Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-02-18

though al times they could see and hear the cars
travelling over the York River roat: - .
bile passing through the swhmp near the
ckrhominy Colonel Eendrtck sprSinad his
ankle and tell Fortunate TOO was that fan
for tim and his party. for while be was iyins
there one of them Glanced to look up, and saw
in a direct line with them q swamp bridge,
ard in the dim outline they cou,d perceive
that parties With muekets were passing over
the fridge. They therefore moved some dis
lance to the south, and after passing through
more OF thr swamp, reached tina Chickahominy
about four miles below Bottom Bridge. Here
now was difficulty. The river was only 90
feet wide, but 1t was very deep, and the refn-
gees were worn ont and tatIgued. rChanciug.
hi viewer, to lock mp, Lieut.. Bradford snw that
tx trees had fallen on either side Of the river,
and that their branches were interlocked. By
crawling up one tree and down the other, the
tueitiyes reacht d the east bank, OF the Chick
ahGminy, and Col. kendrick- could not help
remarking that he believed Providence wss on
their side. else they would not have met that
Natural Bridge.
They subseq nentiy learned from a friendly
negro, that. had they crossed The bridge they
had seen, they would assurCdly have bsan r.
captured, for Capt Turaer, ihe keeper of Lib
hey Prison. had been out and posted guards
there, and in is ct bad alarmed the whole co an
try, and got the people up as vigilance CON
m ns,s 70 captnre .ne e .s;1 pr.so.srd -
laid dowp on the ground and slept until sun
IT, on the morning Of the nth, when they con-
ne N as ttey could. Up to Ibis time they had
hal nothing to eat, and were almost fanished.
About rOcn of the lfth the met Sc vsral groes,
who gave them information as to the v here
ahouts Of the rebel pickets, and furnished them
with food. .
Acting under the advice OF these friend ly
negroes, they remained quietly in the woods
until darkness had set in, when they were
furnished with q comfortable super by the
negroes. ard after dark proceeded on their
way, the negroes fwho everywhere showed
heir friendship to the fugitivss, having first
dtrs ct.d Them how TO avoid tke re ,el p;ckets.
That right they passed camp of rebels, Aud
e could plainly see the smoke and camp fire.
j Eut tn, ir wearied feet gave ont, and they were
compelled to stop and rest, having only
marched five miles that day, 4.
They ted again at da, light On tina 18th,
ard after moving awhile through the woods,
they saw negro woman working in q field,
and called her 10 them, and from her received
GireG TORS, and were tGld that the rebel pickets
had been about there looking for the fugi.ives
from Llhby. Here they laid low again. and
+ resumed their Journey when darkness set in,
end marched five miles, but halted until the
! morning OF the lith, when the Journey was re-
sumed. ~ s.@
At enc point they met negro In the field,
and she told them that her mistress was :. Sc
cesh woman. and that she had son In the rebel
army The party, however, were exceedingly
hungry, and they determined to secure some
.'oof. This they did by boldly approaching the
W,re fusitives from Norfolk, W no had been
driven ort by Butler: and the secesh sym pa.
fhies OF the woman were at once aroused, and
she save them tf her substance, and started
fht H. en- tkeir way with direction how to avoid
the Var Eee soldiers, who occasionally secuted
in that yicini1y. This information was exceed
ing1y valuable to the refugees, for by il they
discovered the where abouts Of the Federal
/ forces. &. ..-5e
When about IS miles from " williamsburg, the
, party came upon the main road and found the
tracks OF large boey OF cavalry. piece OF
| paper found by Captain Jones satisfied him
that they were Union cavalry; but his COM
papiors were suspicious, and avoided the road
and moved forward, and at the IS Burnt Ordi-
nary tabout 10 miles from williamsburg
awaited the return of the cavalry that had
moved mp the road, and from behind a fence
corner wis re they were secreted the fusiti yes
saw the flag of the Union, supported by q
squadron OF cavalry. which proved to be
detachment of Col. Spears 18th Pa. regiment,
sent ont fer the purpose Of picking up escaped
prison ers. Col Kendrick says his fesings at
seeing the old flag sre indascrihanIa.
