must be done with the utmost caution. I had already made several little trades with one of the guards, resulting in quite an intimate acquaintance, and the thought suggested itself that if I could induce this guard to sell me a Confederate uniform, I might by this means effect my escape. I approached the guard very cautiously at first, telling him that my clothes were about gone, and that I did not know what I would do for more, and finally ventured to ask him how much he would charge me for a pair of gray pants and a roundabout. At first he was disinclined to sell this kind of goods, fearing that by some means it might be found out, and he made to suffer. He made many excuses, saying he did not know where he could get them for me. assured him that there would be no danger, and promised him eternal secrecy. At last he agreed that for ten dollars in greenbacks he would bring me the required articles when he came on guard again that night at one o'clock. I returned to my place on the floor and waited with impatience for the intervening hours to wear away. feared to lie down, knowing that if I fell asleep I might miss my appointment with the guard.

I

I

At last I heard the guards sing out their accustomed cry. "Twelve o'clock and all's well.' One more hour to wait and then I should know of my success or failure. That hour seemed almost an age, but at length came the cry, "One o'clock and all's well." I waited a few minutes and then crept cautiously down stairs to the window near which the guard was stationed. I found him all right, and told him in a low whisper to pass the clothes to me through the iron bars of the window, and I would pass the money to him in the same manThe exchange was quickly made, and I hurried back up stairs to my sleeping companions. After roll call next morning, I put on my suit of gray and began to plan for the future. I have before stated that we procured our rations ready cooked in the basement of Libby prison across the street, and at some distance westward. When the time came to draw our rations, I contrived to be detailed for that purpose, and picking up a wooden bucket, I fell in line with the rest. A guard was always on duty to prevent any attempt to escape, and therefore my chances were desperate, but it could be no worse if I failed. Generally when the cook house was reached, we had to wait sometime before receiving our rations, and at these times the guards and prisoners were apt to be engaged in little trades of various kinds, and the guards were likely, on such occasions, to relax their watchfulness. It was at such a time as this, that I hoped to find a chance to escape. Watching my opportunity while the attention of the guard was drawn on some little trade, and at the same time watching for the Confederate officers, I handed my bucket to a companion with a sly nudge and look which meant silence, I slipped out of the ranks. I did not attempt to leave immediately, but stood around with some Confederate soldiers who were off of duty, and who were watching the prisoners out of curiosity. I asked one of the bystanders how long since these fellows had been captured, and made some further remark about threshing the Yankees. When the squad began draw

ing their rations, I sauntered slowly and carelessly up the street, passing "Castle Thunder on my way. This building stood on the same side of the street as Libby, and two hundred yards or more further west, and not far from the river. It was a three story brick building, and was now fiilled with Confederate soldiers, probably deserters and those who refused to enter the rebel ranks. Being dressed in all respects as a rebel soldier, I did not attract any particular attention. As I passed on I met numbers of officers and soldiers, greeting them with the true military salute. I wandered towards the upper part of the city, intending to get out of town in the dusk of the evening. I was fearful of pursuit, for I did not know how soon I would be missed from the prison. I was risking all on one desperate chance of escape, and was, therefore, in no frame of mind to enjoy the sights of that part of Richmond through which I was passing. I stopped at a small provision store kept by an Irish woman in the suburbs of the city. I bought two dollars worth of cheese and crackers, paying for the same in Confederate money, and got about enough for a full meal. I would have eaten it all on the spot, but was fearful of exciting the curiosity of the old woman by eating too greedily.

As the sun began to sink behind the western hills, I walked out of the city, but it was dusk before I had passed beyond the last houses of the outskirts; indeed it seemed to me that the houses of the city reached a great way into the country, and every moment I feared I might meet some one who would inquire where I was from and where I was going. These were two questions which I prefered not to answer. Fortunately I saw no one who was inclined to be inquisitive.

