The Portland daily press., 1863-01-06
MISCELLANY.

ANOTHER BRowNLow.-The Philadelphia
newspapers give some particulars OF the cruel
imprisonment and escape of the Rev. John
Aughey, a Mississippi Unionist, now at the
residence of the Rev. DIR. Breed, in Philadel-
phia. Mr.. Aughey is a Presbyterian clergy
man. Three times he has looked for a speedy
and violent death; and he has escaped, mere
skeleton, worn down by excitement and i'll
treatment. His spirit is unbroken. The follow
ing narrative has been gathered from his con-
versation:
On the lst of July last he was arrested by
company OF cavalry under command of Cap
tain Hill, in Tshamingo county, Mississippi.
When brought into Capt. Hills presence he
was thus addressed
Are you Unionist?r
Il voted the Union ticket, SIR"
THAT, sir, is an evasion. voted the Union
ticket, and now | am fighting against the
Union. What are your sentiments now?"
II have never seen any reason for changing
my opinions. voted the Union ticket and
am still Unionist."
"You must go to headquarters
A Mr.. Benjamin Clarke had been arrested
as Unionist on the same day, while plowing
in the field, who. with himself, was placed un-
der guard and sent TO Fulton. in Itawamba
county, to the headquarters of Col. Bradfute
When they appeared in his presence, the fol-
lowing colloqny ensued:
"Are you a Unionist?" Ito Mr.. Augheyl
L am, sir1a
Where were you born?"
Il was born in the State of New York
but have spent eleven years in the South"
"Ah. Yankee born and a traitor; you de-
serve 10 be ha gedr If being of Northern
birth is a crime, it certainly was not Mr.. Aug
hey's fault, inasmuch as his parents did not SO
much as consult him as to the place he was to
be born in, and he could not have helped it if
he had tried This he laconically stated.
They were then placed under heavy guard
and conducted to Brookyie, the headquarters
of General Pieiier, where they remained du-
ring the night. sleeping upon the ground hav-
ing nothing to lie upon but the grass, and with
no covering. On the next day the guard con-
Quoted them to Prideville, into the presence
of General Jordan, who thus addressed Mr.
Aughey:
''Are you UDionist?"
81 am, sir,'
"Where were you born?"
Il was born in the State of New York-a
State which never repudIated, nullifed, seced-
ed, nor did any other disgraceful act | am
prond, sir, of my birthrignt in that glorious
Empire State"
'lf you love the North so well, why did yo
not 30 North at the commencement of the
warp"
"Give me passport, sir, and will go North
instanter."
]The first passport you viii get will be
free ticket to the internal regions"
"Thank you sir, was not before aware that
you were the devils ticket agent" was the
response of the divine.
Soon after this interview the guards set out
with them for Tupelo where they were incar-
.1 -. @1x AZ.
were some seventy or eighty prisoners in that
gloomy abode. The prison was filthy in the
extreme. 1t was not supplied with any kind
of furniture, not even beds or blankets. At
night the inmates lay down on the hard
planks and slept as best they could. They
were starved insulted and matreated in every
possible way. A strong guard came in daily
and took the prisoners out to do scavenger
work in the streets. AT three O'Clock every
day some of them were taken out and shot or
hanged. With Mr.. Malone Mr.. Aughey at
tempted to escape. His friend did escape to
the Federal lines, but he was re-arrested, heav-
lily ironed and replaced in prison. They sent
out two companies of cavalry with bood-
hounds in search Of them. Mr.. Aughey's ar
rest took place after he he had been out two
nights and day. Several of his fellow prison.
ers had been shot during his absence
Ol his return he found that the floor of his
prison had been spiked down, the guards dou-
bled, and great precauton and vigilance exer-
cised to prevent any further escapes. The
Judge Advocate of the Confederate Army of
the West came one day and informed Mr. Aug
hey that he would be executed on the following
Tuesday. As they had determined to hang
him he petitioned to be shot, but the request
was refused He resolved therefore TO at
tempt second escape and in the event of a
failure. draw the fire of the guard, and be shot
He preferred to he slain in the excitement in
cident to an attempt to escape, to a horrid
death by strangulation at ropes end. amid
the jeers of rabbe. His fellow-prisoners
aided him in removing his chains 1.-THE heavy
bands they could not remove) and, although
the prison was strictly guarded and surround
ed by camps containing fifteen or twenty thou
sand armed men, he eluded their vigilance,
and succeeded IN reaching the dense woods
AT length, after incredible suiierings from
hunger. thirst fatigue and excitement. he
reached the Federal lines at Rienzi Miss. in
safety, where he found protection beneath the
folds of the old flag.