the camel's back; but it was a close call.

I had no interests in Camp Ford that I was not entirely willing to
sacrifice for the sake of being at home or with my men, and the
Confederacy was welcome to my rations if they would dispense with my
presence; but, while my residence in Texas, with free board and lodging,
was insisted upon so strongly as being necessary for the good of the
country, I really could not leave the good people, not even for the sake
of personal pleasures.

Talking to myself in this way when reflections crowded upon me, and by
seizing every opportunity to amuse myself at the expense of the guards,
I got the camel's back in pretty fair shape again, and resigned myself
to the inevitable.

We finally reached the familiar stockade at Tyler, and about 250 of us
were in line when we fell in for roll-call. Each man entered the
stockade alone as his name was called.

As before described, the entrance of prisoners was a noisy occasion,
and one scene was very much like another; but, when I stepped into the
enclosure, there was a movement of surprise and then a dead silence.
Most of the men knew me, and their knowledge was communicated quickly to
the rest. Seeing me come in after my long absence, and after my regiment
had been exchanged, caused a sympathy that brought about silence almost
as if by command.

I was not feeling particularly joyful anyway, and had had hard work to
keep up my spirits on the road, so that this evidence of sympathy nearly
caused me to break down altogether.

Soon after my return to the stockade I gained the title of Exchange
Commissioner. I was familiar with the forms of all passes, furloughs,
etc., and, as before stated, I could imitate almost any handwriting. As
the new men in the place became acquainted with me and my
accomplishments I was besieged with requests for different papers that
would facilitate egress or escape.

The older prisoners were not as anxious for escape as the younger, or,
rather, newer ones, as they had seen so many failures and punishments
that they wanted a pretty sure thing before they risked an attempt.

Men even went so far as to ask me to get them out of the stockade, but I
told them that I would give any papers they wanted, leaving to them the
getting out.

My exchange or furlough business was conducted about as follows:

A man would come to me for the means of escape, or, rather, the means of
avoiding recapture after escape. I would make ou