The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-12-04
MISCELLANEOUS
ESCAPE OF THELLER AND DODGE
FROM QUEBEC.


To the Editor of Mackenzie's Gazette,
We arrived in Quebec on Sunday the tenth OF
June, and were received at the wharf by strong
guard of The LIST reg ment OF Grenadief GUARDS
Her Maiesty's Household Troops, and escorted
nv Them TO the citadel, amid the groans and his
SEES and execra,ions of Tory mob, prepared for
the occasion, spat upon, reviled and tormented
bv them in. e veryway ingenuity could invent, they
followed us all the way, until the gates of the
fort shut us out from ther-from their abuse of
Ills and our country. We were confined in one
of the bombproof, cnsemented rooms that served
as prison for tie military prisoners 1t was furn-
isheds as an ordinary prison. Iron bedsteads, iron
staples on which were placed boards for tables
and the ordinary benches-it was about twelve
feet broad and fifty feet deep-two windows in
the front strongly barred with iron-and in the
back part were small loop holes for musketry-
both in the front and in the rear were placed
board fences oftwelve feet high inside of which
was stationed sentinel who could watch all our
motions Another sentinel was placed in the
rear, and one on the top OF the roof on the wall.
These five were put on for our especial proec-
,&ion and kept afterwards. We had some
trouble at first and some lutte hardship respect
ing provisions, but owing to the industry and
zeal of the Town Major Frazer, and The repre-
sensations of this good hearted old man, we We're
very literally supplied viz:--we ihad no COM
,rlants to make. We lived on in daily expecta1
tons of hearing something respecting our Tate
but when two months had passed and nothing
had taken place, we began to look around ~
see what could be done in the way of niaking
our escape. Many were the plans proposed,hut
ar last it was decided that the most Dangerous
one of escaping by the front window and Climb
ing the fence in the presence OF one OF the sentI
,nels and in the view of the other, was the most
probable way and one that would be attended
with more likelihood of success; besides the
boldness of the measure would prevent suspIc-
ion ever entering the mind of the guard. 1t was
then resolved that would try and procnre
some implements to cut one ofthe bars of the
window, and taking advantage of the first dark
and stormy night when the sentnes at our
doors as we'll as those OH the different other
parts which must unavodably pass, were by
ihe rain obliged to keep in their boxes, we would
venture out get to the walls and Try our fortune
in getting over them.
We walked out each day for half an hour,
three at time, guarded by six soldiers with
fixed beyonets, and generally stopped
for some time on the salutng batteries, we saw
occasionally friend, TO one OF whom was slip
ped papor explaining our plan, and begging
his cooperation, by supplying us with tools, and
directing place where they might be laid. The
next day we received the tools required, wrap
,ded up in one Of your Gazettes with line, say
ng that if we could accomplish the plan pro-
posed, we need give ourselves no trouble alter
would get out, as friend would, when we
gave the signal of being ready, be at certain
spot pointed out, to guide us TO place Of safe
ty. This was taken from the place and secreted
gon my person, while the sergeant's and corporal's
attention, W no were standing beside us, was oc |
cupied by the other two who were out with me. |
We began to work with ardor and every anti !
cipalion of sue cess, although to look at the mat
ser now calmly, wonder how we could posi-
bly, escape detection, saw off a bar OF iron with
out the knowledge of the guard, and he within
a few feet of us. Yet such is the fact-Co'onel
Dodge with one Of the men, kept ut work at the
one window, while l at the other was exeuing
my talents in keeping the sentinel in converse
ton. Occasionally it would squeak rather hard,
and [ could hear it plain enough, but the men
would walk about, wond dance and sing, &c.
and thus drowned the sound we did not wish to
have heard. fife WINS procured and as we
had in the room the boy who had acted as hter
on board The "Schooner Ann," his noisy services
were frequently in repulsltion. AT this rate we
continued, with occasional interruptions from
some sukey fellow who would be put on guard,
who would not enter willingly into conversation,
or sometime some more smart than others from
whom we thought we could not so easily hood
wink. Indeed it was rather hard business for
me to find out the cabre of the mind of those
moving blocks, that we might lead them to the
conversation that would salt them best. How
to discern the difference between living here and
London-Landon porter-Barclay ale-beei,
&C., werealways the general topics which
they all could converse.
In the course of fortnight the signal was Civ
en- to uor friend that all was ready for the first
dark and rainy night, which we waited for with
the greatIst anxiety, In the meantime L had
heard of my being about to be sent to England,
and after some time, by letter received from
Mr. Secretary Butler, | was informed that mer-
chant vessel called the Royal Adeline had,
chartered to take me there, and that she would
sail in few days-The Captain of the vessel
was brought to see me by the new Town Major,
flor Major Frazer had been dsplaced) and he
informed me that he had not got all his cargo,
nor would not be ready to sail, for some time.
l found out where his vessel lay, and each day
when went out we used to look well at the
vessel and think when she would be ready
then at the clouds, and wonder if fair weater
was always to last. A watch was regularly kept
every night looking out for the slightest appear
ance of rain; at last when we were almost worn
out with watching, the good time seemed to
have come. On Monday night the 18th Octo-
Der abont7 O'clock it rained hard, and the nigh: