Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-08-21
An Escape from the Enemy.

puHy Il, OeVeHty-HtTSt LleytWeTu, 1cHO
wos captured at Bull Rim, Sunday,
July 2lst, and who Escaped from the
Enemy on the Friday Night following,
July 26h.
On Friday they connected removing
the prisoners and wounded, among them
| Captain Gordon, Of the Eleventh Massa-
chusettsi Lieut.. Hamlin, Scott Life Guar0,
and all the non-commissionedo officers, leay-
inc instructions with us to be prepared to
/ follow tho ambulances containing the
wounded who had undergone operations,
en- Saturday. In the meantime, Captain
Allen, of the Eleventh Massachusetts, dis
guised as private and wounded prisoner,
| Wisconsin boy, named Waldorf, and my
self, planned an escase, which was success
fully accomplished between and o p. m.
Friday night. We ran the guard and
crawlet! on our hands and feet out Of hear
ING distance of the sentinels; proceeded in
a northeast direction until 81 a. M; met
two pckets of the enemy in a small tent on
1 the main road, which we had to cross to
accomplish our escape; the pickcts cowed
at our appearance, and hid behind tree,
and we backed some one hundred feet with
sticks pointed in the direction ofthe pckets
and then turned and ran about two miles,
keeping little to the north.
At p. M, not knowing where we were,
we determined to approach a house and in
quire. We met two women at the gate,
and told them we belonged to the Fourth
Alabama Regiment. They asked for
Messrs. Grey OF that Regiment-ifw we knew
them-and number ofothers, all of whom
we told them were shot at Bull Rum
They asked where we came from, and
where were our arms. These questions we
evaded, aud asked them to show us the
way to Centreyille, which they did. We
took an opposite direction, and at p. M,
halted at another house, where an old man
came out and asked if we were soldiers.
We replied in the affirmative, and added
that we belonged to the Fourth Alabama
Regiment, and been picking blackberries
and strayed away from camp. He then
said, fare you the regiment that is wait
ing for artillery | replied, the same.
"fhen, boys" said he, "you are stationed
at Balls Mill, three miles from here, (point-
inc in the direction of Leesburgh,) half
way from here to Leesburgh." He then
said, "Were you in the fight Sunday ?"
EYES," Il am glad boys you escaped
from the slaughter, These Id Yam
KEGS, would like to see every man Of them
strung up. never could bear them. |
will send Edward to show you the way
to the main road" We thanked him and
left.
At p. M, came to railroad. Iasaw
little boy and girl, and asked them what
road it was. They replied they did not
know, but if we would go to the house,
jeff would tell us. After some further in
quiries, without getting any information We
crossed the track aud took to the woods,
and continued cur march until 6 p. m,
when we saw house standing alone in the
bushes. We determined to 90 there and
get something to eat Arriving at the gate
we inquired if they had something to sell
us. They said they had and we lost no
time in investing in 80 cents worth Of hoe
cake and milk.
While we were devouring these Ito us)
Injuries, horsoman gallopped up to the
door, and the lady Of the house called the
man with whom we we're conyersing "Cou-
sin George" This name is Edwards.) We
suspected something wrong and took a pre-
cipitate leave down the bill, and continued
our march. Half an hour after leaving this
house, we crossed the main road, and cross
ed the field, in order to reach wood which
we suspected was forest, but which turn
ed out to be nothing but small thicket.
Soon after crossing the thicket we espied
eight mounted troopers at full speed, pass
ing along the road, some fifteen yards
ahead; not surprising they were in search
of us, We continued on our way, when, up
on looking round, they halted at the foot
Of the bill, and were looking in all direc-
tons; at last they saw US and commanded
us to halt and come back. This we had
NO desire to do, and knowing the FENCE
along the road to be impossible on horse
back, we thought our chances of escape
were good. We accordingly ran, and they
fired, cue or two of them dismounting sim
ultaneorsly with the discharge of the 9TH
ers guns, to let the rails of the fence down
in order that they might pursue u TITO
the woods.
In the meantime we had gained the
wood and found another fence surrounding
it. This fence was q Tally IS wide as the
first one. They gahcped off to the edge
of the woods where we should have to pass
TO make our escape and surrounded the
woods. Here they dismounted, took down
the rails and entered the bushes and com
menced their search. In the meantime we
had run back to where weentered the brush
and hid under two large elm trees, Capt
Allen clipping the branches in order that
we might pull them down over us with
more facility; It was perhaps FIVE minutes
before they reached this portion of the
thicket, and these trees being 80 much ex-
posed, they concluded no person was there
and went away to the other end of the
woods, but soon returned, and on passing