Sunnyside continued-10

GW and his group moved northward up the stream while Robert and his group moved southward down stream. Axson took his group eastwards to Sunnyside, and Amos Mose travelled in a north westerly direction to Paul Place. Navigating through the tricky terrain of the creek bed was challenging, it was comforting to know that due to the cold weather, snakes were in hibernation and the frozen ground gave support for walking. Unfortunately, the thick undergrowth still made searching harder. The group travelling eastwards had an easier time overall, as the fields that they passed through had fewer obstacles. The timberlands that the northwesterly group passed through moved more quickly but not efficiently as they planned.

As the sun began to set and the day's light was fading, Wimberly noticed the mule standing under a magnolia tree and he shouted out to GW. "Mr Faulk, look over there, the mule is right there!" GW told Wimberly to get him and so they decided to camp there for the night. Everyone joined in and started setting up camp; Clearance and Pee Gee made a fire, Turner took his hound out to hunt and they came back with a possum, a couple rabbits and raccoons. Ole Zipp cleaned the game and cooked it while everybody tucked in and filled their bellies. They were all blessed by the presence of the owls hooting a soothing lullaby as they drifted off to sleep. GW and Bo Rouse watched over the camp until sunrise.

Robert and his group had journeyed a hard five-and-a-half miles from the river to the Inglehurst Plantation. Everyone was in desperate need of rest, weary from the marshland terrain and beaver dams making up the creek. Thankfully, the Inglehurst workers proved an answer to their prayers in providing the group with food, rest, and hospitality for the evening. Everyone was able to take a much-needed break and have a comfortable night’s sleep.

Axson and his group had a discouraging journey to the area of the fork of Richland and Scuffle Creek, and their weariness and disappointment in not finding Margaret was clear. They took refuge in and around the log pin structure which used to be the Richland Meeting House. When they came pass Sunnyside Bessie had already made them a meal. They all was grateful they stayed safe and would continue their search for Margaret at dawn.

As they neared the Paul Plantation, Amos Mose and his group became understandably cautious, opting to take a detour and stop at an old trapper's cabin to check if the Union Soldiers were still occupying the area. Amos asked for a volunteer to creep into the yard and investigate the area, but to the group's fear the offer went unanswered. To decide who should take the risk, Amos produced four matches from his pocket and broke one in half; allowing the youngest members of the group to draw a match, with the unlucky individual who drew the shortest match as the 'honoree'. Unfortunately it was Willie who drew the shortest match.