The Yankee conscript; or, Eighteen months in Dixie

Preface

My design in presenting the following narrative is to give to the public a brief, plain, and unpretending account of what I know respecting the treatment which Union men receive from the hands of the Secessionists ; the sentiments and feelings of the soldiers of the Confederate States respecting the war ; and my own escape after having been conscripted and forced into the ranks of the Rebel army. I shall narrate facts simply. I shall tell the reader how I was first foiled in my attempt to escape to the lines of the Union army, how, after some weeks, I obtained possession of a miller's certificate of exemption, and traveled upwards of two hundred and forty miles on it ; how I was taken, put under arrest, and guarded all night by six provost guards, tried, and in great danger of being recognized as a deserter and shot. I shall give some account of my subsequent adventures in the army of General Raines, of my escape and safe arrival, after enduring many hardships, within the lines of the army of General Schofield.

For some time I hesitated to write the following

4 PREFACE.

pages, for the reason that being a citizen of Texas, and intending to return to that State after the war, 1 feared the consequences which might result from publishing this narrative. But being frequently and earnestly solicited to write, I finally determined to do so.

Some apology is due for the style of the book. Being engaged in teaching school during the time that I was preparing the following pages for publication, I did most of my writing in the evening, amidst the annoyance of family reading and conversation. Sometimes I became so discouraged in the preparation of my story, which was to me an arduous undertaking, that I would probably have abandoned my task, had it not been for the hope that it might be the means of convincing some honest men who are led astray by designing and unprincipled politicians, who claim to be " Constitutional Union'* men, but who do more to baffle the Government and encourage the rebels than any other class.

These remarks are not made to deprecate criticism, but in order to bespeak the candor of that large class of readers who are willing to be pleased with the best efforts that can reasonably be expected from one who has labored under so many difficulties.

GEORGE A. FISHER.

Calcutta, Ohio, May, 1864.

Introduction

The Author's Birth— Parentage— Pious Mother— Education—The Book Needed— State of Society in the South — Truthfulness of the Narrative— The Author's Moderation. 11 — 17

Chapter I

Leave Home— The Lost Brother — A Strange Letter — The Journey — Arrive in Texas — Return to St. Louis — Winter in Illinois — The Beauties of Slavery — Return to Texas — Traveling Companions— Buying Stock — Annoyances — Stampede — Sickness — Lost Brother Found — Married — Trading — An Incident — Texan Society — Four Classes — Prejudices — A Surprise. - 19—30

Chapter II

Great Excitement — Southern Stump Speakers — Wigfall — A Journey — Curing Buffalo Meat — An Incident— House Burning — Abolitionism — Preparation for Rebellion — Prairie Matches — John Smith and Bill Jones— Tortures — Lynching — Correspondence with Friends Dangerous — The Day-Book— Voting — Election of Lincoln — Speeches again — Families Leaving the State — Preparing for War — Trading Lands — Drafting — Impressments. 31 — 52

CONTENTS,

Chapter III

New Excitements — Raiding — Bereavements— Change of Location — Mob Law again — Movements of Troops — Conscript Law Passed — Opposition to the Law — A Union Man and his Mode of Reasoning— Other Unionists of * Note — Droving — Fright of the Rebels at Little Rock — Sickness in the Rebel Army. ... 53 — 75

Chapter IV

Martial Law in Arkansas — Hunting Conscripts with Blood-hounds— Arrival of Troops from Texas — Buying Leather — Major Lewis and his Negro Wife — Southern Slanders of Northern Women — Amalgamation — Jim Lane — Suspicious Characters — Return to Texas — Martial Law in Texas — Passes — Plans of Union Men to Escape — Oath of Allegiance — In a Trap, and how to get out of it.

76—89

CHAPTER Y.

Still in the Trap— Captain Schneider — Captain Wells — Conscripts vs Volunteers — Captain Welch — Marching — Dallas Fair Grounds — Arrest of a Volunteer — Prejudice against Foreigners — Camanche and Texan Feats of Horsemanship— Preference for the Cavalry Service.

90—107

CONTENTS.

