Day after day our wary General fell slowly back before thrice his numbers, checking them, wherever he could, with a fight, and retreating after the fight, ere they could crush him by heavier forces. Back, still back, retreating with undaunted hearts, but alas! too few; skirmishing at Fayetteville, battling at Averasboro’, the 17th March found us not far from Goldsboro’ and near my home; but between us and that dear spot was part of Sherman’s army and the commands of Schofield and Terry, who had met, one from Newbern, the other from Wilmington, in Goldsboro’. I had not heard from Carlotta since leaving General Lee’s army, and for her and mother’s safety I dared not hope. Mr. Bemby was their only protection, and with the Yankee army in Goldsboro’, I knew that one hour would suffice for the house to be rifled and themselves insulted. The agony of my suspense was terrible; to be so near home and yet not be able to see my wife and child. My fears and anxiety almost maddened me, and I seemed to hear continually their cries for help and protection.
Ben and I had been sitting in our tent, as the day drew to a close, talking of our loved ones and thinking of some plan by which we could get to them, when he rose and said:
“It’s no use a talkin’ ‘bout it, John, I’m goin’ through the lines; I’ll be darned if I musn’t see Viny and the young ones.”
“I’ll go with you, Ben,” I said; “shall we start tonight?”
“No, siree! not ef you think much of yer head; a Yankee would kill a angel ef he caught him flying in the night.”
“It will be impossible to pass them in the day,” I said, impatient of delay.
“Lem’me take keer of that,” he said, rising; “I’m goin’ to see Gen. Johnston now and get two days’ leave of absence, and we’ll git to the old man’s to-morrow night, or the devil may take my nose to plow ashes.”
He passed out under the flap of the tent, but in a second rushed back, dragging in an old negro man.
“Look here, John,” he exclaimed, “here’s Horace, he can tell us somethin’ ‘bout our folks.”
I sprang forward to the old man, who stood grinning in the door, and grasped his arm.