I said “Here, in Washington.”
“What were you doing?”
“At the store, attending to my business.”
“Stand back. You can’t go.”
I went back to my room, giving up the idea of getting away then. Some things I had sent for had not arrived, so I was disappointed in more than one respect, and was about settling myself down, when Adamson called out to me—“Get your things and come on.” I hurried down, and when I passed out the prisoners were in front of Duff Green’s Row. Littlepage, Keleher, Holbrook and Hoyle, poor fellows, looked lonely enough when we left them.
After receiving the prisoners from Carroll Prison, the cavalcade moved on past the Capitol and through the streets, to the foot of Sixth Street, where a crowd of ladies were waiting and bade us adieu, waving their handkerchiefs in spite of all protests from the guards, who at last drove them from the wharf at the point of the bayonet.
We were then put on board the flag-of-truce boat, the steamer State of Maine, and left the city at night. About seven or eight o’clock, bread, crackers and cheese were given out to the prisoners—some got a good share, while others were served with three soda crackers each. This was the first food given us since breakfast in the Old Capitol. In the effort to get the prisoners off we failed to get any dinner, although we left the prison fully three or four hours after the regular dinner hour.
Six of us secured three staterooms by paying $1, each for the trip. Here we were very comfortable, with good berths, etc. Many who were not so fortunate had to sleep on the floor or on trunks, boxes, or anything they could find handy.
It was an agreeable change when we were once on board the steamer. To be where no guards with bristling bayonets were continually meeting you to remind you that you were a prisoner. Where no sentinel challenged you at every turn. With no one calling after you if you made a false move or deviated in the slightest from prison discipline.
Friday, March 27.—Awoke about eight or nine o’clock this morning—our boat was steaming down the Potomac River, Westmoreland County, Virginia, on the one side, and St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on the other. Breakfast was over, but Wright brought me some bread and sausage. In the rush for dinner I had my coat-tail torn off and was pretty well shaken up.