The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-06-19
PerliOus Adventures Among the Rebels

OraltOn, June Z.
OccasOuly e hear OF incidents in the conflict
going on around that remind one of the adj
venturous deeds of the Revolution. OF some such
| have been hearing some outlines for day or
two past. They relate particularly 20 the Union
prisoners found in the jailat Phpp, and released
10y the capture OF that place last Monday.
learn that I:arucd Leonard Clark. who is
well known land knows the country wei, J in the
surrounding counties, rendered his services a.
scout To tie C,,ouei of the Fourteenth Ohio Reg
ment Snd va, accepted. He i. an athletic mus
cular, determined and daring man, and would
Ike nothing better than the perlIOus adventure
upon "ntci. ir catered IL appears thar, accom-
panied by MYERS, who ia Young man, and 4
German from ClIrk>buTgh, he reached the neigh
borhood OF P:ippi un the Saturday before the
attack. They passed the side picketS with
out observation aud were Getting along very
successfully ia picking up hide bits OF useful IN
formation which they found lying about Loose.
But bodness getting the better discretion, they
approached too near the ;oan, and suddenly came
upon party OF Dragons. The odds We're too
srear against them, and being mounted, they
wheel.d their horses and ei!desvOred 10 escape
Two Dragons gave chase firing at them as they
ran. The balls whiSted arOU their heads sew
eral passing through ClaIk'- hat, but doing no
other damage. They dashed madly on, pursuets
and pursued. One of the h"rsemen came close
up to Clark and lie wheeled and shot him dead
with revolver. Another came up and seized
his left arm. He instantly turned the revolver
aud shot oil the hand at the wrist. But another
and more appalling danger was upon them. In
the madness of the chase they had not anticipa-
ted what might be ahead when they suddenly
came upon squad OF picket-, who, comprehend
ag the scene, Ieveled their guns and fired at the
advancing iugitves. The balls passed harmless.
ly by the men, but Clark's horse after running
about fifty yards, reared up and fell dead He
had been shot in the breast. Clark Immediately
dashed into ihicket, where the cavalry could
not follow, and for time eludt d his puruers-
Myers was taken, carried 10 Philippi, and a
council held at once 10 determine his fate. Two
of his fellOw-townsmen who wsrt present, Bob
johnson and George Lurty, urged that he sho'd
be hung at once, and without mercy but Billy
Cooper, another of his townsmen, succeeded in
having it postponed until the following Monday
morning at D o'clock. Myers was at once incir,
cerated in the jail, ani nothing saved lin bat
the attack and hight Of Monday morning, at "A
moment whicf lett but about half al hour inter
vening between him and the gaows A ioyfQl
sound indeed was the roar of the first gun on the
| heavy morning air To that man who expected
would be launched into eternity and dangle d
stiiiening corpse from the gallows tee
Beautiful upon the mountains" were III,
feet OF those who broaght him deliverance iron
So horrible fate; aud that must have been Iii.
emotion OF gratitude TO his rescuers and an over
ruling Providence, on finding himself snatcheC
/ from the avs of death.
Alter the capture of Myers, Clark undertook
to make lis escape by keeping the woods. tn,
cavalry could not follow him, but the pickctS anC
a party of infantry, which was immediately sen
after him. kept up hot pursuit. He was known
to them and they strained every nerve to eifec
his capture. They scattered in all directions
and frequently had him surrounded, so that h,
was obliged to lie concealed whole hours at time
Several times when thus beleagured he crawle,
like an Indian for great distance to clude obscr
walton. For about a day and night the pursui
vas kept up, aud he suffered terribly from hun
ger and thirst. But life was at stake, and merci
less foes around him. At length he succceede
in making his escape and arrived at Pennington
where he was once more among friends VIII
were astonished at his appearance-his hat gone
his shoes worn to pieces, and his clothes tattere
and torn.