Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-10-03
Extraordinary Escape.

We had an interview last night with Ad
|jutant Geo. W. Alexander, at the Pow
hatan Hotel, where he arrived yesterda,
from Gen. Johnston's headquarters. Hi
escape and subsequent adventures are equaI
to Trenck romance.
After Colonel Thomas and Alexander
had captured the St. Nicholas, they started
upon another secret expedition, aRd by one
of those unaccountable accidents the Colo
mel was captured Alexander was at this
time in charge of schooner, steering bold
ly up the Chesapeake. The weather came
on squally and very bad, and seeing suspi
cious movements among some steamers, be
concealed his men in the hold of his vessel,
placed his brother-in.law at the helm, and
he himself Oh deck disguised as an oyster
man, he ran into Annapolis and anchored
under Fort Seveni. At daylight got under
way and stood over to Chester river. Here
terrific gale threw his little craft high
upon Eastern Neck Island. He then, in
disguise, boarded the steamer "Arrow," got
the papers and saw the account Of the COL
opeps arrest; then placed the main body
of his men under the charge of Lieutenau,
Blackiston, with orders to him to make the
best of his way to Virginia, across the Bay
aud through Calvert County; which Black
iston succeeded nobly in doing. Alexan.
der then, with his brother-in-law and two
other men, started for Accomac, down the
Eastern shore of Maryland. Everything
went on swimmingly until his arrival at
Cambridge, where, one of the party being
recognized by Judge Spence, and he being
a relative, Monteith like, proved traitor
and informed on them. In short time,
Governor Hicks ordered out the Dorchester
Guards; the hotel was surrounded, and
they were taken in custody, dragged to the
common Jail, placed in a room, and kept
until morning. Then closely guarded, they
were conveyed to the steamer. On the
wharf an immense throng surrounded Gov
ernor Hicks, and shouted loudly for the
haJeas corpus. Alexander demanded of
Governor Hicks to be treated as a gentle
man. The Governor replied, "You are in
the hands of the military" 81 am glad
to hear it," said Alexander, "for thought
l was in your hands"
Here the crowd attempted rescue; but
overpowered by numbers, Alexander was
borne on board the steamer and conveyed to
Fort McHenry. His wife, who was in Vir.
gin;a at the time, Immediately saw Presi.
dent Davis, who kindly assured her tina,
everything possible should be done to save
him. She then went to Maryland, pro-
cured pass to visit her husband, and at
once commenced the invention of plans for
his escape. She procured Federal sol,
dier's uniform, clothes line, and an inAa
ting life-preserving waistcoat. These she
smuggled to his cell beneath her garments
During the arrangement she purchased
plants and made for her husband little
garden at his cell window, thus disarmiug
all suspicion, that any escape was meditated
Sixteen days ago, everything being in
readiness, just after dark, Alexander don.
ned his disguise, and while Col. zarVona
(Thomas) engaged the attention of the
sentinel, he slipped by, gained the ramparts,
passed over the mortar battery, and sprang
from the curtain i9o the ditch. The fall
being great, he discovered on rising, that
he was crippled. Nothing daunted, he
crawled through the abattis, over the glacis,
into the river, inflated his waistcoat and
made bold stroke for freedom.
After being in the water long time, he
landed and crawled three-fourths of a mile
to house. There he found some friendly
disposed people; two Catholic girls washed
him and dressed him, put "scapula''
round his neck for protection, placed him
in the bottom of carriage, and, themselves
concealiug him with their garments, drove
to friends house, where he was taken
care Of
The next day man-ofwar was haulea
into the river, and fired guns for long
time to raise Alexauder's body, supposing
he must have been drowned. After this:
friends of the cause in Maryland conveyed
from place to place by night for conceal
ment, until at last he was carried to the
shore of the Potomac. Here, by the mer'
est accident, he fell in with Lieut.. Duuott
who had escaped from Washington, anc
George Bear, young man, who was ma
king his way to Portsmouth, Va. Alexan
der purchased a boat. Duuott and Bea1
carried him on their shoulders a mile
Bear tore off his coatskirts and mutfied thu
cars, and although the guard vessel wa
within $50 yards, they quietly pushed OF
aud succeeded in reaching the Virgini'
shore in safety. A man, taking the boa
for remuneration, carried them in his con
veyance to Gen. Johnston's pickets.
Alexander speaks very feelingy of hi
friend, Lieut.. Dunott, who, while bearing
him on his back, at every alarm turned t.
face the danger, thus showing the devotion
Of one soldier to another.-Etchmo"d Dis
patch, 25h.
ng Gen. Beauregard has advanced t
Fairfax, and made his headquarters at tn
residence of T. r. Love, Esq, and Gen
Johnston has established his headquarter
- Eo;rfo okot;on