate husband1 ,,john ,h4 ,,aughey4 ,i next wrote my obituary1 which ,i placed in the hands of a ,union soldier who expected soon to be exchanged4 ,by him it was to be sent to the editors of ,the ,presbyterian1 published in ,philadelphia1 with a request that it should appear in their columns4 ,,obituary4 ,died1 in ,tupelo1 ,ittawamba county1 ,mississippi1 ,july --1 #ahfb1 the ,rev4 ,john ,h4 ,aughey4 ,the subject of the above notice was executed on the gallows1 by authority of the ,confederate ,states1 on the charges of treason and acting as a spy4 ,john ,h4 ,aughey was born in ,new ,hartford1 ,oneida county1 ,new ,york1 ,may #hth1 #ahbh2 removed with his parents to ,steubenville1 ,ohio1 in #ahcg2 is an alumnus of ,franklin ,college1 ,new ,athens1 ,harrison county1 ,ohio2 studied theology in ,memphis1 ,tennessee1 under the ,rev4 ,john ,h4 ,gray1 ,d4 ,d41 ,president of ,memphis ,synodical ,college--also under the care of the ,rev4 ,s4 ,i4 ,reid of ,holly ,springs1 ,mississippi2 was licensed to preach the gospel by the ,presbytery of ,chickasaw1 ,october #dth1 #ahef2 was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry by the ,presbytery of ,tombeckbee1 at its session in ,winston county1 ,mississippi1 in ,april1 #ahfa4 ,god blessed his labours by giving him many seals to his ministry4 ,after labouring eleven years in the ,south as a teacher and minister of the gospel1 having never injured a citizen of the ,south either in person or property1 he suffered a felon's death for attachment to the ,federal ,union1 because he would not turn traitor to the government which had never in a single instance oppressed1 but had always afforded him protection4 ,he rests in peace1 and in the hope of a blessed immortality4 ,leaves have their time to fall1 ,and flowers to wither in the north wind's breath1 ,and stars to set2 but all-- ,thou hast all seasons for thine own1 ,o ,death6 ,,address ,,to ,,my ,,soul4 ,o my soul6 thou art about to appear in the presence of thy ,creator1 who is infinite1 eternal1 unchangeable in his being1 power1 wisdom1 holiness1 justice1 goodness1 and truth4 ,he cannot look upon sin4 ,he is a sin-avenging ,god1 and thou art stained with sin4 ,thy transgressions are as numerous as the stars of heaven1 and the sand that is upon the sea-shore4 ,thou art totally debased by sin1 and thy iniquities abound4 ,thou art guilty of sins of omission and of commission4 ,justice would consign thee to everlasting burnings1 to dwell with devouring fire1 even to everlasting destruction from the presence of the ,lord and the glory of his power4 ,guilty1 helpless1 wretched as thou art1 what is thy plea why sentence of eternal death should not be pronounced against thee8 ,,the ,,soul',s ,,reply4 ,i plead the merits of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 whose blood cleanses from all sin1 even from sins of the deepest dye4 ,i plead the sufferings of ,him who bore my sins in his own body1 on the tree1 and wrought out a perfect righteousness1 which ,i may obtain by simple faith4 ,no money1 no price is demanded4 ,this ,i could not pay1 for all my righteousness is as filthy rags1 and ,i must perish1 were any part of the price demanded4 ,nothing in my hand ,i bring4 ,my salvation must be all of grace1 or to me it would be hopeless4 ,i trust that ,christ will clothe me in the spotless robes of his own righteousness1 and present me faultless before his ,father4 ,with this trust1 ,i go to the judgment-seat1 assured that the soul which trusts in ,christ shall never be put to shame4 ,god is faithful who has promised4 ,,military ,,dungeon1 ,tupelo1 ,ittawamba ,co41 ,miss41 ,july #aath1 #ahfb4 ,,dear ,,parents--,life is sweet1 and it is a pleasant thing to behold the sun4 ,all that a man hath1 will he give for his life4 ,having promise of the life that now is4 ,the life is more than meat4 ,they hunt for the precious life4 ,the above quotations from the ,word of ,life1 show the high estimate that is placed upon life4 ,my life is not precious in the eyes of the ,secessionists1 for their authorities declare that my chances for living long are extremely slender4 ,yet a few days1 and me the all-beholding sun shall see no more in all his course4 ,mourn not for me1 my dear parents1 as those who have no hope4 ,for me to live1 is ,christ2 but to die1 is gain4 ,i fear not those who1 when they have killed the body1 have no more that they can do4 ,but ,i fear ,him whose fear casteth out every other fear4 ,when these lines are read by you1 their author will be an inhabitant of the ,celestial ,city1 the ,new ,jerusalem1 and will be reposing in ,abraham's bosom1 in the midst of the ,paradise of ,god4 ,next to ,god1 my thanks are due to you1 for guiding my infant feet in the paths of wisdom and virtue4 ,in riper years1 by precept1 ,i have been warned and instructed4 ,by example ,i have been led1 until my habits were fixed1 and then1 accompanied by your parental blessing1 ,i sought a distant home1 to engage in the arduous duties of life4 ,whatever success ,i have met with1 whatever influence for good ,i may have exerted1 are all due to your pious training4 ,i owe you a debt of gratitude which ,i can never repay4 ,though ,i cannot1 ,god will grant you a reward lasting as eternity4 ,it will add to that exceeding and eternal weight of glory which will be conferred on you in that day when the heavens shall be dissolved1 and the elements melt with fervent heat4 ,i die for my loyalty to the ,federal ,government4 ,i know that you would not have me turn traitor to save my life4 ,life is precious1 but death1 even death on the scaffold1 is preferable to dishonour4 ,remember me kindly to all my friends4 ,tell sisters ,sallie1 ,mary1 and ,emma1 to meet me in heaven4 ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth4 ,dying is but going home4 ,i have taught many how to live1 and now ,i am called to teach them how to die4 ,may ,god grant that as my day is1 so may my strength be1 and that1 in my last moments1 ,i may not bring dishonour upon my ,master's cause1 but may glorify him in the fires6 ,my dear parents1 farewell till we meet beyond the river4 ,your affectionate son1 ,,john ,h4 ,,aughey4 ,,to ,,david ,,and ,,elizabeth ,,aughey1 ,amsterdam1 ,jefferson ,co41 ,ohio4 ,the following letter was written to the ,hon4 ,william ,h4 ,seward in behalf of the ,union men in prison and within the rebel lines4 ,,central ,,military ,,prison1 ,tupelo1 ,ittawamba ,co41 ,mississippi1 ,july #aath1 #ahfb4 ,hon4 ,william ,h4 ,seward3 ,,dear ,,sir--,a large number of citizens of ,mississippi1 holding ,union sentiments1 and who recognise no such military usurpation as the so-called ,confederate ,states of ,america1 are confined in a filthy prison1 swarming with vermin1 and are famishing from hunger--a sufficient quantity of food not being furnished us4 ,we are separated from our families1 and suffered to hold no communication with them4 ,we are compelled1 under a strong guard1 to perform the most menial services1 and are insulted on every occasion by the officers and guards of the prison4 ,the nights are very cool2 we are furnished with no bedding1 and are compelled to lie down on the floor of our dungeon1 where sleep seldom visits us1 until exhausted nature can hold out no longer2 then our slumbers are broken1 restless1 and of short duration4 ,our property is confiscated1 and our families left destitute of the necessaries of life2 all that they have1 yea1 all their living1 being seized upon by the ,confederates1 and converted to their own use4 ,heavy fetters are placed upon our limbs1 and daily some of us are led to the scaffold1 or to death by shooting4 ,many of us are forced into the army1 instant death being the penalty in case of refusal2 thus constraining us to bear arms against our country1 to become the executioners of our friends and brethren1 or to fall ourselves by their hands4 ,these evils are intolerable1 and we ask protection1 through you1 from the ,united ,states ,government4 ,the ,federal ,government may not be able to release us1 but we ask the protection which the ,federal prisoner receives4 ,were his life taken1 swift retribution would be visited upon the rebels by a just retaliation--a rebel prisoner would suffer death for every ,federal prisoner whom they destroyed4 ,let this rule hold good in the case of ,union men who are citizens of the ,south4 ,the loyal ,mississippian deserves protection as much as the loyal native of ,massachusetts4 ,we ask1 also1 that our confiscated property be restored to us1 or1 in case of our death1 to our families4 ,if it be destroyed1 let reparation be demanded from the rebels1 or the property of known and avowed secessionists sequestered to that use4 ,before this letter reaches its destination1 the majority of us will have ceased to be4 ,the writer has been informed by the officers that his chances for living long are very slender2 that he has confessed enough to cause him to lose his life1 and the ,judge ,advocate has specified ,tuesday1 the #aeth inst41 as the day of his execution4 ,we have1 therefore1 little hope that we1 individually1 can receive any benefit from this petition1 though you regard it favourably1 and consent to its suggestions2 but our families1 who have been so cruelly robbed of all their substance1 may1 in after time1 receive remuneration for their great losses4 ,and if citizens of avowed secession proclivities1 who are within the ,federal lines1 are arrested and held as hostages for the safety of ,union men who are and may be hereafter incarcerated in the prison in ,tupelo and elsewhere1 the rebels will not dare put another ,union man to death4 ,hoping that you will deem it proper to take the matters presented in our petition under advisement1 we remain1 with high considerations of respect and esteem1 your oppressed and imprisoned fellow-citizens1 ,,john ,h4 ,,aughey1 ,,benjamin ,,clarke1 ,,john ,,robinson1 and thirty-seven others4 ,two young men informed me to-day that they had been forced into the rebel service4 ,they had been taken prisoners at ,corinth by ,general ,pope1 and had taken the oath of allegiance to the ,federal ,government1 to which their hearts had always been loyal4 ,recently they had been arrested1 and on refusing to rejoin their regiment1 were immured in this dungeon4 ,from the threats of the officers1 they expected to be shot at any moment4 ,they had used every means to banish the thoughts of death--had forced themselves to engage in pleasantry and mirth to drive away the sadness and gloom which oppressed them when alone1 and recalled the pleasures of their happy homes--homes which they would never see again4 ,i counselled them to prepare to meet their ,god in peace2 to wisely improve the short time granted them to make their calling and election sure4 ,they replied that they hoped all would be well4 ,they had long since confessed ,christ before men1 and hoped for salvation through his merits4 ,still1 they could not help feeling sad in the near prospect of death4 ,they left me to mingle with a group of prisoners1 who were endeavouring to dissipate the tedium1 and vary the monotonous routine of prison life1 by telling stories4 ,captain ,bruce led off by telling the following ,irish story3 ,once upon a time1 an ,irishman1 who rejoiced in the possession of a fine mare and a colt1 wished to cross the ,mississippi river at ,baton ,rouge with them4 ,by some mishap1 they were all precipitated from the ferry-boat into the water4 ,the ,irishman1 being unable to swim1 grasped the colt's tail1 hoping thus to be carried to the shore4 ,some of the passengers called out to him3 ',halloo1 ,pat1 why don't you take hold of the mare's tail2 she is much stronger1 and much more able to carry you safely to the shore4' ',o1 be jabers6' says ,pat1 'this is no time for swapping horses4' ,this tale was received with applause4 ,baltimore ,bill1 a real ,plug-ugly1 told his story next1 as follows3 ,two ,irishmen1 immediately after their arrival in ,america1 found a gun4 ,after long inspection1 they concluded it was some kind of musical instrument1 and wishing to hear the music1 it was agreed that ,jimmie should blow at the muzzle1 while ,pat worked with the 'fixins' at the breech4 ,at it they went4 ,soon the gun went off1 and ,jimmie fell down1 shot dead4 ',och6' says ,pat1 'are you charmed at the first note8' ,this story was received with loud bursts of laughter4 ,an officer then entered1 and ordered us to be quiet1 forbidding us to narrate any more tales4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,execution ,,of ,,union ,,prisoners4 ,resolved to ,escape--,mode of ,executing ,prisoners--,removal of ,chain--,addition to our ,numbers--,two ,prisoners become ,insane--,plan of ,escape--,proves a ,failure--,fetters ,inspected--,additional ,fetters--,handcuffs--,a ,spy in the ,disguise of a ,prisoner--,special ,police ,guard on ,duty--,a ,prisoner's ,discovery--,divine ,services--,the ,general ,judgment--,the ,judge--,the ,laws--,the ,witnesses--,the ,concourse--,the ,sentence4 ,on ,friday morning1 the twelfth of ,july1 as ,i lay restless and sore1 endeavouring to find some position which would be sufficiently easy to permit me to enjoy1 even for a few moments1 the benefit of ,tired nature's sweet restorer1 balmy sleep1 the thought occurred that it would be well to attempt an escape1 though it should result in death from the fire of the guards1 which would be far preferable to death by strangling at the rope's end1 and in the presence of a large concourse of rebel enemies4 ,their method of shooting was1 to dig a hole1 and make the victim sit with his legs hanging in it4 ,the soldiers would fire three balls through the brain1 and three through the heart2 then the mangled and bleeding body fell into the grave1 and was immediately covered with earth4 ,at first1 coffins were used1 but of late1 these had been dispensed with1 owing to the increased expense1 and the increasing number of executions4 ,i had not long meditated upon this subject1 when ,i arose1 fully resolved on death or liberty4 ,my intentions were communicated to several prisoners1 who promised me all the aid in their power4 ,my fetters were examined1 and it was concluded1 that with proper instruments my bands could be divested of the iron which secured the chain-rings4 ,a long-handled iron spoon1 a knife1 and an old file1 were obtained1 and two were detached at a time to work on my fetters4 ,we went to one side of the building1 and a sufficient number of prisoners stood in front of us1 to prevent the guard from noticing our proceedings4 ,our locations were changed frequently1 to prevent detection2 and when an officer entered1 labour was suspended till his exit4 ,we called ,general ,bragg1 ,robespierre2 ,general ,jordan1 ,marat2 and ,general ,hardee1 ,danton4 ,several prisoners were led out and shot to-day4 ,the majority of them were ,union men4 ,six ,union men were committed to jail to-day4 ,the horrors of our situation were sufficient to render two of these victims insane4 ,a reign of terror had been inaugurated1 only equalled1 in its appalling enormity1 by the memorable ,french ,revolution4 ,spies and informers1 in the pay of the ,rebel government1 prowl through the country1 using every artifice and strategy to lead ,union men to criminate themselves1 after which they are dragged to prison and to death4 ,the cavalry dash through the country1 burning cotton1 carrying off the property of loyal citizens1 and committing depredations of every kind4 ,several prisoners resolved to attempt an escape with me4 ,our plan was1 to bring in the axe with which we split wood for cooking1 and raise a plank in the floor1 a sufficient number to stand around those who lifted it1 to prevent observation1 and then make our way out among the guards1 who were off duty on the north side of the building4 ,at this time there were three guards in front of each door1 and two on the south side of the building4 ,on the north side of the building1 there were no guards on duty1 for1 if the other three sides were securely guarded1 the prisoners could not escape on the north side4 ,there were1 however1 several hundred guards1 who1 when off duty1 slept on this side of the prison4 ,when their turn came1 they went on duty2 and those who were relieved1 came there to sleep4 ,they were coming and going all the time1 and during the whole night1 they kept up an incessant noise4 ,after the unremitting labour of my friends during the day1 ,i found that ,i could slip my chain off and on at pleasure4 ,the sun was now setting1 but the axe had not been brought in4 ,at this time a guard was stationed in each door2 the favourable moment had passed2 none dared to bring the axe past the guard4 ,while deliberating on the best course to pursue--as raising a plank had proved a failure for the present--,general ,jordan and ,colonel ,clare entered4 ,i was standing with others in the middle of the floor4 ,general ,jordan came directly to me2 either accidentally or intentionally1 he held up a light to my face4 ,ah6 you are here yet1 said he4 ,i gave an affirmative nod4 ,well1 said he to ,colonel ,clare1 ,i must examine this fellow's irons4 ,putting his hand down1 and ascertaining that they had been tampered with1 he endeavoured1 ineffectually1 to pull the bands off2 he did not notice that ,i could slip the chain-rings off4 ,these irons1 said he1 are very insecure2 who helped you to put them in this condition8 ,i made no reply4 ,after waiting until he found ,i intended none1 he continued3 ,colonel ,clare1 have these irons secured in the morning2 also put handcuffs on him1 and chain him1 so as to confine him to one locality2 the gallows shall not be cheated of their due4 ,having given these orders1 they passed out4 ,as soon as they were gone1 the prisoners who had aided me crowded around1 stating that they believed there was a spy in the house1 in the guise of a prisoner1 and declaring that ,i must escape that night1 or it would be too late4 ,all realized that on to-morrow there would be no hope4 ,there were eleven guards on duty--three in front of each door1 one in each door1 two on the south side of the building1 and at night one passing back and forth through the centre of the prison1 which was lighted during the whole night4 ,there was also a special police guard on duty that night1 as five ,federal prisoners1 who remained in our prison until some formalities were gone through with1 would be sent in the morning to the prison at ,columbus1 ,mississippi1 and it was feared they might attempt to escape ere they were sent further south4 ,at this juncture1 a young man ran up and informed me that he had made a discovery which might result in my escape2 ,i must go alone1 however1 and though they would aid me1 they would run great risk in doing so4 ,only four could assist1 and he would volunteer to be one of them4 ,several others immediately volunteered1 of whom three were selected by ,m----1 and the plan then communicated4 ,at this moment1 ,captain ,bruce announced that the hour for divine worship had arrived4 ,i asked my friends whether ,i should plead indisposition1 and dispense with the services for that time4 ,they replied that it might lead to suspicion1 and advised me to give them a short sermon4 ,i went to my usual place of standing1 clanking my chains as heretofore4 ,i give a synopsis of the sermon4 ,the text was #b ,cor4 v4 #aj3 ,we must all appear before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 that every one may receive the things done in his body1 according to that he hath done1 whether it be good or bad4 ,the doctrine of a general judgment was revealed to mankind at a very early period of the world's history4 ,enoch1 the seventh from ,adam1 prophesied1 saying1 ,behold the ,lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints1 to execute judgment upon all1 and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed1 and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him4 ,job declares3 ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth4 ,daniel also speaks of a general judgment3 ,i beheld till the thrones were cast down1 and the ,ancient of days did sit1 whose garment was white as snow1 and the hair of his head like the pure wool3 his throne was like the fiery flame1 and his wheels as burning fire4 ,a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him3 thousand thousands ministered unto him1 and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him3 the judgment was set1 and the books were opened4 ,the ,new ,testament is also explicit in its declarations that ,god hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained4 ,the text declares that we must all appear before the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,the scenes which will usher in the judgment of the great day will be of the most magnificent character4 ,the heavens shall pass away with a great noise1 and the elements shall melt with fervent heat2 the earth also1 and the works that are therein1 shall be burned up4 ,this does not indicate annihilation4 ,god will never annihilate any of his creatures1 animate or inanimate4 ,the inquiry is often made1 what becomes of the soul after death1 and where does it await the general judgment8 ,a sect called the ,soul-sleepers1 take the position that the soul1 after death1 goes into a torpid state1 like bears in winter1 and thus remains till the sounding of the ,archangel's trump4 ,there is no ,scripture to sustain this view1 and it is only assumed1 to avoid the objection that ,god would not judge a soul1 and send it to reward or punishment1 and then bring it back1 to be again judged4 ,that the soul1 at death1 passes immediately into glory or