Books: With Lee in Virginia; A Story Of The American Civil War

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Under other circumstances this carelessness would have inspired
Vincent with the thought of escape, but he knew that it was out of
the question here. There were Federal camps all round and a shout
from the negroes would send a hundred men in instant pursuit of
him. There was nothing for him to do but to wait for the end, and
that end would assuredly come in the morning. From time to time
the door opened, and the negro sergeant looked in. Apparently his
ideas on the subject of discipline were no stricter than those of his
men, for he made no remark as to their carelessness. Presently,
when he looked in, the four soldiers were standing at the window
watching a regiment passing by on its way to take its share of the
work in the trenches. Vincent, who was sitting at a table,
happened to look up, and was astonished at seeing the sergeant
first put his finger on his lips, then take off his cap, put one hand
on his heart, and gesticulate with the other.

Vincent gazed at him in blank surprise, then he started and almost
sprang to his feet, for in the Yankee sergeant he recognized Tony
Morris; but the uplifted hand of the negro warned him of the
necessity of silence. The negro nodded several times, again put his
hand on his heart, and then disappeared. A thrill of hope stirred
every vein in Vincent's body. He felt his cheeks flush and had
difficulty in maintaining his passive attitude. He was not, then,
utterly deserted; he had a friend who would, he was sure, do all in
his power to aid him.

It was extraordinary indeed that it should be Tony who was now
his jailer; and yet, when he thought it over, it was not difficult to
understand. It was natural enough that he should have enlisted
when the black regiments were raised. He had doubtless heard his
name shouted out by Jackson, and had, as Vincent now
remembered, stepped forward as a sort of volunteer when the
officer called for a sergeant and four men.

Yes, Tony would doubtless do all in his power to save him.
Whether it would be possible that he could do so was doubtful; but
at least there was a hope, and with it the feeling of quiet
resignation with which Vincent had faced what appeared to be
inevitable at once disappeared, and was succeeded by a restless
longing for action. His brain was busy at once in calculating the
chances of his being ordered for instant execution or of the
sentence being postponed till the following morning, and, in the
latter case, with the question of what guard would be probably
placed over him, and how Tony would set about the attempt to aid
him to escape.

Had the general been in camp when he was brought in he would
probably have been shot at sunset, but if he did not return until the
afternoon he would would most likely order the sentence to be
carried out at daybreak. In any case, as he was an officer, some
time might be granted to him to prepare for death. Then there was
the question whether he would be handed over to a white regiment
for safekeeping or left in the hands of the black regiment that had
captured him. No doubt after the sentence was passed the white
officers of that regiment would see that a much stricter watch than
that now put over him was set.

It was not probable that he would still be in charge of Tony, for as
the latter would be on duty all day he would doubtless be relieved.
In that case how would he manage to approach him, and what
means would he use to direct the attention of the sentries in
another direction? He thought over the plans that he himself would
adopt were he in Tony's place. The first thing would be, of course,
to make the sentries drunk if possible. This should not be a
difficult task with men whose notions of discipline were so lax as
those of the negroes; but It would be no easy matter for Tony to
obtain spirits, for these were strictly prohibited in the Federal
camp. Perhaps he might help Tony in this way. He fortunately
had a small notebook with a pencil in his pocket, and as his guards
were still at the window he wrote as follows:

"I am captured by the Yankees. So far as I can see, my only
chance of escape is to make the sentries drunk. The bearer is
absolutely to be trusted. Give him his canteen full of spirits, and
tell him what I have written here."

He tore this page out, folded it up, and directed it to Mrs.
Grossmith, Worley Farm, near Union. Presently Tony looked in
again and Vincent held up the note. The sergeant stepped quickly
forward and took it, and then said sharply to the men:

"Now den, dis not keeping guard. Suppose door open and dis
fellow run away. What dey say to you? Two of you keep your eye
on d's man. Suppose Captain Pearce come in and find you all
staring out window. He kick up nice bobbery."

Thus admonished as to their duty, two of the negroes took up their
muskets and stood with their backs to the door, with their eyes
fixed on the prisoner with such earnestness that Vincent could not
suppress a smile. The negroes grinned responsively.

"Dis bad affair, young sah," one said; "bery bad affair. Oh course
we soldiers oh de Union, and got to fight if dey tell us; but no like
dis job oh keeping guard like dis."

"It can't be helped," Vincent said; "and of course you must do your
duty. I am not going to jump up the chimney or fly through the
window, and as there are four of you, to say nothing of the
sergeant outside, you needn't be afraid of my trying to escape."

