From Fenns Bridge I went to Macon to spend a few days with a cousin who lived there. As I walked the street one named Colson who belonged to the Provost Guard came up saying, "Ike old fellow, I have orders to arrest you." "What for, Colson?" He answered, he did not know. "Who gave you the orders?" He said "Major Roland." "Let us go up and see him." We walked up from Cherry Street to Triangular block, where Roland, who was commander of the Post, had his headquarters. The room was full of men and officers, among whom I recognized Captain Napier, who had lost a limb in Virginia; the rest were all strangers to me. Major Roland addressed himself to me "What can I do for you?" "You had me arrested." Colson was standing there; I looked at him; he said "You gave me the orders." "What is your name?" "Isaac Hermann." Roland brightened up; "You are the fellow I was after; you are reported as a deserter." I pulled my furlough, which was somewhat dilapidated from constant wear and tear; he scrutinized it closely, handing it back to me, saying, "This paper is forged; some brother countryman fixed it up for you." "You are a liar," I said. Quick as lightning he grabbed and drew his sword, which was lying on the table, exclaiming as he faced me, "I am an officer." In the meantime I executed a half about, drawing my pistol, saying: "I am a private; if you make a move I'll put daylight through you." And there we stood, facing each other for a few seconds, when one of the officers in the room approached me, saying in a whisper, "Put up your pistol, I am your friend." "Who are you?" "I am Paton Colquitt, Colonel of the 46th Ga. Reg't., stationed at Charleston, S. C., I am on my way to my command, but intend now to remain to see you out." I extended my hand and he shook it heartily. Major Roland looked very pale; the rest of the company present looked on with interest. Roland ordered a Sergeant and four men as a guard to escort me to the guard house. I said "I'll die first, right here, before I'll march through Macon, guarded like a horse thief. I have not done anything to be arrested for; I am known in Macon and will not submit to any such indignity." Colonel Colquitt stepped up to the table, saying, "Will you take me as sponsor for this gentleman, to report at any place you may designate, without a guard?" Roland could not refuse, so trembling he wrote me (a billet de logement): "To the Officer in Command at the Calaboose: Admit the Bearer. By order of Major Roland, Commanding Provost Post, Macon, Georgia." Before calling at the prison I passed to where my cousin lived. I stated what had happened, so that she would not look for me, as I was stopping at her house. She was much distressed and feared personal harm would befall me. I reassured her the best I knew how and requested her to let me have a blanket, if she could spare one, so that I could sleep on it that night. I rolled the blanket, tied the ends together with a string and drew it across my shoulder. On the way I thought of the threat Captain Howell made at Bryant County, Camp Arnold, when Sergt. Hines reported to me what he said, that he would get me yet. I was mad; I was honor bound to report at the calaboose. Col. Colquitt was my sponsor, I could not go back on him. Finally I arrived at the prison, an old building, about 25 by 40; it might have been used as a stable. I presented my ticket for admittance, the officer looked at it, read it, then looked at me and smiled, and said, "Well, this is unusual." I disengaged myself of the blanket, as he unlocked the door. The room was packed with men, among them some Yankees, or some in Federal uniforms. As the door was locked behind me one of the inmates hollowed. "There is a new comer, he must sing us a song;" I remarked, I rather felt like fighting than singing just now, when a big strapping fellow presented himself, with his coat off, saying, as he put himself in a fighting attitude, "Here is your mule;" I answered as I hit him, "Here is your rider." I struck him such an unexpected blow that it stunned him, when he said he had enough, as I was to double him. He apologized, saying he was just funning; I answered and said, "I meant it, and you believe it now; I am obliged to you for having given me this opportunity, for I have been badly treated." I need not say that I was respectfully treated by the rest of the inmates. And while room to lay down was at a premium, I had all I needed for that purpose. The following morning at the break of day, my name was called at the wicket; I answered. The door swung open and there stood Col. Colquitt, smiling. "Well, you are a free man"; "How did you do it!" "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies." I said, "Let me get my blanket I borrowed on the way." He answered: "The train that will carry me to my regiment will leave in half an hour, and I have done what I intended before going; I wish I had a thousand men like you, and I would walk through Yankeedom." I thanked him heartily for what he said and did, promising never to forget it, and I never have. We walked some distance together, the atmosphere was chilly, and I proposed to him if he would accept a treat from me in the way of a drink; he said, "With great pleasure." We found a place on our way to the depot, which was not very far, as the Calaboose was situated a little back of the Brown House, and we drank a drink of as mean potato whiskey, the only kind the men had, at one dollar a dram, that was ever distilled.
CHAPTER XVIII.
