Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-08


UAsucesssfaI Attempt OF Confederate
Prisoner 60 Escape from FOrE Lafayette
From the New York Tines CT the 18th ult, we
gather the following account Of the attempt of =
Southern gentleman to escape from the confines of
Fort Lafayette Although fOiied the attempt, it
viii be seen upon perusal Of the account that his
failure in no ways dampene his ardor for the cause
OF the South Our brave Southerners, now under
bondage in Lineolnsou. HAY rest as ursd Of the
deep sympathy Of tn brsih-ra in This Conieder
acy aal be cheered wIsh the coascis usess that M
day of rstributiOn upon the tends of the North for
the prosecutions praeticed by them during the un-
holy war now being waged against us, is near at
hand. The Times says:
Between one and two clock yesterday morning
one of the sentinels On the dock surrounding Fort
Lafayette had his attention attracted to Of the
PORTFOLIOS in the Fort by an unusual noise. He ct
once regulated his movements with reference 10
that spot when he soon discovered that one Of the
Secessionist prisoners was working to make his ess
cape. Mr.. LaWleF was the adventurous individual
the gentleman who was arrested some weeks ago
at Crestne, Ohio, bearing dispatches TO the rebel
Confederaey. This was the man who was found in
the act Of Offering stealthy defiance to the walls of
the fort Lawler appears to have procured key
which fitted the paddock which fastened the grating
of the port hole and with it had opened the grating.
He had also been provided with new wash-tub
and r ropa and also life-pFeseFver. lie had SAT :.
so in gold and his gold watch packed in bladder,
and fastened in one of his pockets. Having packed
his Vase he placed it in the tub; he then fastened
rope to the tub. let the tub out of the porthoe
and after securing the rope old good by to Fort La
faye.te. and entered the tub himself he then be-
gan sailing for the ground, al the while closely
watched by the sentinel, who permitted the bold
LAWYER, his tub and cargo to land on the dock in
safety. But no sooner had he landed than he was
commanded to surrender or be shot.
Mr.. LAWYER certainly did not fancy the shooting
part so he surrendered, and So gested to the SEN
tinel that he take the bladder containing the gold
watch and the SAT so in money, and allow him to
60 back into the fort through the portfolio. aud
have nothing said about it. But the sentinel was
not TO be brIbed by Mr.. Lawler. He alarmed the
garrison, and Lieut. Wood, the officer of the port,
had the prisoners roll called to zee if all his Prison
ers were in the fort. He then had La1ler secur-
ed in double irons and placed in the gusrd-house.
As the sentinel had had occasion to order of one of
the three vessels which had been laying very close
into the fort during the night, Lieut. Wood order
ed boat to be manned, and taking some soldiers
with him, duly armed, he proceeded to the three
vessels referred to and had them taken under the
guns of the revenue cutter Bib. The sea was
very rough the time of the boarding.
IL seems that Lieut.. Graham in command Of thu
Bib, received the order TO hold the three vessels
in rather q sour manner, and was good deal un
willing to do anything In the natter 1t Is stated
in the neighborhood Of Fort Hamilton, that the
Bib has been somewhat neglectful Of its prisoners
for some time past.
Yesterday Lswler said that he had not succeed
ed but if he had by that time afternoon) he would
have been in Dixie's Land. He told the officers in
charge that they might search for 8 better Seces
sionist, but they would have to go further South
than Fort Lafayette to find truer one.
1t appears that Mr.. Lawler has lately received
come visits from ladies, with skirts of an extraor
binary size. Hereafter. visitors will doubtless be
subjected to close scrutiny.