"No sah, dat not possible nohow; we know dat bery well. Dat's
why we no trouble to look after you. But as de sargent say watch,
oh course we must watch. We bery pleased to see you kill dat
white officer. Dat officer bery hard man and all de men hate him,
and when you knock him down we should like to hab given cheer.
We all sorry for you; still you see, sab, we must keep watch. If you
were to get away, dar no saying what dey do to us."

"That's all right," Vincent said; "I don't blame you at all. As yon
say, that was a very bad fellow. I had quarreled with him before,
because he treated his slaves so badly."

CHIAPTER XIX. FREE.

IT WAS not until late in the afternoon that a white officer entered,
and ordered the soldiers to conduct the prisoner to the general's
tent.

"What is your name, sir, and who are you?" the general asked as he
was brought in. "I hear that you were denounced by Lieutenant
Jackson as being a spy, and that he addressed you as Vincent
Wingfield. What have you got to say to the charge?"

"My name is Vincent Wingfield, sir," Vincent replied quietly. "I
am upon the staff of General Wade Hampton, and in pursuance of
my duty I came here to learn what I could of your movements and
intentions."

The general was silent for a moment.

"Then, sir, as you are an officer, you must be well aware of the
consequence of being discovered in disguise here. I regret that
there is no course open to me hut to order you to be shot as a spy
to-morrow morning."

One of the officers who was standing by the general here
whispered to him.

"Ah, yes, I remember," he said. "Are you the same officer, sir,
who escaped from Elmira?"

"I am, sir," Vincent replied; "and at the same time aided in the
escape of the man who denounced me to-day, and who then did his
best to have file arrested by sending an anonymous letter stating
the disguise in which I was making my way through the country. I
was not surprised to find that he had carried his treachery further,
and was now fighting against the men with whom he had formerly
served."

"He deserved the fate that has befallen him," the general said.
"Still this does not alter your position. I regret that I must order
my sentence to he carried out."

"I do not blame yon, sir. I knew the risks I ran when I accepted the
mission. My only regret is that I failed in supplying my general
with the information they required."

The general then turned to the officer who had brought Vincent up.

"This officer will remain in charge of your men for to-night,
Captain Pearce. You will see that the sentence is carried into
effect at daybreak. I need not tell you that a vigilant guard must be
placed over him."

Vincent was again marched back to the village, but the officer
halted the party when he arrived there.

"Stop here a few minutes, sergeant," be said. "That room is
required for an officer's quarters. I will look round and find
another place."

In a few minutes he returned, and Vincent was conducted to a shed
standing in the garden of one of the houses.

"Place one man on guard at the door and another behind," he said
to the sergeant. "Let the other two relieve them, and change the
watch once an hour."

The sergeant saluted.

"De men hab been on duty since daylight, sah, and none of us hab
had anything to eat."

"Oh, I forgot that," the officer replied. "Very well, I will send
another party to relieve you at once."

In ten minutes another sergeant and four men arrived at the spot,
and Tony and his companions returned to the camp.

As soon as Tony had devoured a piece of bread he left the camp,
walked with careless gait through the camps behind, and went on
until he reached a village in which were comparatively few
soldiers. He went up to a woman who was standing at a door.

"Missus," ho said, "I hab got a letter to take, and I ain't bery sure as
to de name. Will you kindly tell me what is de address writ on dis
paper?"

The woman looked at it.

"Mrs. Grossmith, Worley Farm, near Union. That's about two
miles along the road. If you go on any one will tell you which is
Mrs. Grossmith's."

Tony hurried on, for he wanted to get back to the camp before it
was dark. He had no difficulty in finding Worley Farm.

"Now, then, what do you want?" its owner said sharply, as she
opened tile door in reply to his knock. "There's nothing for you
here. You can look round if you like. It's been all stripped clean
days ago, so I tell you."

"Me no want anything, ma'am. Me hab a letter for you." The
woman in surprise took the note and opened it. She read it through
and looked Earnestly at Tony.

"He says you are to be trusted," she said. "Is that so?"

"I would gib my life for him twenty times over," Tony replied.
"He got me away from a brutal master and bought my wife out ob
slavery for me. What does he say, ma'am? For do Lord sake tell
me. Perhaps he tell me how to get him clar."

The woman read out the contents of the note.

