. Four years with Morgan and Forrest . nder roared nearer,lightning played round the camp. The very heavensseemed to open and torrents of rain fell; the spiritedcharger became restless and frightened. He broke loosefrom his rider who had been giving final instructions tothe officer of the guard as to my execution. I saw allthat was transpiring. I saw the beautiful horse loose,turning and running to protect its eyes from the rainand the vivid lightning. Now black as midnight; nowbright as morn, was the day. Here was liberty in thisrain and darkness! On this horse they could not hit would p
. Four years with Morgan and Forrest . nder roared nearer,lightning played round the camp. The very heavensseemed to open and torrents of rain fell; the spiritedcharger became restless and frightened. He broke loosefrom his rider who had been giving final instructions tothe officer of the guard as to my execution. I saw allthat was transpiring. I saw the beautiful horse loose,turning and running to protect its eyes from the rainand the vivid lightning. Now black as midnight; nowbright as morn, was the day. Here was liberty in thisrain and darkness! On this horse they could not hit would prefer to be shot like a soldier than to be hunglike a dog. If they did hit me, it was but a soldiersdeath. I shall not die nor be hung like a dog. Go, youfool; this is the hand of God and his message. Go, andbe a free man! These thoughts chased each other throughmy excited brain. I acted upon this impulse with exceeding prompt-ness. I jumped from the tent, seized the horses mane,and was in the saddle and off like a shot from a CAPT. T. F. BERRY JUST AFTER HIS ESCAPE FROMTULEAHOMA. I ESCAPE IN THE STORM 213 The rain by this time was falling in swelteringsheets, mingled constantly with the ever increasingflashes of lightning and deafening thunder. I turned the horses head toward the river, reachedits brink, plunged into its waters and guided my horsedown stream. When I reached the other bank, I turnedmy eyes back upon the camp in the bottom of the swollenriver. I shall never forget the sight that met my was not a tent left standing. Thousands of menwere struggling in the water. Hundreds of horses werebelly deep. Tents were blown away and many soldierswere wadins: about in the water. Prudence admonished me to be away. The cloudburst had passed on to the northeast, leaving in itswake destruction. The sun came out bright and beauti-ful—it looked to me like a new sum shining above anew earth. This was eight times I had escaped. I mustget away at once. I took to
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