As soon as darkness set in I left the gravel turnpike and struck out into the fields on my right. I was entirely ignorant of the country, but I knew I could not remain in or near the city long undiscovered, and I must go somewhere. The night being cold and chilly, I had to keep continually on the move to keep from suffering with cold. If I had desired to start a fire, I had no means to do so, therefore exercise was a necessity. I stumbled into ditches, scratched my face and hands with brambles, crossed fences and kept floundering along without any definite knowledge as to where I was going, but my plan was to pursue a northwesterly course from Richmond. I somehow thought this route would be clearest of enemies, and that I might be fortunate enough to slip through the lines of the enemy and get into our own lines and be safe.

A short time before daylight I entered a heavy forest, and as day began to break, I sat down, for, by this time, I was well nigh exhausted. I now ate what little food I had and waited for the sun to rise, that by that means I might be able to shape my course. I was now far out of sight of the city, and sincerely hoped I might always remain so.

As the sun came up I shaped my course and moved ahead through the woods, moving slowly and cautiously; in fact I could not have hurried if I had desired to do so. About ten o'clock I emerged from

the woods onto a plantation. I could see the mansion of the planter about a mile to the right, and a little to the left of the mansion and several hundred yards distant, were the quarters of the slaves. The day was pleasant, it being the time of year when the nights are cold and the days pleasant.

Lying down behind a log, I was soon sound asleep. As near as I could judge, I slept till about two o'clock in the afternoon, when I was awakened by the barking of a dog. I aroused myself in some alarm, and looking around I saw a fierce looking canine within a few yards of me, barking savagely as thongh he had found something. Rubbing my eyes, I peered about that I might be able to see the dog's master, and saw an old gray haired negro with an ax on his shoulder, and a heavy piece of a dogwood sapling under his arm. He spoke to the dog to be still, and eyed me with a half-frightened look. In a moment I saw that concealment was out of the question, and the best thing I could do would be to make friends with my sable visitor. The old man seemed very shy, but I spoke kindly to him, called him uncle, and told him that being exceedingly tired, I had lain down to rest and had fallen asleep. He told me he was the slave of Major Brown, and that his master was in the army, as was also a younger son of his master, but that there was one of the sons at home. He asked me if I was not a soldier, too. I admitted that I was. He said he had heard that the Yankees were a very bad kind of men, and that they would coax the poor black man from home and then roast and eat him. I told him that I had no doubt but that many of them were very bad people.. He told me the distance to Richmond was eleven miles, and that there was a camp of troops some seven or eight miles west of us. I told him I wanted to go home to see my mother, and that if these soldiers or any one else knew I was here, they would not let me go, and that he must tell no one of having seen me. I told him then that he had better go home and that I would lie down and rest a while longer. As soon as he was out of sight, I thought it unsafe to remain here longer, so I hurried away, keeping in the skirts of the woods next to the plantation on my left.

Further on I reached a road running westward, and followed it for half a mile or more, but becoming fearful of meeting Confederate soldiers, or of being seen by them, I struck off into the woods on my right, as the safest plan to escape observation. Traveling till near sundown, I came out into the open country again. The country through which I had traveled during the day was rough, hilly and broken, but now I found myself on the edge of what appeared to be a highly cultivated valley, with mansions and negro quarters stretching out before me as far as the eye could reach. I was now nearly exhausted from hunger and fatigue, and lying down, I rested till after dark, determined on procuring something to eat, by some means, at any risk. Before night came on, I had observed some negro huts in the distance, and to these I made my way, urged on by a gnawing hunger which grew keener with each passing moment.

I went first to a shanty where I could see glimmerings of light through the cracks and crevices in the wall, but upon approaching nearer, the noise of laughter and confusion from within made me hesitate to enter, and I determined to call at one or more of the other shanties near by; but at these there was no response to my knock, and I was compelled to return to the first. The hungry voice within would not be hushed, and prudence having surrendered to necessity, I could only make known my desperate condition and take the consequences. I knocked boldly at the door. The noise within at once ceased, and the door was opened by a burly darkey, who, upon seeing me, started back in some trepidation. At a glance I saw within a number of negro women, young girls and children, besides four negro men, but last and worst, there were four rebel soldiers in the party. Retreat was not to be thought of. I therefore walked boldly in without showing the fear that I felt. The soldiers were considerably startled at the situation, and I think they took me to be one of their men bent on the arrest of their party. Comprehending what might be passing through their minds, I concluded the best thing to do was to play a bold hand, so I remarked to them that we had caught each other this time, but it would never do for one soldier to blow on another.

