“Dear Frank,” the letter commenced, “you are no doubt feeling anxious on account of my long silence. You will understand the cause of it when I tell you that since the date of my last letter I have been for a fortnight in the enemy's hands as a prisoner. Fortunately, I have succeeded in effecting my escape. You will naturally be interested to learn the particulars.
“Three weeks since, a lady occupying an estate about five miles distant from our camp waited on our commanding officer and made an urgent request to have a few soldiers detailed1 as a guard to protect her and her property from molestation2 and loss. Our colonel was not at first disposed to grant her request, but finally acceded3 to it, rather reluctantly, declaring that it was all nonsense. I was selected, with five other men, to serve as a guard. Mrs. Roberts—for this was her name—appeared quite satisfied to find her request granted, and drove slowly home under our escort.
“On arriving, we found a mansion4 in the old Virginia style, low in elevation5, broad upon the ground, and with a piazza6 extending along the front. Surrounding it was a good-sized plantation7. At a little distance from the house was a row of negro huts. These were mostly vacant, the former occupants having secured their freedom by taking refuge within our lines.
“As sergeant8 in command—you must know that I have been promoted—I inquired of Mrs. Roberts what danger she apprehended9. Her answers were vague and unsatisfactory. However, she seemed disposed to treat me very civilly, and at nine o'clock invited the whole party into the house to partake of a little refreshment10. This invitation was very welcome to soldiers who had not for months partaken of anything better than camp fare. It was all the more acceptable because outside a cold rain was falling, and the mod was deep and miry.
“In the dining-room we found a plentiful11 meal spread, including hot coffee, hot corn bread, bacon, and other viands12. We were not, however, destined13 to take our supper in peace. As I was drinking my second cup of coffee I thought I heard a noise outside, and remarked it to Mrs. Roberts.
“'It is only the wind, sergeant,' said she, indifferently.
“It was not long before I became convinced that it was something more serious. I ordered my men to stand to their arms, in spite of the urgent protestations of the old lady, and marched them out upon the lawn, just in time to be confronted by twenty or thirty men on horseback, clad in the rebel uniform.
“Resistance against such odds14 would have been only productive of useless loss of life, and with my little force I was compelled to surrender myself a prisoner.
“Of course, I no longer doubted that we were the victims of a trick, and had been lured16 by Mrs. Roberts purposely to be made prisoners. If I had had any doubts on the subject, her conduct would have dissipated them. She received our captors with open arms. They stepped into our places as guests, and the house was thrown open to them. Our arms were taken from us, our hands pinioned17, and a scene of festivity ensued. A cask of wine was brought up from the cellar, and the contents freely distributed among the rebels, or gray backs, as we call them here.
“Once, as Mrs. Roberts passed through the little room where we were confined, I said, 'Do you consider this honorable conduct, madam, to lure15 us here by false representations, and then betray us to our enemies?'
“'Yes, I do!' said she hotly. 'What business have you to come down here and lay waste our territory? There is no true Southern woman but despises you heartily18, and would do as much as I have, and more, too. You've got my son a prisoner in one of your Yankee prisons. When I heard that he was taken, I swore to be revenged, and I have kept my word. I've got ten for one, though he's worth a hundred such as you!'
“So saying, she swept out of the room, with a scornful look of triumph in her eyes. The next day, as I afterward19 learned, she sent word to our colonel that her house had been unexpectedly attacked by a large party of the rebels, and that we had been taken prisoners. Her complicity was suspected, but was not proved till our return to the camp. Of course, a further guard, which she asked for, to divert suspicion, was refused.
“Meanwhile we were carried some twenty miles across the river, and confined in a building which had formerly20 been used as a storehouse.
“The place was dark and gloomy. There were some dozen others who shared our captivity21. Here we had rather a doleful time. We were supplied with food three times a day; but the supply was scanty22, and we had meat but once in two days. We gathered that it was intended to send us to Richmond; but from day to day there was a delay in doing so. We decided23 that our chance of escape would be much better then than after we reached the rebel capital. We, therefore, formed a plan for defeating the intentions of our captors.
“Though the building assigned to us as a prison consisted of two stories, we were confined in the lower part. This was more favorable to our designs. During the night we busied ourselves in loosening two of the planks24 of the flooring, so that we could remove them at any time. Then lowering two of our number into the cellar, we succeeded in removing enough of the stone foundation to allow the escape of one man at a time through the aperture25. Our arrangements were hastened by the assignment of a particular day on which we were to be transferred from our prison, and conveyed to Richmond. Though we should have been glad to enter the city under some circumstances, we did not feel very desirous of going as prisoners of war.
“On the night selected we waited impatiently till midnight. Then, as silently as possible, we removed the planking, and afterwards the stones of the basement wall, and crept through one by one. All this was effected so noiselessly that we were all out without creating any alarm. We could hear the measured tramp of the sentinel, as he paced up and down in front of the empty prison. We pictured to ourselves his surprise when he discovered, the next morning, that we escaped under his nose without his knowing it!
