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John James Geer, Beyond the lines: A Yankee prisoner loose in Dixie, Chapter 3: (search)
countenances. On the evening of the same day, we arrived at Columbus, and there we were placed under a heavy guard, in an old warehouse; but the ex-Governor of Mississippi came to the prison, and took us to the hotel, where we enjoyed supper at his expense. There the crowd gathered round us as though we were some mammoth travelinto visit them. We were conducted by a vigilant guard to their apartments in an upper room of a very dilapidated building. We found about one hundred and fifty Mississippi citizens, such as were suspected of Union sentiments, in a most loathsome situation. Among them were three clergymen-one a Presbyterian, one a United brother, guards to assist them in stealing a barrel of soap-grease, which they devoured with a greedy relish! This was in the midst of the boasted chivalry of Columbus, Mississippi! I should not forget to mention here the names of the ex-Governor of the State, Mr. Whitefield, and his son. They had human hearts, and extended to us some
John James Geer, Beyond the lines: A Yankee prisoner loose in Dixie, Chapter 4: (search)
d unwavering friends of the race despised. One, who flourished under the sobriquet of Tom, rendered us efficient aid. Our object was to escape from the prison, and for this purpose Tom brought us a rope and chisel. With the chisel, I cut a hole through the prison floor, but after laboring faithfully for some time, I discovered that the room below was filled to the ceiling with boxes and bales containing commissary stores. I had arranged with Tom, who had brought me a desiderated map of Mississippi and Tennessee, to leave that night, he occupying a station on the outside, ready to aid me if necessary, and supplied with sufficient provisions for my contemplated flight. When I found myself foiled in my effort to pass through the floor, I turned my attention to the hearth of the room, which I took up, intending to let myself down at that point, and make my escape through a window below, which was covered by a projecting roof. But just as I was about to take away the keystone of th
John James Geer, Beyond the lines: A Yankee prisoner loose in Dixie, Chapter 7: (search)
e our habitation. The only shade afforded us was that of a few straggling pine-trees, beneath which we sat at times, brooding over our forlorn and desolate situation. Oh! how wearily passed the days! how sadly the nights! How much did our thoughts revert to the loved ones at home, and how in imagination did we realize the loneliness of their sorrowing hearts! Mr. Rogers-before spoken of-came and informed me that a group of men standing at a little distance were from Tennessee and Mississippi, with several of whom he was well acquainted, and asked me to accompany him to where they were. I did so, and learned that there were seven hundred from those States in prison, many of whom had been incarcerated ten or twelve months without any change of clothing, or any comfort to relieve the gloom and monotony of prison life. Among them were lawyers, doctors, and clergymen-persons who had been accustomed to the luxuries of refined society, and the endearments of home. A volume might
John James Geer, Beyond the lines: A Yankee prisoner loose in Dixie, Chapter 8: (search)
ed the search. How thankfully beat our hearts as the sound of their horses' hoofs died away in the rearward distance! There was an advantage to us in what we at first so dreaded — the proximity of these men. We were thereby enabled to overhear their plans of pursuit. They agreed to set watches at certain points on the road, the river, and railroad leading to Darien. We were quite confident we had been betrayed by some cowardly prisoner, and suspected that fellow named Clinton, from Mississippi. We learned from our pursuers themselves, as they were searching for us, that this traitor of traitors gave the authorities of the prison all the information they desired, for he had played eaves-dropper more than once, rebel and prisoner as he was! He had actually mapped our proposed route, although our scheme was arranged between Collins and myself in whispers. But we were silently thankful for the information we received, and when we ascertained the plan of pursuit, we fixed our
John James Geer, Beyond the lines: A Yankee prisoner loose in Dixie, Chapter 14: (search)
th us, and had escaped at the same time, but had been separated from us in the alarm of that occasion. I read also an advertisement of one J. J. Geer, described as follows: Six feet and three-fourths of an inch in height, black hair, and blue eyes. Lieutenant A. P. Collins was also named, but without any description. I knew instantly that I had been reported by the man that I mentioned in the beginning of my narrative as having been a deceiver. He had measured me in Columbus jail, Mississippi, and, as I was in my bare feet at the time, this measurement was short, as by all military standards I always measured six feet two inches. There were other unpleasant items in this paper, the principal one of which was that in reference to McClellan's retreat from before Richmond. In due season we arrived at the end of our journey, Macon, Georgia. In conferring with the sheriff on the subject of our future course, I told him it would be best for his own safety to take us to the