As matters now stood, I was determined not to return to my Company until I was entirely recovered to my usual health. So I reported to Dr. Green in charge of the Floyd House Hospital for treatment. He asked me what was the matter with me; I told him I did not know. He stripped me and made a thorough examination, and when he got through he said, "You have an enlargement of the heart, and ought not to be exposed." He prescribed for me, and I reported to him daily until my furlough had expired. I felt a great deal better and was about ready to return to my command, but Dr. Green advised me not to do it yet awhile. I said, "My furlough is out;" He said, "That does not make any difference, you are under my charge for the present." In the meantime Major Roland was removed as Commander of the Post at Macon and Col. Aiken was appointed in his stead. While in the Hospital I made myself useful, and Dr. Green appointed me General Ward-Master. My duties were to look over the entire wards and see that those under me did their duty, and that all inmates were properly attended to. One good morning Sergt. Haywood Ainsworth came to me, saying, "Ike I have in my possession a letter for the Commander of the Post, Col. Aiken, from Capt. Evan P. Howell; he is giving you the devil; he sent me after you. If you go with me to the command I will not deliver it." I said, "Haywood, do you know what he writes in that letter?" "No, not exactly, but it is very severe." "I'd like to see what he says." "Have you seen Col. Aiken; does he know you?" No. "I will tell you what we will do; you give me the letter and I will deliver it myself; you can see that I do it, he will not know me from you, as he does not know either of us." Ainsworth laughed and says, "Well as you say." So we both marched up to the Provost Marshal's office. Col. Aiken was sitting in a chair at his desk. I walked up to him, gave him the military salute, handed him the letter and took my position behind his chair, looking over his shoulder as he read the letter. Capt. Howell did not at all times write a very legible hand for one not used to his writing; hence I being used to it, got through before the Colonel did, I took a little step to my left and rear, awaiting Col. Aiken's orders. "Sergeant, where is the man?" asked he. "He is in the Floyd house hospital, in charge of Dr. Green." "Is he sick." "I suppose so." "Then he is under proper authority, I can do nothing in this case, as it stands. You go and see Dr. Green and ask him if Hermann is well enough to be discharged and go to camp. If so and he refuses to go, come to me and I will give the necessary assistance required." I thanked him, saying, "Col. I do not think there will be any necessity for me to trouble you further," and Haywood and myself left, laughing all the way. Sergt. Ainsworth then said, Well Ike, you are a good one, I know you won't give me away. I said, You surely do not think that of me. Oh no! I have all confidence in you. Well, what are you going to do? I will go back with you; I shall face the gentleman and tell him what I think of him. What was in the letter, what did he say? He stated in the letter that I was a very desperate character; that I left in time of battle; that he had used all his efforts to get me back to my command, and had failed. To please give Sergt. Ainsworth all necessary assistance to accomplish that object. Continuing, I said, Haywood, you like to go home; so do I. Suppose we go to Washington county for a few days, say until Friday. You living in town put a notice in the paper, stating that you will return to our camp which is now at Dalton, and will take pleasure in forwarding anything that may be sent to the boys from their friends and families. Sergt. Ainsworth said, That is a good idea. I said, Well I will meet you at Tennille Friday on the night train. But before we go, I must have the approval of Dr. Green, under whose charge I now am; so we went to see Dr. Green: I stated to him that I would like to return to my command. He said, You are not well enough to do camp duty. I said, Well, under circumstances as they are, I am willing to take my chances. I stated to him the facts as they were, in the presence of Sergt. Ainsworth, who coincided to everything I said. Then I remarked, Doctor, you have been very kind to me, and done me lots of good, for which I am very grateful, but I can't rest under such imputation; I intend to straighten matters out. So he said, Well, if I can do anything for you or be any service to you, let me know what it is and I will be glad to do it. I said, All I want is for you to give me a statement under what condition I placed myself under your care, and the date of my admittance and discharge, and your opinion as to my present condition for active service. He said he would do that, he would make a statement and have it ready in an hour. In the meantime Sergt. Ainsworth and myself took a stroll through the city. I told my relatives and friends good bye. We returned to the hospital, they were all sorry I left them. Doctor Green gave me the papers I required, I put them in my pocket unopened. He said, If there is anything else you need, let me know. I thanked him very kindly, and we left for Washington county. Sergt. Ainsworth said to me, Dr. Green seems to think a great deal of you; he seems to be a perfect gentleman. I said, Yes, everybody who comes in contact with him likes him; he is a very conscientious Doctor and is very attentive to his business. Friday night I took the train at Davisboro; I had about a dozen boxes for the boys in camp, under my charge at Tennille. Sergt. Ainsworth met me with as many more boxes, and we travelled to Dalton; it took us two nights and a day to get there. It was Sunday morning early, when we reached camp. The boys were all glad to see us, we delivered our trust and there was plenty of good things to eat in camp, in consequence of our forethought. During my absence from camp Dr. Stewart was transferred and Dr. Beauchamp took his place. I had never seen him before, so I at once reported to him, gave him my papers from Dr. Green and he at once relieved me from active duty. Then I stated to him why I had returned to camp, and the feud that existed between Capt. Howell and myself, and what he had done and said. So I was determined to face the worst. I walked about that day among the boys in camp, all of whom were my friends; if I had an enemy in camp