"We passed a most miserable night, and at daylight were awakened with: "'Come out here, you Yanks. It's high time you were moving toward Libby.' "That rascally corporal seemed to delight in tormenting us; but there was only one thing we could do, and that was to 'grin and bear it.' After a hasty breakfast, we again set out, the corporal following close behind us on his horse, with a revolver in his hand, ready to shoot the first one that made an attempt at escape. We kept on, stopping only once or twice for water, [Pg 35] until we reached the Bull Run bridge. Here the corporal stopped, and called out: [Pg 35] "'Come here, one of you fellers, and hold my horse.' "I did as he ordered, and the rebel dismounted, bent down on one knee, and commenced fixing his spur. My mind was made up in an instant. It was now or never. Giving a yell to attract Ben's attention, I sprang at the rebel, caught him around the neck, and rolled him over on his back. He kicked and swore furiously, and if I had been alone, he would most likely have got the better of me; but Ben, being close at hand, caught up the revolver, which the rebel had laid on the ground beside him, and in a moment more I had secured his saber. He saw that further resistance was useless, and bawled out: "'Don't shoot, Yank. Don't shoot me, for mercy's sake!' "'Nobody's going to hurt you if you behave yourself,' said Ben. 'Get up.' "The rebel raised himself to his feet, and I at once began to 'sound' him, as we call it. I got back my watch, money, and every thing else he had taken from us the night before. We then [Pg 36] ordered him to travel on ahead of us, and, as Ben's feet were so badly swollen that he could scarcely move, I told him to get on the horse, while I walked along by his side. We passed back through Centerville, keeping a good look-out for rebel scouts, which we knew were in the vicinity, but we did not meet with any of them until along toward night, when we heard a yell, and, looking up, saw half a dozen cavalry charging across the field toward us. [Pg 36] "'I guess we're gobbled again, captain,' said Ben. "'Not if our legs hold out,' I answered. 'Get down off that horse, quick. We must foot it, now.' "Ben
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