Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-27
Nlisfellanp.
STEPHEN BURROUGHS;
OR,
CRIME AND IT'S RETRIBUTION.
Part 4.
TCoNCLUDED.l

Part 4.
CONCLUDED
We did not wait many days says our
prisoner, for the happy moment, before we
heard the sentry leave his station on the COW
cred way, and enter the alley, for shelter from
the rain.
About eleven o'clock at night | made the
necessary arrangements for the expedition. The
island being in a circular form, ordered seven
men TO go round it to the south, while went
round to the north The reason why did this,
was of tho following nature, namely There
was wharf on the western shore of this island,
where the boats were kept, and sentry placed
over them.
1t was necessary, after we had escaped out
of the boomb-proof, to procure a boat, in order
to transport ourselves off the island; and as
there were none, except what were Immediately
under tn eye of the sentry, the only alterna-
tive which remained, was to make the sentry a
prisoner, and carry him off with us.
As this was business in which some nice
no one to execute it but myself and therefore
ordered the seven prisoners round the island a
different way from what went myself, and di-
rected them to advance to within fifteen rods
of the sentinel, and make noise sufficient to
attract his attention toward them. This would
bring the sentry between me and the other sew.
en- prisoners and when he was turned toward
them, should be at his back.
Having made these arrangements, all the
prisoners silently crawled out of the hole, fol-
lowing them myself, as soon as I saw they had
passed without any accident We all met at
the spot appointed. I told the men to be eau
tious, not to be in hurry, not to be in any
perterbation : but to proceed leisurely and con-
ST derately to the spot appointed. I told them
to be five minutes in getting to the spot. then
left them. hastened round and arrived as
near to the sentry as thought prudent, about
one minute and half before heard the noise
from the other men. At the noise the sentry
turned and hailed Who comes there p Nc
answer was made. Immediately on seeing the
attention of the sentry turned from me, I arose
from my position fiat on the ground, and ad-
vanced as near as twenty feet and lay down
again Immediately the noise from the seven
was again renewed; and the sentry's attention
was fixed to the object of the noise. He again
Hailed, in very peremtory manner, cooked
his gun, and made ready to fire.
BY this time l had arisen from the ground
to within eight feet of the sentry, when l hear(
the piece cock, and saw him present it I i'm
mediately darted at him, seized him in an in.
stant, and clapped my hands over his mouth, t.
prevent him from making noise, which shoul'
alarm the other soldiers on guard. When
first laid hold of him he started, and attempts
to get from me, making a noise through hi
nose, as though very much terrified, crying
sEh ! 9 h! eh = told him that the least nois
from him should produce instant death.
After had sufficiently terrified him, tool
my hand from his mouth, and told him that NJ
harm should befal him, SO long as he behaved i
peaceable manner. took his gun and cart
ridge box from him.
The other prisoners now coming up, we a.
went into the barge, carrying ten oars, and pu
off.
8 1t was now about half-an-hour past twelve
at night, it being extremely dark and rainy
and nothing to steer by, except mere conjecture
We were ignorant of the time of tide, whethe
it was ebbing Or flowing and consequent
could not tell which way we drifted however
we determined to row until we came to som
land
Some of Burroughs fellow prisoners endeay
ored to throw the poor sentry overheard, bu
are prevented by Burroughs manly, humane
and determined opposition. They at lengt
succeeded in reaching land
The day began to dawn, and we found
necessary to look after some place to which "
could retire from the observation of the inhal
itants, all the men, except myself, being dresse
in the uniform of the Castle, and of cours
would be noticed by the first observer. Son
proposed retiring into swamp, and secretin
ourselves in it's dark recesses some propose
the plan of going into the first grove of Woo
and climbing up to the top Of some trees, an
securing ourselves that way. To these pr
posals made the following reply 1t is lik
ly, that as soon as daylight has fairly a.
peared, the inhabitants of the country will
alarmed, and warm pursuits will be made aft
us and every place, where the inhabitants wi
think it likely that we should hide, will
searched by them, in the most critical nanne
No places will be sought more thoroughly ths
thick swamps and high bushy trees; therefor
it will be our best way to hide where the peor
will not look after us, if such place may
found. For my own part, had rather ia
my chance, under present circumstances, in t
open field than in swamp, or at the top of
tree.
The objects of the swamp and woods we
Immediately relinquished, and they all seem
content to leave the matter to my Judgment c
tirely. We travelled on with rapdity about o
mile farther, and then came into little thick
of houses, and barn standing Immediately
the road among them; this barn we all enter
and found two mows of hay
ascended one NOV, and having taken
the hay by flakes, near the side of the bar
to the depth of six feet, three of us went dow
and the hay fell back into its former situatic
covering us entirely over at the same time
had ordered the other two to go on to the otl