t a written application
from him to his captain for a leave of ten, twenty or thirty days, in
which was stated the necessity for his going home to Upshur county,
Texas, to procure clothing, which all Confederate soldiers then needed.
On the back of this application would appear the approval of his
captain, colonel and brigade commander, as well as the final and
effective endorsement of Kirby Smith's adjutant, General Boggs, all the
endorsements being made by me, except that of General Boggs, which was
completely counterfeited by the adjutant of the 77th Ohio. Thus being
fortified with legal authority to return to his regiment on an expired
furlough, the prisoner would endeavor to appear as a dutiful Confederate
soldier going to the front, get out as best he could, after receiving
careful instructions as to his route and actions, and take his chances
of success.

My escapes and experiences were talked over, and the men seemed to think
that I could do most anything desired, the accidental character of our
captures not being regarded as any reflection upon my ability in the
attempts to escape.

A Colonel Jamison was now the commander of the stockade, and the officer
who brought us in related to him some of my talks about negro suffrage
and equality, which amused him very much.

One day he sent for me to come to him in order that he might hear some
of my talk on these subjects. I evaded the topics as well as I could,
but made so good an impression upon him that he gave me a pass to go in
and out at will, with twenty men, upon my promise that I would not take
advantage of it to escape myself or let any of my companions do so. My
excuse for asking it was that we wanted to swim in the stream near by,
gather wild greens and take proper exercise.

A few days later, as ten men and myself were in swimming under this pass
in a creek about half a mile from the stockade we saw a couple of young
negro boys watching us. I told the men to go ahead with their fun while
I talked with the boys. One of these youngsters was about fourteen years
old and the other nineteen. They knew who I was and all about my
escapes, and were anxious to see me get away, urging me to break away
right then, as there was no guard around, but I told them that I was out
on parole and could not. They then told me that they had charge of the
horses of the major at headquarters, and that I could at any time have a
horse and uniform to help me get away, showing m