Page 6 – Autobiography – Benjamin Lafayette Smith
 
 one room, but his bed and everything in it looked neat. His wife had just died, and he
 himself cooked some biscuit and sausage, and out of that and some nice milk I made my
 supper. Being very tired, sleepy and worn out, after five days of exposure, and as many
 sleepless nights, and suffering from my wound, he put me in his own bed, and he slept in a
 trundle bed with his two motherless children. Being so worn out, I slept soundly all night,
 and felt somewhat refreshed. The bed was badly stained from my bleeding wound. I
 expressed my regrets, at this, but he assured me that it was a pleasure for him to take care of
 me. He soon gave me a good and well cooked breakfast, prepared prepared by himself. He
 soon caught his horse, a nice large, fine and gentle bay, and helped me up on him, and
 started with me toward Nashville, saying that he would go with me as far as he could. We
 were soon overtaken by a hack with wounded soldiers in which he put me, and bid me a
 kind farewell and started back home. The ride over rough pikes the balance of that day, and
 until
 3 P. M. The next, getting to Nashville, was very tiresome, and at times was very painful to
 me. Going through the streets, we were stopped by kind and sympathetic ladies and given
 refreshments. I made my way to the Columbia depot, and remained there till night, and took
 the cars to Columbia. Staid there all night as the cars went no further, with a very old and
 kind hearted gentleman by the name of Lamb. He had a large nice house. He gave me a
 good room and gave me supper and breakfast. None of his family were at home. I think
 they had gone South. I rested fairly well that night, and tool the cars next morning to
 Leighton Alabama, reaching there about 3 P. M. Wednesday the 17th of February. I got
 word to Uncle Ed Delony, and he promptly sent his carriage for me. Reaching his home,
 his wife, who was his second wife, received me very kindly and cordially and soon had me
 in a comfortable bed. His first wife was my fathers only sister Nancy. He was not at home
 when I first reached there, but soon came, and carefully examined and dressed my wound
 which was the first time it had been well attended, to since I was wounded on Saturday
  morning the 14th. He pronounced it a serious but not dangerous wound. I found him to be
 competent, kind and attentive surgeon. Mrs Delony gave me some supper and I soon fell
 asleep, and slept well all night. Uncle Ed wrote my father, and in a few days he came and
 remained with me until, I was well enough to be carried home. My father being a good
 nurse, fixed me in a comfortable position in my bed, which made me feel better. My body
 servant old uncle Perry, who was with me at Fort Donaldson got separated from me there,
 and did not come with me, but followed as soon as he could, and come to me at Uncle Eds a
 few days after Father did. I remained there about three weeks, and was given the very best
 attention, by him, his wife and an old family maid servant of theirs, Mafia. While there
 Uncle Ed became too unwell to attend to my wound and called in a neighbor doctor, a
 German, Dr. Kumpil to dress it. He came to see me every day for three or four days, and
 left for ho??, he met me at Leighton at nine o’clock at night, the time my train left for
 Corinth, and dressed my wound. My father asked him his bill, but he would not accept
 anything for his services. He was pleasant and agreeable, and occasionally witty. We
 reached Artesia next, where my had a conveyance to carry us home. Being in a weak
 condition the trip wearied me some. By this time my wound began to suppurate freely,
  sometimes as much as a teacup full could be pressed from it a dressing. Father dressed it
 morning and night. Sometimes when he was late at night, the pus became offensive, so
 much so as to keep me from sleeping until it was dressed. I gradually improved and by the
 first of June dispersed with a sling for my arm. I was soon stout enough, to help my father