Some negros passed close to us, going to their work in an adjoining field.

They had a bucket of victuals with them for dinner, which they hung on the fence in such a way that we could have easily stolen it without detection.

The temptation to hungry men was very great, but we concluded that it was best and safest to let it alone.
As the negros returned from work in the evening they separated, one old man passing on the opposite side of the thicket from the rest.

We halted him and told him that we were Rebs, who had taken a French leave of Thomasville; that we were tired of guarding Yanks, and were going home; and further, that we were hungry, and wanted something to eat.

He told us that he was the boss on the plantation.