The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-01-23

nounce his coming.
Everything was now ready to begin work
SO about the latter part OF October they be-
gan 10 bore. All were busy-one making
rope ladder by tearing and twisting up
strips Of bedtick, another bowie-kniyes,
and another twisting up towels. They Ia
bored perseveringly for several days, and
after boring through nine inches OF cement
and nine thicknesses Of brick placed edge
wise, they began to wonder Wien they
I should reach the soft earth. Suddenly a
brick fell through. What could this mean:
What Internal chamber had they reached?
1t was Immediately entered and TO their
great establishment and Joy, it proved to be
an air-chamber extending the whole length
Of the row Of cells. Here was an unex-
pected interposition in their favor. Hith-
erto they had been obliged to conceal their
rubbish in their bedticks, each day burn
ing 4 proprtlOnate quantity ot}btraw: 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 the blocks of granite were removed
and still the work before them seemed in
terminable.
After 23 days of unremitting labor and
getting through granite wall Of six feet
III thickness, they reached tie soil They
tunnelcd up for some distance and light
began 70 shine. How glorious was that
light Ii announced the fuIti.lment Of their
iabors, and would Providence only contin-
lie its favor, they would soon be free. This
was the morning OF the 18th day OF Noyem-
ber, 1868. The next night, at II clock was
determined on as the hour at which they
would attempt their liberty. Each mo-
,nent that interviewed was filled with dread
ful anxiety and supeEse, and each time the
guard entered increased their apprehen-
sions. The General says he prayed for
rain, but the morning Of the 2Tth dawned
bright and beautiful. The evening came
and clouds began to gather. How they
| prayed for them to increase. If rain should
only begin their chances of detection
| would be greatly lessened. While these
\ thoughts were passing through their
minds, the keeper entered with letter for
Gen. Morgan. He opened it, and what
| was his surprise, | may say wonder, to
\ find it from a poor Irish woman Of his ac-
quaintance in Kentucky, commencing,
MY dear Ginrai, | feel certain you are
going to try 10 git out of prison, but for
your sake don't you try it. my dear Ginral.
You will only be taken prisoner agin, and
made to suffer more than you do now
The letter then went on to sreak OF his
kindness to the poor when he lived at Lex
ington, and concluded by again exhorting
him to trust in God and wait his time
! What could this mean? No human being
on the outside had been informed OF his in
tentlon to escape, and yet, Just as all things
wese ready for him to make the attempt,
I here comes a letter from Winchester, KY.
advising him not to TRY it, This letter
had passed through the examining office
OF Gen. Mason, and then through the low
er officials. What if it should excite their
suspicion and cause them to exercise an
increased vigilance? The situation. how
ever, was desperate. Their fare could not
be much worse, and they resolved TO 90.
~ In hut
General and Col. Dick Morgan to change
cells. The hour approached for them to be
] locked up. They changed coats and each
stand at the others cell door with his back
exposed, and pretended to be engaged in
making up their beds. AS the turnkey en-
tered they turned I'M and pulled their
doors shut.
Six. eight, ten o'clock came. How each
pulse throbbed as they quietly awaited the
approach OF twelve! 1t came-the sentinel
passed his rOund-all well. After waiting
few moments to see if he intended to slip
back, the signal was giyen-all quietly
slipped down into the air chamber, first
stuiiing their flannel shirts and placing
them in bed as they We're accustomed to
lie. As they moved quietly along through
the dark recess to the terminus where they
were to emerge from the earth, the General
prepared to light Il match. AS the lurid
glare fell on their countenances a scene
WAS pIeSeuteu WHICH can never De IoTSOl-
ten. There were crOuched seven brave
men who had resolved to be free. They
were armed with bowie knives made OF
case knives. Life, in their condition, was
scarcely to be desired, and the moment fol
the desperate chance had arrived. Sup
pose as they emerged from the ground thai
the dog should give the aiarm-they could
but die.
But few moments were spent in thi.
L. ind If hnp bad or
, rived, and yet they came. Fortunately
yes, providentiallv-the night had sudden
!, | ly grown dark and rainy; the dogs had re
, tired to their kennels, and the sentinel
had taken refuge under shelter. The inne
wall, by the aid of the rope ladder, wa
soon scaled, and now the outer one had t
be attempted. Captain Taylor (who, b,
the way, is a nephew Of old Zack) being
very active man, by the assistance of hi
, comrades, reached the top of the gate, an,
was enabled to get the rope over the wall
!, When the top was gained they found arop
= extending all around, which the Genera
Immediately cut, as he suspected that i
9 might lead into the Warden's room. Thi
turned out to be correct. They then en-
tered the sentry-box on the wall, changes
), their clothes, and let themselves down tn
= wall. In sliding down the General skinne,
his hand very badly, and all were more o
less bruised. Once down they separated
LAY lOI anu oHelloH SOluS one wa I1OheA
smith, Bennett and MCGEE another, ant
General NJ. and Captain Hines proceeded
I. Immediately toward the depot.
The General had, by paying SIS in gold
Il succeeded in obtaining paper which in
9 formed him of the schedule time of the diff
y ferent roads. The clock struck one, an,
o he knew by hurrying he could reach tn
J, down train for Cincinnati. He got Their
! just as the train was moving of. He a
once looked on to see if there were any sol
), diers on board, and, espying Union Off
y Ger, he boldly walked up and took q sea
n beside him. He remarked to him that "a
r the night was damp and chilly, perhaps h
: would join him in a drink" He did SO
D and the party soon became very agreeabl
!. to each other. The cars in crossing tn
!. Sciota have to pass within a short distanc
n Of the Penitentiary. As they passed, tn
e officer remarked, There's the hotel a
: which Morgan and his officers are spend
y ing their leisure" Eyes," replied the Gen
/ eral, "and sincerely hope he will max
9 up his mind to board there during the bal
e ance of the war, for he is great nuisance.
= When the train reached Xenia, it was do