de of the river, near the
State penitentiary, where we remained all the ensuing winter. Soon
after this change of camp it was reported among us that one man from
each company would soon be granted a thirty day furlough. Prior to
this, while in Tennessee, there had been a very few furloughs granted
in exceptional cases, which were all the indulgencies of that kind the
regiment had so far received. I made no request to be the favored man
of our company in this matter, but one day Capt. Keeley told me that he
had decided that I should be the furloughed man from Co. D, and could
make my arrangements accordingly. By this time I had so far recovered
from my rheumatism that I could walk around with the aid of a cane, but
was very "shaky" on foot, and any sudden shock or jar would make me
flinch with pain. I wondered how I should be able to get from the camp
to the railroad depot on the other side of the river, with my knapsack,
haversack and canteen, and their necessary contents, for I was utterly
unable to carry them. I happened to mention this problem to the
chaplain of the regiment, B. B. Hamilton. He was an old and valued
friend of my parents, and, as he had lived only a few miles from our
home, I knew him quite well before the war, and had heard him preach
many a time. He was of the Baptist denomination, and my parents were of
the same religious faith. At this time he was still what I would now
call a young man, being only about forty years old. My father's given
name was Jeremiah, and the Chaplain almost invariably, when speaking to
me, would, in a grave, deliberate manner, address me as "Son of
Jeremiah." When I mentioned to him my perplexity above indicated, he
responded: "Son of Jeremiah, let not your heart be troubled. The Lord
will provide." Knowing that what he said could be depended upon, I
asked no questions. The precious document giving me thirty-days leave
of absence was delivered to me in due time, and our little squad
arranged to start on the next train, and which would leave Little Rock
for Devall's Bluff early the following day. I had my breakfast betimes
the next morning, and was sitting on the ground in front of my tent,
with my traps by me, when Chaplain Hamilton came riding up on his
horse. He dismounted, and saying to me, "Son of Jeremiah, the Lord has
provided," thereupon helped me on his horse, and we started for the
depot, the Chaplain walking by my side. We crossed the Arkansas on a
sort of improvis