"Dat's it, missus, sure enough; dat's the way," he exclaimed in
delight. "Me tink and tink all day, and no manage to tink of
anything except to shoot de sentry and fight wid do oders and get
him out; but den all do odor sojers come running down, and no
chance to escape. If me can get do spirits dat's easy enough. Me
make dem all drunk as hogs."

"I can give you that," the woman said. "Is there anything else you
will want? What are you going to do with him if yen get him free?
They will hunt you down like vermin."

"I tought we might get down to de river and get ober somehow.
Dere will he no getting tree der cavalry. Dey will hab dem on
every read."

"Well, you want some clothes, anyhow; you can't go about in these
soldier clothes. The first Yank yen came across would shoot you
for a deserter, and the first of our men as a traitor. Well, by the
time you get back to-night, that is if you do come back, I will get
up a chest I've get buried with my men's clothes in it. They didn't
want to take them away to the war with them, so I hid them up."

She had by this time dug up the keg from its hiding-place, and now
filled Tony's canteen.

"Tank yen, missus; de Lord bress yen for what you've done,
wheder I get Massa Wingfield off or wheder we bofe get killed
ober de job. But I must get back as fast as I can. Ef it was dark
before I got to camp dey would wonder whar I had been."

"Oh, you have plenty of time," the woman said; "it won't be dark
till eight o'clock, and it's not seven yet. I will set to and boil a
good chunk of pork and bake some cakes. It's no use getting out of
the hands of the Yanks and then going and getting starved in the
swamps.

Directly Tony got back to his regiment he strolled over to the shed
where Vincent was confined. Two sentinels were on duty, the
sergeant and the two other men were lying at full length en the
ground some twenty yards away. Their muskets were beside them,
and it was evident to Tony by the vigilant watch that they kept up
en the shed that their responsibility weighed heavily upon them
and that Captain Pearce had impressed upon them that if the
pnsoner escaped they would certainly be shot.

"Well, Sergeant John Newson," Tony began, "I hab just walked
ober to see how you getting on. It am a mighty 'sponsible business
dis. I had six hours of him, and it make de perspiration run down
my back to tink what a job it would be for me if dat fellow was to
run away."

"Dat's just what dis chile feel, Sergeant Tony Morris; I am zactly
like dat, and dat's what dese men feel too. We am all on guard. De
captain say, put two on guard at de shed and let do odors relieb
dem ebery hour. So dey shall; but dose off duty must watch just
the same. When it gets dark we get close up, so as to be ready to
jump in directly we hear a stir. Dis fellow no fool us."

"Dat's the way, Sergeant Newson, dat am do way. Nober close your
eye, but keep a sharp look on dem. It's a pity dat you not in camp
to-night."

"How am dat, bow am dat?" the sergeant asked.

"To tell you do truf, sergeant, tree or four ob us hab smuggled in
some spirits, and you are one of dose who would hab come in for a
share of it if you had been dere."

"Golly!" the sergeant exclaimed; "but dat is bery unfortunate.
Can't you manage to bring me a little here?"

"Well, you know, it's difficult to get out ob camp.

"Oh, you could get through. Dere is no fear about you being
caught."

"I don't know," Tony replied with an air of reluctance. "Well, I will
see about it. Ef I can crawl troo de sentries, and bring some for
you and de oders, I will. It will help keep you awake and keep out
de damp.

"Dat's right down good ob you," the other said cordially. "You
good man, Tony Morris; and if I can do as much for you anoder
time, I do it."

Having settled this, Tony went round to the hospital tent in rear of
the regiment, having tied up his face with a handkerchief.

"Well, what is it, sergeant?" the negro, who acted as an orderly and
sometimes helped the surgeon mix his drugs, asked. "De doctor
am gone away, and I don't 'spect he come back again to-night."

"Dat am bery bad ting," Tony said dolefully. "Can't you do
something for me, Sam Smith? I tink you know quite as much
about do medicines as do doctor himself."

"Not quite so much, sergeant, not quite so much; but I'se no fool,
and my old mother she 'used to make medicine for de plantation
and knew a heap about herbs, so it am natural dat I should take to
it. What can I gib you?"

"Well, Sam, you see sometimes I'se 'flicted dre'fful wid do
faceache him just go jump, jump, jump, as ef he bust right up.
Mose times I find de best ting am to put a little laudabun in my
mouf, and a little on bit of rag and put him outside. De best ting
would be for you to gib me little bottle of him; den when de pain
come on I could jess take him, and not be troubling you ebery day.
And Sam, jus you whisper-I got hold of a little good stuff. You gib
me tin mug; me share what I hab got wid you."