torment1 is proved by many scriptures4 ,paul desired to depart1 and be with ,christ1 which was far better1 than remaining on earth4 ,he declares that to be present with the body1 is to be absent from the ,lord4 ,the dying ,stephen calls upon the ,lord ,jesus to receive his spirit4 ,these holy men would not thus have spoken1 if they supposed that ages must elapse ere they entered heaven4 ,god is not the ,god of the dead or torpid1 but of the living4 ,moses and ,elias appeared on the mount of transfiguration in a state far from torpidity4 ,the dying thief received the promise1 ,this day shalt thou be with me in paradise4 ,no mention is made of ,purgatory or torpidity4 ,the objector urges that paradise is not heaven4 ,we are told that the river of life flows from the throne of ,god1 that the tree of life grows on both sides of the river1 and that the tree of life grows in the midst of the paradise of ,god4 ,the paradise of ,god is where he is seated on his throne1 which is heaven4 ,paradise is where ,christ is4 ,the thief would be with ,christ in paradise4 ,he who regards the ,lord ,jesus as the ,chief among ten thousand1 the ,one altogether lovely1 will deem his presence heaven indeed4 ,as to the wicked1 it is said of the rich man1 that in hell he lifted up his eyes1 being in torment4 ,if1 after being judged1 the souls of believers1 do pass immediately into glory1 and the wicked into torment1 what use is there of another or general judgment4 ,i reply1 ,we are responsible not only for our acts1 but for the influence which those acts exert through all time4 ,gibbon1 ,hume1 ,rosseau1 ,paine1 and other infidel writers1 wrote works which1 during the life of the authors1 did great evil4 ,if those wicked men passed away from earth impenitent1 they are now suffering the vengeance of eternal fire4 ,but the influence for evil1 of those wicked works1 did not cease with the death of their authors4 ,thousands of young men every year are led into pernicious and hurtful errors by their perusal4 ,at the general judgment1 the accumulated guilt1 for the baleful influence exerted through their writings in all time1 will sink them deeper in the flames of perdition4 ,the sainted ,alexander1 and other pious men who are now in heaven1 wrote many works whose influence for good was great while their authors lived2 and since their death they are1 and will continue to be1 instrumental in the hand of ,god in turning many to righteousness4 ,all the good accomplished by their writings1 through all time1 will1 at the judgment1 add to their exceeding and eternal weight of glory4 ,in this life1 we often see the righteous man contending with life's unnumbered woes2 all the dealings of ,providence seem to be adverse4 ,while the wicked are in great power1 they flourish in life1 like the green bay-tree1 and have no bands in their death4 ,these things are strange and mysterious4 ,we understand them not now2 but we shall learn1 in that great day1 when all mysteries are made plain1 that ,god's dealings were just1 both with the righteous and the wicked4 ,the text declares that we must all appear before the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,this we includes all who are now within the sound of my voice1 and not only us1 but all who live upon the face of the earth2 and the ,archangel's trump will wake the pale nations of the dead1 and summon them to judgment4 ,the dark domain of hell will be vacated1 and the angels that kept not their first estate1 and are now reserved in chains of darkness1 will appear in the presence of the ,judge4 ,heaven's holy inhabitants will be present4 ,thus heaven1 earth1 and hell1 will be represented in that august assemblage4 ,the scene will bear some resemblance to that which takes place in our earthly courts4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ will be the ,judge1 and the angels and saints will be the jurors1 who will consent to and approve of the acts of the ,judge4 ,the angels will be the officers who will summon1 from the prison-house of hell1 the devils1 to the trial1 and also those wicked men who will call upon the rocks and mountains to fall upon them1 and hide them from the face of the ,lamb4 ,nor1 as is so often the case with earthly officers1 will any be able to elude the vigilance of these4 ,they will be clothed with ample power to compel the attendance of all2 none will escape4 ,we must all appear before the judgment-seat4 ,as in earthly courts1 law is the basis of judgment1 so we shall be judged according to law in that day4 ,the heathen will be judged by the law of nature--the law written in their hearts1 and on their consciences4 ,the light of nature teaches the being1 wisdom1 power1 and goodness of ,god4 ,for a violation of this law1 they will be beaten with few stripes4 ,the ,jews will be judged by both the law of nature1 which they have1 in common with the heathen and the ,mosaic law4 ,but we who live in the nineteenth century1 in the full blaze of gospel light1 will be judged not only by the light of nature and the ,mosaic law1 which we possess in common with the heathen and the ,jew1 but also by the glorious gospel of the ,son of ,god1 which brought life and immortality to light2 and if condemned1 how fearful our doom1 who are so highly favoured6 ,in earthly courts1 we are judged for our overt acts alone2 but in the court of heaven1 the commandment is exceeding broad2 it reaches every thought4 ,our words1 too1 are taken into account4 ,we must give an account for every idle word4 ,by our words1 we shall be justified1 and by our words we shall be condemned4 ,our thoughts1 our words1 our deeds1 will all be taken into account4 ,as in our courts there are witnesses1 so also there will be at the bar of ,god4 ,our pious relatives and friends will bear this testimony1 that they have prayed with us and for us2 that they had a deep concern for our souls1 and that we who are found on the left hand of the ,judge1 refused all their counsel1 and despised their admonitions4 ,ministers of the gospel will testify that they came as ambassadors from the ,king of kings1 and beseeching you1 in ,christ's stead1 to be reconciled to ,god1 pointing to the coming wrath1 and warning you from that wrath to flee2 and yet their labour of love ye despised1 and scorned the message from on high4 ,the ,bible will be a witness against you4 ,its teachings are able to make wise unto salvation4 ,it is the chart which is given to guide us through this wilderness-world1 to fairer worlds on high4 ,it tells of the ,lamb of ,god1 who taketh away the sin of the world4 ,it is truth without any mixture of error1 and yet you have despised this necessary revelation1 and chosen to perish1 with the ,word of ,life open before you4 ,god1 the ,father1 will be a swift witness against you4 ,in the greatness of his love for you1 in the counsels of eternity1 he devised the plan of salvation1 and sent his only begotten ,son to suffer and die1 that you might live1 and yet you have despised that love1 and rejected that ,saviour4 ,god1 the ,son1 will bear this testimony1 that he came from the shining abodes of glory1 where seraphim and cherubim fell prostrate at his feet1 in humble adoration1 and emptying himself of his glory1 bore all the ills of life--the persecutions of wicked men1 and the accursed death of the cross1 that salvation might be yours1 and yet ye refused it1 and trod the blood of the ,son of ,god under foot1 and put him to an open shame4 ,the ,holy ,spirit1 the ,third ,person of the adorable ,trinity1 will bear witness that he often knocked at the door of your hearts for admittance2 that he wooed you to embrace his love1 offering to abide with you for ever1 and yet you rejected the offer1 and did despite to the ,spirit of grace1 till1 in sorrow1 he took his everlasting flight4 ,the devil is now going about as a roaring lion1 seeking whom he may devour1 and sometimes transforming himself into an angel of light4 ,he is tempting you to sin1 by presenting before your minds the superior charms of the riches and pleasures of earth1 to things that are unseen and eternal4 ,he has no power to compel you to sin4 ,his evil suggestions are whispered in your oft too willing ears1 and then it remains with you to accept or reject4 ,he has no power of compulsion4 ,your sin must be an act of your own will1 or it is not sin4 ,when you consent to the wiles of this arch enemy1 and sin against ,god1 remember that with eager desire and base ingratitude he will fiercely accuse in the great day of ,god ,almighty1 and urge these very sins of his suggestion as a reason why he should have you to torment you for ever in the bottomless pit4 ,that internal monitor1 that light which enlightens every man that cometh into the world--the moral sense1 or conscience--will be a swift witness against you4 ,by it you have been enlightened and warned2 and in the case of many who have denied a future state of punishment1 the goadings of remorse have convinced them that there is a hell1 the kindlings of whose fires they have felt in their own bosoms4 ,conscience will compel you to confess that your doom is just1 though for ever debarred from the joys and happiness of heaven4 ,o6 my fellow-prisoners and travellers to the bar of ,god1 listen to her warning voice to-day1 before it be too late1 and you are compelled mournfully to exclaim1 ,the harvest is past1 the summer is ended1 and ,i am not saved6 ,the conscience of the sinner will be compelled to admit the truth of the testimony4 ,in earthly courts1 oftentimes witnesses are suborned1 and their testimony false4 ,not so at the grand assize4 ,not a scrap of false testimony will be admitted4 ,the evidence will be in truth1 and the judgment in righteousness4 ,after all these scenes have occurred1 the ,judge will render a verdict1 and pronounce the sentence1 which will be irreversible and eternal4 ,with regard to the righteous1 though they have been guilty of many sins1 both of omission and commission1 and have no merits of their own to plead1 and consider themselves justly obnoxious to eternal banishment1 their ,advocate1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in whom1 while in the flesh1 they exercised a true and living faith1 will now present them1 clad in the white robes of his perfect righteousness1 faultless before his ,father1 and they will now hear the welcome plaudit1 ,come ye blessed1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world4 ,but those on the left hand1 who all their life rejected the mercy offered--the great salvation proffered without money and without price--will now hear the dread sentence1 ,depart1 ye cursed1 into everlasting fire1 prepared for the devil and his angels6 ,o my dear1 impenitent fellow-prisoners6 how can ye take up your abode1 your eternal abode1 in everlasting burnings8 ,how can ye dwell with devouring fire8 ,how can ye endure everlasting destruction from the presence of the ,lord and the glory of his power1 shut up for ever in the fearful pit out of which there is no egress except for the vision of the damned1 and the smoke of its torment8 ,be wise to-day1 'tis madness to defer4 ,procrastination is the thief of time4 ,delay is fraught with awful danger4 ,trust not in promises of future amendment4 ,the way to hell is paved with good resolutions1 which are never kept4 ,the future convenient season never arrives4 ,like ,felix1 we may tremble when the minister reasons of a judgment to come2 and like ,agrippa1 we may be almost persuaded to be a ,christian1 and yet come short of the glory of ,god through procrastination4 ,procrastination has populated hell4 ,all the doomed and damned from ,christian lands are victims of this pernicious and destructive wile of the devil4 ,it is foolish to procrastinate4 ,though the ,bible teems with rich and glorious promises of a hundred-fold blessings in this life1 and eternal glory in the world to come1 to those who break off their sins by righteousness1 and their transgressions by turning unto the ,lord1 yet all these promises are limited to the present tense4 ,there is not a single blessing promised the future penitent4 ,he procrastinates at the risk of losing all4 ,behold1 now is the accepted time1 and now is the day of salvation4 ,to-day if ye will hear his voice1 harden not your hearts4 ,ho1 every one that thirsteth1 come ye to the waters2 and he that hath no money1 come ye1 buy and eat2 yea1 come buy wine and milk without money and without price4 ,seek ye first the kingdom of ,god and his righteousness4 ,and the ,spirit and the ,bride say1 come2 let him that heareth say1 come2 and let him that is athirst come3 and whosoever will1 let him take the water of life freely4 ,choose ye this day whom ye will serve4 ,there is no warrant for deferring till to-morrow the momentous and eternal interests of the immortal soul4 ,the shortness and uncertainty of life furnish a strong reason why we should not procrastinate4 ,in the ,bible1 life is compared to everything that is swift1 transient1 and fleeting in its nature4 ,it is compared to the swoop of the eagle hasting to the prey2 to the swift post1 to the bubble on the river4 ,life is compared in its duration to a year1 a day1 and to nothing1 yea1 less than nothing1 and vanity4 ,all these comparisons indicate that it is very brief and evanescent4 ,we have no lease of life2 we hold it by a very slight tenure2 and this is especially true of us in our present condition4 ,confined in prison1 some of us led to death every day without a moment's warning1 every evening ,i address some who1 before the next evening1 are in eternity4 ,myself in chains1 my life declared forfeited1 ought we not all to be deeply impressed with the necessity of immediate preparation to meet our ,god8 ,i feel that ,i am preaching as a dying man to dying men1 and ,i beseech you in ,christ's stead1 be ye reconciled to ,god4 ,believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and ye shall be saved4 ,trust in him for salvation1 for he is faithful who has promised4 ,god has never said to any1 seek ye my face in vain4 ,by the love and mercy of ,god1 by the terrors of the judgment1 by the sympathy and compassion of ,jesus1 ,i entreat you1 my fellow-prisoners1 to seek an interest1 a present interest1 in the great salvation6 ,i close for the present4 ,we shall never all engage in divine service together again on earth4 ,we separate--some to go to a distant prison1 and some to death4 ,may ,god grant that when we are done with earthly scenes1 we may all meet in the realms of bliss1 where there is in ,god's presence fulness of joy1 and at his right hand pleasures for evermore6 ,and may the love of ,god1 the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and the communion of the ,holy ,spirit1 rest and abide with us1 and all the ,israel of ,god1 now1 henceforth1 and for ever1 ,amen6 ,the following hymn was then sung3 ,in the sun1 and moon1 and stars1 ,signs and wonders there shall be2 ,earth shall quake with inward wars1 ,nations with perplexity4 ,soon shall ocean's hoary deep1 ,tossed with stronger tempests1 rise2 ,wilder storms the mountains sweep1 ,louder thunders rock the skies4 ,dread alarms shall shake the proud1 ,pale amazement1 restless fear2 ,and1 amid the thunder-cloud1 ,shall the ,judge of men appear4 ,but though from his awful face1 ,heaven shall fade1 and earth shall fly1 ,fear not ye1 his chosen race1 ,your redemption draweth nigh4 ,i preached longer than ,i had intended1 having become so fully engrossed with the subject as to forget my chains and my frustrated plans4 ,my fellow-prisoners were listening apparently with interest2 great solemnity prevailed1 and penitential tears were flowing4 ,it was evident that the ,spirit of the living ,god was in our midst2 and though danger and death were before our eyes1 the consolations of the glorious gospel of the blessed ,god caused our peace to flow like a river4 ,the precious seed was sown in tears4 ,may we not entertain a good hope that he who cast the seed into this soil1 prepared by affliction1 shall come again with rejoicing1 bringing his sheaves with him4 ,by my side stood two in chains1 who appeared deeply moved4 ,during the day ,i had conversed with them about their souls4 ,they expressed regret that they had not heretofore given this matter the attention its importance demanded4 ,since their imprisonment1 however1 they had been led to feel that they were great sinners1 and had1 as they hoped1 put their trust in ,christ alone for salvation4 ,i have since learned that on the morrow they were shot4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,successful ,,escape4 ,the ,second ,plan of ,escape--,under the ,jail--,egress--,among the ,guards--,in the ,swamp--,travelling on the ,underground ,railroad--,the ,fare--,green ,corn eaten ,raw--,blackberries and ,stagnant ,water--,the ,bloodhounds--,tantalizing ,dreams--,the ,pickets--,the ,cows--,become ,sick--,fons ,beatus--,find ,friends--,union ,friend ,no4 ,two--,the night in the ,barn--,death of ,newman by ,scalding--,union ,friend ,no4 ,three--,bound for the ,union ,lines--,rebel ,soldiers--,black ,ox--,pied ,ox--,reach ,headquarters in ,safety--,emotions on again beholding the ,old ,flag--,kindness while ,sick--,meeting with his ,family--,richard ,malone again--,the ,serenade--,leave ,dixie--,northward bound4 ,after the sermon was concluded1 the preparations for my escape were commenced4 ,the building used for our prison was built with the front toward the east4 ,the doors were at the eastern and western extremities1 which were the gable ends1 one door being in each end4 ,there were also two windows at each end1 the door being between them4 ,the doors and window-sashes had been removed1 to allow the guards stationed in front an unobstructed view of the interior4 ,at night the apartment was lighted1 and a guard patrolled the floor2 it was1 therefore1 nearly impossible for a person to escape the observation of the guards1 either within or without the jail4 ,in the ,north1 the houses are usually built with a cellar underneath2 at the ,south1 such a thing is very rare1 the houses being built upon the ground1 or upon piles4 ,our prison was built upon piles1 the floor being elevated about eighteen inches above the ground4 ,the boards were nailed upon the building perpendicularly1 and in some cases did not quite reach to the ground4 ,small openings were thus left between the floor and the ground1 through which a person could crawl underneath the building4 ,around each door was an enclosure1 formed by stakes surmounted with poles1 in the shape of a parallelogram1 whose dimensions were about ten by sixteen feet4 ,in each of these enclosures four guards were stationed1 one of them being seated in the doorway4 ,the rear enclosure was used for cooking purposes2 and into both enclosures we were permitted to go at pleasure during all hours of the day1 and as late at night as ten o'clock4 ,only three prisoners were allowed to be in an enclosure at one time4 ,m---- had discovered a hole by the side of the steps within the front enclosure1 by which ,i could get under the building4 ,i felt unwilling to make such an attempt1 as the aperture was in the immediate vicinity of the guards4 ,m---- stated that four others would aid me1 though at considerable risk on their part4 ,i'll take the risk1 was the individual response of all present4 ,m---- selected three1 who with himself assumed the perilous task1 in which discovery would have cost them their lives4 ,m----1 who had devised the plan of escape1 now instructed us in the respective parts we were to perform4 ,all promised implicit obedience4 ,at half-past nine1 three prisoners and myself were to go into the enclosure4 ,they would stand up and converse with the guards1 whilst ,i sat upon the ground by the hole1 to wait for an opportunity to crawl under the building unobserved4 ,this opportunity we expected to occur at ten o'clock1 when the relief-guard came on duty4 ,the duty of one prisoner was to remain inside and engage the attention of the guard who sat in the doorway1 while the other three would go into the enclosure1 and entertain the other guards1 according to the previously devised plan4 ,at half-past nine o'clock1 we placed ourselves in the designated positions4 ,i readily removed my chain1 coiled it up1 and laid it by the side of a little stump4 ,the moon shone with great brilliancy1 revealing the tents which surrounded us on every side4 ,officers and soldiers passed hurriedly to and fro4 ,we were in the midst of the noise and confusion of a great encampment1 as there were in and around ,tupelo some fifteen thousand soldiers4 ,mingled sounds of mirth and contention proceeded from the surrounding tents4 ,my prisoner friends were engaged in a fierce argument with the guards as to the comparative merits of ,tennessee and ,mississippi troops4 ,this was done to divert their attention1 and ,i observed with pleasure that they were meeting with success4 ,i reflected that a few more moments would decide my fate4 ,if detected1 my life must end ignominiously and on the gallows4 ,in the morning1 my anklets would be securely welded4 ,i would also be handcuffed and chained to a post4 ,then all hope must end1 and soon my corpse would be borne into the presence of her whose tears were flowing1 and who refused to be comforted because of my ominous absence4 ,the order for the relief-guard now came loud and clear4 ,i heard their hurried tramp1 and saw their glittering bayonets in the bright moonlight4 ,the set time1 the appointed moment1 big with my fate1 had arrived4 ,i offered an ejaculatory prayer to ,him who sits upon the throne of heaven for protection at this critical moment4 ,the