SW.6>0 / THE YANKEE CONSCRIPT; OR, EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN DIXIE. BY GEORGE ADAMS FISHER. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY REV. WILLIAM DICKSON. PHILADELPHIA: J. W. DAUGHADAY, PUBLISHER, 1308 CHESTNUT STREET. 1864. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by J. W. DAUGHADAY, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. r t PREFACE. My design in presenting the following narrative is to give to the public a brief, plain, and unpretend- ing account of what I know respecting the treat- ment 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 con- scripted 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 certifi- cate 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 pro- vost 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 pub- lication, I did most of my writing in the evening, amidst the annoyance of family reading and con- versation. 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 " Consti- tutional 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 criti- cism, 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 expect- ed from one who has labored under so many diffi- culties. GEORGE A. FISHER. Calcutta, Ohio, May, 1864. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. The Author's Birth— Parentage— Pious Mother— Educa- tion— The Book Needed— State of Society in the South — Truthfulness of the Narrative— The Author's Mode- ration. 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 — Con- script 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 — Sus- picious 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 Pre- vent an Outbreak in Texas — Filling Requisitions for Men — Speeches to Encourage the Conscripts — Guard- ing 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 Sick- ness — Interview with Captain Schneider — Obtain a Fur- lough — 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 Pos- session of Luginbyhl's Certificate — My Brother's Ad- venture. 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 — Precau- tions against Discovery — In Arkansas — Apples, Peaches and Company — Close Questioning — Seeking for Infor- mation — -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 Fan- nin County — Guards make Arrangements for Sleep — Precautions against Detection — A Curious Quid — Before the Provost Marshal — His Decision — Further Question- ing — 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 — Precau- tions 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 Regi- ment 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 Tem- porary Cripple — Meet the Union Soldiers — A Contrast — Cassville — Report to General Schofield — Prisoners — Questions and Answers — A Letter — Under Guard — Pa- roled — Find my Watch — Visit a Secessionist — Mail Car- rier Shot. 227—239 CHAPTER XIV. Prisoners — Brewer Shot — Threats — Obstinacy — Rough Usage — Dirt — Underground Telegraph — Offer of a Posi- tion 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 &^>. u^f S^/i^u^i/ 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 Mod- eration. 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 Northumber- land 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 12 INTRODUCTION. the vicinity of Calcutta, and some time after- wards 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 inter- fere 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 INTRODUCTION. 13 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 com- fortable 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 Eng- lish education. He began to teach school at the age of eighteen, and continued at that use- ful and pleasant employment, winter and sum- 14 INTRODUCTION. mer, 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 fanati- cism. 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-slave- holding class under the heel of an imperious INTRODUCTION. 15 and oppressive oligarchy. This is not liberty, it is slavery. It is as impossible for liberty and slavery to exist together as light and dark- ness. They are mutually repellent. This an- tagonism 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 mon- ster 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 ortho- doxy, 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 attach- 16 INTRODUCTION. ment 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 Suffer- ing," " 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 oppor- tunity 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 Chris- INTRODUCTION. 17 tian character of the author is a sufficient gua- ranty for the truthfulness of his statements. There is one peculiar excellency of this little volume which deserves particular commenda- tion. 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 princi- ple 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. 2 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 be- fore, 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, mak- ing particular inquiry concerning ■ Fisher. (19) 20 THE YANKEE CONSCRIPT; OR, Jones had been a partner with them in Missis- sippi. 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 deter- mined 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 fol- lowing 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 acquaint- ances, in order to learn as much as possible re- specting the country through which we passed, EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN DIXIE. 21 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, 22 THE YANKEE CONSCRIPT; OR, 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 Mis- souri 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 far- distant South, to end her weary life unwept and unlamented. In the spring of 1858, we prepared for re- turning to Texas. We left St. Louis on the 10 th of May. At Big Piney river we fell in com- pany 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 cross- ing. Among these emigrants there was a young man by the name of William Curley, from East- EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN DIXIE. 23 em T