The negro grinned with delight, and going into the tent brought out
a tin mug.

"Dat's all right, Sam; but you hab no brought de bottle of laudabun
too. You just fetch dat, and I gib you do spirit."

The negro went in again, and in two minutes returned with a small
bottle of laudanum.

"Dat's a fair exchange," Tony said, taking it, and handing to the
man his mug half full of spirit.

"Dat am someting like," the black said, looking with delight at the
liberal allowance. "Me drink him do last ting at night, don me go
to sloop and no one 'spect nuffin'. Whereber you get dat spirit?"

"Never you mind, Sam," Tony said with a grin. "Dar's more where
dat comes from, and maybe you will get anoder taste ob it."

Then after leaving the hospital tent he poured half the spirits away,
for he had not now to depend upon the effect of that alone; and it
wore bettor not to give it too strong, for that might arouse the
suspicion of the guard. Then ho uncorked the bottle of laudanum.

"I don't know how much to gib," he said to himself. "No good to
kill dem. Me don't 'spect die stuff bery strong. Dose rogues sell
all sorts of stuff to do government. Anyting good enough for do
soldier. Dey gib him rotten boots, and rotten cloth, and bad
powder, and all sorts of tings. I spect dey gib him bad drugs too.
However, me must risk it. Dis bottle not bery big, anyhow-won't
hold more dan two or three teaspoon. Must risk him."

So saying ho poured the contents of the vial into the canteen, and
then going to a water-cart filled it up. Ho waited until the camp
was quiet, and then, taking off his boots and fastening in his bolt
his own bayonet and that of one of the men sleeping near, he
quietly and cautiously made his way out of camp. There were no
sentries placed here, for there was no fear whatever of an attack,
and ho had little difficulty in making his way round to the back of
the village to the spot where Vincent was confined. Ho moved so
quietly that ho was not perceived until he was within a few yards
of the shed.

"Sergeant Newson, am you dere?"

"Bress me, what a start you hab given me, for suah!" the sergeant
said. "I did not hear you coming.

"You didn't s'pose I was coming along shouting and whistling,
Sergeant Newson? Don't you talk so loud. Dar am no saying who's
about."

"Hab you brought do stuff?"

"You don't suppose I should hab come all dis way to tell you I hab
not got it. How am do prisoner?"

"Oh, he's dere all right. My orders was to look in at dat little
winder ebery five minutes, and dat when it began to get dark me
was to tie him quite tight, and me hab done so. And one of do
sentries goes in every five minutes and feels to see if de ropes are
tight. He am dar, sure enough."

"Dat's quite right, Sergeant Nowson. I knew when you came to
'hove me as do captain knew what ho was doing when lie choose
you for dis job. Ho just pick out do man he considers do very best
in do regiment. Now, here is do spirit; and fuss-rate stuff it am,
too."

"Golly, but it am strong!" the sergeant said, taking a long gulp at
the canteen. "Dat warm do cockles ob de heart in no time. Yes, it
am good stuff-just do ting for dis damp air. I hear as a lot of do
white soldiers are down wid de fever already, and dere will be lots
and lots more of we stop here long. Here, you two men, take a
drink of dis; but mind, you mustn't toll no one 'bout it. Dis a secret
affair."

The two negroes each took a long drink, and returned the canteen
with warm expressions of approval.

"De oder men are on duty," the sergeant said with the air of a man
who knew his business; "dey mustn't hab none of it, not until dey
comes off. As we are do relief, it am proper and right dat we drink
a drop out of a canteen of we want it."

"Quite so, Sergeant Newson," Tony said in a tone of admiration.
"Dat's do way to manage dese tings-duty first and pleasure
afterward."

"It am nearly time to relieve guard," the other said; and den dey
can have a drink."

In five minutes the two soldiers relieved those on guard, and they
also took a long drink at the canteen, to which the sergeant also
again applied his lips.

Now I must be going," Tony said. "I will leave the canteen with
you, sergeant. I have got some more of the stuff over there, and I
dare say you will like another drink before morning."

So saying he stole away, hut halted and lay down twenty yards
distant. In ten minutes he heard the sergeant say:

"I feel as if I could do just five minutes' sleep. You keep your eyes
on de shed, and of you hear any officer coming his rounds you
wake me up."