Chapter VI

Volunteering at the Beginning of the War — More Call* for Men and less Inclination to Respond — Plans to Prevent an Outbreak in Texas — Filling Requisitions for Men — Speeches to Encourage the Conscripts — Guarding against Mutiny — Rebel Destitution — Negroes — Their Sentiments— Their Number. - 108—119

Chapter VII

Plans of Escape — Dangers of the Attempt — Send for my Brother — Miller's Certificate of Exemption — Feign Sickness— Interview with Captain Schneider — Obtain a Furlough— Set out for Denton — The Journey — Meet my Brother again — Sell the Remainder of my Property — Troubles and Dangers of Enrolling Officers — Speculation — Letter to Captain Schneider — Reflections — Discussion about the Miller's Certificate — Schemes to obtain Possession of Luginbyhl's Certificate — My Brother's Adventure. 120—136

Chapter VIII

A Race and a Hunt — Guarding against a Surprise — The Miller's Certificate Secured — Farewell — The Journey Begun — Value of Liberty known when Lost — Date of Furlough changed — Final Parting — A Lonely Pilgrim — Acting Rebel — Tricks of Negroes — A Hunter's Paradise — A big Corn Crop — Farewell to Texas. - 137 — 151

CONTENTS.

Chapter IX

Travels and Adventures in the Indian Country — Precautions against Discovery — In Arkansas — Apples, Peaches and Company — Close Questioning — Seeking for Information— -Dress — Anxiety — A Missouri Rebel — A Letter — Clay Eaters — Difficulty in Crossing the River — Over the River — In a Net — Unwelcome Visitors — Arrested.

152—169

Chapter X

Making the Best of it — News of the Fugitives from Fannin County — Guards make Arrangements for Sleep — Precautions against Detection — A Curious Quid — Before the Provost Marshal — His Decision — Further Questioning— Another Prisoner — Familiar Conversation with the Provost Marshal — Reversal of the Marshal's Decision — Sent to Colonel Bass — A Joke — Close Questioning — Again a Conscript. ----- 170 — 188

CHAPTER XL

More Inquisitors — A Battle in Progress — A Forced March — Camping for the Night — Glee of the Troops — A New Name Troublesome — Incidents of the March — Prisoners —Execution of Deserters — Ordered to Keetsville — Old Camps — An Alarm and a Scare — Retreat to Frogg's Bayou — Sent out on Picket — At the Mill — Gathering Corn— The Drove of Hogs— Escape. - - 189—207

CONTENTS,

Chapter XII

My Horse left behind — Celerity of Movements — Precautions against Surprise — A Hard Road to Travel — A Friendly Tree — A Comfortless Rest — Lost — An Alarm — ■ Tight Boots .in the Wrong Place — Still Bewildered — A Stranger — A Dreary Night — The Wrong Way seems the Right Way — A Narrow Escape — Close to a whole Regiment of Rehels — A Bed in a Thicket — Lost Watch — A Talk with Rebel Women — Union Men — How I Lived on the Way. 208—226

Chapter XIII

Fireside Conversation — Bushwhacking — Mr. Ray — A Temporary Cripple — Meet the Union Soldiers — A Contrast — Cassville — Report to General Schofield — Prisoners — Questions and Answers — A Letter — Under Guard — Paroled— Find my Watch — Visit a Secessionist — Mail Carrier Shot. 227—239

Chapter XIV

Prisoners — Brewer Shot — Threats — Obstinacy — Rough Usage — Dirt — Underground Telegraph — Offer of a Position as a Recruiting Officer — History of Colonel Bass — Leave Cassville and go to Springfield— More Texan Refugees — Their Story — Wholesale Hanging — Extract from the Houston Telegraph — Springfield — Homeward Bound— Home. 240—251

INTRODUCTION

The Author's Birth— -His Parentage— Pious Mother—His Education— The Book Needed— State of Society in the South — Truthfulness of the Narrative— The Author's Moderation.

