ng in
all directions.

I started on the dead run for the rear. I believed I was going right, but
it seemed as if the shells were coming from our own guns in the rear. I
thought they had mistaken us for the enemy. I could see the shells coming,
and every time they would fire, I would fall on my stomach, and thought
they all went just over my head. I was soon, however, out of range, and
began to feel easy, when a new fear took possession of me. What if I had,
in my bewilderment, run into the rebel lines? I saw just ahead of me an
old-fashioned southern mansion, with a high board fence all around it, and
in the inclosure several small cabins used for the slaves to live in. I
could not remember seeing this before, so I made up my mind I was actually
inside rebeldom. However, I decided to make the best of it, and if I were
or were not I would see if I could find something to eat. With fear and
faltering steps I moved toward the big gate, swung it open, and it gave an
awful squeak as it swung on its old rusty hinges. There was not a sign of
life in or about the place, and that gave me hope and courage. In the
center of the yard was a large hen-house. Cautiously toward this I
crawled, heard the cackle of fowl, went first on one side then on the
other, looking for the door; and imagine my surprise, the fear that took
possession of me--my hair stood on end; for sitting there on a bench back
of this hen-house were two big Johnnies. I couldn't speak, I couldn't
move, till one of them said, "Good evening, sar; got anything to eat?"
"Yes, yes," I stammered, "I have some hard-tack." Finally, one of them
seeing I was most scared to death, spoke up and said, "Don't be alarmed;
we are only deserters and want to give ourselves up; show us to
headquarters." I was brave now. I gave them what hard-tack I had, and
marched them ahead of me back to the rear, till we found headquarters.
Afterward, I was offered a furlough for capturing two of the enemy. I
never told this before; I took the credit. But I was not satisfied; I'd
rather have some of those chickens than live rebels. So back I went and I
got five; started back to the rear, put a kettle on a fire and boiled
them, kept them three days, till I found my brother and the remnant of the
regiment. When I did find them I made their hearts glad by showing them
the boiled chickens. They were awful hungry and set to eating with a
ravenous appetite, but they could not eat them, hungry as they were