Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-25
News from the Soufh-Particulars OF
the E~caDe Of yEOrauu.

Richmond dates TO the 9Th inst. have been re-
ceived. Without containing anything of real
Importance, they are Of much interest
General JOHN MORGAN has turned up in the
Confederate Capital, and had an ovation on the
day of his arrival. The Enquirer gives an inter
esting account Of the daring escape ofthis cele
Grated partisan leader from the Ohio Penitentary,
generally considered one Of the strongest pris-
ons in the country, With bis subsequent adven-
turers Describing their cells. the Enquirer.
says: 7
The bedsteads were ANAL iron stools, fastened
to the wall with hinges. They could be hooked
up or allowed TO stand on the floor, and to pre-
vent any suspicion, for several days before any
work was attempted, they made it a habit to let
them down ard sit at their doors and read Capt
Hines superintendent the work, while Gen. Morgan
kept watch to divert the attention Of the sentinel
whose duty it was to come round during the day
and observe If anything was going on. One day
this fellow came in while Hockersmith was down
under the floor boring away. and missing him,
said, Where is Hockersmith7" The General
replied, 'sHe is in my room, sick, and immedl-
ately pulled a document out of his pocket and
said to him, "Here is a memorial have drawn
up to forward to the government at Washington:
what do you think of it?"
The fellow, who. perhaps, could not read,
highly battered at the Generals condescension,
took it and very gravely looked at il for several
moments, before he vo6chsafed any reply. Then
handing it back, he expressed himself highly
pleased with it. In the meantime, Hokersmith
had been signalled. and came up protesting to
feel Every unweIl'' This sentinel was the most
difficult and dangerous obstacle in their progress
because there was no telling at what time during
the day he would enter and at night he came
regularly every two hours &c each cell and insert
ed light through the bars of their door, to see
that they we're quietly sleeping, and frequently
after he had completed his rounds he would slip
back in the dark with a pair of India rubber
shoes on to listen at their cells if anything was
going on The General says that he would al
most invariably know of his presence by certain
magnetic shudder which it would produce; but
fear that this acute sensibility might sometimes
fail him, he broke up small PARTICLES OF coal.
every morning, and sprinked them before the
cell door, which would always announce his
coming
Everything was now ready to begin the work;
so about the latter part OF October, they began to
bore. All were busy-one making rope lad
der by tearing and twisting up strips OF beltick,
another making bowie-knives, and another twist
ing up towels. They labored perseveringly for
several DAYS, and after boring through nine inch
es of cement aud nine thicknesses of brick placed
edgewise, they began to wonder when they
should reach the soft earth. SudleDlya brick
fell through. What could this rRean7 What
internal chamber had they reachedi 1t was i'm
mediately entered. add. to their great astonish-
ment and Joy, il proved to be an air chamber ex
tending the whole length of the row OF cells.
Here was an unexpected interpOsiton in their
favor. Hitherto they had been Obliged to conceal
their rubbish in their bedticks each day burning
proporionate quantity Of straw. now, they had
room enough for all they could dig. They at
once commenced to tunnel at right angles with
this air chamber, to get through the foundation;
and day after day they bored, day after day the
blocks of granite were removed, and still the
work before them seemed interminable
After 81 days of unremitting labor, and get
ting through a granite wall Of six feet in thick
ness, they reached the soil. They tunneled up
for some distance, and light began to ,hine.
/ How glorious was that light IL announced the
fulfIlment of their labors, and If Providence
would only continue in its favor, they would soon
be free This was the morning of the Och day
of November, 1863. The next night at ~
o'clock was determined on the hour at which
they would attempt their liberty. Each moment
that interviewed was filled with dreadful anxiety
and suspense and each time the guard entered
increased their apprehensions. The General says
he had prayed~for rain, but the morning of the
9th dawnei bright and beautiful. The evening
came. and clouds began to gather. How they
prayed for them to increase. III rain should only
begin their chances for detection would be great
" lessered. While these thoughts were passing
through their minds, the keeper entered with a
letter for General Morgan. He opened it. and
what was his surprise and | may say wonder, to
find It from a poor Irish woman of his acquaint
auce IN Kentucky. commencing, "My dear Gin
eral | feel certain YOU going to try To git ont
of prison, but for your sake don't you try it, my
dear Gneral You will only be taken prisoner
again. aud made suffer more than you dc
now"
The letter then went on to speak of bis kind
ness to the poor when he lived at Lexington. and
concluded by again exhorting him to trust il
God aud wait his time. What could this mean.
No human being the outside had been in
formed Of his intention to escape, and yet, JUS
as all things were ready for him to make the at
tempt, here comes a letter from Winchester. Ky.
| advising him not to "trv it +" This letter had
passed through the examining Office of Gen. Ma
| SON. and then through the hands of the lower
officials What 1T il should excite their sus
picion and cause them to exercise an increased
vigilancel The situatiou, however, was desper.
ate. Their fate could not be much worse. AMI
they resolved to go. Nothing now RENAMED to
be done but for the General and Col. Dick Nor
gan to change cells. The hour approached fol
them 70 he locke up. They changed cIats. ant
each stood at the others celldoo with his back
exposed. and pretended 20 be making up the
beds As the turnkey entered they turned in
and pulled their doors shut.
Six, eight, ten oclock came. How eacl
pulse thrObbed they quietly awaited the ap
proach Of twelvei IL clme-the sentinel passed
his round-all we'll After waiting few mo
ments to see if he intended to slip bt-k, til,
signal was given-all quietly slipped down into
the air chamber first stuiiing Their fl anne
shirts and placing them in bed they were
accustomed TO lie As they moved quietly
along through the dark recess 10 tic terminu.
where they were "a emerge from the eIrfh, til,
General prepared to light a match As tn,
lurid glare fell upon their couhionances.
scene was presented which can never be for
gotten There were crouched seven brave men
who had resolved 90 be free They were armed
with bowie knives made out OF case knives
Life. I'm .her condition. scarcely to be de
sired, and the moment for the desperate. chanc'
had arrived. Suppose, as they emerged ron
the ground, that the dog should give tho alarm
they could but die ras.
But few moments we're snent in this kind o.
apprehension. The hour had arrived. and We
thew came.9 Fortunltely-yes, provitenriaIly--
the night ind suddenly grown dark AMI rainy
the dogs had retired 10 their kennels, and IN,
sentinels had taken refuge under shelter Tn,
inner wall. by the aid of the rope ladder. wa.
soon scaled, aud now the outer one had to b'
attempted Captain Taylor (who. by the way
is nephew OF Old Zack,) being very active
man, by the assistance of his comrades reached
the top of the gate, and was enabled to ge
the wall When the top gained, they fouud
a rope extending all around. which the Gen
eral Immediately cut, as he suspected that i
might lead into the Wardcns room This
turned out to be correct. They then entered
the sentry box on the wall and changed their