Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-09-16
CANADIAN PATRIOTS.

Fortress at tuclec, where they were imprisoned |
The escape of THEILER and DoDGE from !
this Citadel in 1887, where they were conf !
ned on charge of Treason during the Canadian |
rebellion, was certainly one OF the most remark
able exploits ever ACHE, we'd. They were con-
fined with halfa dozen others, in one of the
easement rooms just described, at the corner Of
the Citadel, on the right of the entering gate.
A fence of solid plank run along each side of
the room, and within this fence on either side
were stationed scntinels, as well as without, on
the top and at intervals Of few PAGES all A.
long the wall. Yet with every thing in the
world to hinder and defeat them, they cW ont
an iron bar two inches thick from the window
at which a guard was always stationed and
made their escape from the room, from the CT
tadel, and from Canada. Theller has given a
long and detailed account of the manner in
which this most desperate enterprise was ac-
compshcd and after visiting the place, and
observing its strength, no one read the narra-
tive without the highest admiration of the skill
the ingenuity and indomitable perseverance by
which it was achieved Forbidden to speak
even TO the sentinels-searched every little
while and watched with lire closest vigilance,
they managed to corrupt the sergeant who had
them in charge, established q correspondence
with their friends in the city, and thus procu.
red the implements of which they had need.
/ They were allowed to walk little way over
the open ground under charge Of a guard every
day. Let me give you one instance of Thel-
/ ler's invention and address. lie wished for
certain information from the city, and friend
had at his request come to visit the Citadel, and
was stretched upon the grass reading book
Forbidden TO speak TO him, Theller began to
caress his dog, and 10 address to him sundry
playful words, of which, as they were in
French, the guard understood nothing and
which were in fact addressed 10 the dogs mas
ter, who seemed to be intent upon his book at
little distance. He had been promised the
tools he wished, and now desired to know
when they would be brought. Pretending to
coax the dog in with him, he asked, ''What
time can you bring the tools required, Of which
a list is in that cannon on the corner !" Per.
ceiving that this could not be answered by
signs, in the same coaXing tone he said he
would try TO cnticc the dog within, aud that
his master must call 10 him and pronounce the
time as if it were the dogs name. Just rs he
had started for his cell, the dog following him,
his master whistled 10 him 10 cn,cc llm back
and called out "dcmam dcmain demaIr =
tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, as II wcr,
the name ofhs dog.-Thc trick succeeded
the dog rcturncd--thc soldier laughed to see
= how 'rhcllcr was ioiled in trying to &c, the dog
and Theller laughed at the prospect of having
tomorrow, tools 10 help him escape.
But these were not the only difficulties ht
had to contend with He was twice betrayed
by his fellow prsoncr-oncc by that most con
tempible of all poltroons., Thos. Jefferson Su
therland, and again by another named Pew
and yet he each time succeeded in maxim!
the officer, who came to inquire into the matter
believe that they had been hoaXcd Once al
officer came in, sat upon the window seat, an
carried offupon his white Jacket print Of tn
iron bar with perfect representation of tn
place where they had nearly cut it through
Yet they whecdIcd him into allowing them +
rub it off! One of the prisoners wrote not
to the sentinel saying that Theler chad one c
> the bars cut :" and when search was ordcre
Theller dextcrously read it chad one of tn
bars out" and then laughed at the hoax, as the
could easily see at glance what palpabc Ii
it was And so they went on, making thci
;, plans and pcriecting their means of escape
c One rainy dark night they got the sentinel en-
y gagged in drinking portcr-drngged him thu
If with laudanum--cr out of the hole the
II had made, climbed over the fence, and wer
c challenged by sentinel Another scntinC
,, luckily answered the challenge.
c The same thing happened again, but the
d escaped in the same manner, aud were maxim
their way across the open space to the iro'
p wall overhanging the principle, when Ihc!le
d making some noise, was again challenged
e "who goes there !" "Oiicer Of the guard
N said he, ina careless manner. advance oil
Al Ger of the guard and give the counterslgn.
l. lie had learned that the countersgn was gent
rally some number in the teens-so answerln
r hastily and carelessly "-- teens" he hear
D. the welcome reply, pass, officer OF the guar
IS -all's well They went on slowly-reachc
L. the rampant, ond some noise being made by on
is of their party they heard the order to "pass II