Page:The woman in battle .djvu/499

Rh Exactly how to get into the prison enclosure was something of a problem, as, for a number of good and sufficient reasons, I was desirous of doing this without figuring as Colonel Baker's agent, as I had done at Sandusky. Where there is a will there is a way, nearly always, and I speedily found a very easy way to accomplish my object. Walking out towards the prison camp, the day after my arrival, I determined to try and get in, on some plea or other, and only to fall back on Baker's letter as a last resource, when all other means failed. Not very far from the enclosure I met a cake-woman, who, I surmised, was permitted to go among the prisoners for the purpose of trading with them. It occurred to me that, with a little management, I could obtain admission along with her; so, going up to her, I purchased a few cakes, and said, "Why, do you go into the prison, among those dirty rebels?" "O, yes," she replied; "I go in there to sell them cakes."

"I did not know that they let any one in."

"Yes; the officers all know me, and the sergeant always looks through my basket, to see that I haven't anything contraband."

"I would like mighty well to go in there, and see how the rebels look. Do you think they would let me in with you?" "Yes; you come along with me; I'll get you in."

When we came to the gate, therefore, and while the sergeant was examining her basket, the old woman said, " Sergeant, this is my sister. She came with me to see how the rebels look; she never saw one."

The sergeant laughed, and passed us both in, without further parley.

The cake-woman went into the quarters, where, she soon had a crowd of men round her, investing their cash and precious little of it they had in the contents of her basket. Looking around me, I spied a major belonging to Lee's army, whom I had met in Richmond, but who had never seen me in female attire, and, going up to him, I had a hurried conversation with him, in a low voice.

I told him that now was the time for the prisoners to make a break, if they wanted to gain their freedom, as there were no troops at hand worth speaking of.