THE IMMORTAL SIX HUNDRED
the ship turned on and wash the filth out of our quarters." To this Webster again said no. We could obtain no information whatever about exchange from the guard. The sink of the ship was, we found out, on the upper deck near the wheel, so we kept a constant line of men going all the time that we might know if the flag of truce boats were together in the harbor, and when they separated. On the day after and for several days after our arrival in Charleston Harbor our hearts were gladdened by the reports from the upper deck that the flag of truce boats were together. At night they would separate, and we could judge, by the conduct of the Yankees towards us, that nothing had been accomplished in exchange. On the fifth day after our arrival off Charleston one of the Yankee guards told Lieut. Bob Bowie that the exchange of prisoners had all been fixed for next day, in Charleston Harbor. We were all elated. To corifirm this report our boat took up anchor and we steamed, as we thought,
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