“But he can’t float up stream,” said Annette, “and as for a boat, that will be impossible.”
“He can swim,” said Inez, “swim across the river. He will be above the pickets around Edgefield.”
“But how can he get to Dr. Caldwell? It is not safe for him to appear on the street. Not a guard but has a description of him,” said the careful Annette.
“Dr. Caldwell is attending Mrs. Robinson (the Robinsons lived next door); it will be easy for the doctor to take him in his buggy; no guard will think of disturbing the doctor, he is too well known.”
Calhoun eagerly caught at the idea. When Dr. Caldwell visited Mrs. Robinson during the day, he was seen, and consented to the scheme. “Muffle him up,” he said, “he will be taken for one of my patients.” Before Calhoun left he wrote a letter, and directed it to Captain Haines — Regt. This Inez promised to mail when Calhoun was well out of the city.
Dr. Caldwell had no trouble in taking Calhoun to his home. Here he stayed until dark, then bidding the hospitable physician good-bye, he plunged into the river and was soon across, and began to make his way slowly up the northern bank. But the night was dark, and after many falls and bruises, he concluded to wait for daylight. Having made himself a bed of leaves beside a log, he was soon sleeping as peacefully as if no dangers were lurking near.
As for Captain Haines, he was bitterly disappointed when Calhoun was not caught. But his leave of absence was out, and he had to return to his regiment near Murfreesboro. A day or two after his return the following letter came with his mail:
Nashville, Tenn., April 25, 1863.
To Capt. Chas. Haines,
My Dear Captain: When you receive this I shall be well out of Nashville. We have already met three times, and I trust we [pg 180]may meet once more. If we do, it will be our last, for one or the other of us will die. I know of your damnable treatment of the Osbornes. Be assured it will be avenged.