CHAPTER XXX.
Thus it will be noted that while the war was over in the East, we of the Western army didn't know it and were still fighting, all communication between the two armies being cut off. My friend Faber, who was one of the most popular citizens of Montgomery was afterwards elected Mayor of the City. The following morning I prepared to wend my way back to Georgia. My foot was inflamed and gave me pain, so I said to a Yankee Sergeant who was in waiting on some of the officers there if he could not manage to get me some piece of a horse to ride as I was a long ways from home and in a crippled condition. He said, Yes, if I would give him my watch, which was an open faced, old fashioned English lever, generally called bulls-eye. I acquiesced. We marched down one of the main thoroughfares. We halted before an establishment which was used as a guard house and previously had served as a store. In its front on the sidewalk was a cellar. The Sergeant asked them to bring out that horse, and in the meantime asked me for the watch. Thinking of him as a clever, sympathetic soul, owing to his prompt offer of assistance, I unhesitatingly handed him my watch. They having entered the cellar, they lifted out of its confines a frame of horse so poor that six men took him bodily and placed him on the sidewalk. He was actually nothing but skin and bones; I was astonished that life could have existed in such a frame. I said, Is this the best you can do for me? He said, I promised you a horse for your watch and here he is, and he left me. The men were amused at my discomfiture. I finally concluded that a bad ride is better than a good walk and I made the best of a bad bargain. I asked the men if they could get me a bridle and saddle. They answered that they had none, so I made me a halter out of the rope around his neck, pulled off my coat as padding on either side of his sharp backbone so as to serve me as a saddle and asked the man next to me to give me a lift, and there I was, mounted, representing the picture of Don Quixote to perfection. I urged the horse forward and the men hollered Whoa! which command he was only too eager to obey, I eventually got away from that place and took the Eufaula route homeward. It was four o'clock in the afternoon and I was only four miles from my starting point. The animal had neither eat nor drunk anything while in my possession and from his looks probably not in several days previous. I saw as I passed along at a snail gait, a corral by the side of the road, with all kinds of contraband. There were negroes, women and children, cattle of all description and a quantity of mules and horses, all encircled by a large rope and guarded by sentinels. I passed a soldier about a half mile from this place. I said to him, What troops are those on the right hand side up the hill? He said they were cavalry. I concluded to ride up, that probably I might induce the officer to exchange animals with me so as to enable me to get along, for I came to the conclusion to abandon my steed and take a bad walk in preference to a bad ride. As I approached the camp I noticed a man sitting on a camp stool, his back towards me, his feet propped up against a large tree, reading a newspaper and seemingly greatly preoccupied as he did not hear my approach. He was in negligee, it being a very warm day; he wore nothing but his pants and a spotted white blouse shirt and was bareheaded. I left my horse by the side of a stump and slid off, approaching within a respectful distance in his rear, I said, Good evening. He jumped like he had been shot. I said excuse me sir, I did not mean to scare you. So he peremptorily said, What will you have? I answered, Are you the commander of these troops? He said, Yes; what will you have? I answered that I was a paroled prisoner on my way home; that I was crippled and had a long ways to go. The horse I got I bought from one of the Federals for a silver watch. It took me a whole day to get from the City to where I am; that I had noted, coming along, a corral with many loose horses and mules and I ventured to see if he would not be kind enough to furnish me with a better mount than the one I possessed. He replied, What country are you from? I am from France. How long have you been in the army? Ever since the war started. Were you forced into the army or did you volunteer? I volunteered sir. And you have been fighting us for over four years and now come and ask me for a favor? You need not grant it; good bye. And off I hobbled to where I left my horse taking him by the mane I led him up to the stump and was about to mount when the officer commanded me, Come back here, said he, I like your style. You are the first one I've met but what was forced into the army. Tell the officer in charge of the corral to exchange animals with you. I remarked, Colonel, a written order from you might have a better effect. He laughed, got up and walked into his tent and when he returned he handed me a slip of paper addressed to Capt. Ledger, and read as follows: Exchange animals with the bearer; Col. York, Com'd'g 7, Indiana Cavalry. I thanked him, gave the military salute and retraced my steps towards the corral. I presented my note to the Capt. in charge; he said, Pick out the one you want. There were some excellent animals but many were galled and not serviceable for any immediate use. I spied a medium sized, plump mule. She was in excellent order, and as I was short in funds I thought I could tether her out to eat grass and thus progress without having to buy food. So I took the mule. I asked him if he would furnish me with a saddle and bridle, and he let me have nearly a new Mexican saddle and bridle and I was once more in good shape. Capt. Ledger asked me where I was going. I said, Home, in Georgia. Which way? I am on my way to Eufaula. So he said, I believe I'll ride a piece of the way with you. He had his horse caught, which was a magnificent animal. Riding along side by side I remarked, Captain that is a splendid horse you are on. He said, Yes, I have a pair, you could not tell one from the other; they are spirited animals but perfectly gentle. Their owner must have prized them highly; some of the men picked them up. That's a new name for stealing, said I. He remarked, I suppose so, but if I could find out their owner I am going to return them to him; I am making some effort towards it. I said, Well sir, it does me good to hear you say so, and to know that there are some men of feeling, and gentlemen among your army. He said, Well, war is war. It is true that many acts were committed unnecessarily harsh, but I am glad it is over and I hope we will all be friends again. He stopped, saying, Well, I have ridden far enough, and I am going back. We shook hands, he wished me a safe journey and cantered back to his camp. It was already late and I proceeded as far as Fort Browder and stopped over night with Mr. Tom Wells. His wife was also a Georgian and a kinswoman of the Braswell family.
