New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-10
rov Of the Rebels and there stacked their arms as

prisoners. l., .onr av.
After ten days guarded scjourn In camp, nye
miles from town az the head OF the San ANTOINE
River and twenty In that city, they cohsehteu W
ve their paroles not to leave the county or 10 servo
ssooin in the United States Army until duy OK
changed Since then their experience nv oee W. "a
the nromiscuous order. They were at camp van i
Dorm .even miles northeast OF San Antonio, until
Ano 10 md nc Saado for ten days subsequent' uii-
Jer charge of a company Of cavalryi at Camp VERGE
tin the beginning Of December, al when pace .hc
Rebels effected division OF their captiyes on 'no
nrincipe of assigning each Of the seven Union COM
pan;es 10 n separate post. Thus, Co. war sent to
Camp Verde, Co. II to McChief, Go. l to Colorado,
Cos Il and k to Fort Chedburn, Co. l. to Camp
Cooper. aud Co. Il to Fort Belknap. This plan
lasted until April, 1862, when six companies were
BROUGHT together at Fort Mason, % miles from San
Antonio, where they continued until July only Co.
c remaining at Camp Verde, to be, however, re-
united with the rest at San Antonio, the center
about which they seem to have reyolved
From May to September, 1861, they declare they
were not badly treated being supplied with fresh
beef and regular rations. From the latter date TO
the close OF the year they experienced direful
falling off in gasronomic luxuries. getting very
little st or sugar and less vegetables, TO be snbse-
quenty renewed and to fail again, according to the
resources of their captors. IL was weary ana
monotonOus existence, and having endured 1t for
seventeen dreary months these eleven men, now In
New. Orleans, resolved TO escape and accomplished
il.
They left in four parties, crawling ont after dark,
between guards. shall condense the narrative OF
each to mere skeleton, intending presently to
allow each hero TO be his own historian.
Sergeant Coan, with two Others, possessing, at
starting four pounds Of bread each, mixed with
salt and water and So as common fund, succeeded
in REACHING Monterey on the 18th OF October. 1867
remaining there till January III, when the United
State. Consul sent them to Bagdad, on the Rio
Grance from which place they came TO this p0r! on
the Hensington.
The second party, originally IA in number, left on
the sans night tue first. Ten were almost In
mediately retaken, and punished by confinement IN
double irons at San Antonio The remaining four,
Douglas, Sandman, Swart and Colder, followed
nearly the route as Coan's party, only 6O miles
to the southwark. They got 10 Monterey during tue
second week OF December
The third party, comprising Brett and Burns, fed
on The 9Th Of November, 1867, into wood, lying
eoncssied all the following day In tree and being
supplied with food by woman, who brought them
cornmoal. Marching by night and keeping hidden
by day, ia precauiIon generally adopted by the res.
OF the Iugtiyes), they reached Brownsville III l.
days, and Monterey just before Christmas.
The fourth party, Wilson aud Conner, completing
the / seized tie opportunity Afforded by the re-
moval Of tho camp OF their captoIs IRON San Antonio
to Fort Biraey - miles distance, 10 elect their es
cape, not being missed in the confusion.
Returning az hight to the abandoned camp for the
purpose Of digging up some fifty pounds Of pro.
Visions which they bad secreted AID buried, they
followed the route OF the first party, arriving at
the appointed goal, Matamoras, on the I'D OF De-
cember, 1907.
or course ali Of the men reached their desina.
ton in but sorry plight, there to be kindly cared
for by the United States Consul, who clothed and
led them. They add the following particulars about
those OF their comrades whom they lsft behind;
Steward Bergman and Priyates MeCArty and
Wa,senberger died in captivity.
Sergeanis Burke and Hill wero killed while At
tempting TO escape their bodies being discovered by
their comrades at about 20 miles above Brownsville,
with the faces mutilaled ~ prevent recognition.
Others, names unknown, shared Il similar fate.
Tie Survivors .He yet ht Fort BrIey, 30 mlles
froa San Autonio. Toe officers oi the regiment IRE
US follows: Col. l. ID. Reeve, commander; Capt.
r.. -. Blake; Msjor Jas. '. Roiaiord; DR.. Peters;
Lieut.. Freddy, acting Qnrlermastgr; "a Lieut..
NJ Laz lie; I.eu.s pccs, Jones Van Horne,
Frank, and Bss. All these gentlemen, unless pa
rolled released or dead, axe still prisoner.
/ l now present portion OF the narrative Of Ser
geant Coan, diary written by the way
| I" AN about 30 give account oil thc escape OF
myself. Corp. Chas. Worcb aud I'd. Walter, OF Co.
| /, sih Regiment u. S. Infantry, from Texas: -
"Srpt. IS, ls62-We left oug camp o, the head "
tie San Antonio River, when guarded by lay
ors battalion Of cavalry, over night passed through
the town, and marched a. far as -. Lucas Springs,
where We arrived no DAY break next IoOrnug Gnd 10
our great dispeasuTe found q camp Of Rangers there
We were obli ged 10 venture down 10 the spring for
come water. While filling our ,canteens We were
hailed by Who goes there" to which we re-
| pied, "Friend5,' and passod on without further
notice. We then made the bes. OF our way 10 the
burhes in the neghborhood. There We lay until
daTk, when we again set out.
" lCh.-LeN tie road TO nigh. and took
south-wescrly cOurse for the Rio Grandc. In about
three hours march we came 10 pool Of water on
the prairie, where We stopped aJd ute for the irat
time place We started, Then we marched all night
crJsting tie ryer by wading, about five miles DO.
low Cestrovile, and TT daylight crawlsd iato u
thicket Tor safety.
l7th.-To-daY we lay concealed, and Of night
continued our Journey travelling until the heat Of
tie drove to the shade on the prairie
"Isin.-Lay ~ the shade oi Il tree until about p.
H., when We were obliged 1or want Of water, to
push on. III an hour wc came 10 lagoon, where
we stopped aud had lunch. We then resumed orr
march, which lay through a cluster Of billie ttickIy
covered with undcrbrush, until we struck IA road
legdiug exactly IN our course, which we followed
for H. miles. Then crossed ihe trio and continued
on until a. IN, WHEN we caDo 10 pool OF rain
water. Oar food on leaving San Antonio consistel
oil two small eorn-oakes each not eishing more
than three pounds anu Il piece OF wheat bread,
about one pound each.
18th Started ut 3 o'clock, and Travelled ull
dark, when we found impossible 10 march, tbers
being many pricldy pears aud thorns TO impede us.
80 stopped for tie LIsht by the eide Of hill and
were nearly deyoured there by huge musketoes
2Oih-Started Gt dawn and Travelled all day
through "A dense forest Of prckly pears and thorns
until sunset when We came 10 halt at a pond OF
water Oh the prairie and mped there for the night
"2llt-Slmo AZ the previous Jay until we cine
10 Tie Noecea River about lalf an hour before run.
sct aud were Glad % iud Ourselves 81 near The Rio
Graude. succeeded ~ catching four very fine cat
ish, which were great addition TO our so.k OF pro-
visions.
~h-Startol At ard Travelled through dr.
waste OF country with scarcely any vegetation ex-
eep, the cactus. Suffered little for want OF water
HAVING bat tgtKVegu fLrea ".
ta'Ixued with travelling through brush and sand with
XerX l-t,a 10 cnt. W. haNn nlrradx Icon L. -