The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1864-12-01
How an Iowa Soldier Escaped from the
Rebels.

The Chicago Tribune publishes an &C.
count Of the sufferings in rebel prisons
aud escape thcrefrom Of J. j. Elder, of
Cedar Rapids, private 10 Co. X, llth
Iowa fufautry, as given by Mr.. Elder
himself. Frco4 this account We condensc
the following:
Mr.. Elder was taken prisoner at or
before Atlanta 10 July last, and was sue.
cessively taken to Macon, Andersonv;lle,
Augusta, Savannah, Charleston and Co.
lumbia. At Macon he was fortunate
enough to obtain position in the hos pi,al
where he cared for the wounded men Of
Cook and SsoDen1an's ss;ders Amooa
them was Tennessee cavalry officer, no
was in a dying condition: This officer
gave to Elder his clothes, and desired
him to scnd home his shoulder.straps
aud memorandum book to bis friends
at Knoxville Elder douned the officer.
coat and placed the book aud straps 10
his pocket
These shoulders,rs7s afterwards Sc.
cured Elders recognition as an officer, in
consequence Of which he was, when a.
Andersonvile, taken from the pen in
which the privates were confined and al.
loved privileges Of which he afterwards
made good use. Mr. Elder more than
confirms the description Of the terrible
sufferiu9s Of the Union prisoners at An
dersonvile, already given to the public;
and uarrates the particulars Of his escape
from Charleston with other officers, (Mr.
+. was considered TO be genuine off cer)
among whom was Captain Smith, of Co.
A, 10th Iowa 1ufaLtry, whose home is at
C.mance-as follows:
From Charleston be was moved TO Co.
lombia, S. G.. Here, as at Anderson.
vile, they were kept 10 a pen, without
shelter, like cattle. Their rations con-
sisted, during the six weeks he was con.
fined there, Of plat of corn meal, in
which the cobs were ground up with the
kernels, and quarter Of o quar-; Of sour
sorghum per day No inca, rations we're
issued a. oil. ~ spite of the failure. Of
several to cscape-for the blood hounds
were keen upon the scent, and had al.
! ready manglcd and killed many (smoug
them Cspsain Petrol, of the 9th Lowa)-
Elder determined, as he had on three pre-
vious occasions, to make his exit.
On the night of November 18th, Ell.
with seven other officers, planned their
escape Aiming themselves with clubs,
sh-y d.sh.d e~da~nty .,ran the enaras
idling around the fire, aud each Singing
his man, felled him to the ground before
. musket could be fred or alarm given,
and Immediately struck for the woods.
They hurried on to negro's cabin, who
informed them Of the locality of two
boats ca the Congsre Rivcr--for the
negroes throughout the South ase - true
as steel. They were also provided with
sweet potatoes, hoe cakes snd eask Of
water. They embarked and were soon
on their way down the river, and as they
glidcd cautiously along ia the intense
dark, heard afsr of the baying Of the
baified hound who he'd lost the scent at
the river bank. The guards evidently
believing that tho prisoners had crossed
the river, gave up the chase, and return.
cd 70 Columbia. Our voysgcrs under
the friendly cover Of the night made
rapid speed, and by daybresk were fer on
their wsy towards the Atlantic. During
the day, they conccaled themselves and
their boats to escape the eyes Of guerril-
las, who were scouting about for desert
ers. From the Cosgare they passed in-
to Santee River, hsviog many narrow es-
cspes. They passed under bridges, and
could hear overhead the guards psciog
their lonely rounds. Al one bridge they
wcr. swept by the current within fifty
yards Of abe shore, where . guard wss
sleeping BY q camp fro. During the
nights OF their adv epturous jousnsy they
passed three batteries, hastily throws up,