guard stood within ten feet of me1 with their eyes constantly upon me4 ,just as they were turning to receive the advancing relief-guard1 ,i crawled backward under the building1 and disappeared from their view4 ,the relief-guard went on duty1 and those relieved retired4 ,the prisoners were ordered into the house1 and as the new guards did not know that four were in the enclosure1 ,i was not missed4 ,illustration3 ,just as they were turning to receive the relief-guard1 ,i crawled backward under the building1 and disappeared from view4 ,page #agb4 ,i was now under the prison1 but there were guards on every side1 and the jail was in the midst of a camp1 so that ,i was still in great danger of detection4 ,i saw1 through the crevices in the floor1 the guard who patrolled the prison4 ,i heard the murmurings and mutterings of the prisoners1 as he occasionally trod upon them in his carelessness4 ,i could hear1 though not distinctly1 the conversation of the prisoners4 ,one of my assistants was detailing to his companions their success in getting me off unnoticed4 ,the prisoners slept but little that night1 owing to their anxiety for my safety1 and ,i frequently heard my name mentioned1 and hopes for my safety expressed4 ,i occasionally fell into uneasy slumbers1 but the fleas and other vermin were so annoying1 that my sleep refreshed me but little4 ,i could distinctly hear the new guard conversing1 and among other topics1 one remarked that he had forgotten the countersign2 the other replied that it was ,braxton4 ,well1 said the former1 ,i thought it was ,bragg1 or ,braxton1 or something like that4 ,knowing the countersign emboldened me1 as ,i could1 if halted1 give it1 and pass on4 ,i soon crawled to the north side of the prison1 and found that there were three apertures sufficiently large to admit of my egress4 ,upon reaching the first one1 ,i found a number of guards1 some sitting and some lying so close to it1 that ,i dared not make the attempt at that point4 ,crawling to the second1 ,i remained till there was comparative quiet2 but at the instant ,i was about to pass out1 a soldier1 who was lying with his face toward me1 commenced to cough1 and continued to do so1 at intervals1 for more than an hour4 ,finding it unadvisable to run the risk of detection at this point1 ,i made my way1 with considerable difficulty1 to the third and last aperture1 near the rear of the building1 and not very distant from the rear-guards4 ,i remained at this aperture till ,i heard one guard say to another that it was three o'clock1 and that they must soon go on duty4 ,i felt confident that then was my time1 or never1 as morning would find me under the house1 and ,i would be re-arrested in that situation4 ,committing myself into the hands of ,god1 and asking him to keep me from detection1 and grant me a safe escape1 ,i arose from under the building1 passed by two sleeping guards1 who were lying within three or four feet of the prison4 ,as it was my first essay at walking without chains1 ,i reeled1 as if under the influence of strong drink1 striking my foot against the head of one of those sleeping guards1 who1 awaking1 turned over1 and uttering some exclamation of disapprobation1 took no further notice of me1 doubtless mistaking me for one of his companions4 ,after proceeding a few steps1 ,i sat down upon the ground among some of the guards4 ,i took out my knife1 and whistling1 to appear as unconcerned as possible1 commenced whittling a stump1 around which they were collected--some sitting1 some standing1 and others reclining4 ,i readily passed for one of them1 as ,i was wearing a colored shirt1 which resembled that worn by the guards4 ,i soon1 however1 arose1 and wound my way among the various groups1 endeavouring to reach the corn-field1 to which ,i had made my first escape4 ,after passing the guards off duty1 a sentinel arose a short distance in front of me1 evidently with the intention of halting me1 if ,i advanced farther4 ,stopping a few minutes1 to avoid suspicion1 ,i changed my direction1 bearing southwest1 and after a time1 got into the woods4 ,kneeling down1 ,i returned ,god thanks for thus crowning my efforts with success1 and prayed for his continuous protection1 and that he would choose out my path1 that ,i might escape detection1 and rejoin my family and friends in safety4 ,i now pursued my journey rapidly in a southwest direction1 choosing that which led directly from my home1 for two reasons4 ,the cavalry and bloodhounds would not be so likely to follow in that direction1 and after listening1 while in prison1 to the drum-beat morning and evening1 in the various surrounding camps1 ,i noticed that it had ceased in the southwest for several mornings2 hence ,i supposed that the camp in that direction had been broken up1 and that1 in taking that route1 ,i could more readily get beyond the rebel pickets1 and then ,i could change my course1 and bear northward1 and reach the ,federal lines at some point on the ,memphis and ,charleston railroad4 ,i hastened on till the sun arose1 having passed through woods and corn-fields1 studiously avoiding all roads1 when1 as ,i was rapidly travelling along a narrow path1 ,i met a negro4 ,the suddenness of our meeting alarmed both4 ,i1 in a peremptory tone1 addressed him1 in quick succession1 the following interrogatories3 ,where are you going8 ,to whom do you belong8 ,where have you been8 ,have you a pass8 ,i belong1 said the boy1 trembling1 to ,mr4 ----4 ,i have been to wife's house2 am gwine back home1 but ,i haint got nary pass4 ,i suppose it is all right with you8 ,oh1 yes1 master6 it's all right wid me4 ,concluding that it was not all right wid myself1 ,i hurried on1 soon leaving the path1 and turning into a dense woods4 ,travelling on till about one ,p4 ,m41 ,i came to an open country1 so extensive that ,i could not go round it1 neither could ,i1 in daylight1 travel through it with safety4 ,i sought out a place to hide1 and finding a ditch which bisected a corn-field1 ,i concealed myself in that4 ,during the day1 negroes and whites passed near1 without discovering me4 ,becoming hungry1 ,i ate a small piece of the bread which one of my fellow-prisoners had given me1 but it made me quite sick4 ,on my former escape1 ,i had1 just before leaving the house1 traded pants with a fellow-prisoner1 without his knowledge or consent4 ,on my return1 he refused to trade back4 ,my reason for trading was1 to get a dark pair1 as mine were so light-coloured1 ,i feared the guards would discover me more readily4 ,their owner had been accustomed to use tobacco1 and the bread had become tinctured with it4 ,tobacco being very offensive to me1 its presence on my bread caused me to lose it4 ,the day passed away1 and the night came4 ,the stars came out in silent glory1 one by one4 ,fixing my eye upon the pole-star1 the underground railroad travellers' guide1 ,i set out1 bearing a little to the west of north4 ,i soon reached the thick woods1 and found it very difficult to make rapid progress1 in consequence of the dense under-growth and obscure light4 ,the bushes would strike me in the eyes1 and often the top of a fallen tree would cause me to make quite a circuit4 ,soon1 however1 the moon arose in her brightness--the old silver moon4 ,but her light ,i found to be far less brilliant than that of the sun1 and her rays were much obscured by the dense foliage overhead2 hence my progress was necessarily slow1 laboured1 and toilsome4 ,i slept but little during the day1 in consequence of the proximity of those who might be bitter foes1 and also the unpleasant position ,i occupied1 as the ditch in which ,i had concealed myself was muddy1 and proved an uncomfortable bed4 ,i therefore became weary1 my limbs stiff from travel and from the pressure of the heavy iron bands4 ,sleep overpowered me1 and ,i laid down in the leaves1 and slept till the cold awoke me1 which1 judging from the moon's descent1 must have been an hour and a half4 ,the nights in ,mississippi are invariably cool1 however hot the days may be4 ,arising from my uneasy slumber1 ,i pressed on4 ,my thirst1 which for some time had been increasing1 now became absolutely unendurable4 ,i knew not where to obtain water1 not daring to go near a well1 through fear of being arrested4 ,at length ,i heard some suckling pigs and their dam1 at a short distance from me1 in the woods4 ,there seemed to be no alternative4 ,i must either perish1 or obtain some fluid to slake my raging thirst2 so ,i resolved to catch a little pig1 cut its throat1 and drink the blood4 ,i searched for my knife1 but ,i had lost it4 ,i was1 therefore1 reluctantly compelled to abandon my design on the suckling's life4 ,as ,i went forward1 the sow and her brood started up alarmed1 and in their flight1 plunged into water4 ,i immediately followed1 and found a mud-hole4 ,removing the green scum1 ,i drank deep of the stagnant pool4 ,my thirst was only partially quenched by this draught1 and soon returned4 ,as day dawned1 ,i found some sassafras leaves1 which ,i chewed1 to allay the pangs of hunger2 but they formed a paste which ,i could not swallow4 ,i soon after came to an old field1 where ,i obtained an abundant supply of blackberries1 which not only served to check the gnawings of hunger1 but also to allay my intolerable thirst4 ,i reflected that this day was the holy ,sabbath1 but it brought neither rest to my weary frame1 nor composure to my agitated and excited mind4 ,like ,salathiel1 the ,wandering ,jew1 the word ,march6 was ringing in my ears4 ,onward6 was my motto2 ,liberty or death6 my watchword4 ,about ten o'clock ,i came to an open country1 and sought out a ditch1 in which to conceal myself4 ,here ,i fell into a troubled sleep4 ,i saw1 in dreams1 tables groaning under the weight of the most delicious viands1 and brooks of crystal waters1 bubbling and sparkling as they rushed onward in their meandering course2 but when ,i attempted to grasp them1 they served me as they did ,tantalus1 of olden time1 by vanishing into thin air1 or receding beyond my reach4 ,while lying here1 ,i was now and then aroused by the trampling of horses grazing in the field1 which ,i feared might be bringing on my pursuers4 ,and once the voices of men1 mingled with the sounds of horses' feet upon a little bridge1 some twenty feet distant1 induced me to look out from my hiding-place1 and lo6 two cavalry-men--perhaps hunting for my life6--rode along4 ,when the sun had reached the zenith1 ,i was again startled by voices1 which approached nearer and nearer my place of concealment1 till at length the cause was discovered4 ,several children1 both black and white1 had come from a farm-house1 about a quarter of a mile distant1 to gather blackberries along the margin of the ditch4 ,they soon discovered me1 and seemed somewhat startled and alarmed at my appearance4 ,i soon saw them gazing down upon me1 in my moist bed1 with evident amazement and alarm4 ,pallid1 haggard1 unshaven1 and covered with mud1 ,i must have presented a frightful picture4 ,as soon as the children passed me1 fearing the report they would carry home1 ,i arose from my lair1 and hurried on1 though ,i had to pass in sight of several houses4 ,after travelling three or four miles through an open champaign country1 ,i came to a dense woods1 bordering a stream which had ceased running1 in consequence of the great drought that had1 for a long time1 prevailed throughout this section of ,mississippi4 ,the creek had been a large one1 and in the deep holes1 some water still remained1 though warm1 and covered with a heavy scum1 and mingled with the spawn of frogs4 ,i drank it1 however1 from sheer necessity1 tepid and unhealthy as it was4 ,it did not allay my thirst1 but created a nausea1 which was very unpleasant4 ,about four o'clock ,p4 ,m41 ,i was startled by the baying of bloodhounds behind me1 and apparently on my track4 ,before escaping from jail1 ,i had been advised by the prisoners to obtain some onions1 as these1 rubbed on the soles of my boots1 would destroy the scent4 ,they could only be procured1 however1 by a visit to some garden-patch1 and ,i feared to go so near a house4 ,i had left no clothes in prison from which the hounds could obtain the scent in order to find my track1 and my starting in a southwest direction was an additional precaution against bloodhounds4 ,their baying soon became alarmingly distinct4 ,having heard them almost every night for years1 as they hunted down the fugitive slave1 ,i could not mistake the fearful import of their howling4 ,i could devise no plan for breaking the trail4 ,dan ,boone1 when pursued by ,indians1 succeeded in baffling the hounds by catching at some overhanging branches1 and swinging himself forward4 ,negroes often destroy the scent by carrying matches1 and setting the leaves on fire4 ,one negro of whom ,i heard1 ran along the brink of a precipice1 and dug a recess back from the narrow path4 ,crawling into it1 he remained till the hounds reached that point1 when he thrust them from the path4 ,they fell and were dashed to pieces on the jagged rocks below4 ,none of these plans were practicable to me1 and ,i supposed death imminent1 either from being torn to pieces by the hounds1 or by being shot by the cavalry1 who were following them4 ,climbing a tree1 ,i resolved to await the arrival of the cavalry1 and having determined to die rather than be taken back again to ,tupelo1 ,i would refuse to obey any summons to descend4 ,o1 how ,i wished for my navy repeater1 that ,i might sell my life as dearly as possible6 that ,i might make some secessionist bite the dust ere ,i was slain6 ,i often thought of the couplet in the old song-- ,the hounds are baying on my track1 ,christian1 will you send me back8 ,a feeling of strong sympathy arose in my bosom for the poor ,african1 who1 in his endeavour to escape from the ,iron ,furnace of ,southern slavery1 often encountered the bloodhounds1 and was torn to pieces by them4 ,a fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind4 ,i had remained but a short time in the tree1 when ,i ascertained that the hounds were bearing eastward1 and they soon passed at a distance4 ,they were on the track of some other poor fugitive1 and ,i rejoiced again in the hope of safety4 ,coming to a corn-field1 ,i plucked two ears of corn1 and ate them raw1 having no matches wherewith to kindle a fire1 which1 indeed1 would have increased my peril1 as the smoke might advertise my presence to bitter and unrelenting foes4 ,toward night ,i lay down in the woods1 and fell asleep4 ,visions of abundance1 both to eat and drink1 haunted me1 and every unusual sound would startle me4 ,a fly peculiar to the ,south1 whose buzz sounded like the voice of an old man1 often awoke me with the fear that my enemies were near4 ,as soon as ,ursa ,minor appeared1 ,i took up my line of march4 ,the night was very dark1 and ,i became somewhat bewildered4 ,at length ,i reached a crossroads1 and as ,i was emerging from the wood1 ,i saw two pickets a few yards from me4 ,stooping down1 ,i crawled on my hands and knees back into the woods4 ,as ,i retired1 ,i heard one picket say to the other1 ,who is that8 ,he replied1 ,it is the lieutenant of the guard4 ,what does he want8 said the first4 ,he is slipping round to see if we are asleep4 ,after ,i got a safe distance in the bushes1 ,i lay down and slept till the moon arose4 ,to the surprise of my bewildered brain1 it seemed to rise in the west4 ,taking my course1 ,i hastened on1 sometimes through woods1 sometimes through cornfields1 and sometimes through swamps4 ,coming to a large pasture1 in which a number of cows were grazing1 ,i tried to obtain some milk1 but none of them would allow me to approach near enough to effect my purpose4 ,my face was not of the right colour1 and my costume belonged to a sex that never milked them4 ,i travelled until day-break1 when ,i concealed myself in a thicket of cane1 and had scarcely fallen asleep when ,i heard the sound of the reveille1 in a camp close at hand4 ,arising1 ,i hurriedly beat a retreat1 and travelled several hours before ,i dared take any rest4 ,i at length lay down amid the branches of a fallen tree1 and slept4 ,visions of home and friends flitted before me4 ,voices sweet and kind greeted me on all sides4 ,the bitter taunts of cruel officers no longer assailed my ears4 ,the loved ones at home were present1 and the joys of the past were renewed4 ,but1 alas6 the falling of a limb dissipated all my fancied pleasures4 ,the reality returned1 and ,i was still a fugitive escaping for life1 and in the midst of a hostile country4 ,to-day my mock trial would have taken place1 and ,i fancied the disappointment of ,woodruff1 who had stated that to his knowledge ,i was a spy1 and to-day would have sworn it4 ,and ,barnes1 the mail-robber1 recommended for promotion because of his heroism in re-arresting me1 how sad he must feel1 that the bird had flown1 and that he would not have the pleasure of witnessing my execution4 ,i thanked ,god and took courage4 ,though faint and weary1 ,i was still hopeful and trusting1 often repeating1 ',tis ,god has led me safe thus far1 ,and he will bring me home4 ,on this 7,monday7 night1 ,i travelled steadily1 crossing swamps1 corn-fields1 woods1 and pastures4 ,i came to only one cotton-field during the night4 ,i passed through several wheat-fields1 where the wheat had been harvested2 ,i pulled a handful from a shock1 and rubbed out some of the grain1 but it was so bitter ,i could not eat it4 ,i suspected every bush a secessionist1 though ,i felt much more secure at night than in daylight4 ,i avoided roads as much as possible1 travelling on none except to cross them1 which was done with great rapidity4 ,the rising sun still found me pressing onward1 and thirst and hunger were now consuming me4 ,to satisfy hunger1 ,i had recourse to the corn-field2 but ,i could find no water4 ,i would gladly have drank any kind of beverage1 however filthy1 so that my thirst might be allayed4 ,about nine o'clock1 when ,i had almost despaired of getting water at all1 ,i came to a copious fountain in a gorge of the hills1 and from its appearance1 ,i seemed to be the discoverer4 ,around it there was no trace of human foot1 nor hoof of cattle4 ,on beholding it1 ,i wept with joy4 ,i remained by it about four hours1 quaffing its cool and crystal waters1 the first running water ,i had tasted since leaving prison4 ,i also bathed my body and washed my clothes1 drying them in the sun1 and endeavoured to rid them of vermin1 in which ,i only partially succeeded4 ,i named this fountain ,fons ,beatus1 and left it with sincere sorrow4 ,three o'clock1 ,p4 ,m41 arrived1 and ,i felt bewildered4 ,i knew not where ,i was4 ,i might be near friends1 ,i might be near bloodthirsty foes4 ,i could scarcely walk4 ,my iron bands had become very irksome4 ,i felt that ,i was becoming childish4 ,i could tell all my bones4 ,i tried to pray1 but could only utter1 ,lord1 be merciful to me1 a sinner6 ,still ,i felt thankful that it was so well with me as it was4 ,at that very hour1 had ,i not escaped1 ,i should have been either on the scaffold at ,tupelo1 or suspended between heaven and earth1 surrounded by an insulting and jeering army4 ,this reflection made me thankful to ,god1 even though ,i should die in the swamps4 ,the sky became overcast1 and ,i found it impossible to distinguish north from south4 ,i therefore concealed myself and slept4 ,it was night when ,i awoke1 and the clouds still covered the sky threateningly1 concealing my guiding star1 and rendering it impossible for me to proceed4 ,thus1 when ,i wished most to go forward1 my progress was arrested1 and my distressing suspense prolonged4 ,during the whole night ,i was asleep and awake alternately1 but could not at any time discern either moon or stars4 ,once1 while sleeping behind a fallen tree by the roadside1 a horseman passed by4 ,his dog1 a large and ferocious-looking animal1 came running along by the side of the tree where ,i was lying4 ,when he reached me1 ,i raised up suddenly and brandishing a club menacingly1 the alarmed and howling dog incontinently and ingloriously fled1 leaving me master of the field4 ,on ,wednesday morning the sun was still obscured until nine o'clock4 ,i was then sick4 ,there was a ringing in my ears1 and ,i was affected with vertigo1 a dimness of vision and faintness1 which rendered me absolutely unfit for travel4 ,it required an hour to walk a quarter of a mile4 ,i found a good supply of blackberries1 which very much refreshed me4 ,before me was a hill1 the top of which ,i reached after two hours' laborious ascent4 ,i despaired of getting much further4 ,i thought ,i must perish in the ,iron ,furnace of secession1 which was heated very hot for me4 ,feeling confident that ,i must be near ,tippah county1 and knowing that there were many ,union men in that county1 ,i resolved to call at the first house on my route4 ,if ,i remained where ,i was1 ,i must perish1 as ,i could go no further1 and if ,i met with a ,union family1 ,i should be saved2 if with a secesh1 ,i might possibly impose upon their credulity1 and get refreshment without being arrested4 ,they might1 however1 cause my arrest4 ,it was a dilemma such as ,i hope never to be placed in again4 ,about an hour before sunset ,i came to a house1 and remained near it for some time4 ,at length ,i saw a negro girl come to the door4 ,knowing that where there were negroes1 in nine cases out of ten there were secessionists near1 ,i left the house as quickly as my enfeebled condition would permit4 ,going to another house1 ,i remained near it till ,i was satisfied there were no negroes held by that family4 ,i then went boldly up1 knocked1 gained admittance1 