Tony waited another half-hour and then crawled up. The sergeant
was lying on his back sound asleep; the two men with him were on
their faces, with their rifles pointing toward the shed, as if they had
dropped off to sleep while they were staring at it. Then he crawled
on to the shed. The soldier on sentry at the back had grounded his
musket and was leaning against the shed fast asleep, while the one
at the door had apparently slid down in a sitting position and was
snoring.

"I hope I haben't given it to dem too strong," Tony said to himself;
"but it can't be helped anyhow."

He opened the door and entered the shed.

"Are you awake, Marse Wingfield?"

"Yes, I am awake, Tony. Thank God you have come! How did you
manage it?"

"I hab managed it, sah, and dey are all fast asleep," Tony said, as
he cut the ropes which bound Vincent.

"Now, sab, let's be going quick. Dar am no saying when dey may
come round to look after do guards. Dat's what I hab been
worrying about do last quarter ob an hour."

Vincent sprang to his feet as the ropes fell from him, and grasped
Tony's hand.

"Here am a bayonet, sah. I hope we sha'n't want to use dem, but
dar am no saying."

They made their way cautiously across the fields till they
approached another camp. A few sentries were walking up and
down in front of it, but they crawled round these and passed
through the space between the regiment and that next to it.
Several other camps were passed; and then, when Vincent knew
that they were well in rear of the whole of them, they rose to their
feet and started forward at a run. Suddenly Tony touched Vincent,
and they both stood still. A distant shout came through the air,
followed by another and another.

"I 'spect dey hab found out we have gone, sah. Dey go round two
or tree times in do night to sec dat de sentries are awake. Now,
sab, come along."

They were on the road now, and ran at full speed until they
approached Union. They left the track as they neared the village,
and as they did so they heard the sound of a horse at full gallop
behind them.

"That's an orderly taking the news of our escape. Sheridan's
cavalry are scattered all over the country, and there are two
squadrons at Union Grove. The whole country will be alive at
daybreak."

Making their way through the fields they soon struck the track
leading to Worley Farm, and in a few minutes were at the door.
The woman opened it at once.

"I have been watching for you," she said, "and I am real glad you
have got safe away. Wait a minute and I will strike a light."

"You had better not do that," Vincent said. "They have got the
alarm at Union Grove already, and if any one caught sight of a
light appearing in your window, it would bring them down here at
once."

"They can't see the house from Union," the woman said. "Still,
perhaps it will be best. Now, sir, I can't do anything for you,
because my men's clothes are the same sor' of cut as yours; but
here's a suit for this man."

Thanking her warmly Vincent handed the things to Tony.

"Make haste and slip them on. Tony; and make your

352
WITH LEE IN VIRGINIA.

other things up into a bundle and bring them with you for a bit.
We must leave nothing hero, for they will search the whole
country to-morrow. We will take the horse away too; not that we
want it, but it would never do for it to be found here."

"Will you take your letter again?" the woman asked.

"No, I will leave it with you. It will be no use now if I get through,
but if you hear to-morrow or next day that I am caught, please
carry it as we arranged. What is this?" he asked as the woman
handed him a bundle.

"Here are eight or ten pounds of pork," she said, "and some
corn-cakes. If you are hiding away you will want something, and I
reckon anyhow you won't be able to make your way to our people
for a bit. Now, if you are ready I will start with you."

"You will start with us!" Vincent repeated in surprise.

"Certainly I will start with you," the woman said. "How do you
think you would be able to find your way a dark night like this?
No, sir; I will put you on your way till morning. But, in the first
place, which line do you mean to take?"

"I do not think there is much chance of getting back the way we
came," Vincent said. "By morning Sheridan's cavalry will have got
a description of me, and they will be scouring the whole country.
The only chance will be to go north and cross the river somewhere
near Norfolk."

"I think, sat, you better go on wid your horse at once. No use wait
for me. I come along on foot, find my own way."

"No, Tony, I shall certainly not do that. We will either get off or
be taken together. Well, I think the best plan will be to go straight
down to the river. How far is it away?"

"About fifteen miles," the woman said.

If we got there we can get hold of a boat somehow, and either
cross and then make straight for Richmond on feet, or go up the
river in the boat and land in the rear of our lines. That we can
settle about afterward. The first thing is to get to the river bank.
We are not likely to meet with any interruption in that direction.
Of course the cavalry are all on the other flank, and it will be
supposed that I shall try either to work round that way or to make
straight through the lines. They would hardly suspect that I shall
take to the river, which is covered with their transports and
store-ships."

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