I am also under obligations to Rev. Francis J. Collier, of Philadelphia; to Rev. A. D. Smith, D. D., and Rev. J. R. W. Sloane, of New York, and to Rev. F. B. Wheeler, of Poughkeepsie, New York.
May the Triune God bless our country, and preserve its integrity!
JOHN HILL AUGHEY.
February 1, 1863.
CONTENTS.
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| SECESSION. | |
| Speech of Colonel Drane—Submission Denounced—Northern Aggression—No more Slave States—Northern isms—Yankees’Servants—Yankee inferiority—Breckinridge, or immediate, complete, and eternal Separation—A Day of Rejoicing—Abraham Lincoln,President elect—A Union Speech—A Southerner’s Reasons for opposing Secession—Address by a Radical Secessionist—Cursingand Bitterness—A Prayer—Sermon against Secession—List of Grievances—Causes which led to Secession | [13—49] |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| VIGILANCE COMMITTEE AND COURT-MARTIAL. | |
| The election of Delegates to determine the status of Mississippi—The Vigilance Committee—Description of its members—Charges—Phonography—Noformal verdict—Danger of Assassination—Passports—Escape to Rienzi—Union sentiment—The Conscript Law—Summons to attendCourt-Martial—Evacuation of Corinth—Destruction of Cotton—Suffering poor—Relieved by General Halleck | [50—69] |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| ARREST, ESCAPE, AND RECAPTURE. | |
| High price of Provisions—Holland Lindsay’s Family—The arrest—Captain Hill—Appearance before Colonel Bradfuteat Fulton—Arrest of Benjamin Clarke—Bradfute’s Insolence—GeneralChalmers—The clerical Spy—General Pfeifer—Under guard—Priceville—General Gordon—Bound for Tupelo—The Prisoners enteringthe Dungeon—Captain Bruce—Lieutenant Richard Malone—Prison Fare and Treatment—Menial Service—Resolve to escape—Planof escape—Federal Prisoners—Co-operation of the Prisoners—Declaration of Independence—The Escape—TheSeparation—Concealment—Travel on the Underground Railroad—Pursuit by Cavalry and Bloodhounds—The Arrest—Dan Barnes,the Mail-robber—Perfidy—Heavily ironed—Return to Tupelo | [70—112] |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| LIFE IN A DUNGEON. | |
| Parson Aughey as Chaplain—Description of the Prisoners—Colonel Walter, the Judge Advocate—Charges and Specificationsagainst Parson Aughey, a Citizen of the Confederate States—Execution of two Tennesseeans—Enlistment of Union Prisoners—Colonel Walter’s secondvisit—Day of Execution specified—Farewell Letter to my Wife—Parson Aughey’s Obituary penned by himself—Address to his Soul—TheSoul’s Reply—Farewell Letter to his Parents—The Union Prisoners’ Petition to Hon. W. H. Seward—The two Prisoners and the Oath ofAllegiance—Irish Stories | [113—142] |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| EXECUTION OF UNION PRISONERS. | |
| Resolved to Escape—Mode of Executing Prisoners—Removal of Chain—Addition to our Numbers—Two Prisoners becomeInsane—Plan of Escape—Proves a Failure—Fetters Inspected—Additional Fetters—Handcuffs—A Spy in the Disguise of aPrisoner—Special Police Guard on Duty—A Prisoner’s Discovery—Divine Services—The General Judgment—The Judge—TheLaws—The Witnesses—The Concourse—The Sentence | [143—167] |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| SUCCESSFUL ESCAPE. | |
| The Second Plan of Escape—Under the Jail—Egress—Among the Guards—In the Swamp—Travelling on the Underground Railroad—TheFare—Green Corn eaten Raw—Blackberries and Stagnant Water—The Bloodhounds—Tantalizing Dreams—The Pickets—The Cows—BecomeSick—Fons Beatus—Find Friends—Union Friend No. Two—The night in the Barn—Death of Newman by Scalding—Union Friend No.Three—Bound for the Union Lines—Rebel Soldiers—Black Ox—Pied Ox—Reach Headquarters in Safety—Emotions on again beholdingthe Old Flag—Kindness while Sick—Meeting with his Family—Richard Malone again—The Serenade—Leave Dixie—Northward bound | [168—211] |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| SOUTHERN CLASSES—CRUELTY TO SLAVES. | |
| Sandhillers—Dirt-eating—Dipping—Their Mode of Living—Patois—Rain-book—Wife-trade—Coming in to see theCars—Superstition—Marriage of Kinsfolks—Hardshell Sermon—Causes which lead to the Degradation of this Class—Efforts to Reconcilethe Poor Whites to the Peculiar Institution—The Slaveholding Class—The Middle Class—Northern isms—Incident at a Methodist Minister’sHouse—Question asked a Candidate for Licensure—Reason of Southern Hatred toward the North—Letter to Mr. Jackman—Barbarities and Cruelties ofSlavery—Mulattoes—Old Cole—Child Born at Whipping-post—Advertisement of a Keeper of Bloodhounds—Getting Rid of FreeBlacks—The Doom of Slavery—Methodist Church South | [212—248] |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| NOTORIOUS REBELS.—UNION OFFICERS. | |
| Colonel Jefferson Davis—His Speech at Holly Springs, Mississippi—His Opposition to Yankee Teachers and Ministers—A bid for thePresidency—His Ambition—Burr, Arnold, Davis—General Beauregard—Headquarters at Rienzi—Colonel Elliott’sRaid—Beauregard’s Consternation—Personal description—His illness—Popularity waning.—Rev. Dr. Palmer of New Orleans—Hisinfluence—The Cincinnati Letter—His Personal Appearance—His Denunciations of General Butler—His Radicalism.—Rev.Dr. Waddell of La Grange, Tennessee—His Prejudices against the North—President of Memphis Synodical College—His Talents prostituted.—UnionOfficers—General Nelson—General Sherman | [249—263] |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| CONDITION OF THE SOUTH. | |
| Cause of the Rebellion—Prevalence of Union Sentiment in the South—Why not Developed—Stevenson’s Views—WhyIncorrect—Cavalry Raids upon Union Citizens—How the Rebels employ Slaves—Slaves Whipped and sent out of the Federal Lines—Resistingthe Conscript Law—Kansas Jayhawkers—Guarding Rebel Property—Perfidy of Secessionists—Plea for Emancipation—The SouthExhausted—Failure of Crops—Southern Merchants Ruined—Bragg Prohibits the Manufacture and Vending of Intoxicating Liquors—Its Salutary Effect | [264—281] |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| BATTLES OF LEESBURG, BELMONT, AND SHILOH. | |
| Rebel Cruelty to Prisoners—The Fratricide—Grant Defeated—Saved by Gunboats—Buell’s Advance—RailroadDisaster—The South Despondent—General Rosecrans—Secession will become Odious even in the South—Poem | [282—296] |