It was but a short time till things were again moving on as usual, yet I could see that I was the object of suspicion, and the soldiers kept an eye on me, which showed a lack of confidence. Before my arrival one of the negroes had been playing the fiddle and the soldiers and wenches had been dancing, but my coming had dampened the enjoyment of the hour.

I asked one of the women for something to eat, and showed her a bone ring which I had made while in prison, promising it to her if she would get me what I wanted to eat. She set before me a good. sized piece of corn bread and a small piece of bacon, which I ate with great relish, thinking it as palatable a mess as I had ever eaten.

I intended as soon as I finished eating to step quietly out of the house and make my escape; but fate had decided otherwise, for, just as I swallowed the last mouthful, there came a loud knock at the door, and, before anyone from within could open the door, it was flung open from without, and in stepped a Confederate sergeant, followed by eight soldiers with fixed bayonets. There was no chance of escape, for the only door to the room was guarded by two of the soldiers. The squad proceeded to arrest the four rebel soldiers and myself.

The negroes were kicked and cuffed shamefully, while we were threatened with severe punishment when we reached camp. The four Confederates arrested with me were known to the sergeant and his party, and I soon learned from their conversation that they had evaded duty and absented themselves from camp early in the morning. I was the extra man unaccounted for. The sergeant asked me what regiment I belonged to, and, knowing that it would be useless to tell anything but the truth, I told him I was a member of Com

pany E, 113th O. V. I. He did not at once comprehend, and said that he knew of no such regiment about there. I did not feel inclined to enlighten him further just then, knowing that all I could say would do no good. The five of us were securely bound together, while the negroes were ordered to their respective quarters, a command they obeyed with alacrity. We were now marched off in single file in the direction of the rebel camp, which I think was about three miles distant from the place of our capture. We reached camp about one o'clock A. M., and spent the remainder of the night in a guard house, closely guarded.

When daylight appeared I had an opportunity of looking about me and of becoming acquainted with my surroundings. The camp was situated in a grove of small timber, and the troops numbered, perhaps, three regiments. I learned from my fellow prisoners that these troops were stationed here for the purpose of caring for and feeding up a lot of cavalry horses.

About seven o'clock we were furnished with a light breakfast, consisting of corn bread and beef, after which we were ordered out under a guard to perform fatigue duty. I told the sergeant who had charge of the guards over us that, as I did not belong to that command, it was unjust to compel me to do such duty. I was fearful that if I waited to be found out by force of circumstances I might be taken for a spy, in which case my punishment would be death. I told the sergeant to request his captain to come and see me, as I had something of importance about which I wished to speak. The captain, a tall, well made man, with black whiskers, made his appearance, and desired to know why I wanted to see him. I told the story of my escape and recapture, withholding nothing. He seemed much surprised, and, promising to report my case to the colonel in command, After a time two guards came and conducted me before

went away.

the colonel.

There were several officers present when I was taken into the presence of the colonel, all of whom looked upon me with doubt and suspicion. The colonel questioned me very closely as to how I made my escape, where I had at first been taken, and many other questions which I do not recall, all of which I answered truthfully. After this I was returned to the guard house. I felt ill at ease, for, though I had told a straight and truthful story, I could see that I was not more than half believed. About two o'clock that afternoon a lieutenant came to the guard house and told me that they had concluded to send me to Richmond, and if I had not told the truth I would have a quick passage to the other world. This gave me relief, for at Richmond I felt confident I could establish the truthfulness of my story and my innocence in being a spy. The lieutenant and two guards then started with me to Richmond. We were all mounted on mules, I riding beside the lieutenant and the two guards in our rear. We soon became somewhat acquainted, and fell into a lively conversation on the topics of the war, North and South. I told him of my 'services as a soldier, and of being captured, and many other incidents,