We started again, moving slowly and bearing towards the picket fires, which we could see for a distance on our left.  After traveling some little time the lights on our left ended, which puzzled us for a while, until we came to a fearful big swamp, that explained it all, as this, considered impassable, protected the right of the camp.  We had an awful time in getting through.  In many places we had to lie down and crawl long distances through the paths made in the brakes by hogs and other animals.  As we at length came out, Hommat turned to me and whispered that in the morning we would have some Lincoln coffee.  He seemed to think this must certainly end our troubles.

We were now between the Jacksonville Railroad and the St. John’s River.  We kept about four miles from the railroad, for fear of running into the Rebel outposts.  We had traveled but a few miles when Hommat said he could go no farther, as his feet and legs were so swelled and numb that he could not tell when he set them upon the ground.  I had some matches that a negro had given me, and gathering together a few pine knots we made a fire—­the first that we had lighted on the trip—­and laid down with it between us.  We had slept but a few minutes when I awoke and found Hommat’s clothes on fire.  Rousing him we put out the flames before he was badly burned, but the thing had excited him so as to give him new life, and be proposed to start on again.

By sunrise we were within eight miles of our lines, and concluding that it would be safe to travel in the daytime, we went ahead, walking along the railroad.  The excitement being over, Hommat began to move very slowly again.  His feet and legs were so swollen that he could scarcely walk, and it took us a long while to pass over those eight miles.

At last we came in sight of our pickets.  They were negros.  They halted us, and Hommat went forward to speak to them.  They called for the Officer of the Guard, who came, passed us inside, and shook hands cordially with us.  His first inquiry was if we knew Charley Marseilles, whom you remember ran that little bakery at Andersonville.

We were treated very kindly at Jacksonville.  General Scammon was in command of the post, and had only been released but a short time from prison, so he knew how it was himself.  I never expect to enjoy as happy a moment on earth as I did when I again got under the protection of the old flag.  Hommat went to the hospital a few days, and was then sent around to New York by sea.

Oh, it was a fearful trip through those Florida swamps.  We would very often have to try a swamp in three or four different places before we could get through.  Some nights we could not travel on account of its being cloudy and raining.  There is not money enough in the United States to induce me to undertake the trip again under the same circumstances.  Our friend Clipson, that made his escape when we did, got very nearly through to our lines, but was taken sick, and had to give himself up.  He was taken back to Andersonville and kept until the next Spring, when he came through all right.  There were sixty-one of Company K captured at Jonesville, and I think there was only seventeen lived through those horrible prisons.