The party rode into Will am burg with tbs
cavalry, where they were quartered for the
night, and where they found eleven others who
had escaped safely. Col. Spear and his com.
mand furnished the officers with clothing and
! other necessarieS.
| AT all points along the route the fugitives de-
scribe their reception by the negroes as most
enthusiastic, and there was no lack OF white
| people who sympathizsd with them and hslped
! tbt m on their way. ...-
From these officers we learn that there is 4
! wide spread Union feeling in Richmond. JEFF.
Davis is held in detestation, but all " no do not
! heartily endorse the rebel government
| spotted ard watched. There are at this time
| eighteen p. rsone fined In Castle Thunds,
| on charge OF attempts TO assaasinsts .ae renei
INT, prisoners sl TO BURN es
AYnan sion, and that ons forming his servants
1o1nd eofp nPsnt he pffiears vera aided nv
| citjzeps of xIchmo pd--not foreigners CT the
! poor cisE~E emily, bat by natives and persons
! Of wtaJ<n. They know heir friends ther- but
| yey properly withhold any mention of their
| r,hles. OF those who got out OF Libby there
| <ere anumhtr Of sick once, who were cared
Itor ty Union people, and will eventually reach
the Union lines through heir aid.
The officers also report the fact that some
TINE ago, through the aid of citizens, they OBJ
tanned communication with the soldiers on
Belle Is and, and there was 10 be concerted
movement TO escape The soldiers had been
furnished win arms, which they h ad secreted.
ne officers at LibbeY we're to sec ura the guards
tht1e and act la concert with The Bell. Island
men; but just as the affair WIS ready 10 ba
carried into execution the proJe t was exposed.
Suspicion at once rested upon s. certa n Uni ou
lieutenant COLONEL, who was in favor with the
fehel authorities. had the freedom Of the city,
ana moved about at will in the hospitals and
elseH here. He had been suspected tor some
affair Wv
The indignation of the officers whose pl ans
had nus been thwarted through the psrfidy
OF las fhsy belle ved9 ore of Their number
ffnnc' h" re'tr bfd. Serne cried ort. ..haue
NJ hang hin !" one ran to his iIank,t and
T. arms. q IN sirips. said he had rop- ready;
aid oihtrs We IN favor OF pitching the feilo "
Cut o. tie wind. W and letting his brains be-
fIat'er he pavement below. Wiser counsels,
however, Pre- ai}ed, and it W8s concluded nat
II VAS letter 10 lst the traitor live and report
him TO his e.!arnnent II opportunity ever
.htTed The Lieut. Col, we UNDERSTAND. will
be reported 10 tho War Office. Hrs excuse ;s
that / e informed n Federal offlcer IN ospital
OF The al enapfed escape, and that q rebal sur
eefn syeI heard the con versation.e ~
These priso ners confirm in every particular
he statements heretofore made of ths treat.
lnent OF Federal prisoners there. TIE rauons
Of the officers " ere II hout the same as those Of
the r. bel piiyaies; but orr pTiyates er Belle
Island did not fare 80 we'll As long as the
boxes cent ffen fTie dis at the North were de-
liItTed. they liyed as veil "a could be exppct-
so Under the tEcums tances. Those who had
mercy Wtye allowed 10 send out ann get what
ihes wanted, by paying three times nore than
Richmos d prices; the profits going into the
POCKETS OF the officers of the prison. In other
respects the II. a,nent was quite harsh.
" hen pris, ner entered the prisos, any ar
ticlts foULd upon h IN that were fancied by the
1ttei Ulcers or spaIds were tsken po ,sessiou
OF; they pretended the money and articles were
Gel osiied 18th the suarterl. aster.
iLe sieping commodations were very
Ittr, md The only place they mad 70 exercise
tLeiT Inn bsIH was the dinin room For aW hile
ne on c. rs were notfurn,shed with meat at all,
and III 1t time they received flesh W nich was
lyGGCl need 6y tAcEa ha off,