George Adams Fisher, the writer of the following pages, was born on the 10th of July, 1835, near Calcutta, Columbiana county, Ohio. He was next to the youngest of a large family. His father, Paul Fisher, was the son of Mr. Paul Fisher, who emigrated from Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, at an early day, and settled near Calcutta, Ohio. He purchased land in the vicinity, and for many years kept a house of public entertainment. He raised a family of seven sons and four daughters. His son Paul was about fifteen years of age at the time of their removal to Ohio, which took place in 1810. In a few years Paul bought land in the vicinity of Calcutta, and some time afterwards lie married Miss Margaret Souder. He is still living near Calcutta. George's mother died when he was about nine years of age. She was an eminently pious woman. Mr. Fisher was not a pious man at the time of their marriage. After a mental struggle which for some time almost banished rest and sleep, Mrs. Fisher resolved to attend to the duty of family worship herself, and for many years nothing except sickness was allowed to interfere with tbe regular discharge of this solemn duty. For twenty years she was an active member of a female prayer-meeting. She was abundant in good works. Her heart and her hand were always open to relieve the wants of the poor. She went about doing good, and, remembering the command of the Savior she loved, she let her light shine.

She was a woman of strong faith. On her death-bed she called her children around her, and solemnly commended them to the care of a faithful God, and then departed in the triumphs of an overcoming faith. Being dead, she yet speaketh. Her prayers liave been heard. Her husband is an humble, consistent follower of Christ ; some, at least, of her children are in the Redeemer's fold. Who can doubt that her fervent supplications will be answered, and that all her children will meet her in heaven ?

Some time after his wife's death, Mr. Fisher married again. By this marriage he had two children. His second wife lived but a few years. Some time after her death he was again married, and has been living with his third wife for the last fifteen years. Mr. Fisher trained his children to habits of industry and activity. Though not among those who are possessed of great wealth, he is in very comfortable circumstances, and has done well for his children. He assisted all of them as they set out in life, and has already divided ten thousand dollars among them.

George, being for some years rather delicate, was sent to school, and acquired a good English education. He began to teach school at the age of eighteen, and continued at that useful and pleasant employment, winter and summer, until he left home for Texas. The reader of the following pages will not fail to discover that he is of an enterprising character, and that he is possessed of a degree of energy which is not discouraged by common difficulties.

The writer feels confident that this book is needed, and that a knowledge of its contents will do good. It reveals a terrible condition of society in the South. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the inalienable rights of all men ; and yet in one-third of these free United States these self-evident principles are scouted as the corrupt spawn of blind fanaticism. The truth is, the people of the South have never enjoyed liberty. They hardly know what it is. Slavery has bound its chains, not on the unfortunate negro race alone, but on four-fifths of the white population. They are not, it is true, bought and sold in the market ; they are not driven under the whip of the overseer to the cotton and rice fields ; but they are slaves nevertheless. Many of them are profoundly ignorant; and all the non-slaveholding class under the heel of an imperious and oppressive oligarchy. This is not liberty, it is slavery. It is as impossible for liberty and slavery to exist together as light and darkness. They are mutually repellent. This antagonism accounts for all the intolerance and fanaticism which has taken hold of the minds of Southern slaveholders. Slavery became their god. They worshipped the grim monster in blind adoration. Slavery established its throne in the South and issued its decrees. These mandates of the tyrant were — Shoot, hang, burn, stab, torture, persecute, proscribe, banish the adherents of liberty wherever found. "Well were they executed. Men could hardly think without danger ; and to speak or write anything adverse to received Southern orthodoxy, was to invite the bowie-knife, the bullet, or the halter. The fairest and richest portions of our fair land were given over to a reign of terror hardly equaled in the history of the world. The truth of these remarks will appear from the following pages.

The more we know of the real state of things in the South, the stronger will be our attachment to the principles of liberty, the purer will be our patriotism, and the deeper our hatred of treason. Feeling convinced of this, the writer of this article is rejoiced that another narrative is added to the numerous testimonies that have already been given to the public in proof of the barbarism of the South. They who have read "The Iron Furnace," " Daring and Suffering," " Beyond the Lines," and other works of a similar character, will only be the more anxious to peruse this volume. It corroborates their testimony, and is full of matter equally interesting, while it is entirely different from all of them. It is the production of a man who was for years a citizen of the South, and who, is, therefore, qualified to speak from personal knowledge and observation — an advantage not possessed by those who were temporary and unwilling sojourners in Dixie.

