The difference between pork and beef in that country was about the same in those days as the difference between greenbacks and Confederate money.
The guard found a negro woman in the house, and he asked for something to eat. She gave us some beef and corn bread, but had no pork when asked for it. In the course of the conversation the guard told her who I was and about the escape of my companions and myself, when the darkey remembered that there was some cold pork in an outhouse, and produced it.
We got the necessary kettle and cooked our meat before we went on our way.
After we had again started, the guards paroled us, and several of them went home, appointing a meeting place and promising us more pork and some biscuit when they returned, which promise they kept.
When we reached Magnolia we found a camp of about forty badly wounded Federal prisoners there, who were the remnants of Steele's fight at Jenkins' Ferry.
We were put in jail for several days to await a move of this camp to Shreveport.
When all were ready the convalescent cases were loaded on wagons and we started.