The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-03

barracks where be might gain the confidence of soldiers,
and Join them in a plan of escape. How we'll Captain
Lee sustained his part, may be inferred from the fact
that when he had disappeared and placed himself among
the prisoners, his own soldiers saw him every day with
out the least suspicion. The person to whom the author
of this sketch is indebted for those particulars, was the
iutendant of the prisoners, and familiar with Lee; but,
though compelled to see him often in the discharge OF
his duty, he never penetrated the disguise. We'll 1t
was for Lee that it was so complete. Had his associates
suspected his purpose to betrsy them, he would have
been embraced in the proverb, s dead men tell no tales
For many days he remained in this situation, making no
discoveries whatever. lie thought he perceived, At times,
signs of int. lligence between the prisoners and an old
woman who was allowed to bring fruit for sale, within
the enclosure. She was known to be deaf and half
witted, and was therefore no object Of suspicion. 1t
was known that her son had been disgraced aud pun
ished in the American army, but she hal never betrayed
any malice IN that account, and no one dreamed that
she could have had the power to do injury If she pos
sessed the will. Lee watched her closely, but saw
nothing to confirm his suspicious. Her dwelling was
about a mile distant, = wild retreat, where she shared
her miserable quarters, with q dog and . cat, the former
OF which mounted guard over her mansion, and was
efectual in keeping visitors away.
One dark, stormy night in Autumn, he was lying
aw.ke at midnight, meditating on the enterprise he had
undertaken, which, though in the beginning it bad re-
commended itself to his romantic disposition, had now
list all it. charms. 1t was one of those tempests which
in ur climAte, so often hang upon the path Of the d.
pairing year. tbs companions slept soundly. but the
wind, which shook the building to its Foundation, and
threw heavy splashes Of rain against the window, con-
spired with the state Of his mind to keep him wakeful
All at ouce the door was gently opened, aud a figure
moved silently iuto the room. It was too dark to OBJ
), rye It's motions narrowly, but he could zee that it
stopped towards one Of the ~sleepers, who Immediate,
rose next it approached and touched him On the shout
DEF. L:eima.euiately started up; tLe figure then a.
.owed a slight CLEAN from u dark lantern to pass over
MS face, aud as 1t did 50, whispered impatiently, not
the man-but come y 1t then occurred to Lee that this
Was the opportunity be- then desired. The unknown
hen whispered him, to keep bis place till another man
Vas called but just at that moment some noise dis.
tut bed him, and making a sigu to Lee to follow be moved
silently out Of the room.
They found he door of the house unbarred, and a
small part Of tie fence removed, where they passed out
without molestation the sentry bad retired to = shelter
where he thought he could guard his post without sui.
| fering from the rain but Lee saw that his conductors
pat themselvesin preparation to silence him it he should
happen to address them. just without the fence. ap
pearcd IA STOPPING figure, wrapped in u red cloak, and
supporting itself with . large stick, which Lee at once
| perceived could be no other than the old fruit woman.
But the most profound silence was observed q man
came out of a thicket 1T a little distance, aud Joined
rhem, and the whole party moved onward under the
guidance Of the old woman. At first they frequently
topped to listen, but having heard the sentinels cry,
all's well,' they seemed treasured, and moved with
more confidence than before.
They soon came near to her cottage, under an over
banging bank, where a bright light was shining out
rom a little window upon the wet and dropping boughs
! that hung near it. A table was spread with some coarse
provisions upon it, aud a large Jug. which one Of the
) ,ldiers was about to seize, when the man who conducted
them withheld him. +.
No. said he, we must FIRST proceed to business
lie then went to a small closet, from viii n be returned
w;tI, wh.t sonn,od IN havo boon OriUina0v n hihle thOu0h
now it was worn to a mahogany color and = spherical
form. While they were doing this, Lee had time to
examine his companirns one Of whom was \ large,
quite good looking soldier, the other = short stout man,
with much the aspect Of a villain. They examined him
in turn, and as Lee had formerly been obliged to punish
the shorter soldier severely, he felt some misgiviugs
when the fellows eye rested upon him. Their conduc
Tor was a middle aged, thard, looking man, whom Lee
had never seen before.
Al no time was to be lost, their guide explained to
them in a few words, that, before he should undertake
his dangerous enterprise, he should require Of them to
swear upon the Scriptures, not to make the least attempt
to escape, and never to reveal the circurnstsnc s or
agents in the proceeding, whatever might befall them.
The soldiers, however, insisted on deferrlng this measure
till they had formed some slight acquaintance with the
contents Of the jug, and expressed their sentiments On
the subject, rather BY actions than words In this tn y
were joined by Lee, who by this time had begun tv
contemplate the danger Of the enterprise in a new and
unpleasant point Of view. If he were to be comp.let
to accompany his party to New York. his diguis. would
At once be detected, and it was certain that be would be
hanged as . spy. lie had supposed, beforehand, that
he should find no iificulty in escaping at any momen.;
but he saw that their conductor had prepared arMs tor
them, which they were to use in taking the life Of any
one who should attempt to leave them and then the
oath. He might p ,ssitly haye released himself from .ts
obligations when It became necessary for the interests
Of his country but NJ honorable man can well bear to
be driven to an emergency, in which be must violate
an oath, however reluctantly taken. He felt that there
was No retreatiny when there came . heavy ahock, q it
something tslllug ag aust the sides Of the house their
pract;cedI ears at once detected the alarm gun and their
conductor, throwing down the old bible, which be had
held all the while impatiently in his hand, directed the
party to follow him in close order, aud Immediately quit
ted the house, taking with him his dark lantern. ae1.
They went on with great dispatch, hut not without
difficulty. Sometimes their footing would give way on
some sandy bank or slippery field and when theirp..h
led through the woods, the wet boughs dashed hssvil,
in their faces. Lee felt that he might hsys. deserted hi.
companions while they were ~ the sarey1 ana alarm
but he telt that, az yet, he had msde no discoveries
aud however dangerous his situatirn was he could ns'
bear to confess tnat be had not nerve to carry it through
On he went, therefore, tor two or three hours, anu Wa
beginning to s,uk with fatigue, when the barking OF
dog brought the parry to y ltand. Their conductor CAV
u low whistle, which was answered ut no great dlsfanct
aud a figure came forward IN the ~darkness, who wills
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