Cruel Treatment. 381 



refugees from the coast. Fearing lest a match 

 should be applied to the powder, he pressed the 

 negro women into service. They cheerfully assisted. 

 The car, happily, stood on a grade of the road where 

 the rails had not been torn up. A vigorous, united 

 push and away it rolled to a safe distance. 



Eight of the most trustworthy negroes from the 

 plantation had been secretly mounted on fine horses. 

 Abundantly provisioned for a week, they were sent 

 into a densely wooded swamp to take care of the 

 horses, and guard the hidden provisions and trunks. 

 Only a person thoroughly acquainted with that part 

 of the country, could possibly have tracked them. 

 The negroes were well pleased with the trust reposed 

 in them. The approach of the Federal troops was 

 announced by a terrific explosion they had put a 

 match to the car of ammunition. The negroes, 

 under the impression that their hiding-place was 

 being shelled, in hot haste mounted the horses and 

 rode out. The fine horses were a great prize, and, 

 of course, were captured and eagerly mounted by 

 the Federals. 



Tender mercies are seldom exercised by an invad- 

 ing army. Under the false impression that silver 

 and gold were hidden by the family, and that the 

 old man before them knew the spot where it was 

 concealed, the soldiers roughly interrogated him. 

 Upon his denial of the same, they beat him and 

 threw him on the ground. He told them they 

 might shoot him, but begged that they would not 

 41 bruise and batter a defenceless, unarmed old man." 