and asked for some water1 which was given me4 ,the lady of the house1 scrutinizing me closely1 asked me if ,i were from ,tupelo4 ,i replied in the affirmative4 ,she then inquired my name4 ,i gave her my ,christian name1 ,john ,hill1 suppressing the surname4 ,her husband was sitting near1 a man of ,herculean frame2 and as the wife's inquisitiveness was beginning to alarm me1 ,i turned to him and said3 ,my friend1 you are a man of great physical powers1 and at this time you ought to be in the army4 ,the ,yankees are overrunning all our country1 and the service of every man is needed4 ,his wife replied that he was not in the army1 nor would he go into it1 unless he was forced to go4 ,they had been told that the cavalry would be after him in a few days1 to take him as a conscript2 but she considered the conscript law1 base and tyrannical4 ,overjoyed at the utterance of such sentiments as these1 ,i then revealed my true character4 ,i told them that ,i had recently made my escape from ,tupelo1 where ,i was doomed to execution on the gallows1 and that ,i was now flying from prison and from death4 ,i then exhibited the iron bands upon my ankles4 ,both promised all the aid in their power4 ,the lady at once proposed to prepare supper1 but ,i was too near the point of starvation to await the slow process of cooking4 ,she therefore turned down the tablecloth1 which covered the fragments remaining from dinner1 and disclosed some corn bread and ,irish potatoes4 ,though ,i never liked corn bread1 ,i must confess ,i thought that was the sweetest morsel ,i had ever tasted4 ,after eating a little1 however1 ,i became very sick1 and was compelled to desist4 ,it was so long since ,i had partaken of any substantial food1 that my stomach now could not bear it4 ,the lady soon prepared supper1 consisting of broiled chicken1 and other delicacies4 ,the fowl was quite small1 and ,i ate nearly the whole of it1 much to the chagrin of a little daughter of mine host1 whom ,i heard complaining to her mother1 afterward1 in an adjoining room1 saying1 ,ma1 all ,i got of that chicken was a little piece of the wing1 and aint that gentleman a hoss to eat8 with other remarks by no means complimentary to my voracious appetite4 ,after supper1 mine host endeavoured to remove the heavy iron bands by which my ankles were clasped4 ,this was accomplished after considerable labour4 ,i asked him to retain the bands till called for1 which he promised to do4 ,the good lady furnished me with water and a suit of her husband's clothes4 ,after performing a thorough ablution1 ,i donned the suit1 and felt completely metamorphosed1 and was thoroughly disguised1 as my new suit had been made for a man of vastly larger physical proportions4 ,i spent the night with my new friends1 during which a heavy thunder-storm passed over4 ,had ,i been out in the drenching rain in my wretched condition1 ,i must surely have perished4 ,in the morning my host informed me of a ,union man who knew the country in the direction of ,rienzi1 the point which ,i now determined to reach4 ,this gentleman lived half a mile distant1 and my host accompanied me to a thicket near his house1 where ,i concealed myself till he brought ,mr4 ---- to me4 ,said my friend ,no4 #b1 ,i am not familiar with the route to ,rienzi1 but will go with you to friend ,no4 #c1 who ,i am positive is well acquainted with the road4 ,he can take you through the woods1 so as to avoid the ,confederate cavalry4 ,as ,i undertake this at the risk of my life1 we must wait till night4 ,i would gladly have you come to my house1 but ,i fear that it might transpire through my children that ,i had helped you to escape4 ,i have a large family1 and most of 'em is gals1 and you know gals will talk4 ,you can stay in my barn till ,i come for you4 ,i will carry you provisions during the day1 and to-night we will go to my friend's4 ,about three o'clock in the morning1 he came with two horses1 one of which he mounted1 and ,i the other4 ,the horse ,i rode was a blooded animal1 and to use my friend's expression1 could run like a streak of lightning4 ,i provided myself with a good whip1 resolving1 in case of danger1 to put my horse to his utmost speed4 ,a short time after daylight1 we reached friend ,no4 #c1 who promised to conduct me to ,rienzi4 ,while at his house1 ,i learned that a ,unionist1 ,mr4 ,n----1 had been killed under circumstances of the greatest cruelty4 ,his sentiments had become known to the rebels4 ,he was arrested by their cavalry1 and refusing to take the oath1 they resolved to put him to death on the spot4 ,he had a large family of small children1 who1 together with his wife1 begged that his life might be spared4 ,he himself had no favours to ask of the secessionists4 ,among his foes1 the only point of dispute was1 as to the mode of his death4 ,some favoured shooting1 some hanging2 but the prevailing majority were in favour of scalding him to death4 ,and there1 in the presence of his weeping and helpless family1 these fiends in human form deliberately heated water1 with which they scalded to death their chained and defenceless victim4 ,thus perished a patriot of whom the ,state was not worthy4 ,the corpse was then suspended from a tree1 with a label on the breast1 stating that whoever cut him down and buried him1 should suffer the same fate4 ,my companions cut down the corpse by night1 and buried it in the forest4 ,may ,god reward them6 ,my friend ,no4 #c thought that it would be best to travel in daylight4 ,he could follow by-paths1 and avoid the rebel cavalry4 ,we started about eight o'clock on ,friday morning1 and met with no incident worth narrating until we reached a mill2 here we fell in with some six or seven rebel soldiers1 who had been out on sick furlough1 and were returning4 ,they scanned us closely1 and inquired whence we came1 and whither bound4 ,my friend specified a neighbourhood from which he affirmed we came1 and stated that we were hunting stray oxen1 asking whether they had seen a black ox and a pied ox in their travels4 ,they replied in the negative2 and in turn asked him who ,i was4 ,he replied that ,i was his wife's brother1 who had come from ,alabama about three months ago4 ,they said ,i looked like death on a pale hoss1 and wished to know what was the matter with me--if ,i were consumptive4 ,my friend replied that ,i had had the chills for several months2 and as there was no quinine in the country1 it was impossible to stop them4 ,during this inquisition1 ,i was ready at any moment to put spur to my horse1 and run a race for life1 had any attempt been made to arrest me1 or if ,i had been recognised by any of the soldiers4 ,we were1 however1 permitted to pass on1 not without some suspicious glances4 ,we at length reached a point ten miles from ,rienzi4 ,my guide now insisted on returning4 ,it would be morning ere he reached home1 and if met by cavalry1 he must invent some plausible excuse for having a led horse4 ,nor did he dare return by the same route4 ,knowing the country1 ,i permitted him to return4 ,i then set out on foot1 and at length reached the ,federal pickets1 three miles from ,rienzi1 where a horse was furnished me2 and about ten o'clock ,i reached the head-quarters of ,colonel ,misner in ,rienzi4 ,when ,i gazed upon the star-spangled banner1 beneath whose ample folds there was safety and protection--when ,i saw around me the ,union hosts--,i shed tears of joy1 and from the depths of my heart returned thanks to ,almighty ,god1 who had given me my life at my request1 preserving me1 amid dangers seen and unseen1 till ,i now was safe amid hosts of friends4 ,colonel ,misner requested me to report all that would be of service to ,general ,rosecrans1 which ,i did1 he copying my report as ,i gave it4 ,i reported1 so far as ,i was informed1 the probable number of troops in and around ,tupelo1 the topography of the country1 the probable designs of the rebels1 the number of troops sent to ,richmond under ,beauregard1 c4 ,the ,colonel requested me to go with him to head-quarters in the morning2 but at the hour specified ,i was sick1 and my physician1 ,dr4 ,holley1 of the ,thirty-sixth ,illinois1 thought it would not be advisable for me to go1 even in an ambulance4 ,my report1 however1 was carried up to ,general ,rosecrans4 ,through proper treatment ,i recovered in a few days1 so as to be able to go into ,jacinto1 the nearest point in the ,federal lines to my family4 ,i called on ,general ,jefferson ,c4 ,davis1 who was in command of that post4 ,the ,general had heard of my arrest1 and expressed gratification at my safe return4 ,i informed him of my desire to get my family within the lines4 ,the ,general immediately proffered me all the cavalry at his command1 and ordered them to prepare for the expedition4 ,i thankfully accepted his kind offer1 but after reflection concluded to send a messenger first1 with a letter to my wife2 if he were not intercepted1 ,i knew that she would come in as soon as possible4 ,the order to the cavalry was countermanded until this plan would be tried4 ,the messenger was not intercepted1 and on the next day ,i had the pleasure of beholding my wife and child1 whose faces1 a short time before1 ,i had given up all hope of ever beholding on earth4 ,while here1 ,i called on my friend1 ,lieutenant ,richard ,malone1 who resides in ,jacinto4 ,on inquiring at his house for him1 he heard my voice1 and ran out to the gate to meet me4 ,grasping my hand1 he could not for some time control his emotions so as to speak4 ,malone gave me his history since we had parted at the outer wall of the prison4 ,he reached the corn-field at the point designated1 and anxiously awaited my arrival until near daylight1 when he was compelled to seek safety in flight4 ,we had agreed to meet in the corn-field at a place where there was a garment suspended upon the fence4 ,we think there must have been two garments suspended at different points1 and hence our mistake4 ,we could not signal loud in consequence of the nearness of the pickets1 and therefore did not meet4 ,soon after daylight1 ,malone found himself in the midst of a cavalry company which had encamped there during the night2 they were making preparations for departure1 and the majority of them were gathering blackberries4 ,joining them1 he passed as a citizen1 and when he reached the rear of the company1 he gathered some sticks in his arms1 and started towards a small cabin at a short distance1 as if it were his residence4 ,before reaching it1 he made a detour to the right1 and passed into the dense woods4 ,on the next day1 about ten o'clock1 ,a4 ,m41 he reached an open champaign country1 through which it would have been dangerous to travel4 ,to the west1 about three hundred yards distant1 was a dense woods1 which he hoped to reach without detection4 ,while travelling down a road for this purpose1 four cavalrymen who were in pursuit dashed towards him1 and ordered him to return with them to ,tupelo4 ,malone replied1 that as it was useless to resist1 he must submit4 ,he asked for some water2 they had none in their canteens1 but went to a house in the distance to obtain some4 ,malone was ordered to march before them1 which he was compelled to do1 though famishing from hunger and thirst4 ,on reaching the house1 they all went to the well and drew a bucket of water4 ,there being no dipper1 ,malone remarked that he would go into the house and get one4 ,one of the guards followed1 and stationed himself at the door with his gun4 ,malone went into the house1 and immediately passed out at the back door4 ,the garden gate being open1 he passed into the garden1 when he commenced running4 ,two women in the house noticed his running1 and clapping their hands exclaimed1 ,your ,yankee's gone6 ,your ,yankee's gone6 ,the guards immediately followed1 ordering him to halt1 and firing at him with their revolvers4 ,malone quickly reached a corn-field1 and soon after a swamp1 whence he made good his escape1 and after various vicissitudes reached his family in ,jacinto1 where ,i now found him4 ,i returned to ,rienzi with my family1 resolved to leave for the ,north4 ,my wife1 before leaving her father's1 learned1 through a letter sent by a rebel officer to his wife1 that all the guards who were on duty during the night ,i escaped from prison1 were placed under close arrest1 and were still in the dungeon at the time of his writing4 ,there were eleven guards on each relief1 and three reliefs during the night2 there were1 therefore1 thirty-three guards placed under arrest because of my escape4 ,on the night previous to our departure from ,rienzi1 we were honoured with a serenade1 through the politeness of ,general ,granger1 of the cavalry1 and ,colonel ,bryner1 of the ,forty-seventh ,illinois ,regiment4 ,being called on for a speech1 ,i thus responded3 ,,gentlemen--,i return you sincere thanks for the honour intended myself and family4 ,in the language of the last tune played by your band1 ,i truly feel at home again1 and it fills my soul with joy to meet my friends once more4 ,what a vast difference a few miles makes6 ,tupelo is about forty miles south of ,rienzi1 on an air-line4 ,there ,i was regarded as a base ingrate1 as a despicable traitor1 as an enemy to the country1 chained as a felon1 doomed to die1 and before the execution of the sentence1 subjected to every species of insult and contumely4 ,here ,i meet with the kindest expressions of sympathy from officers of all ranks1 from the subaltern to the general1 and there is not a private soldier who has heard my tale of woe1 who does not manifest a kindly sympathy4 ,i hope that you will soon pass south of ,tupelo2 but in your march to the ,gulf1 may you fare better than ,i did in my journey to this place4 ,green corn eaten raw1 berries1 and stagnant water1 would soon cause you to present the emaciated appearance that ,i do4 ,on your route1 call upon the secession sympathizers1 and compel them to furnish you with better and more substantial food4 ,my horse ,i left at ,tupelo4 ,he is a valuable animal4 ,the rebel ,general ,hardee1 in the true spirit of secession1 appropriated--that is1 stole--him4 ,however1 ,i did not call to demand him when ,i left4 ,being in haste1 ,i did not choose to spare the time1 and leaving in the night1 ,i did not wish to disturb the slumbers of the ,tupelonians4 ,he is a bright bay4 ,if you meet with him1 you may have him for nothing4 ,i would much prefer that he serve the ,federal army4 ,if you take ,general ,jordan prisoner1 send me word1 and ,i will furnish you with the iron bands that he put on me1 by which you may secure him till he meets the just award of his crimes1 which would be death1 for destroying the lives of so many ,union men4 ,i hope that you may soon plant the stars and stripes on the shores of the ,gulf of ,mexico1 and play the ,star-spangled ,banner within hearing of its vertiginous billows1 after having conquered every foe to the permanence of the glorious ,union4 ,i close with the sentiment of the immortal ,jackson1 which ,i wish you to bear constantly in mind1 in your victorious progress--,the ,federal ,union--it must and shall be preserved6 ,relying upon the ,god of battles1 rest assured that the right cause will triumph1 and that after having secured the great object of your warfare1 the preservation of the ,union1 your children and your children's children will rise up and call you blessed1 rejoicing in the enjoyment of a free1 united1 and happy country4 ,wishing you abundant success1 ,i beg leave to retire4 ,on ,saturday1 the #b;d of ,august1 #ahfb1 we left ,rienzi1 en route for the ,north1 in company with ,william ,h4 ,hubbard1 ,esq41 and family1 who were also refugees4 ,from the moment ,i reached the ,federal lines ,i experienced nothing but kindness4 ,i could not mention all who are deserving of thanks from myself and family4 ,i am under special obligations to ,generals ,nelson1 ,rosecrans1 ,granger1 ,davis1 and ,asboth2 also to ,colonel ,bryner and ,lieutenant ,colonel ,thrush1 of the ,forty-seventh ,illinois1 and ,surgeon ,lucas1 of same regiment1 and to ,dr4 ,holley1 of the ,thirty-sixth ,illinois ,volunteers2 to ,josiah ,king1 ,esq41 of ,pittsburgh1 ,pennsylvania2 and ,dr4 ,mc,cook1 of ,steubenville1 ,ohio2 also ,mrs4 ,ann ,wheelwright1 of ,newburyport1 ,massachusetts1 whose kind letter will ever be remembered1 and whose material aid entitles her to lasting gratitude2 and to ,rev4 ,george ,potts1 ,d4 ,d41 of ,new ,york2 and ,mr4 ,william ,e4 ,dubois1 of ,philadelphia2 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,sprole1 ,newburgh1 ,new ,york2 ,rev4 ,n4 ,hewitt1 ,d4 ,d41 ,bridgeport1 ,connecticut2 and ,rev4 ,f4 ,n4 ,ewing1 ,chicago1 ,illinois2 ,rev4 ,j4 ,m4 ,krebs1 ,d4 ,d41 ,new ,york2 ,rev4 ,a4 ,d4 ,smith1 ,d4 ,d41 ,new ,york2 and ,rev4 ,f4 ,reck ,harbaugh1 ,philadelphia1 and many others4 ,before closing this chapter ,i would mention the following incident3 ,on ,wednesday evening1 ,november #aith1 ,i addressed the citizens of ,philadelphia at the ,sixth ,presbyterian ,church1 7,rev4 ,f4 ,reck ,harbaugh's47 ,a report of this address found its way into the city papers4 ,two days afterwards1 while in conversation with ,mr4 ,martien1 at his book-store1 two soldiers entered1 one of whom approached1 and thus addressed me3 ,do you know me1 sir8 ,i replied3 ,your face is familiar1 but ,i do not remember your name4 ,it is my misfortune not to be able to remember proper names4 ,i read the report of your address in the newspaper1 and through the aid of my comrade1 ,i have succeeded in finding you4 ,we have met before1 at ,tupelo4 ,at the mention of ,tupelo1 ,i immediately recognised in the speaker the man who1 after labouring with the others in sundering my chain1 engaged the guard1 who sat in the doorway1 in conversation1 while ,i watched an opportunity to disappear under the prison4 ,grasping him warmly by the hand1 ,i said3 ,i now recognise you4 ,you are ,mr4 ,howell ,trogdon1 of ,missouri1 late my fellow-prisoner in ,tupelo4 ,how and when did you succeed in leaving that prison8 ,being a ,federal prisoner1 ,i was removed from ,tupelo to ,mobile1 and there parolled on the #bfth of ,august last4 ,when was ,i missed after my escape1 and how did the officers act when they learned that ,i was gone8 ,you were missed at roll-call1 the next morning1 and in a short time1 many officers came into the prison4 ,they were greatly enraged at this1 your second flight4 ,the prisoners were closely questioned as to their complicity in your escape1 but they denied all knowledge of the matter4 ,soon all the prison-guards on duty during the night1 thirty-three in number1 were brought into the prison in chains4 ,the cavalry was ordered out in search of you1 and directed to shoot you down wherever found4 ,the mode of your escape was not discovered1 and the officers were of the opinion that you had bribed the guards4 ,from that time1 the officers became more cruel than ever1 and in two weeks1 thirty-two of our fellow-prisoners were taken out and shot6 ,we never learned whether you had succeeded in escaping to the ,union lines4 ,we feared that you were overtaken and shot1 or that you perished in the swamps from hunger1 thirst1 and fatigue4 ,i hope soon to see ,mc,hatten1 ,speer1 ,de ,grummond1 and ,soper1 who are also parolled1 and they will rejoice to learn that you still live4 ,during the night of your escape1 we slept but little1 through fear that our chaplain might be shot by the guards1 and ,i assure you many fervent prayers ascended to ,heaven for your safety4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,southern ,,classes--,,cruelty ,,to ,,slaves4 ,sandhillers--,dirt-eating--,dipping--,t heir ,mode of ,living--,patois--,rain-book--,wife-trad e--,coming in to see the ,cars--,superstition--,marriage of ,kinsfolks--,hardshell ,sermon--,causes which lead to the ,degradation of this ,class--,efforts to ,reconcile the ,poor ,whites to the ,peculiar ,institution--,the ,slaveholding ,class--,the ,middle ,class--,northern ,isms--,incident at a ,methodist ,minister's ,house--,question asked a ,candidate for ,licensure--,reason of ,southern ,hatred toward the ,north--,letter to ,mr4 ,jackman--,barbarities and ,cruelties of ,slavery--,mulattoes--,old ,cole--,child ,born at ,whipping-post--,advertisement of a ,keeper of ,bloodhounds--,getting ,rid of ,free ,blacks--,the ,doom of ,slavery--,methodist ,church ,south4 ,the sojourner in the ,slave ,states is struck with the wretched and degraded appearance of a class of people called by the slaveholders1 poor white folks1 and the tallow-faced gentry1 from their pallid complexion4 ,they live in wretched hovels1 dress slatternly1 and are exceedingly filthy in their habits4 ,many of them are clay or dirt-eaters1 which is said to cause their peculiar complexion4 ,their children1 at a very early age1 form this filthy and disgusting habit2 and mere infants may be found with their mouths filled with dirt4 ,the mud with which they daub the interstices between the logs of their rude domicils1 must be frequently renewed1 as the occupants pick it all out in a very short time1 and eat it4 ,this pernicious practice induces disease4 ,the complexion becomes pale1 similar to that occasioned by chronic ague and fever4 ,akin to this is the practice of snuff-dipping1 which is not confined exclusively to females of the poor white caste1 though scarcely one in fifty of this class is exempt from the disgusting habit4 ,the method is this3 ,the female snuff-dipper takes a short stick1 and wetting it with her saliva1 dips it into her snuff-box1 and then rubs the gathered dust all about her mouth1 and into the interstices of her teeth1 where she allows it to remain until its