outside of Capt. Howell, I did not know it. About four o'clock p. m. I bethought myself since I was not arrested after the awful charges having been made against me, I had probably better report my presence, although every one in camp, Captain included, knew I was there. So I just met Sergt. Hines, being very intimate with him, I said, Bill, you want to have some fun? Come with me, I am going to report at headquarters; since all that hullabaloo I am still unmolested. The officers quarters were about one hundred yards up on a ridge from where the pieces were parked. Capt. Howell was sitting in front of his tent. I gave him the salute, saying, Well, here I am. He answered, I thought I never would see you again. I said probably you would not, if it had not been for some d——d lies written to Col. Aiken, Provost Marshal at Macon. Who wrote them? Capt. Evan P. Howell, Comdg. Battery. If you think that I am afraid of powder and ball, try me ten steps. Do you mean it as a challenge? You are an officer; I am a private; it is for you to construe it as you see fit. I'll have you court-martialed and shot. I dare you to do it. In the meantime Sergt. Hines was swinging to my jacket and we withdrew. So Hines said, If I had known that you would get mad that way I would not have come with you. So I remarked, I wanted you to come and be a witness, as to what should pass between him and me. A half hour later Sergt. Hines came to me, saying, Ike, you are on duty tonight. By whose orders? Capt. Howell's. I said, It is not a rule to put a man on guard duty who had passed two nights in succession without sleep, he might fall asleep on his post. However, I did not come here to do duty, I merely came to see what punishment Capt. Howell would inflict on me, as he stated that I deserted; and again, I am relieved from duty by Dr. Beauchamp. Sergt. Hines made his report. I saw Capt. Howell hastily walk over to Dr. Beauchamp's quarters and expostulated with him as to my ability of doing duty, thus impugning the Doctor's capacity as a physician, he who after a thorough examination having passed on my condition; I heard Dr. Beauchamp speaking in a loud voice: "Capt. Howell, if you would attend to your duty as faithfully as I do mine you would get along better with your men." Howell replied that he would have me examined by a Board of Physicians. That's all right, that is exactly what Hermann asked me to have done and I have already set him down to meet the Board at Dalton on next Wednesday. In the meantime Dr. Beauchamp treated me and I reported to him daily, when able to be up; if not he came to my quarters.
CHAPTER XIX.
Wednesday came, the day I was to report before the Board; I was not feeling as well as I had a day or so previous. I went to Bell, our ambulance driver, saying Joe, I have to meet the Board today at Dalton, you will have to carry me there. He answered he could not do it as he had orders from Capt. Howell to have the ambulance ready for him, as he wanted to make a social call, so I said no more. Dr. Beauchamp who saw me walking about in camp, came to me saying, I thought you were going to Dalton today. I said I would go but Mr. Bell said the Capt. engaged the ambulance to go on a social call; I thought that vehicle belonged to your department and is intended for the sick only. So it is, says the Doctor, and I am going to see about it. I said, Doctor, I do not feel well enough to walk three miles and back today. In a few minutes Joe Bell drove up with the ambulance, saying, Ike, get ready, I will drive you to town. So I went before the field Board of Surgeons and Physicians. Dr. Beauchamp had sent in his report of me, and I was pronounced unfit for active duty and discharged from service on account of ill health. This action took me from under the jurisdiction of Capt. Howell, greatly to my relief. I thanked the Board, saying, Gentlemen, I enlisted for the war, and at times I am able to do some duty. There are other duties besides standing guard, camping out and shooting. I am willing to do anything I am able to do. About that time Major Martin came in, undoubtedly sent there by Capt. Howell. After speaking to the Doctors he turned to me, we shook hands and he said, Well Hermann, take good care of yourself, I hope you will recover and get entirely well; you have been badly treated, I am sorry to say. Good bye. We again shook hands, he mounted his horse and departed at a gallop. The Board gave me an order to report to Gen. E. K. Smith, who was then in Atlanta, doing post duty. He asked me how long I had been on the sick list, and I replied about three months. He said, Can you do any office work; I answered I did not know to what kind of work he would assign me to. He said, Can you write? I told him yes; so he put me to copying some documents, which I did to his satisfaction. The desk at which he put me to work was breast high and I had to stand up. The following day I was suffering so I could not do anything, and I had no more medicine. The next day I felt worse. Dr. G. G. Crawford called in the office; he was in charge of the fair ground hospital. General Smith said, Doctor, what is the matter with this man; since yesterday, he seems to be suffering very much. Dr. Crawford spoke to me and asked what my complaint was. I told him I was suffering in my chest, and I was trying to write at that desk and grew worse. He said, You are a Frenchman! I said Yes. He said he could tell it from my brogue. And he then talked French to me and told me he studied medicine in Paris, and having lived there myself our conversation grew interesting to both of us. So he turned to General Smith and said General, I think I can help him considerably, even if I can't cure him. So General said, "Hermann, you go with Dr. Crawford, he will take charge of you." And we left together for the fair ground hospital, a temporary institution, built of wood, roughly put up, consisting of several wards, whitewashed in and out. I found Dr. Crawford to be a perfect gentleman and very interesting and we got along like brothers; he was very kind to me. Under his treatment I recuperated wonderfully and in a couple of weeks I thought I was entirely cured. I made myself as useful as possible, still continuing my course of medicine. Dr. Crawford appointed me to the same position I held under Dr. Green at the Floyd hospital at Macon, and he was well pleased with my work, as well as the inmates of the hospital.