seemed to become exhausted with their violent exercise, in
swinging that cruel strap, they began to question the poor, fainting negro
thus:

"What did you do it for, anyhow?"

"Oh, massa, dem white men dey told me to," moaned the poor fellow.

"Will you ever mind them fellows again?"

"No, massa; if you only let me go this time I'll never pay mo' 'tention to
dem white trash dan I would to a fly," he said in a pleading voice.

He was not put back into the jail again, and what became of him we never
learned. Our plan for escape had been well matured, and had it succeeded,
as it would have done but for the weakening of the rebel deserters, there
is scarcely a doubt but that we would have safely reached our lines, as
these deserters were thoroughly acquainted with the country around
Ashville and knew every turpentine path through the pine forests, and all
of the mountain passes, as well as an old resident of Oswego knows the
streets of the city.

Our plan was, to disarm the guard at the door, and then rush for the stack
of arms belonging to the relief, who were not then on duty, and then fight
our way through to Tennessee, where the loyal inhabitants of that state
would join us in resisting recapture by the Confederates.

It was well understood by all, that once in Tennessee we were safe from
molestation. This had been our objective point upon our escape from
Columbia; and when we were unfortunately recaptured by Dick Hancock and
Tom Hubbard, we were just intending, after getting something to eat at Mr.
Harshaw's, to at once go into the woods, and not leave them again until we
had gained the river, which was only about two miles ahead.

Once at the river we were to search for a boat of some kind with which to
cross it, and failing to find one, to build a raft that would float us
over to the Tennessee shore. But it was destined otherwise. We learned
after our recapture, that the officer we had seen sitting upon the stoop
of a store at Fort Emory, was a paroled prisoner of war who was suffering
from a wound, and by having been a prisoner at the North, recognized us as
Yankees, and informed Dick Hancock and Tom Hubbard, who thereupon mounted
and followed us up.

They had about given up overhauling us when they arrived at Mr. Harshaw's,
and said that if they had not found us there or learned by him that we
were near by, that they would not have followed us any further, as it was
then almost dark and they had already f