But their hatred to Union prisoners was so apparent, that the interest which this angel of humanity took in the condition of the rebel sick could not shield her from the indignation of the secession officials for her good feeling for the Union men.

However, with a determination to do all in her power for the needy, she labored in season and out.
The brutal treatment and daily murders committed upon our soldiers in the Andersonville prisons caused Clotelle to secretly aid prisoners in their escape.

In the latter work, she brought to her assistance the services of a negro man named Pete.

This individual was employed about the prison, and, having the entire confidence of the commandant, was in a position to do much good without being suspected.

Pete was an original character, of a jovial nature, and, when intending some serious adventure, would appear very solemn, and usually singing a doleful ditty, often the following, which was a favorite with him:-- "Come listen, all you darkies, come listen to my song: It am about old Massa, who use me bery wrong.
In de cole, frosty mornin', it an't so bery nice, Wid de water to de middle, to hoe among de rice; When I neber hab forgotten How I used to hoe de cotton, How I used to hoe de cotton, On de old Virginny shore; But I'll neber hoe de cotton, Oh! neber hoe de cotton Any more.
"If I feel de drefful hunger, he tink it am a vice, And he gib me for my dinner a little broken rice,-- A little broken rice and a bery little fat, And he grumble like de debbil if I eat too much of dat; When I neber hab forgotten, etc.
"He tore me from my Dinah; I tought my heart would burst: He made me lub anoder when my lub was wid de first; He sole my picanninnies becase he got dar price, And shut me in de marsh-field to hoe among de rice; When I neber hab forgotten, etc.
"And all de day I hoe dar, in all de heat and rain; And, as I hoe away dar, my heart go back again,-- Back to de little cabin dat stood among de corn, And to de ole plantation where she and I war born! Oh! I wish I had forgotten, etc.
"Den Dinah am beside me, de chil'ren on my knee, And dough I am a slave dar, it 'pears to me I'm free, Till I wake up from my dreaming, and wife and chil'ren gone, I hoe away and weep dar, and weep dar all alone! Oh! I wish I had forgotten, etc.
"But soon a day am comin', a day I long to see, When dis darky in de cole ground, foreber will be free, When wife and chil'ren wid me, I'll sing in Paradise, How He, de blessed Jesus, hab bought me wid a price; How de Lord hab not forgotten How well I hoed de cotton, How well I hoed de cotton On de old Virginny shore; Dar I'll neber hoe de cotton, Oh! I'll neber hoe de cotton Any more." When away from the whites, and among his own class, Pete could often be heard in the following strains:-- "A storm am brewin' in de Souf, A storm am brewin' now.
Oh! hearken den, and shut your mouf, And I will tell you how: And I will tell you how, ole boy, De storm of fire will pour, And make de darkies dance for joy, As dey neber danced afore; So shut your mouf as close as deafh, And all you niggas hole your breafh, And I will tell you how.
"De darkies at de Norf am ris, And dey am comin' down-- Am comin' down, I know dey is, To do de white folks brown! Dey'll turn ole Massa out to grass, And set de niggas free, And when dat day am come to pass We'll all be dar to see! So shut your mouf as close as deafh, And all you niggas hole your breafh, And do de white folks brown! "Den all de week will be as gay As am de Chris'mas time; We'll dance all night and all de day, And make de banjo chime-- And make de banjo chime, I tink, And pass de time away, Wid 'nuf to eat and nuf to drink, And not a bit to pay! So shut your mouf as close as deafh, And all you niggas hole your breafh, And make de banjo chime." How to escape from prison was ever the thoughts by day and dreams by night of the incarcerated.