The writer of this article has had an opportunity of perusing a large number of letters and other documents, which establish the truth of this narrative beyond question ; and even if these were wanting, the high moral and Christian character of the author is a sufficient guaranty for the truthfulness of his statements.

There is one peculiar excellency of this little volume which deserves particular commendation. The reader will not long remain in doubt as to the author's political preferences; but men of all political persuasions can read the book without offence. It does not deal in hard names and slang phrases. It aims to convince men by facts, and not by abuse, on the principle that

" A man convinced against his will, Is of the same opinion still."

The book is heartily recommended to the public as one that is well calculated to foster the love of liberty, cherish patriotism, inspire thankfulness to God for the freedom which we enjoy, and expose in all the deformity of its ugly nature that system of oppression which has been the fruitful source of all the calamities which have fallen upon our beloved land.

THE

YANKEE CONSCRIPT.

Chapter I

"Leave ITo?ne—Tfi/> Lost Brother—A Strange. Letter — Tlie Jour~ ney — Arrive* in Texan — Return to St. Louis — Winter in Illinois — The Beauties of Slavery— Return to Texas- Traveling Companions — Buying Stock— Annoyances — A Stampede — Sickness — Lost Brother Found — Married- Trading— An Incident— Texan Society— Four Classes— JPrejud ices— A Surprise.

On the 14th of April, 1857, an elder brother and myself left the home of our boyhood to seek our fortunes in the sunny South. Another brother had gone to the South some years before, but for a long time we had not heard from him. At length, in November, 1856, a young man by the name of John Wollam, who had gone South with him, and had, for some time, been in partnership with him, received a letter purporting to come from Major J. Jones, making particular inquiry concerning ■ Fisher.

Jones had been a partner with them in Mississippi. From the tone and appearance of the letter, which I was permitted to read, I suspected that it was written by my brother, although the handwriting was well counterfeited. We determined to proceed to the place in which this letter purported to have been written. We went by the river, taking passage in the steamer " South America," which was thronged with passengers going to all parts of the West, the destination of most being Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa.

We reached St. Louis on the 23d of April. On the 27th, we again took passage on the " Thomas Swan," and arrived at Hannibal on the following day. On the morning of the 29th, we set out from Hannibal on our journey to Texas, passing through the capitals of the following counties : Marion, Monroe, Randolph, Howard, Cooper, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, St. Clair, Bates, Yernon, Barton, Jasper, and Newton. Thence we passed to Tahlequah, the capital of the Cherokee nation ; and thence through the Creek, Choctaw, and Chickasaw country, until we arrived at Colbert's Ferry on Red River. We were about three months in making the journey. We made many acquaintances, in order to learn as much as possible respecting the country through which we passed, intending, if not pleased with Texas, to return and settle in some part of Missouri or Arkansas. I was exceedingly pleased with most of the country along our route.

We arrived at our place of destination in Collin county, Texas, in the latter part of July, stopping for awhile with an old acquaintance by the name of McFarland, formerly a citizen of Beaver county, Pennsylvania. From Beaver he removed to Coshocton county, Ohio; from Coshocton he went to Iowa, and had finally made his way to Texas. Our stopping-place was about eighty miles west of the point from which the mysterious letter was written, and of course we received no information respecting our long-lost brother. From the time of our arrival until the 5th of October we spent in looking at the country, and were well pleased with it. From information gained from the old settlers, we felt satisfied that it was well adapted to the business which we intended to follow — stock raising. Sheep being scarce and very high, we determined to return to Arkansas or Missouri to buy a flock. We arrived in St. Louis on the 31st of October. It being now late in the season, we abandoned the notion of buying, and determined to wait until the return of spring. We spent the winter in Illinois, about thirty miles from St. Louis. On our way from Texas, we witnessed some of the fruits of the abominable institution of slavery. A drove of mules was proceeding southward from Missouri to Louisiana. At the front of the drove was an old negro woman apparently above sixty years of age. She was riding one of the mules, which, as the leader of the drove, wore a bell. The woman was weeping most bitterly. She had probably been purchased by the owner of the drove for a mere trifle ; and now, separated for ever from husband, children, and friends, was proceeding, with a broken heart and bruised spirit, to some unknown plantation in the fardistant South, to end her weary life unwept and unlamented.