CHAPTER XXXI.
The following morning after bidding my host good bye I took the road to Union Springs. On my way I caught up with General Pillow, who was riding in a carriage drawn by two fine mules, and his son George, who was riding horseback. I said, Hello! On your way home? He answered, Yes. What route are you going? We are trying to make Union Springs for tonight; father is not very well and we are making short stations. I remarked, I am surprised they left you your horse. He said, They left us our side arms and let father have his carriage and mules and me my horse. I rode up to the carriage, shook hands with the old General, whose head was as white as snow, congratulated him on his good luck of being able to keep his outfit. He said, Yes, it was more than I expected. We traveled together for several miles when we were met by five men, one of which, a rather portly fellow, remarked, Boys, if this is not Sal, I'll be hanged. And he advanced and took my mule by the bridle, saying, This mule belongs to me, you will have to get off. I said, I reckon not, drawing my pistol. He said, The Yankees stole that mule from me. I said, Well, I got her from the Yankees, but she cost me a watch worth about thirty dollars. I stated facts as they were, saying, I am on my way to Eufaula and I am crippled and can't walk, and I shall ride there if it costs me my life. So General Pillow interfered, saying, Gentlemen, this is a Confederate soldier on his way home; he is crippled and can't walk. I will pay you for the mule to end the matter. What kind of money? Confederate, of course, I have no other. Well, that is not worth a curse. That is all I've got. The men were still standing in front of me and occasionally touched the reins, when I cocked my pistol, saying, Turn that bridle loose, I am going to Eufaula on this mule. After that I do not care what becomes of it; I expect to take the boat there for Columbus. He answered, I tell you what I'll do; here is a gold chain; I suppose it is worth as much as your watch. I will give you that chain and you'll leave the mule with the hotel man and I'll get her there. So I said all right, when General Pillow remarked, Gentlemen, undoubtedly you are in search of stock; suppose you were to find any that belongs to somebody else, which it would be pretty apt to be, and the owner would come and claim it; would you turn it over to him? The spokesman hesitated, then said, I don't know if I would or not. I said, well, our arrangement suits me; what is the hotel keeper's name? He told me but I have forgotten it. So we arrived at our destination about one hour by sun and stopped all night at the house of Major Pemberton, a friend of General Pillow's. George and I occupied the same bed. He proved to be an excellent companion and we recounted many incidents to one another. After breakfast we parted company. I took the route to Eufaula, Ala., by myself, leaving General Pillow and his son with our host, with whom they proposed to stay for a few days, before continuing their homeward journey, which was near Franklin, Tenn. I arrived at Eufaula at about three o'clock p. m. and inquired for the hotel, whose proprietor I found sitting in a chair in front. Is this the hotel? Yes sir. A soldier on his way home? Yes sir. This is a good mule you have got; will you sell her? I said, How much will you give me for it? He remarked, I have only Thirty-Five Dollars, in Mexican silver and some Confederate money that nobody takes about here. I'll give you the Mexican dollars for the outfit. You will also give me my dinner and fill my haversack with provisions to last me home? Yes, I'll do that too. What time will the boat leave for Columbus? At four o'clock. Well, I have time to take dinner. I turned the mule over to him, he had me served something to eat and paid me thirty-five Mexican silver dollars. I took the chain, which was not gold but galvanized brass, and said, I am glad I have made connection with the boat, I will get home sooner. Handing the proprietor the chain, I said, There is a gentleman who may call for me; you tell him I made connection and went on. This chain belongs to him and I want him to have it. All right, said he. The boat, according to schedule, left for Columbus with me aboard. In Columbus I met Dr. Mullin, a friend of Dr. Crawford's, but could get no information as to his whereabouts. From Columbus I traveled to Atlanta. The sight that met my view was sickening. Instead of a nice little city, for it must be remembered that Atlanta at that time was not the cosmopolitan of this day, it could not have had over seven or eight thousand inhabitants; there it lay in ashes, the work of vandalism. The brick chimneys marked the places where comfortable shelters used to stand. Its inhabitants fled from the approaching foe, fearing even a worse fate at the hands of such unscrupulous barbarians. From Atlanta I followed in the wake of Sherman's army towards Macon, and had it not been for my trade with the hotel keeper of Eufaula to have my haversack filled, I could not have existed to the end of my journey. As already stated, the Country for miles in every direction was sacked and burned. I say this much for the New England civilization, of these days, that in no country, civilized or uncivilized, could such barbarism have excelled such diabolical manifestation. I arrived in Macon at dusk, intending to pass the night at my cousin's. In front of the Brown House came an ambulance, said to contain President Jefferson Davis. They traveled at a good trot, surrounded by a body of cavalry which I was informed were Wilson's men, Macon being in the hands of that General to whom General Howell Cobb surrendered that city. I was sick at heart at our entire helplessness and complete prostration. I called on my relatives who were glad to see me again among the living. They were much depressed at the condition of things, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. I met Mr. Kaufman, General Cobb's orderly, as I was about to leave for what I called home. I stated that if there was a chance for me to get something to ride it would greatly facilitate my locomotion. My ankle, although still sore was healing nicely. Mr. Kaufman said, I will sell you my horse, I have got nothing to feed him on. I said, I will give you all the money I got for the mule, having given them already the history of my itinerary from Montgomery to Macon. He accepted my offer and I was again in a traveling condition. All along my route devastation met my view. I could not find sufficient corn to give my horse a square meal. Wherever I found a green spot I dismounted to let my horse eat grass. I traveled at night as well as in the day time and arrived at my destination about 10 o'clock a. m. the next day.