strength has been fully absorbed4 ,others hold the stick thus loaded with snuff in the cheek1 a la quid of tobacco1 and suck it with a decided relish1 while engaged in their ordinary avocations2 while others simply fill the mouth with the snuff1 and imitate1 to all intents and purposes1 the chewing propensities of the men4 ,in the absence of snuff1 tobacco in the plug or leaf is invariably resorted to as a substitute4 ,oriental betel-chewing1 and the ,japanese fashion of blacking the teeth of married ladies1 are the height of elegance compared with snuff-dipping4 ,the habit leads to a speedy decay of the teeth1 and to nervous disorders of every kind4 ,those who indulge in it become haggard at a very early age4 ,the ,petersburg 7,va47 ,express estimates the number of women in that ,state as one hundred and twenty-five thousand1 one hundred thousand of whom are snuff-dippers4 ,every five of these will use a two-ounce paper of snuff per day2 that is1 to the hundred thousand dippers1 two thousand five hundred pounds a day1 amounting1 in one year1 to the enormous quantity of nine hundred and twelve thousand pounds4 ,this practice prevails generally1 it says1 among the poor whites1 though some females of the higher classes are guilty of it4 ,the poor whites obtain their subsistence1 as far as practicable1 in the primitive aboriginal mode1 viz41 by hunting and fishing4 ,when these methods fail to afford a supply1 they cultivate a truck-patch1 and some of them raise a bale or two of cotton1 with the proceeds of the sale of which they buy whiskey1 tobacco1 and a few necessary articles4 ,when all other methods fail1 they resort to stealing1 to which many of them are addicted from choice1 as well as from necessity4 ,they are exceeding slovenly in their habits1 cleanliness being a rare virtue4 ,indolence is a prevailing vice1 and its lamentable effects are everywhere visible4 ,they fully obey the scriptural injunction1 take no thought for the morrow4 ,a present supply1 sufficient to satisfy nature's most urgent demands1 being obtained1 their care ceases1 and they relapse into listless inactivity4 ,they herd together upon the poor sand-hills1 the refuse land of the country1 which the rich slaveholder will not purchase1 for which reason1 they are sometimes called sand-hillers1 and here they live1 and their children1 and their children's children1 through successive generations1 in the same deplorable condition of wretchedness and degradation4 ,they are exceedingly ignorant2 not one adult in fifty can write2 not one in twenty can read4 ,they can scarcely be said to speak the ,english language1 using a patois which is scarcely intelligible4 ,an old lady thus related an incident of which her daughter ,sal was the heroine4 ,my darter ,sal yisterday sot the lather to the damsel tree1 and clim up1 and knocked some of the nicest saftest damsels ,i ever seed in my born days4 ,i once called to make some inquiry about the road1 at a small log tenement1 inhabited by a sand-hiller and family4 ,a sheet was hanging upon the wall1 containing the portraits of the ,presidents of the ,united ,states4 ,i remarked to the lady of the house that those were1 ,i believed1 the pictures of the ,presidents4 ,yes6 she replied2 they is1 and ,i've hearn tell of 'em a long time4 ,they must be gittin' mighty old1 ef some of 'em aint dead4 ,that top one1 she continued1 is ,gineral ,washington4 ,i've hearn of him ever sence ,i was a gal4 ,he must be gittin' up in years1 ef he aint dead4 ,him and ,gineral ,jackson fit the ,british and ,tories at ,new ,orleans1 and whipped 'em1 too4 ,she seemed to pride herself greatly on her historical knowledge4 ,one of these geniuses once informed me of a peculiar kind of book he'd hearn tell on1 that the ,yankees had4 ,he had forgotten its name1 but thus described it3 ,it told the day of the week the month come in on4 ,it told when we was a gwine to have rain1 and what kind of wether we was gwine to have in gineral4 ,may-be they call it a rain-book4 ,i replied that ,i had heard of the book1 and ,i believed that it was called an ,almanac4 ,you've said it now1 remarked the man4 ,it's a alminick1 and ,i'd give half ,i's wuth to have one4 ,i'd no when to take a umberell1 and if ,i haddent nary one1 ,i'd no when ,i could go a huntin' without gittin' wet4 ,two of these semi-savages had resolved to remove to the ,west1 in hope of bettering their condition4 ,one wished to remove to ,arkansas1 the other to ,texas4 ,the wife of the former wished to go to ,texas1 the latter to ,arkansas4 ,the husbands were desirous of gratifying their spouses1 but could devise no plan that seemed likely to prove satisfactory1 till one day when hunting1 finding game scarce1 they sat down upon a log1 when the following dialogue took place3 ,kit1 ,i'm sort o' pestered about ,dilsie4 ,she swars to ,rackensack she'll go1 and no whar else4 ,i allers had a hankerin' arter ,texas4 ,plague take ,rackensack1 ,i say6 ,ef a man war thar1 the ager and the airthquakes ed shake him out on it quicker en nothin'4 ,when a woman's set on a gwine anywhar1 they're a gwine4 ,it's jest no use to talk4 ,i've coaxed ,minnie more'n a little to go long with me to ,arkansas1 and the more ,i coax1 the more she wont go4 ,well1 ,kit1 'sposen we swap women4 ,well1 ,sam1 what trade'll ye gin8 ,oh6 a gentleman's trade1 of course6 ,shucks1 ,sam6 'sposen ,i had a young filly1 and you a old mar1 ye wouldn't ax an even trade1 would ye8 ,no2 it 'ud be too hard4 ,i tell you what ,i'll do1 ,kit4 ,here's a shot-gun that's wuth ten dollars1 ef it's wuth a red4 ,i'll give it and that ar b'ar-skin hangin' on the side of my shanty1 to boot1 and say it's a trade4 ,nuff sed1 ef the women's agreed4 ,home they went1 and stated the case to the women1 who1 after due deliberation1 acceded to the proposition1 having also made a satisfactory arrangement about the children1 and they all soon went on their way rejoicing to their respective destinations in that ,american's haven of eternal rest1 ,found a little farther ,west4 ,on the ,sabbath after the completion of the ,memphis and ,charleston railroad1 a large number of the sand-hillers came to ,iuka ,springs1 to witness the passing of the cars4 ,arriving too early1 they visited a church where divine service was progressing4 ,whilst the minister was in the midst of his sermon1 the locomotive whistle sounded1 when a stampede took place to the railroad4 ,the exodus left the parson almost alone in his glory4 ,the passing train caused the most extravagant expressions and gestures of wonder and astonishment by these rude observers4 ,it was an era in their life4 ,once while standing on the railroad-track1 ,i observed a crowd of these people coming to see the elephant4 ,they came so near1 that ,i overheard their conversation4 ,one young lass1 of sweet sixteen1 with slattern dress and dishevelled hair1 looking up the road1 which was visible for a great distance1 thus expressed her astonishment at what she saw3 ,o1 dad6 what a long piece of iron6 ,soon the whistle sounded2 this they had never heard before1 and came to the conclusion that it was a dinner-horn4 ,as soon as the cars came in sight1 they scattered like frightened sheep1 some on one side of the road1 and some on the other4 ,nor did they halt till they had placed fifty yards at least between them and the track4 ,superstition prevails amongst them to a fearful extent4 ,almost every hut has a horse-shoe nailed above the door1 or on the threshold1 to keep out witches4 ,in sickness1 charms and incantations are used to drive away disease4 ,their physicians are chiefly what are termed faith-doctors1 who are said to work miraculous cures4 ,they are strong believers in luck4 ,if a rabbit cross their path1 they will turn round to change their luck4 ,if1 on setting out on a journey1 an owl hoot on the left hand1 they will return and set out anew4 ,if the new moon is seen through brush1 or on the left hand1 it is a bad omen4 ,they will have trouble during the lunar month4 ,when the whippoorwill is first heard in the spring1 they turn head over heels thrice1 to prevent back-ache during the year4 ,dreams are harbingers of joy or wo4 ,to dream of snakes1 is ominous4 ,to dream of seeing a coffin1 or conversing with the dead1 is a sign of approaching dissolution1 and many have no doubt perished through terror1 occasioned by such dreams4 ,fortune-tellers are rife amongst them--those sages whose comprehensive view knows the past1 the present1 and the future4 ,they seek unto familiar spirits1 that peep and mutter1 for the living to the dead4 ,they have many deformed1 and blind1 and deaf among them1 in consequence of the intermarriage of relatives4 ,cousins often marry1 and occasionally they marry within the degrees of consanguinity prohibited by the law of ,god4 ,perhaps this divine law forbids the marriage of cousins when it declares1 ,thou shalt not marry any that is near of kin4 ,the sad effects on posterity1 both mentally and physically1 lead to the conviction that if the law of ,god does not condemn it1 physiological law does4 ,these sand-hillers do not 7when no serious preventive occurs7 fail to attend the elections1 where the highest bidder obtains their vote4 ,sometimes their vote will command cash1 and sometimes only whiskey4 ,it is sad to witness the elective franchise1 that highest and most glorious badge of a freeman1 thus prostituted4 ,the proverb holds good--,like people1 like priest4 ,their ministers are ignorant1 ranting fanatics4 ,they despise literature1 and every ,sabbath fulminate censures upon an educated ministry4 ,the following is a specimen of their preaching4 ,mr4 ,v---- is a ,hard-shell ,baptist1 or1 as they term themselves1 ,primitive ,baptists4 ,entering the pulpit on a warm morning in ,july1 he will take off his coat and vest1 roll up his sleeves1 and then begin3 ,,my ,,brethering ,,and ,,sistern--,i air a ignorant man1 follered the plough all my life1 and never rubbed agin nary college4 ,as ,i said afore1 ,i'm ignorant1 and ,i thank ,god for it4 7,brother ,jones responds1 ,passon1 yer ort to be very thankful1 fur yer very ignorant47 ,well1 ,i'm agin all high larnt fellers what preaches grammar and ,greek fur a thousand dollars a year4 ,they preaches fur the money1 and they gits it1 and that's all they'll git4 ,they've got so high larnt they contradicts ,scripter1 what plainly tells us that the sun rises and sets4 ,they seys it don't1 but that the yerth whirls round1 like clay to the seal4 ,what ud cum of the water in the wells ef it did4 ,wodent it all spill out1 and leave 'em dry1 and whar ed we be8 ,i may say to them1 as the sarpent said unto ,david1 much learning hath made thee mad4 ,when ,i preaches1 ,i never takes a tex till ,i goes inter the pulpit2 then ,i preaches a plain sarment1 what even women can understand4 ,i never premedertates1 but what is given to me in that same hour1 that ,i sez4 ,now ,i'm a gwine ter open the ,bible1 and the first verse ,i sees1 ,i'm a gwine to take it for a tex4 7,suiting the action to the word1 he opened the ,bible1 and commenced reading and spelling together47 ,man is f-e-a-r-f-u-l-l-y--fearfully--and w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l-l-y--wonderfully--m-a- d-e--mad4--,man is fearfully and wonderfully made4 7,pronounced mad47 ,well1 it's a quar tex1 but ,i said ,i's a gwine to preach from it1 and ,i'm a gwine to do it4 ,in the fust place1 ,i'll divide my sarment into three heads4 ,fust and foremost1 ,i show you that a man will git mad4 #b;d4 ,that sometimes he'll git fearfully mad2 and thirdly and lastly1 when thar's lots of things to vex and pester him1 he'll git fearfully and wonderfully mad4 ,and in the application ,i'll show you that good men sometimes gits mad1 for the ,posle ,david hisself1 who rote the tex1 got mad1 and called all men liars1 and cussed his enemies1 wishen' 'em to go down quick into hell2 and ,noah1 he got tite1 and cussed his nigger boy ,ham1 just like some drunken masters now cusses their niggers4 ,but ,noah and ,david repented2 and all on us what gits mad must repent1 or the devil'll git us4 ,thus he ranted1 to the great edification of his hearers1 who regard him as a perfect ,boanerges1 to which title his stentorian voice would truly entitle him4 ,this exordium will serve as a specimen of the sarment1 as it continued in the same strain to the end of the peroration4 ,where there is no vision1 the people perish4 ,such blind leaders of the blind are liable1 with their infatuated followers1 to fall into a ditch worse than ,bunyan's ,slough of ,despond4 ,this minister had undoubtedly run when he was not sent1 though he had hearn a call2 a audible voice had1 while he was a shucken corn1 said unto him1 ,preach4 ,though ,god does not need men's learning1 yet he has as little use for their ignorance4 ,learning is the handmaid of religion1 but must not be substituted in its stead4 ,the causes which induce this wilderness of mind are patent to all who make even a cursory examination4 ,there is a tendency in the poor to ape the manners of the rich4 ,those having slaves to labour in their stead1 toil not physically2 hence labour falls into disrepute1 and the poorer classes1 having no slaves to work for them1 and not choosing to submit to the degradation of labour1 incur all the evils resulting from idleness and poverty4 ,ignorance and vice of every kind soon ensue1 and a general apathy prevails1 which destroys in a great measure all mental and physical vigour4 ,the slaveholders buy up all the fertile lands to be cultivated by their slaves2 hence the poor are crowded out1 and if they remain in the vicinity of the place of their nativity1 they must occupy the poor tracts whose sterility does not excite the cupidity of their rich neighbours4 ,the slaveholders' motto is1 ,let us buy more negroes to raise more cotton1 to buy more negroes1 and so on ad infinitum4 ,to raise more cotton they must also buy more land4 ,small farmers are induced to sell out to them1 and move further west4 ,for this reason1 the white population of the fertile sections of the older slave ,states is constantly on the decrease1 while the slave population is as constantly increasing4 ,thus the slaveholder often acquires many square miles of land1 and hundreds of human chattels4 ,he is1 as it were1 set alone in the earth4 ,priding himself upon his wealth1 he will not send his princely sons to the same school with the poor white trash2 he either sends them to some distant college or seminary1 or employs a private teacher exclusively for his children4 ,the poor whites in the neighbourhood1 even should they desire to educate their children1 have no means to pay for their tuition4 ,compelled to live on poor or worn-out lands1 honest toil considered degrading1 and forced to submit to many inconveniences and disabilities 7all the offices of honour and profit being monopolized by the slaveholders17 through the workings of the peculiar institution1 they find it utterly impossible to educate their offspring1 even in the rudiments of their mother tongue4 ,as the power of slavery increases1 their condition waxes worse and worse4 ,the slaveocracy becomes more exacting4 ,laws are passed by the legislature compelling non-slaveholders to patrol the country nightly1 to prevent insurrections by the negroes4 ,they denounce the law1 but coercion is resorted to1 and the poor whites are forced to obey4 ,when their masters call for them1 they must leave their labour1 by day or by night1 patrol the country1 follow the bloodhounds1 arrest the fugitive slave1 and do all other dirty work which their tyrants demand4 ,if they refuse to obey1 they are denounced as abolitionists1 and are in danger of death at the hands of ,judge ,lynch1 the mildest punishment they can hope for being a coat of tar and feathers4 ,the house-negroes feel themselves several degrees above the poor whites1 as they1 from their opportunities for observation amongst the higher classes1 are possessed of greater information and less rusticity than this less favoured class4 ,the poor whites have no love for the institution of slavery4 ,they regard it as the instrument of inflicting upon them many wrongs1 and depriving them of many rights4 ,they dare not express their sentiments to the slaveholders1 who hold them completely under their power4 ,a4 ,g4 ,brown1 ,united ,states ,senator from ,mississippi1 to reconcile the poor whites to the peculiar institution1 used the following arguments in a speech at ,iuka ,springs1 ,mississippi4 ,he stated1 that if the slaves were liberated1 and suffered to remain in the country1 the rich would have money to enable them to go to some other clime1 and that the poor whites would be compelled to remain amongst the negroes1 who would steal their property1 and destroy their lives2 and if slavery were abolished1 and the negroes removed and colonized1 the rich would take the poor whites for slaves1 in their stead1 and reduce them to the condition of the ,irish and ,dutch in the ,north1 whose condition he represented to be one of cruel bondage4 ,these statements had some effect upon his auditors1 who believed1 from sad experience1 that the rich could oppress the poor as they chose1 and might1 in the contingency specified1 reduce them to slavery4 ,labour is considered so degrading1 that any argument1 based upon making labour compulsory on their part1 has its weight4 ,even the beggar despises work4 ,a sturdy beggar asked alms at a house at which ,i was lodging4 ,as he appeared to be a man of great physical strength1 he was advised to go to work1 and thus provide for his wants4 ,work6 said he1 in disgust2 niggers do the work in this country--and retired highly insulted4 ,this people form a distinct class1 distinguished by as many characteristics from the middle and higher classes of ,southern society1 as the ,jews are from the nations amongst whom they sojourn4 ,the causes which brought about their reduction to their present state of semi-barbarism1 must be removed1 ere they can rise to the condition whence they have fallen4 ,they must rise upon the ruins of slavery4 ,when the peculiar institution is abolished1 then1 and not till then1 will their disabilities be removed1 and they be in reality what they are nominally--freemen4 ,slaveholders and their families form a distinct class1 characterized by idleness1 vanity1 licentiousness1 profanity1 dissipation1 and tyranny4 ,there are glorious exceptions1 it is true1 but those are the distinguishing traits of the class4 ,the middle class is the virtuous class of the ,south4 ,they are industrious1 frugal1 hospitable1 simple in their habits1 plain and unostentatious in their manners4 ,some of this class are small slaveholders1 but the great majority own none4 ,the gross vices of the higher class are not found among them4 ,they labour regardless of the sneers of their aristocratic neighbours4 ,senator ,hammond1 of ,south ,carolina1 may call them mudsills2 they regard it not1 but pursue the even tenor of their way4 ,the slow1 unmoving finger of scorn may be pointed at them by the sons of pride1 yet they refuse to eat the bread of idleness1 and labour with their own hands1 that they may provide things honest in the sight of all men4 ,equidistant from poverty and riches1 they enjoy the golden mean1 and immunity from the temptations incident to the extremes of abject poverty and great riches4 ,in the slave ,states all those born north of the nigger line1 are denominated ,yankees4 ,this is applied as a term of reproach4 ,when a southerner is angry with a man of northern nativity1 he does not fail to stigmatize him as a ,yankee4 ,the slaveholders manifest considerable antipathy against the ,yankees1 which has been increasing during the last ten years4 ,in #aheh1 the ,legislature of ,mississippi passed resolutions recommending non-intercourse with the ,abolition ,states1 and requesting the people not to patronize natives of those ,states residing amongst them1 and especially to discountenance ,yankee ministers and teachers4 ,in the educational notice of ,memphis ,synodical ,college1 at ,la ,grange1 ,tennessee1 it is expressly stated that the ,faculty are of southern birth and education4 ,the principals of the ,female ,seminaries at ,corinth and ,iuka1 ,mississippi1 give notice that no ,yankee teachers will be employed in those institutions4 ,while on a visit at the house of a ,methodist clergyman1 quite a number of ministers1 returning from ,conference1 called to tarry for the night4 ,during the evening1 one of them1 learning that ,i was ,yankee born1 thus interrogated me3 ,why is it1 sir1 that all kinds of delusions originate in the ,north1 such as ,millerism1 ,mormonism1 ,spirit-rappings1 and ,abolitionism8 ,to which ,i replied3 ,the ,north originates everything4 ,all the text-books used in southern schools1 all the books on law1 physic1 and divinity1 are written and published north of ,mason ,dixon's line4 ,the ,south does not even print ,bibles4 ,the magnetic telegraph1 the locomotive1 ,lucifer matches1 and even the cotton-gin1 are all northern inventions4 ,the ,south1 sir1 has not sense enough to invent a decent humbug4 ,these humbugs once originated1 the ,south is always well represented by believers in them4 ,i have known more men to go from this county 7,shelby county1 ,tennessee7 to the ,mormons1 than ,i have known to go from the whole ,state of ,ohio4 ,when ,i had thus spoken1 my inquisitor was nonplussed1 and the laugh went against him4 ,when a candidate before the ,presbytery of ,chickasaw1 in ,mississippi1 for licensure1 one of the members of ,presbytery1 learning that ,i was a ,yankee1 asked me the following questions1 and received the following answers3 ,mr4 ,aughey1 when will the day of judgment take place8 ,the ,millerites have stated that the #cjth of ,june next will be the judgment-day4 ,as for myself1 ,i have had no revelation on the subject1 and expect none4 ,do you believe that any one can call the spirits8 ,i do1 sir4 ,what6 believe that the spirits can be called8 ,i do1 sir4 ,i will vote1 then1 against your licensure1 if you have fallen into this heresy of the land of your nativity4 ,another then said3 ,brother ,aughey1 please explain yourself4 ,i know you do not believe in spirit-rapping4 ,i do not1 sir1 though ,i believe1 as ,i stated1 that any one may call the spirits2 but ,i do not believe that they will come in answer to the call4 ,a lady once remarked to me that she did not believe that a northern man would ever become fully reconciled to the institution of slavery1 and that his influence and sentiments1 whatever might be his profession of attachment to the peculiar institution1 would be against it4 ,the cause of the general opposition to northern men is their opposition to slavery4 ,their testimony is against its abominations and barbarities1 and hence the wish to impair the credibility of the witnesses4 ,an illustration of the working of the institution may be found in the following letter3 ,,kosciusko1 ,,attala ,,county1 ,,mississippi1 ,december #be1 #ahfa4 ,,mr4 ,,william ,,jackman3 ,,dear ,,sir--,your last kind and truly welcome letter came to hand in due course of mail4 ,i owe you an apology for delaying an answer so long4 ,my apparent neglect was occasioned by no want of respect for you2 but in consequence of the disturbed state of the country1 and difficulty of communication with the ,north1 ,i feared my reply would never reach you4 ,now1 however1 by directing via ,norfolk and flag of truce1 letters are sent across the lines to the ,north4 ,in your letter you desired me1 from this stand-point1 to give you my observations of the workings of the peculiar institution1 and an expression of my views as to its consistency with the eternal principles of rectitude and justice4 ,in reply1 ,i will give you a plain narrative of facts4 ,on my advent to the ,south1 ,i was at first struck with the fact that the busy hum of labour had in some measure ceased4 ,what labour ,i did observe progressing1 was done with little skill1 and mainly by negroes4 ,i called upon the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,r4 ,j4 ,breckinridge1 to whom ,i had a letter of introduction1 who treated me with the greatest kindness1 inviting me to make his house my home when ,i visited that section of country4 ,on leaving his house1 he gave me some directions as to the road ,i must travel to reach a certain point4 ,you will pass1 said he1 a blacksmith's shop1 where a one-eyed man is at work--my property4 ,the phrase1 my property1 ,i had never before heard applied to a human being1 and though ,i had never been taught to regard the relation of master and slave as a sinful relation1 yet it grated harshly upon my ears to hear a human being1 a tradesman1 called a chattel2 but it grated much more harshly1 a week after this1 to hear the groans of two such chattels1 as they underwent a severe flagellation1 while chained to the whipping-post1 because they had1 by half an hour1 overstayed their time with their families on an adjoining plantation4 ,the next peculiar abomination of the peculiar institution which ,i observed1 was the licentiousness engendered by it4 ,mr4 ,d4 ,t----1 of ,madison county1 ,kentucky1 had a white family of children1 and a black1 or rather mulatto family4 ,as his white daughters married1 he gave each a mulatto half-sister1 as a waiting-girl1 or body-servant4 ,mr4 ,k4----1 of ,winchester1 ,kentucky1 had a mulatto daughter1 and he was also the father of her child1 thus re-enacting ,lot's sin4 ,dr4 ,c----1 of ,tishomingo county1 ,mississippi1 has a negro concubine1 and a white servant to wait on her4 ,mr4 ,b4----1 of ,marshall county1 ,mississippi1 lived with his white wife till he had grandchildren1 some of whom came to school to me1 when he repudiated his white wife1 and attached himself to a very homely old ,african1 who superintends his household1 and rules his other slaves with rigour4 ,mr4 ,s----1 of ,tishomingo county1 ,mississippi1 has a negro concubine1 and a large family of mulatto children4 ,he once brought this woman to church in ,rienzi1 to the great indignation of the white ladies1 who removed to a respectable distance from her4 ,i preached recently to a large congregation of slaves1 the third of whom were as white as myself4 ,some of them had red hair and blue eyes4 ,if there are any marked characteristics of their masters' families1 the mulatto slaves are possessed of these characteristics4 ,i refer to physical peculiarities1 such as large mouths1 humped shoulders1 and peculiar expressions of countenance4 ,i asked a gentleman how it happened that some of his slaves had red hair4 ,he replied that he had a red-headed overseer for several years4 ,i never knew a pious overseer--never6 ,there may be many1 but ,i never saw one4 ,overseers1 as a class1 are worse than slaveholders themselves4 ,they are cruel1 brutal1 licentious1 dissipated1 and profane4 ,they always carry a loaded whip1 a revolver1 and a ,bowie-knife4 ,these men have the control of women1 whom they often whip to death4 ,mr4 ,p----1 who resided near ,holly ,springs1 had a negro woman whipped to death while ,i was at his house during a session of ,presbytery4 ,mr4 ,c----1 of ,waterford1 ,mississippi1 had a woman whipped to death by his overseer4 ,but such cruel scourgings are of daily occurrence4 ,colonel ,h----1 a member of my church1 told me yesterday that he ordered a boy1 who he supposed was feigning sickness1 to the whipping-post1 but that he had not advanced ten steps toward it1 when he fell dead6--and the servant was free from his master4 ,during our conversation1 a girl passed4 ,there is a girl1 said he1 who does not look very white in the face1 owing to exposure2 but when ,i strip her to whip her1 ,i find that she has a skin as fair as my wife4 ,mrs4 ,f---- recently whipped a boy to death within half a mile of my residence4 ,a jury of inquest returned a verdict that he came to his death by cruelty2 but nothing more was done4 ,mrs4 ,m---- and her daughter1 of ,holly ,springs1 abused a girl repeatedly4 ,she showed her bruises to some of my acquaintances1 and they believed them fatal4 ,she soon after died4 ,mr4 ,s----1 a member of my church1 has several maimed negroes from abuse on the part of the overseer4 ,i am residing on the banks of the ,yock-a-nookany1 which means meandering1 when translated from the ,indian tongue4 ,in this vicinity there are large plantations1 cultivated by hundreds of negroes4 ,the white population is sparse4 ,every night the negroes are brought to a judgment-seat4 ,the overseer presides4 ,if they have not laboured to suit him1 or if their task is unfulfilled1 they are chained to a post1 and severely whipped4 ,the victims are invariably stripped2 to what extent1 is at the option of the overseer4 ,in ,louisiana1 women1 preparatory to whipping1 are often stripped to a state of perfect nudity4 ,old ,mr4 ,c----1 of ,waterford1 ,mississippi1 punished his negroes by slitting the soles of their feet with his ,bowie-knife6 ,one man he put into a cotton-press1 and turned the screw till life was extinct4 ,he stated that he only intended to alarm the man1 but carried the joke too far4 ,i have heard women thus plead1 in piteous accents1 when chained to the whipping-post1 and stripped3 ,o1 my ,god1 master6 don't whip me6 ,i was sick6 indeed ,i was sick6 ,i had a chill1 and the fever is on me now6 ,i haven't tasted a morsel to-day6 ,you know ,i works when ,i is well6 ,o for ,god's sake don't whip a poor sick nigger6 ,my poor chile's sick too6 ,missis thinks it's a dyin'6 ,o master1 for the love of ,god1 don't cut a poor distressed woman wid your whip6 ,i'll try to do better1 ef you'll only let me off this once6 ,these piteous plaints only rouse the ire of their cruel task-masters1 who sometimes knock them down in the midst of their pleadings4 ,i have known an instance of a woman giving birth to a child at the whipping-post4 ,the fright and pain brought on premature labour4 ,one beautiful ,sabbath morning ,i stood on the levee at ,baton ,rouge1 ,louisiana1 and counted twenty-seven sugar-houses in full blast4 ,i found that the negroes were compelled to labour eighteen hours per day1 and were not permitted to rest on the ,sabbath during the rolling season4 ,the negroes on most plantations have a truck-patch1 which they cultivate on the ,sabbath4 ,i have pointed out the sin of thus labouring on the ,sabbath1 but they plead necessity2 their children1 they state1 must suffer from hunger if they did not cultivate their truck-patch1 and their masters would not give them time on any other day4 ,negroes1 by law1 are prohibited from learning to read4 ,this law was not strictly enforced in ,tennessee and some other ,states till within a few years past4 ,i had charge of a ,sabbath-school for the instruction of blacks in ,memphis1 ,tennessee1 in #ahec4 ,this school was put down by the strong arm of the law in a short time after my connection with it ceased4 ,in ,mississippi1 a man who taught slaves to read or write would be sent to the penitentiary instanter4 ,the popular plea for this wickedness is1 that if they were taught to read1 they would read abolition documents2 and if they were taught to write1 they would write themselves passes1 and pass northward to ,canada4 ,such advertisements as the following often greet the eye4 ,kansas ,war4--,the undersind taks this method of makkin it noan that he has got a pack of the best nigger hounds in the ,south4 ,my hounds is well trand1 and ,i has had much experience a huntin niggers1 having follered it for the last fiften year4 ,i will go anywhar that ,i'm sent for1 and will ketch niggers at the follerin raits4 ,my raits fur ketchin runaway niggers #aj per hed1 ef they's found in the beat whar thar master lives2 #ae if they's found in the county1 and #ej if they's tuck out on the county4 ,n4 ,b4--,pay is due when the nigger is tuck4 ,planters ort to send fur me as soon as thar niggers runs away1 while thar trak is fresh4 ,every night the woods resound with the deep-mouthed baying of the bloodhounds4 ,the slaves are said by some to love their masters2 but it requires the terrors of bloodhounds and the fugitive slave law to keep them in bondage4 ,you in the ,north are compelled to act the part of the bloodhounds here1 and catch the fugitives for the planters of the ,south4 ,free negroes are sold into bondage for the most trivial offences4 ,slaveholders declare that the presence of free persons of colour exerts a pernicious influence upon their slaves1 rendering them discontented with their condition1 and inspiring a desire for freedom4 ,they therefore are very desirous of getting rid of these persons1 either by banishing them from the ,state or enslaving them4 ,the legislature of ,mississippi has passed a law for their expulsion1 and other ,states have followed in the wake4 ,the ,governor of ,missouri has vetoed the law for the expulsion of free persons of colour1 passed by the legislature of that ,state because of its unconstitutionality4 ,were ,i to recount all the abominations of the peculiar institution1 and the wrongs inflicted upon the ,african race1 that have come under my observation1 they would fill a large volume4 ,slavery is guilty of six abominations2 yea1 seven may justly be charged upon it4 ,it is said that the negro is lazy1 and will not work except by compulsion4 ,i have known negroes who have purchased their freedom by the payment of a large sum1 and afterward made not only a good living1 but a fortune beside4 ,it is said ,judge ,w---- of ,south ,carolina gave his servants the use of his plantation1 upon condition that they would support his family2 and that in three years he was compelled to take the management himself1 as they did not make a comfortable living for themselves and the ,judge's family4 ,in reply1 it might be said that the negroes had not a fair trial1 as no one had any property he could call his own1 and they were thrown into a sort of ,fourierite society1 having all things in common4 ,in this state of things1 while some would work1 others would be idle4 ,white men do not succeed in such communities1 and for this reason it was no fair test of the industrial energies of ,judge ,w----'s slaves4 ,the question is often asked1 is slavery sinful in itself8 ,my observation has been extensive1 embracing eight slave ,states1 and ,i have never yet seen any example of slavery that ,i did not deem sinful4 ,if slavery is not sinful in itself1 ,i must have always seen it out of itself4 ,i have observed its workings during eleven years1 amongst a professedly ,christian people1 and cannot do otherwise than pronounce it an unmitigated curse4 ,it is a curse to the white man1 it is a curse to the black man4 ,that ,god will curse it1 and blot it out of existence ere long1 is my firm conviction4 ,the elements of its abolition exist2 ,god speed the time when they will be fully developed1 and this mother of abominations driven from the land of the free6 ,the development of the eternal principles of justice and rectitude will abolish this hoary monster of fraud and oppression4 ,slavery subverts all the rights of man4 ,it divests him of citizenship1 of liberty1 of the pursuit of happiness1 of his children1 of his wife1 of his property1 of intellectual culture1 reserving to him only the rights of the horse and ass1 and reducing him to the same chattel condition with them4 ,not a single right does the ,state law grant him above that of the mule--no1 not one4 ,the chastity of the slave has no legal protection4 ,the ,methodist ,church ,south is expunging from the discipline everything inimical to the peculiar institution1 whilst ,i observe that the ,church ,north is adding to her testimony and deliverances against the sin of slaveholding4 ,the ,church ,south refused to abide by the rules of the ,church1 and hence the guilt of the schism lies with her1 and you are henceforth free from any guilt in conniving at the sin which the founder of your church1 the illustrious ,wesley1 regarded as the sum of all villany4 ,remember me kindly to ,mrs4 ,jackman and family4 ,hoping to hear from you soon1 ,i beg leave to subscribe myself1 ,yours fraternally1 ,,john ,h4 ,,aughey4 ,to ,mr4 ,william ,jackman1 ,amsterdam1 ,jefferson ,co41 ,ohio4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,notorious ,,rebels4--,,union ,,officers4 ,colonel ,jefferson ,davis--,his ,speech at ,holly ,springs1 ,mississippi--,his ,opposition to ,yankee ,teachers and ,ministers--,a bid for the ,presidency--,his ,ambition--,burr1 ,arnold1 ,davis--,general ,beauregard--,headquarters at ,rienzi--,colonel ,elliott's ,raid--,beauregard's ,consternation--,personal description--,his illness--,popularity waning--,rev4 ,dr4 ,palmer of ,new ,orleans--,his influence--,the ,cincinnati ,letter--,his ,personal ,appearance--,his ,denunciations of ,general ,butler--,his ,radicalism--,rev4 ,dr4 ,waddell of ,la ,grange1 ,tennessee--,his ,prejudices against the ,north--,president of ,memphis ,synodical ,college--,his ,talents prostituted--,union ,officers--,general ,nelson--,general ,sherman4 ,,colonel ,,jefferson ,,davis4 ,in #ahef ,i heard ,colonel ,jefferson ,davis deliver an address at ,holly ,springs1 ,mississippi4 ,the ,colonel is about a medium height1 of slender frame1 his nose aquiline1 his hair dark1 his manners polite4 ,he is no orator4 ,his speech was principally a tirade of abuse against the ,north1 bitterly inveighing against the emigrant aid societies which had well-nigh put ,kansas upon the list of free ,states4 ,he advised the people to employ no more ,yankee teachers4 ,he had been educated in the ,north1 and he regarded it as the greatest misfortune of his life4 ,soon after ,colonel ,davis visited ,new ,england1 where he eulogized that section in an extravagant manner4 ,he was pleased with everything he saw2 even ,noah ,webster's ,yankee spelling-book received a share of the ,colonel's fulsome flattery4 ,on his return to the ,south1 a change came o'er the spirit of his dream1 and his bile and bitterness against ,yankee-land returned in all its pristine vigour4 ,the ,colonel was making a bid for the ,presidency2 but ,new ,england was not so easily gulled2 his flimsy professions of friendship were too transparent to hide the hate which lay beneath1 and his aspirations were doomed to disappointment4 ,though ,colonel ,davis is often called ,mississippi's pet1 yet he is not regarded as a truthful man1 and his reports and messages are received with considerable abatement by the chivalry4 ,his ambition knows no bounds4 ,he would rather reign in hell than serve in heaven4 ,had ,jefferson ,davis been elected ,president of the ,united ,states1 he would have been among the last instead of the first to favour secession4 ,had he been slain on the bloody fields of ,mexico1 his memory would have been cherished4 ,history will assign him a place among the infamous4 ,burr1 ,arnold1 and ,davis will be names for ever execrated by true patriots4 ,the two former died a natural death1 though the united voice of their countrymen would have approved of their execution on the gallows4 ,the fate of the latter lies still in the womb of futurity1 though his loyal countrymen1 without a dissenting voice1 declare that he deserves a felon's doom4 ,an announcement of his death would suffuse no patriot's eye with tears4 ,what loyalist would weep while he read the news-item--the arch traitor ,jeff4 ,davis is dead4 ,,general ,g4 ,t4 ,,beauregard4 ,i met ,general ,beauregard under very peculiar circumstances4 ,i had gone to ,rienzi for the purpose of escaping to the ,federal lines for protection from the rigorous and sweeping conscript law4 ,when ,i arrived1 ,i found the rebels evacuating ,corinth1 and their sick and wounded passing down the ,mobile and ,ohio railroad to the hospitals below4 ,general ,beauregard had just arrived in ,rienzi1 and had his headquarters at the house of ,mr4 ,sutherland4 ,a rumour had spread through ,rienzi that ,general ,beauregard had ordered the women and children to leave the town4 ,many of them1 believing that the order had been issued1 were hastening into the country4 ,in order to confirm or refute the statement1 ,i called upon ,general ,beauregard1 and asked him whether he had issued such an order4 ,he replied1 ,i have issued no such order1 sir4 ,just at that moment a courier arrived with the information that the ,yankees had attacked the advance of their retreating army at ,boonville1 that they had destroyed the depot1 and taken many prisoners4 ,the ,general told the courier that he must be mistaken2 that it was impossible for the ,yankees to pass around his army4 ,while he was yet speaking a citizen arrived from ,boonville1 confirming the statement of the courier4 ,beauregard was still incredulous1 replying that they must have mistaken the ,confederates for the ,yankees4 ,in a few minutes the explosion of shells shook the building4 ,the ,general then thought that it might be true that the ,yankees had passed around the army2 but on hearing the shells1 he stated that ,general ,green 7of ,missouri7 was driving them away with his cannon4 ,the truth was soon ascertained by the arrival of several couriers4 ,col4 ,elliott1 of the ,federal army1 had made a raid upon ,boonville1 had fired the depot1 and destroyed a large train of cars filled with ammunition4 ,the explosions of the shells which we heard was occasioned by the fire reaching the ears in which these shells were stored4 ,the ,colonel also destroyed the railroad to such an extent that it required several days to repair the track4 ,general ,beauregard is below the medium height1 and has a decidedly ,french expression of countenance4 ,his hair is quite gray1 though a glance at his face will convince the observer that it is prematurely so4 ,the ,general is regarded as taciturn4 ,his countenance is careworn and haggard4 ,during the winter of #ahfa-b1 he was attacked with bronchitis and typhoid pneumonia1 and came near dying2 and had not1 at my interview1 by any means recovered his pristine health and vigour4 ,his prestige as an able commander is rapidly waning4 ,for some time his military talents were considered of the first order2 now a third-rate position is assigned him4 ,he is still regarded as a first-class engineer4 ,when ,general ,sterling ,price arrived at ,corinth1 ,general ,beauregard conducted him around all the fortifications1 explaining their nature and unfolding their strength2 but no word of approval could he elicit from the ,missouri ,general4 ,at length he ventured to ask what he thought of their capacity for resisting an attack4 ,general ,price replied1 ,they may prove effective in resisting an attack4 ,these are the second fortifications ,i ever saw2 the first ,i captured4 ,he had reference to ,colonel ,mulligan's1 at ,lexington1 ,missouri4 ,sumter and ,manassas gave ,beauregard fame4 ,since the latter battle his star has declined steadily2 and if the ,federal generals prove themselves competent1 it will soon go out in total darkness1 and the world's verdict will be1 it was a misfortune that ,beauregard lived4 ,,rev4 ,,dr4 ,b4 ,m4 ,,palmer4 ,dr4 ,palmer has done more than any non-combatant in the ,south to promote the rebellion4 ,he was accessory both before and after the fact4 ,his sermons are nearly all abusive of the ,north4 ,the mudsills of ,yankeedom and the scum of ,europe are phrases of frequent use