In the spring of 1858, we prepared for returning to Texas. We left St. Louis on the 10 th of May. At Big Piney river we fell in company with two gentlemen from Illinois, going to Texas. One of them was a physician. We traveled in company for a considerable distance. On arriving at the Gasconade river, we found seventeen families on their way to Texas. The river being high, they were detained until it should fall sufficiently to admit of their crossing. Among these emigrants there was a young man by the name of William Curley, from Eastem T<jjas. He had been at St. Louis settling o his father's estate, and was on his way back to Texas. As we were standing on the bank of the river, the doctor, in speaking to my brother, called him Fisher. This caught the attention of Curie y, who asked my brother if he had ever lived in Eastern Texas. He replied in the negative. Further conversation led to the discovery that he was acquainted with a man in Texas by the name of Fisher, and from the description he gave of him, we felt satisfied that he was our lost brother.

On reaching Dallas county, Missouri, we began to buy stock, but made rather slow progress, the quality of the stock not being very good. "We were obliged to travel through several counties in order to obtain the number of head that we desired. By the 10th of June we had purchased our flock, and set out for Texas. On our way we met numerous droves of beef cattle and Spanish horses going from Texas to Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois. We crossed the Fifteen Mile Prairie on the 4th of July. As we approached the north fork of the Canadian river, our horses were very much annoyed by swarms of large green flies. So troublesome did' they become that we were obliged to cover our horses with blankets, pull prairie grass, and keep up a constant fire until toward evening, when the pests disappeared. Near the river, on the evening of the same day, we passed a drove of five hundred head of large cattle. We had heard of them a few days before from travelers who had passed them, and had incidentally mentioned the difficulty which the drovers had experienced in preventing them from stampeding. We encamped about two miles south of them. I was on guard. About ten o'clock, I was startled by a heavy rumbling sound, which appeared to shake the very ground. Not knowing whence it proceeded, I woke my brother, and he, having crossed the plains to California, and being familiar with such sounds, at once discovered that the drove of cattle was coming towards us at full speed. In an instant we were on our horses, and as they approached within a few hundred rods of us we met them, and by whooping, hallooing, and firing our pistols in the air, we turned them off the road, and prevented a general slaughter among our sheep. When a large drove breaks and runs, it can not be stopped at once. The usual plan is to circle them round until they begin to tire, and then they are easily managed.

We reached our friend's residence in Collin county in the latter part of July. During our absence, he had received a letter for us from

Curley, stating that Fisher was at Tishe-

mingo in the Chickasaw nation, whither he had gone a few months before. He stated that he was expecting him back in a few days. Soon after our arrival, I had a very severe attack of fever, arising from exposure on our way down from Missouri. For a long time my life was despaired of, but I began slowly to recover. In the mean time my brother had written to Eastern Texas to the brother who was expected to return from Tishemingo. He received the letter, and immediately came to see us. Our feelings on meeting can be better imagined than expressed. He had been absent from home nine years, and for five years we had no knowledge of his whereabouts.

In September we started for Wise county, with the intention of purchasing land, but abandoned our original intention and purchased in Denton county, on Duck creek, the head waters of the Trinity. On the 5th of January, 1860, I was married to Miss Amanda Reed,, daughter of Mr. William Keed. Mr. Reed was born in Maysville, Kentucky. From thence he emigrated to Andrew county, Missouri, where he remained some time, and then removed to Texas. A son-in-law of his had gone to Texas in 1858.

His name was Peter Luginbyhl. He was a native of Winesburgh, Holmes county, Ohio, and some time previously had left home and settled in Nebraska. I mention his name in this place, because I shall have occasion to refer to him again in the sequel.

