na and Georgia, and were near the extreme north-west
corner of North Carolina.

We walked about two miles, when we came to the house of the Rev. Mr.
Burch. He had been milking and was just going to the house with a pail of
milk when we came up and asked if we could get some breakfast there. He
gave us a hearty welcome to such fare as they could give us, and invited
us into the house. We soon discovered that he was a strong Union man, and,
although we did not reveal ourselves to him as Yankees, I believe he at
least mistrusted we were. We learned from him that the Union forces had
been at Murphy, and when we got across the river from there we would be in
Tennessee, where we would be safe, as our forces held the ground there. We
had told him that we did not intend to go back into the army, but intended
to get inside the Union lines and stay there.

I being a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, gave him some
signs of that order, which he thought was a clumsily given Masonic sign,
and, as he belonged to that fraternity, he tried to test me in the signs
of that society. I told him I was not a Mason, but was an Odd Fellow, and
he could trust me just as freely as though we both belonged to the same
order. He said: "I do trust you, and believe you are all right, but when
we express Union sentiments in this section of the country, you know, we
do so with a halter around our necks. I have already said and done enough
to hang me if it were known to the rebel authorities, and I know they
would resort to any trick to trap me into saying or doing something that
would convict me of treason to the Confederacy. But I will trust you,
though I place my life in your hands by so doing, for God and my own
conscience tell me that I am doing right."

He then gave us explicit directions about getting across the river, near
Murphy, which was about twenty miles further. He said it would not do to
cross the bridge at that place, as it was guarded night and day; but we
could probably find boats above there that we could use in crossing. After
breakfast he walked with us a short distance, and bidding us an
affectionate good-bye and God speed, he turned back and we pursued our
way.

About three miles further on we passed the little hamlet of Fort Emory,
where I noticed a Confederate officer sitting on the stoop of the only
store in the village. Passing by with a nod and a good morning, we were
soon out of sight, and as we felt a little