shap, induced Clotelle to interest
herself in another mode of escape for the men thus so heavily ironed.

Pete, the man of all work, whose sympathies were with the Union
prisoners, was easily gained over to a promise of securing the keys of
the prison and letting the men escape, especially when Clotelle offered
him money to enable him to make good his own way to the North.

The night of the exodus came. It was favored with darkness; and it so
happened that the officials were on a spree, owing to the arrival of
Confederate officers with news of a rebel victory.

Before getting the keys, Pete supplied the sentinels on duty with enough
whiskey, which he had stolen from the keepers' store-room, to make them
all drunk. At the chosen moment, the keys were obtained by Pete, the
doors and gates were opened, and ninety-three prisoners, including the
tunnel workers, whose irons were taken off, made their escape, allowing
the faithful negro to accompany them. Nothing was known of the exit of
the men till breakfast hour on the next morning. On examination of the
store-room, it was found, that, in addition to the whiskey Pete had
taken a large supply of stores for the accommodation of the party. Added
to this, a good number of arms with ammunition had been furnished the
men by the African.

The rebels were not prepared to successfully pursue the fleeing
prisoners, although armed men were sent in different directions.
Nothing, however, was heard of them till they reached the Union lines.
Long suspected of too freely aiding Union prisoners, Clotelle was now
openly charged with a knowledge of the escape of these men, and was
compelled to leave Andersonville.

CHAPTER XXXIX. CONCLUSION

THE fiendish and heartless conduct of a large number of the people
of the South towards Union men during the war, and especially the
unlady-like demeanor of rebel women at New Orleans and other points, is
a matter that has passed into history. In few places were the women more
abusive to those of Union proclivities than the female portion of the
inhabitants of Greenville, Alabama. While passing through this town, on
her return from Andersonville to New Orleans, Clotelle had to encounter
the fierce ill-treatment of these chivalrous daughters of the South.
There were, during the rebellion, many brave and generous women, who, in
the mountains and lowlands of Alabama, gave aid to Federals,--soldiers
and civilians,--in their wanderings and escap