During the first few years of our residence in Texas, we sold our wool in Jefferson, and with the proceeds we bought groceries, which we very readily disposed of on our return. On one of his trips back with a load of groceries, my brother witnessed a sight which is not a very uncommon one in any part of the slaveholding South, but which, to those who are unused to such barbarities, might seem incredible. On the journey, he stopped all night at the house of a planter. Among other goods he had a quantity of tobacco, which, for safe keeping, he had removed from the wagon and taken to the house. In the morning it was discovered that a few iayers. of the tobacco were missing. The slaves were called together and examined. The guilt appeared to rest on one of the female slaves — a young woman of about twenty years of age. The planter ordered the overseer to tie her to a post which was used for such purposes, and give her a certain number of lashes, which was done. Not being yet satisfied with the degree of punishment, although her tattered raiment and the ground on which she stood were saturated with blood, the master let loose a pack of blood-hounds, and not until they had mangled and torn her bleeding, quivering flesh was his devilish malice satisfied.

Since my return to the North, the question has often been asked me — What kind of society have you in Texas? To this question it is proper to reply that there is some very good, and some very bad, — the most refined, and the most degraded. The people may properly be divided into four classes, — the slaveholding class, a non-slaveholcling class of respectable citizens from all parts of the United States and Europe, poor whites from the Southern States, and a numerous class of scoundrels and blacklegs from all parts of the country, who have fled from home to escape punishment for crime. A large proportion of the population belongs to the second and third classes. The first mentioned class comprises the aristocracy of the country. They are gentlemanly in their manners and honorable in their dealings, but blindly and fanatically attached to the institution of slavery ; and unless a man can endorse the system, it is much safer for him to say nothing about it in the presence of such unscrupulous champions of human bondage. The second class is mostly made up of Northern men — men of energy, enterprise, and intelligence, who, not satisfied with the circumscribed field of action in the crowded North, have left their early homes to seek their fortunes in a State in which, before the war, there was a much better chance of doing something and being something in the world. Those belonging to the third class are an ignorant and degraded herd. Yery few of them can read or write. Like all ignorant people, they are the slaves of prejudice. Having no knowledge of the people of the Northern States but that derived from the distorted caricatures of their character, manners, and customs which abound in the public prints, and are industriously circulated by unprincipled demagogues, they are filled with the bitterest prejudice against all Northern men. Almost the first question they ask a stranger is, " What State are you from?" If he proves to be from Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, or any of the Southern States, they are infinitely pleased; but if he should prove to be from the North, their dissatisfaction and disappointment are manifest. The fourth class is composed of sharpers, — men without principle and without morality. Both they and the slaveholders exercise a controlling influence over these poor, ignorant whites, who, for a dram of whisky, would vote for the devil.

In the fall of 1858, two gentlemen from Mississippi, by the names of Terry and Keep, purchased a large tract of land on Clear creek, about eight miles north-west of my residence. They began to improve it immediately. They built a large dwelling-house and a steam flouring and saw-mill. Luginbyhl and a younger brother did the carpenter work of all the buildings. While they were engaged in building the mill, they employed two young men by the names of Tupper and Dorse, both lately from Pike's Peak, but originally from Illinois. Tupper, having some knowledge of engineering, was employed afterwards to run the engine. I will have occasion to refer to all the above named gentlemen in the sequel.

In the summer of 1859, my brother, who had been absent from home ten years, visited the home of his childhood. The friends were taken completely by surprise. We had not written home anything concerning him, in order that the surprise might be the more complete. On his way home, at our request, he stopped in St. Louis and seat us the Missouri Democrat, a strong Republican paper. The paper was addressed to my brother, and on its arrival at the post office he was notified by the postmaster at Denton to have the paper stopped. My brother replied that if he wanted the paper stopped, he might do it himself; that as long as the paper came to the office, and he would deliver it, he would continue to read it. In the meantime, through suspension of the mails, the paper was discontinued. My brother returned again to Texas in the fall of the same year, and is still in Texas, if not conscripted into the Eebel army, which he was determined to avoid, if possible.