was foolish to
take any risks at such a time.

There was much talk at this time, among the rebels, of Kirby Smith's
holding out in the Southwest and being heavily reinforced by the
scattered remnants of other armies. This had an appearance of being
reasonable, as matters then looked to us, and I would listen to no
arguments against my proposed scheme; so a day was set for my
departure, and I fully intended to go.

When I was sufficiently well supplied with food and really ready to
start, my companions begged and pleaded with me so hard not to risk it
till we were more certain of continued imprisonment that I compromised
by postponing the date.

This thing went on for several weeks, I making postponement after
postponement, until I finally settled it decidedly that I would go on
such a day unless we got some favorable news.

Before the fixed time came around we saw Captain Burchard ride by the
stockade and go to headquarters. Knowing that he was after some more
prisoners for exchange, we sent out a man to learn who were to be the
favored ones. The messenger came back, all in a flutter of excitement,
and announced that all were to go.

The scene of confusion and excitement which ensued cannot be described.
The men simply went wild. For myself, I had to sit down to quiet my
nervousness.

The guards began to leave for home as soon as the news became known.
Twenty-four hours after Captain Burchard arrived there were no guards to
be seen anywhere, except the higher officers, and we could have broken
out any time after that. We were not silly enough to do this, however,
as it would have relieved the rebels too much, for they were bound to
feed and escort us if we stayed.

We were kept three days in the stockade, awaiting the arrival of
rations, and during this time we had no regular food, as the mill which
the rebels had used to grind grain had broken down just at a time when
they seemed to need it most.

The citizens flocked in to see us, and brought us food, or we should
have gone hungry during this interval. They came to trade for the things
which we would leave behind us, and we sold off the pots and kettles
belonging to the Confederacy, until the authorities learned the fact and
placed a guard at the gate to prevent any further depletion of their
stock of cooking utensils. As the prisoners now had nothing to cook,
they commenced to break up and throw into the cesspools all that was
left of the cooking outfit, a