“I need not dwell upon the next twenty-four hours. The utmost vigilance was required to elude26 the rebel pickets27. At last, after nearly twenty hours, during which we had nothing to eat, we walked into camp, exhausted28 with hunger and fatigue29, to the great joy of our comrades from whom we had been absent a fortnight.
“On receiving information of the manner in which we had been captured, our commanding officer at once despatched me with a detachment of men to arrest Mrs. Roberts and her daughter. Her surprise and dismay at seeing me whom she supposed safe in Richmond were intense. She is still under arrest.
“I suppose our campaign will open as soon as the roads are dried up. The mud in Virginia is much more formidable than at the North, and presents an insuperable, perhaps I should say an unfathomable, obstacle to active operations. I hope General Grant will succeed in taking Vicksburg. The loss of that important stronghold would be a great blow to the rebels.
“You ask me, in your last letter, whether I see much of the contrabands. I have talked with a considerable number. One, a very intelligent fellow, had been very much trusted by his master, and had accompanied him to various parts of the South. I asked him the question: 'Is it true that there are a considerable number of slaves who would prefer to remain in their present condition to becoming free?'
“'Nebber see any such niggers, massa,' he answered, shaking his head decisively. 'We all want to be free. My old massa treated me kindly30, but I'd a left him any minute to be my own man.'
“I hope the time will soon come, when, from Canada to the Gulf31, there will not be a single black who is not his own man. We in the army are doing what we can, but we must be backed up by those who stay at home. My own feeling is that slavery has received its death-blow. It may continue to live for some years, but it has fallen from its pomp and pride of place. It is tottering32 to its fall. What shall be done with the negroes in the transition state will be a problem for statesmen to consider. I don't think we need fear the consequences of doing right, and on this subject there can be no doubt of what is right; The apparent insensibility and brutish ignorance which we find among some of the slaves will wear away under happier influences.
“There is a little fellow of perhaps a dozen years who comes into our camp and runs of errands and does little services for the men. Yesterday morning he came to my tent, and with a grin, said to me, 'De ol' man died last night.'
“'What, your father?' I inquired in surprise.
“'Yes, massa,' with another grin: 'Goin' to tote him off dis mornin'.'
“As he only lived a quarter of a mile off, I got permission to go over to the house, or cabin, where Scip's father had lived.
“The outer door was open, and I entered without knocking. A woman was bending over a washtub at the back part of the room. I looked around me for the body, but could see no indication of anything having happened out of the ordinary course.
“I thought it possible that Scip had deceived me, and accordingly spoke33 to the woman, inquiring if she was Scip's mother.
“She replied in the affirmative.
“'And where is his father?' I next inquired.
“'Oh, he's done dead,' she said, continuing her washing.
“'When did he die?'
“'Las' night, massa.'
“'And where is the body?'
“'Toted off, massa, very first t'ing dis mornin'.'
“In spite of this case of apparent insensibility, the negro's family attachments34 are quite as warm naturally as our own. They have little reason, indeed, to mourn over the loss of a husband or father, since, in most cases, it is the only portal to the freedom which they covet35. The separation of families, too, tends, of course, to weaken family ties. While I write these words I cannot help recalling our own happy home, and longing36 for an hour, if not more, of your society. I am glad that you find Mr. Morton so agreeable an inmate37. You ought to feel quite indebted him for his assistance in your studies. I am glad you have formed a boy's company. It is very desirable that the elements of military science should be understood even by boys, since upon them must soon devolve the defense38 of their country from any blows that may be directed against her, whether by foes39 from within or enemies from abroad.
“The coming season will be a busy one with you. When you receive this letter it will be about time for you to begin to plow40 whatever land is to be planted. As I suggested in my first letter from camp, I should like you to devote some space-perhaps half an acre-to the culture of onions. We find them very useful for promoting health in the army. They are quite high on account of the largely increased demand, so that it will be a good crop for financial reasons.”
(Here followed some directions with regard to the spring planting, which we omit, as not likely to interest our readers.) The letter ended thus:
“It is nearly time for me to mail this letter, and it is already much longer than I intended to write. May God keep you all in health and happiness is the fervent41 wish of
“Your affectionate father,
“HENRY FROST.”
The intelligence that their father had been a prisoner made quite a sensation among the children. Charlie declared that Mrs. Roberts was a wicked woman, and he was glad she was put in prison—an expression of joy in which the rest fully42 participated.
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1
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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2
molestation
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| n.骚扰，干扰，调戏；折磨 | |
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3
acceded
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| v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职 | |
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4
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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5
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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6
piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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7
plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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8
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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9
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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10
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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11
plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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12
viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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13
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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14
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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15
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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16
lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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17
pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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19
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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20
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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21
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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22
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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23
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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24
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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25
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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26
elude
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| v.躲避，困惑 | |
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27
pickets
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| 罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 ) | |
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28
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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29
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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30
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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31
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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32
tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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33
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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34
attachments
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| n.（用电子邮件发送的）附件( attachment的名词复数 )；附着；连接；附属物 | |
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35
covet
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| vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) | |
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36
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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37
inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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38
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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39
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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40
plow
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| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
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41
fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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42
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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