in his public addresses1 and they are meant to include all living north of what is more familiarly than elegantly termed in the ,south the nigger line1 although the ,north is the land of his parental nativity4 ,a few years ago1 ,dr4 ,palmer wrote to a friend in ,cincinnati respecting a vacant church1 in which he gave as one reason1 among others1 for desiring to come ,north1 that he wished to remove his family from the baleful influences of slavery4 ,that letter still exists1 and ought to be published4 ,dr4 ,palmer's personal appearance is by no means prepossessing4 ,he is small of stature1 of very dark complexion1 dish-faced4 ,his nose is said to have been broken when a child2 at all events1 it is a deformity4 ,he is fluent in speech1 has a vivid imagination1 and has a great influence over a promiscuous congregation4 ,after the reduction of ,forts ,jackson and ,st4 ,philip1 and the capture of ,new ,orleans1 ,dr4 ,palmer came to ,corinth1 where he preached to the rebel army4 ,his text was invariably ,general ,butler's women-of-the-town order1 which we fully believe he intentionally misconstrued4 ,the conservation and extension of slavery is a matter which lies near the ,doctor's heart4 ,he urged secession for the purpose of extending and perpetuating for ever the peculiar institution4 ,his views1 however1 must have undergone a radical change since the writing of the ,cincinnati letter1 as he then regarded slavery with little favour4 ,love of public favour may have much to do with his recently expressed views1 for no true ,christian and patriot can wish to perpetuate and extend an institution founded on the total subversion of the rights of man4 ,,rev4 ,,dr4 ,,john ,n4 ,,waddell4 ,dr4 ,waddell is a man of considerable talent1 but his prejudices are very strong against the ,north4 ,he cordially hates a ,yankee1 and his poor distressed wife1 who was a native of ,new ,england1 was compelled to return to her home1 where she mourns in virtual widowhood her unfortunate connection with a man who detests her land and people4 ,dr4 ,waddell's sermons are very abusive4 ,the ,north is the theme of animadversion in all the published sermons and addresses ,i have seen from his prolific pen4 ,he has prostituted his fine talents1 and his writings are full of cursing and bitterness4 ,as ,president of ,la ,grange ,college1 ,tennessee1 he might wield a great influence for good--an influence which would tend to calm the storm aroused by demagogues1 rather than increase its power4 ,his memory will rot1 for the evil which he has done will live after him4 ,,major-,,general ,,william ,,nelson4 ,i met ,general ,nelson frequently at his head-quarters at ,iuka ,springs1 ,mississippi4 ,though the ,general was quite brusque in his manners1 yet he always treated me with kindness and marked attention4 ,once while seated at the table with him1 several guests being present1 the following colloquy ensued4 ,parson ,aughey1 ,i suppose you are well versed in the ,scriptures1 and in order to test your knowledge1 permit me to ask a question1 which doubtless you are able to answer4 ,certainly1 ,general1 you have permission to ask the question you propose4 ,i am not so sure1 however1 about my ability to answer it4 ,the question ,i desire to propose is this--,how many preceded ,noah in leaving the ark8 ,i am unable to answer1 sir4 ,that is strange1 as the ,bible so plainly and explicitly informs us4 ,we are told that ,noah went forth out of the ark2 therefore three must have preceded him4 ,the ,general's wit set the table in a roar4 ,as soon as the mirth had subsided1 ,i addressed the ,general3 ,it is my turn to ask a question4 ,do you know1 sir1 where the witch of ,endor lived8 ,i did know1 but really ,i have forgotten4 ,well1 sir1 she lived at ,endor4 ,the laugh was now against him1 but he joined in it heartily himself4 ,knowing that ,general ,nelson had visited every quarter of the globe1 ,i asked him whether he had ever seen any of the modern ,greeks4 ,i never saw any of the ancient ,greeks1 was his curt reply4 ,general ,nelson was regarded as a brave and skilful officer4 ,he has done good service in his country's cause4 ,at ,shiloh his promptness and efficiency contributed greatly to retrieve the disaster which befell ,general ,grant on the first day of the battle4 ,his rencontre with ,general ,davis1 which resulted in his own death1 is greatly to be regretted1 though his own ungovernable temper and inexcusable conduct caused his tragic end4 ,i once visited his headquarters late in the afternoon4 ,on my arrival1 he informed me that ,i would confer a great favour upon him by guiding a company of cavalry on an expedition to the south-eastern part of the county1 to which ,i consented4 ,i rode in front with the officer in command4 ,when we had reached a point beyond the pickets1 my companion informed me that we would meet no more ,federals2 if we met any soldiers while outward bound1 we might take it for granted that they were rebels4 ,after riding about an hour longer1 we encountered a company of cavalry1 and were ordered to halt by the officer in command4 ,my companion1 stating that they must be rebels1 rode up and gave the countersign4 ,i felt somewhat uneasy at the head of that company at this time1 not knowing the moment that bullets would be whistling around us4 ,they proved however to be ,federals1 returning from an extended scouting expedition4 ,i conducted our company to the house of a ,union man1 whom we aroused from his bed2 and learning that we were ,federals1 he took my place1 and ,i returned to ,general ,nelson4 ,the ,general now desired me to go as a spy1 to obtain information as to the number of troops stationed at ,norman's ,bridge1 which spanned ,big ,bear ,creek4 ,i replied that ,i had ridden sixty miles without sleep1 but that ,i would send two ,union men of my acquaintance in my stead4 ,this was satisfactory1 and my ,union friends returned with accurate information as to the number of rebel troops stationed at the bridge1 and the best points of attack4 ,the attack was made on the next day after receiving the information1 and the rebels were surprised and totally defeated2 but few escaped death or capture4 ,,general ,w4 ,t4 ,,sherman4 ,on the day that ,general ,sherman reached ,rienzi1 ,i supped with him at the house of a friend4 ,at table the following dialogue took place between us4 ,are you the person from whom ,sherman's battery took its name8 ,i am1 sir4 ,many gentlemen in this county1 said ,i1 and among them my father-in-law1 have pipes made of the fragments of the gun-carriages of ,sherman's battery1 which was captured at ,manassas by the ,confederates4 ,sherman's battery was not captured at ,manassas1 replied the ,general4 ,the honour of capturing ,sherman's battery is generally accorded to the second regiment of ,mississippi volunteers1 which went from this county and the adjoining county of ,tippah1 though several regiments claim it1 and many of my friends declare that they have seen ,sherman's battery since its capture4 ,i assure you1 sir1 ,sherman's battery was not captured--so far from this1 it came out of the battle of ,manassas ,plains with two pieces captured from the enemy1 having itself lost none4 ,at this moment ,colonel ,fry1 who killed ,zollikoffer1 rode up for orders4 ,while receiving them1 the horses attached to a battery halted in front of us4 ,there1 said the ,general1 is every piece of ,sherman's battery4 ,i ought to know that battery1 and ,i assure you there is not a gun missing4 ,the pipes1 canes1 and trinkets supposed to be made of the wood of ,sherman's battery1 if collected1 would form a vast pile2 and were you to inform the owners of those relics that they were spurious1 you would be politely informed that you might tell that tale to the marines1 as their sons and their neighbours' sons were the honoured captors of that battery2 a fact1 concerning the truth of which they entertained not even the shadow of a doubt4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,condition ,,of ,,the ,,south4 ,cause of the ,rebellion--,prevalence of ,union ,sentiment in the ,south--,why not ,developed--,stevenson's ,views--,why ,incorrect--,cavalry ,raids upon ,union ,citizens--,how the ,rebels employ ,slaves--,slaves ,whipped and sent out of the ,federal ,lines--,resisting the ,conscript ,law--,kansas ,jayhawkers--,guarding ,rebel ,property--,perfidy of ,secessionists--,plea for ,emancipation--,the ,south ,exhausted--,failure of ,crops--,southern ,merchants ,ruined--,bragg ,prohibits the ,manufacture and ,vending of ,intoxicating ,liquors--,its ,salutary ,effect4 ,the following is the substance of addresses delivered by me on ,october #bb;d and #beth1 #ahfb1 at ,cooper's ,institute1 ,new ,york1 and before the ,synod of ,new ,york and ,new ,jersey1 at its session in ,brooklyn4 ,i will confine myself to rendering answers to various questions which have been asked me since my escape to the ,north4 ,i have viewed the rebellion from a southern stand-point2 have been conversant with its whole history2 have been behind the curtains1 and have learned the motives which impel its instigators in their treasonable designs against the ,government4 ,slavery ,i believe to have been the sole cause of the rebellion4 ,it is true that the slaveholders of the ,south were becoming strongly anti-republican4 ,rule or ruin was their determination1 and they would not have listened to any compromise measure after the election of ,mr4 ,lincoln2 but this feeling1 this opposition to republicanism1 and lust of power1 is the offspring of slavery4 ,in #ahef ,i heard ,jeff4 ,davis declare that the people of the ,north and the ,south were not homogeneous1 and that therefore he advocated secession4 ,the reason he assigned for this want of homogeneousness was found in the fact that the ,south held slaves2 the ,north did not4 ,men accustomed to exercise arbitrary power over their fellow-men1 will not cease their encroachments upon the rights of all with whom they are associated1 politically or otherwise1 and a temporary suspension of the control of the government is regarded by them as a casus belli4 ,slavery may therefore be justly regarded as the parent of secession4 ,whilst this cause exists1 the ,south will be the hot-bed of treason4 ,slavery has produced its legitimate fruit1 and treason is its name4 ,with slavery intact1 no compromise1 if accepted by the ,south1 would prevent another outbreak in a few years4 ,the question has been asked1 is there any ,union sentiment in the ,south8 ,i reply that there is a strong ,union sentiment1 even in ,mississippi4 ,this sentiment is not found amongst the slaveholders1 for1 as a class1 they are firmly united in their hostility to the ,government4 ,the middle and lower classes are not only opposed to secession1 but also to slavery itself4 ,eleven years' association with the southern people has enabled me to form a correct opinion1 and to know whereof ,i affirm4 ,i make this statement without fear of successful contradiction1 that the majority of the white inhabitants of the ,south are ,union-loving men4 ,the slaveholders have long ruled both the blacks and the whites in the ,south4 ,when the rebellion was determined upon1 the slaveholders had the organized force to compel acquiescence upon the part of those who favoured the ,union1 yet wished to remain neutral4 ,their drafts and conscriptions swept them into the army1 and when once there1 they must obey their officers upon pain of death4 ,to desert and join the ,union army1 was to abandon their homes and families1 and all their youthful associations4 ,yet many have done it1 and are now doing good service in their country's cause4 ,the rebels punished with death any who declared himself in favour of the ,union4 ,in my presence at ,tupelo1 they were taken out daily and shot for the expression of sentiments adverse to the rebellion4 ,if the ,union troops at any time occupied a place1 and the people expressed any favourable sentiments to their cause1 upon the evacuation of that position1 those who sided with the ,union troops were cruelly treated4 ,all these causes1 and many others which ,i might mention1 have prevented the full development of the true sentiments of the people4 ,i could name many localities within the rebel lines where the great majority of the people bitterly denounce the ,southern ,confederacy and all connected with it4 ,i could name many individuals who have declared to me that they would prefer death to a dishonourable compliance with the conscript law4 ,i could name localities within the rebel lines where armed resistance to the conscript law has been made2 but the safety of those loyal citizens forbids it4 ,i know that there are some who assert that there is no ,union feeling in the ,south2 but they are mistaken4 ,the author of ,thirteen ,months in the ,rebel ,army found but little4 ,his situation was not favourable for its discovery4 ,he informs us in his work1 that after he had been compelled to volunteer1 he regarded his oath 7an oath much more honoured in the breach than in the observance17 of such force that he sought to obtain information1 rather than to desert4 ,he passed from one post of preferment to another1 till at length he was on duty under the eye of ,breckinridge himself1 who complimented him upon his alacrity in bearing dispatches2 and this was truly great1 as he rode at one time sixty miles in seven hours1 and at another1 fourteen miles in less than fifty minutes4 ,he also exhibited a guarded zeal for the secession cause4 ,who would have gone to an officer who was apparently aiding and abetting the rebellion1 ably and assiduously1 to communicate his ,union sentiments8 ,any who would thus betray themselves could not be sure that they would not be shot in twenty-four hours4 ,had ,mr4 ,stevenson been with me in ,tupelo1 and looked upon those seventy or eighty prisoners who were incarcerated for their adherence to the ,union--had he witnessed the daily execution of some of them who preferred death to volunteering to defend a cause which they did not hesitate to denounce at the peril of their lives--had he been with me while in the midst of a host of ,union citizens of ,mississippi1 who at the noon of night had assembled in the deep glens and on the high hills1 for the purpose of devising means to resist the hated conscript law--he would have come to a far different conclusion4 ,i have seen the cavalry go out to arrest ,union men4 ,i was at a ,mr4 ,william ,herron's1 in ,south ,carroll1 ,carrol county1 ,tennessee1 and while there1 several companies of cavalry came up from ,jackson to destroy the loyal citizens of that vicinity1 and they did destroy some of them and much property4 ,they passed within two hundred yards of fortifications hastily thrown up to resist them1 and would have been fired on had they come within range4 ,before completing their mission1 a messenger came to inform them that ,fort ,henry was beleagured4 ,they hastened to the fort just in time to take part in the action4 ,after the surrender of the fort1 they retreated to ,fort ,donelson1 and were all captured at the reduction of that fort1 to the great joy of those ,union citizens whom they had driven from their homes1 and whose property they had destroyed4 ,the slaves add greatly to the strength of the rebellion4 ,slave labour is extensively employed in the military department4 ,they are the sappers and miners1 the cooks1 the teamsters1 the artisans2 and there are instances where they are forced to shoulder the musket and go into the ranks4 ,i have seen and conversed with slave soldiers who have fought in every battle from ,manassas to ,shiloh4 ,many strong secession counties send more soldiers to the rebel army than there are voters in those counties4 ,the slaves who remain at home1 labour to raise provisions for the sustenance of the families of the soldiers1 and a surplus for the army2 hence every white man is available for service in the field4 ,were this slave labour diverted to some other channel1 the result would follow1 that a great proportion of the rebel soldiers would be forced to return home to care for their families1 or those families must perish4 ,in order to divert this labour1 it would be only necessary to encourage the negroes to leave their masters4 ,wherever the ,federal army has advanced in the southwest1 the slaves have crowded into their lines by hundreds1 and only desisted upon learning1 much to their regret1 that they would not be received1 many of them being tied up and whipped1 and then sent southward beyond the limits of the ,federal army4 ,some who had travelled seventy miles upon the underground railroad1 to reach the ,union army1 being asked by their fellow-servants upon their return1 how they liked the ,yankees1 replied that ,general ,nelson sort o' hinted that he didn't want us4 ,upon being urged to be more explicit1 and to state more fully what was the nature of the hint which led them to infer that ,general ,nelson did not want them1 their spokesman replied3 ,well1 if we must tell1 we must4 ,general ,nelson tied us up and gave us fifty apiece1 and sent us off1 sw'arin' he'd guv us a hundred ef we didn't go right straight back home to our masters4 ,he said this wa'n't no war got up to set the niggers free4 ,the ,kansas ,jayhawkers liberate all the slaves with whom they come in contact4 ,i passed four regiments of their cavalry last ,august1 on their way to ,rienzi1 ,mississippi4 ,they had about two thousand slaves with them1 of every age and sex4 ,those slaves groomed their horses1 drove their wagons1 cooked their victuals1 and made themselves useful in a variety of ways1 leaving every white man free to go into the battle when the hour of contest arrived4 ,slavery is a strong prop to the rebellion4 ,four millions of labourers are able to furnish supplies for eight millions4 ,subtract that vast resource from the rebellion1 add it to the support of the ,government1 and its stunning effect would be speedily demonstrated in the complete paralysis of the ,southern ,confederacy4 ,in order to supply the loss of the slaves1 half the soldiers in the army must return1 or famine would sweep both the army and the families of the soldiers from the face of the earth4 ,one cause of the long continuance of the war is1 that the ,union army has endeavoured to conciliate the ,south1 rather than crush the rebellion4 ,they have guarded the property of the rebels2 they have returned promptly their fugitive slaves2 they have put down servile insurrection with an iron hand1 and in every possible way have shown clemency instead of severity4 ,but their kindness has been abused1 their clemency regarded as evidence of imbecility1 and the humane policy of the ,government totally misconstrued4 ,captain ,john ,rainey1 of ,cambridge1 ,ohio1 while on duty at ,corinth1 ,mississippi1 received an application from a notorious secessionist for a guard to protect his premises1 which was obtained for him from the colonel1 three soldiers being detached for that purpose1 who proceeded to the station assigned them4 ,about four o'clock in the afternoon they saw the owner of the premises they were guarding1 mount his horse and ride off4 ,supposing him to be going on some ordinary errand1 they took no further notice of it4 ,about nine o'clock1 one of the guard who had strayed into the orchard1 some three hundred yards from the house1 heard an unusual sound1 as of cavalry approaching4 ,concealing himself1 he saw1 by the bright moonlight1 this secessionist ride up with seven or eight rebel cavalrymen1 who1 seizing his two companions1 rode off with them as prisoners4 ,the ingrate who committed this base and perfidious act then went into his house and retired to rest4 ,as speedily as possible the third picket returned to his company1 and informed them of the occurrence4 ,fired with indignation1 twenty men volunteered to visit summary punishment upon the perpetrator of this villany4 ,hastening to his house1 they aroused him from his slumbers1 and in a few minutes suspended him by the neck between the heavens and the earth4 ,on their return they reported to their companions what they had done1 and1 through fear of punishment1 took every precaution to prevent the act reaching the colonel's ears4 ,it was reported to the colonel1 however1 whose reply to his informant was1 ,served him right6 ,this policy of guarding rebel property by ,union troops must be abandoned1 or the war will never terminate4 ,the ,union army has been attacked by the rebels when large numbers of the soldiers were absent as guards to protect the plantations and all the interests of secessionists4 ,such gingerly warfare must end1 or the days of the ,republic are numbered4 ,carrying the war into the enemy's country has thus far proved a mere farce4 ,the retreating rebels destroyed tenfold more property than the pursuing ,federals4 ,i would not counsel cruelty4 ,i would not advise the unnecessary destruction of life or property1 for all wanton destruction tends to weaken rather than to strengthen the cause of those who perpetrate it4 ,vandalism is everywhere reprehensible4 ,the proper policy ,i believe to be this3 ,let the ,union army be supplied with provisions1 so far as practicable1 from the territory occupied4 ,let the slaves find protection and employment on their arrival within the ,union lines4 ,despise not their valuable services4 ,let it be proclaimed that for every ,union citizen of the ,south who is slain for his adherence to the old flag1 a rebel prisoner shall be executed1 and that the confiscated property of ,union men shall be restored1 at the cost of rebel sympathizers in the vicinity4 ,let these necessary