fill our haversacks. This, with our slight conveniences for cooking, was
no easy task. I made two dozen biscuits; and this, with our other
provisions filled our haversacks, and together with our blankets,
overcoats, etc., was about all we could carry. Having completed our
preparations, I went to where Col. Miller and Lieut. H. H. Lyman had taken
up their quarters, which consisted of a dry goods box with one end knocked
out, and about half long enough to cover their bodies. They were both too
ill to build a brush tent as I had done. I told them that I was going to
take a walk the next morning, and asked them to move into my tent, and if
I was brought back I would take it back, but if not, then it was theirs,
together with the mattress, extra blankets, and cooking utensils.

We then lay down and took a good sleep and rest, waiting for the moon to
set, which would be at three o'clock.

By that hour we had eaten our breakfast, picked up what we intended to
carry, and cautiously, one by one, gathered under a tree, a few feet from
the dead line, where, concealed in the shade, we could plainly see my
friend pacing up and down his beat. When the moon had disappeared long
enough so that it was quite dark, I tossed a pebble, which struck right at
his feet, at which he said in a low tone, "all right" and walked away, and
commenced talking to the other sentry.

This was our opportunity, and lying flat on the ground, we crawled across
the guard line like so many snakes. There were seven of us, viz.:
Captains Geere, Hock, Eastmond, Hays, and Cratty, and Lieutenant Winner
and myself. Having all got across, we raised up and stole softly away. We
had not gone far, however, before some one stumbled over some dry brush in
the darkness, which made considerable noise and attracted the attention of
one of the guard, who immediately sent a bullet in our direction and
called out lustily: "Corporal of the guard, post number fo." This was
followed by other shots; but they could only shoot in the direction of the
noise, and if ever seven fellows made good time, we did for about half a
mile, till we gained a small patch of woods. We did not stop here long,
but getting our direction, we made for another and larger woods about
three miles away.

We entered these woods just as it was getting light; and making our way
far into its dark recesses, made our camp for the day. We could plainly
hear the reveille in the prison camp, from where we lay that