measures be carried out1 and no well-informed person can doubt that the war will cease before the end of six months4 ,with slavery1 the rebels are powerful2 without it1 they are powerless4 ,with slavery1 every white man between the ages of eighteen and sixty is available as a soldier1 and vast supplies are procured by servile labour4 ,abolish slavery1 and the army would be immediately reduced one-half1 and supplies would be diminished to a destructive extent4 ,slaves armed and drilled would make effective soldiers4 ,with a perfect knowledge of the country1 with an intense desire to liberate themselves and their brethren from bondage1 with an ardent hatred of their cruel masters and overseers1 7and the majority of them are cruel17 they would render a willing and powerful aid in crushing the great rebellion4 ,after the war is ended1 give them as much land as their necessities require1 either in ,new ,mexico or ,arizona1 and they will furnish more sugar1 rice1 and cotton1 than were extorted from them by compulsory labour in the house of bondage4 ,the desire for freedom on the part of the slaves is universal4 ,it is1 according to my observation and full belief1 a rule without exception4 ,these aspirations are constantly increasing as the rigours of slavery are increased1 and the slaves are as well prepared for freedom as they would be a hundred years hence4 ,the ,iron ,furnace of slavery does not tend to the elevation of its victims4 ,there are better methods of elevating a race than by enslaving it4 ,the moral elevation of the slave is no part of the reason why he is held in bondage2 but the convenience and profit of the master is the sole end and aim of the peculiar institution4 ,all attempts on the part of the slaves to obtain their liberty are resisted by the slaveholders1 by the infliction of appalling and barbarous cruelties4 ,thirty-two negroes were executed at ,natchez1 ,mississippi1 recently1 because they expressed a determination to go to ,lincoln4 ,six were hanged in ,hoxubee county1 and one burned in the streets of ,macon4 ,the southern papers state that ,hon4 ,mr4 ,orr1 of ,south ,carolina1 attempted to drive his slaves into the interior1 to prevent their escaping to the ,yankees1 and upon their refusal to go1 he ordered them to be driven at the point of the bayonet1 and in the execution of the order1 fifty of them were slain4 ,there are instances in which the slave is greatly attached to his master's family1 but his love of liberty is greater than that attachment4 ,it often transcends his love for his own family1 which he abandons for its sake1 risking his life on the underground railroad1 and enduring the rigours of a ,canadian winter1 that he may enjoy his inalienable rights4 ,the southwest is already nearly exhausted4 ,the troops which first went into the service were well supplied with clothing1 provisions1 and money2 but the conscripts were poorly clad1 and received their wages in ,confederate bonds1 which have so depreciated1 that ten dollars in gold will purchase one hundred dollars of the bonds4 ,great suffering is the consequence1 and desertions are of daily occurrence4 ,while ,i was in prison at ,tupelo1 eighty-seven of the ,arkansas infantry deserted in a body4 ,one hundred cavalry were sent to arrest them1 but they defeated the cavalry in a fair fight1 and went on their way rejoicing4 ,tennesseeans and ,kentuckians could not be trusted on picket duty1 their proclivity for desertion being notorious4 ,they suffered no opportunity to escape them1 and often went off in squads4 ,many of them being forced into the service1 did not consider their involuntary oath binding4 ,the wheat crop of #ahfb1 in the southwest1 was almost totally destroyed by the rust1 and the corn crop by the drought4 ,salt could not be obtained at any cost1 and every marketable commodity had reached a fabulous price4 ,southern merchants feel that they are ruined4 ,at the commencement of the war they had made large purchases in the ,north1 mainly on credit4 ,the rebel ,congress passed a law that all who were indebted to the ,north must pay two-thirds of the amount of their indebtedness to the ,southern ,confederacy4 ,this the merchants did4 ,they then sold their goods1 taking cotton and ,confederate money in pay4 ,the cotton was destroyed by order of ,beauregard1 and the ,confederate scrip is worthless1 and the ,federal generals are enforcing the payment of ,northern claims4 ,this fourfold loss will beggar every southern merchant subjected to it4 ,at the commencement of the war1 strong drink was abundant1 and it was freely used by the soldiers4 ,drunkenness was fearfully prevalent4 ,this vice increased to such a degree that the army was rapidly becoming demoralized4 ,a large amount of grain was wasted in the manufacture of liquor4 ,at this juncture the rebel government wisely prohibited the manufacture and sale of all that would intoxicate4 ,soon the wisdom of this measure was apparent4 ,for a time this contraband article was smuggled in1 yet it was only in limited quantities1 and at the present time a drunken soldier is a rara avis in the army4 ,at the first promulgation of the law1 a cunning countryman perforated a large number of eggs1 withdrew the contents1 filled the shells with whiskey1 closed them up1 and carrying them to the camp at ,rienzi1 sold them at an exorbitant price4 ,others resorted to filling coffee-pots with whisky1 stopping up the bottom of the spout1 filling it with buttermilk1 and if asked by the guards what they had for sale1 would pour out some of the milk in the spout1 and by this deception gain an entrance to the camp1 and supply the soldiers with liquor4 ,but all these tricks were discovered1 and since the manufacture1 as well as the sale1 was prohibited1 the supply on hand became exhausted1 and drunkenness ceased4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,battles ,,of ,,leesburg1 ,,belmont1 ,,and ,,shiloh4 ,rebel ,cruelty to ,prisoners--,the ,fratricide--,grant ,defeated--,saved by ,gunboats--,buell's ,advance--,railroad ,disaster--,the ,south ,despondent--,general ,rosecrans--,secession will become ,odious even in the ,south--,poem4 ,,battle ,,of ,,leesburg4 ,the battle of ,leesburg was fought on the #bast of ,october1 #ahfa4 ,the southern accounts of this battle were so contradictory1 that ,i will not give the various versions4 ,one statement1 however1 all concur in--that when the ,federal troops retreated to the river1 after being overpowered by superior numbers1 and had thrown down their arms1 calling for quarter1 no mercy was shown them4 ,hundreds were bayoneted1 or forced into the river and drowned4 ,the rebels clubbed their guns1 and dashed out the brains of many while kneeling at their feet and imploring mercy4 ,i saw one ruffian who boasted that he had bayoneted seven ,yankee prisoners captured on that occasion4 ,,battle ,,of ,,belmont4 ,the battle of ,belmont was fought on the #gth of ,november1 #ahfa4 ,i have heard repeatedly from southern officers their version of the events which occurred on that occasion4 ,general ,mc,clernand1 for the purpose of breaking up the rebel camp at ,belmont1 attacked it in force at an early hour1 and completely routed the enemy1 pursuing them to a considerable distance4 ,returning1 he destroyed completely the camp1 but delaying too long1 large reinforcements were thrown over the river from ,columbus1 and the ,federals were compelled to retreat precipitately to their boats1 not1 however1 till they had fully accomplished the object of their mission4 ,a scene occurred on this field which exhibits one of the saddest phases of this internecine strife4 ,the incident was related to me by ,mr4 ,tomlin1 a lawyer of ,jackson1 ,tennessee1 not unknown even in the ,north1 who was personally acquainted with the actors4 ,colonel ,rogers1 of an ,illinois regiment1 led his command into action early in the contest4 ,a ,tennessee regiment opposed him with fierceness for some time4 ,at length they began to waver and exhibit symptoms of disorder4 ,at this moment their colonel1 who had been unhorsed1 mounted a stump1 and by an energetic and fervid address1 rallied his men4 ,again they began to falter1 and again his burning words restored order4 ,colonel ,rogers believing that the safety of himself and regiment depended upon the death of the ,tennessee colonel1 drew a pistol from his holsters1 rode up and deliberately shot him through the brain4 ,the ,tennesseeans seeing their colonel fall1 fled precipitately4 ,on the return of the ,illinois troops1 ,colonel ,rogers1 impelled by curiosity1 dismounted1 and scanning the features of the colonel whom his own hand had slain1 recognised his own brother4 ,as the tide of battle had rolled past for the moment1 he ordered the corpse to be conveyed to a transport1 on which it was brought to ,cairo1 and thence borne to the stricken parents1 who mourned over and buried the remains of their brave but erring child1 who had met his fate at his brother's unconsciously fratricidal hand4 ,,battle ,,of ,,shiloh4 ,on ,april #fth1 #ahfb1 the sun rose clear2 not a cloud was discernible in the sky2 it was truly a lovely ,sabbath1 even for a southern clime4 ,early in the morning ,i took a walk with my little daughter1 a child four years of age1 in whose prattle ,i was taking great interest4 ,we had gone about one hundred yards when my child exclaimed1 ,pa1 we must go back6 it's going to rain2 don't you hear the thunder8 ,the sharp and stunning reports ,i soon recognised to be the sound of cannon on the field of battle4 ,the cannonading continued incessantly during the day4 ,the whole country became intensely excited1 and many citizens hastened to the battlefield1 the majority bent upon plunder4 ,on ,monday the battle still raged with increasing fury4 ,on ,sabbath1 ,general ,grant had been completely surprised1 and would have lost his whole army but for the gunboats in the river4 ,these gunboats shelled the pursuing rebels1 checking their advance1 and saving the discomfitted ,federals4 ,buell arrived with his division on ,sabbath night1 and on ,monday the rebels were driven at every point during the whole day1 with great loss4 ,when ,i heard the rebel officers state that the gunboats lying in the ,tennessee river had checked their pursuit1 and had committed great havoc amongst their troops1 at the distance of nearly three miles1 ,i supposed that the rebel army had continued the pursuit till they came in sight of the gunners on the boats1 who then threw their shells into their advancing columns1 and my mistake was not corrected till ,i saw the scene of action4 ,a plateau extended from the river1 where the gunboats lay1 to the hills1 a distance of about one-quarter of a mile4 ,the hills rose to a considerable height1 and were covered with a large growth1 and on their frowning summits the lofty trees seemed to intercept the passing clouds4 ,grant's discomfitted and shattered army had taken refuge on the plateau4 ,some had even thrown themselves into the river1 and swam across4 ,such was the position of affairs when the gunners threw their shells over those lofty hills1 and beyond them a distance of two miles1 into the midst of the rebels1 checking their advance1 and destroying them by scores4 ,couriers constantly passed to and fro to give information of the position of the enemy4 ,all night long their shelling continued1 causing ,beauregard to change his camp thrice4 ,thus1 ,bombs bursting in air1 ,gave proof through the night ,that our flag was still there4 ,on ,monday morning ,buell's division advanced1 and the tide was turned4 ,the rebels were driven from every position1 and their loss was fearful2 and had pursuit been continued to ,corinth1 their whole army must have been annihilated4 ,general ,a4 ,s4 ,johnson fell about three o'clock on the ,sabbath4 ,the tibial artery had been severed--a wound not necessarily fatal2 but he remained in the saddle till he fainted from loss of blood1 and when borne from his horse by ,governor ,harris and others1 survived but twenty minutes4 ,on ,sabbath night ,beauregard occupied1 for a time1 an old ,presbyterian church--a rude log edifice4 ,the church was named ,shiloh2 hence both ,beauregard and ,general ,grant1 in their dispatches1 named the engagement the battle of ,shiloh4 ,i was in ,rienzi as the wounded passed down on the cars to the various hospitals below4 ,they passed continually for a month4 ,on the #ahth of ,april ,i went down to ,macon1 in ,noxubee county4 ,a large number of wounded were on the train4 ,a lady from the ,female ,seminary in ,aberdeen had been placed under my care4 ,when we reached a point six miles from ,crawfordsville1 ,i noticed a young man looking out in an excited manner1 and immediately after he jumped out and rolled down an embankment4 ,i was much surprised at his conduct1 but soon the crashing of the cars explained the cause4 ,the train had been thrown from the track1 and was rushing down an embankment4 ,jumping from the cars now became general4 ,my lady friend arose1 declaring that she also would leap from the car4 ,i caught and held her till the danger was over1 and thus prevented perhaps serious injury to her person1 as all who jumped from the train were more or less injured4 ,on extricating ourselves from the debris of the cars1 an appalling sight met our view4 ,the sick1 wounded1 dying1 and dead1 were scattered promiscuously in every direction4 ,their groans and piercing shrieks were heart-rending4 ,the heavy fragments of the broken cars were thrown upon their mangled limbs1 and in many instances this disaster completed what ,shiloh had commenced4 ,as we came down1 ,i passed through the train amongst the wounded4 ,some had lost an arm1 several an upper lip1 as many an under lip4 ,through the body of one six balls had passed4 ,they were wounded in the feet1 the hands1 the head1 and the body2 and some who had not been touched by ball or bullet were paralyzed by their proximity to the exploding shells4 ,truly every battle is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood4 ,i remained some time at the destroyed train1 aiding in extricating those buried beneath the ruins4 ,the extent of the damage and destruction of life1 ,i never accurately learned4 ,it must1 however1 have been great4 ,the catastrophe was occasioned by a stick of wood falling from the tender before the wheels of the adjacent car1 which1 being thrown from the track1 precipitated the whole train down the embankment4 ,for weeks after the battle of ,shiloh1 little was done by ,federals or ,confederates4 ,the rebels firmly believed that ,corinth could not be taken4 ,its evacuation discouraged the people exceedingly4 ,nothing but disasters had befallen them since the year commenced4 ,zollikoffer had been slain1 and ,crittenden defeated1 at ,fishing ,creek4 ,roanoke ,island had been captured4 ,forts ,henry1 ,donelson1 ,pulaski1 ,st4 ,philip1 and ,jackson had been reduced4 ,island ,no4 #aj was taken1 and ,new ,orleans had fallen4 ,the bloody field of ,shiloh had proved disastrous2 and now1 even ,corinth1 the boasted ,gibraltar of rebeldom1 fortified by the best engineer on the continent1 and defended by the whole army of the southwest1 had been evacuated4 ,what1 under these circumstances1 could resist the progress of ,halleck to the ,gulf8 ,many saw the cause of these disasters in the fact that the rebel generals had made their attacks upon the ,union troops upon the ,sabbath2 and all history confirms the truth that the army attacking on the ,sabbath is almost invariably defeated4 ,universal gloom and an all-pervading spirit of despondency1 brooded over the whole southern people4 ,had the rebel army been crushed at ,corinth1 or had ,beauregard been vigorously pursued1 and forced to fight or surrender1 the war in the southwest would have been terminated4 ,general ,rosecrans informed me that they could have crushed the rebels at ,corinth1 and on my asking him why it was not done1 he replied3 ,it would have been done at the cost of many lives on both sides1 and it is not our desire to sacrifice life unnecessarily4 ,let ,beauregard go down to the swamps of ,mississippi2 he can do us no injury4 ,it is not probable that he will ever return to ,corinth to attack us1 and they must starve out in a section which never produced enough to sustain its own population4 ,but ,beauregard did not remain long in the swamps of ,mississippi4 ,he took the flower of his army and hastened on to ,richmond1 to reinforce ,general ,lee1 who immediately gave battle to ,mc,clellan1 and drove him from the ,peninsula4 ,halleck should never have suffered ,mc,clellan to be compelled to fight both ,lee's forces and ,beauregard's1 whilst his own army was merely protecting rebel property and consuming rations4 ,i think ,general ,rosecrans1 had he been in chief command1 would not have thus acted2 and his statement to me was a mere apology for the conduct of his superior1 for his policy has ever been vigorous1 and the rebels dread him more than any living man4 ,the lamented ,lyon also inspired a similar wholesome dread4 ,i saw much of ,general ,rosecrans4 ,he is a genial1 pleasant gentleman4 ,he seems desirous of accomplishing his end by the use of mild means2 but if these will not effect the object1 the reverse policy is resorted to4 ,the rebels dread1 yet respect him4 ,he will do much to oblige a friend4 ,i desired at one time to go with my family beyond the ,federal lines4 ,general ,rosecrans went in person to ,general ,pope to obtain a pass2 but ,pope's orders were that no passes should be issued for a specified time4 ,general ,rosecrans then asked and obtained permission to send one of his aids with us1 who conducted us beyond the pickets1 a distance of five miles4 ,this act1 the ,general remarked1 was in consideration of the kindness ,i had shown himself and staff while in ,rienzi4 ,the ,federal generals committed a great mistake in desiring to overrun the country without destroying the rebel armies4 ,a physician who drives a disease from one limb only to appear in a more aggravated form in another1 accomplishes nothing4 ,and when a general permits a hostile army to change its location as a strategic movement1 he has accomplished nothing1 except giving aid and comfort to the enemy4 ,the rebels estimated their forces at the battle of ,shiloh at eighty thousand4 ,though considerable accessions had been received1 yet in consequence of sickness and desertion1 their number was about the same at the evacuation of ,corinth4 ,they lost about eleven thousand1 slain1 wounded1 and prisoners1 in the battle4 ,war has a tendency to engender great bitterness of feeling between the belligerents4 ,the secessionists hate the northern people1 but not with the intensity of hatred which they exercise toward the ,union-loving citizens of the ,south4 ,in ,south ,carolina1 in the days of nullification1 the nullifiers and ,union men were very bitter in their hostility against each other4 ,after the suppression of nullification by ,general ,jackson1 the cause being removed1 the enmity ceased1 and in a short time1 the odium attached to nullification became so great1 that few would admit that they had been nullifiers4 ,let the supremacy of the law and the ,constitution be enforced1 and a few years hence1 few1 even in the ,south1 will be found willing to admit that they were secessionists4 ,the descendants of the ,tories carefully conceal their genealogy2 the descendants of the secessionists will do the same4 ,slavery and secession will perish together2 and the classes of the ,south who have been fearfully injured by both these heresies1 will be fully compensated for their present distress by the vast blessings which will accrue to themselves and posterity by the abolition of an institution which has degraded labour1 oppressed the poor white man1 opposed progress1 retarded the development of the country's resources1 taken away the key of knowledge1 caused every species of vice to flourish1 impoverished the people1 enriched a favoured class at the expense of the masses1 caused woes unnumbered to a whole race--in short1 has been the prolific parent of fraud1 oppression1 lust1 tyranny1 murder1 and every other crime in the dark catalogue4 ,we are living1 we are dwelling ,in a grand and awful time2 ,in an age1 on ages telling1 ,to be living is sublime6 ,hark6 the waking up of nations1 ,gog and ,magog to the fray2 ,hark6 what soundeth--is creation ,groaning for its latter day8 ,will ye play1 then8 will ye dally ,with your music and your wine8 ,up6 it is ,jehovah's rally6 ,god's own arm hath need of thine4 ,hark6 the onset6 will ye fold your ,faith-clad arms in lazy lock2 ,up6 oh1 up6 thou drowsy soldier1 ,worlds are charging to the shock6 ,worlds are charging2 heaven beholding2 ,thou hast but an hour to fight2 ,now the blazoned cross unfolding1 ,on6 right onward for the right4 ,on6 let all the soul within you1 ,for the truth's sake go abroad2 ,strike6 let every nerve and sinew ,tell on ages1--tell for ,god6 ,,see ,,to ,,your ,,interest66 ,,amsterdam1 ,jefferson co41 ,ohio1 ,january #a1 #ahfc4 ,the undersigned tenders his thanks to his customers for their liberal patronage in the past1 and respectfully solicits its continuance4 ,he has recently made considerable additions to his stock of ,,dry ,,goods ,,and ,,groceries1 and he will endeavour to make it the interest of the citizens of ,amsterdam and vicinity to deal with him2 nor will he permit his competitors to surpass him in the cheapness and quality of his goods4 ,the highest price will be paid for ,,produce ,,of ,,every ,,kind1 and ,cash will not be refused in payment for goods4 ,a word to the wise is sufficient4 ,,david ,,aughey4