The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-07-19

rnE OTHER PRISONERS
we're treated very well, with the ex-
cepiion OF being Obliged 10 give up
whatever any Of their eapiurs fancied
he would ike to possess. One gen
tleman, g doctor, ! believe, was com +.
PEELED to draw of his boots and ex-
change them for a pair Of dusty COW.
hide riding boots. or rather leggings,
a. they were minus the soles. A reb-
81 tancied my bar, and took it, with
the remark, "Here, / want that bat, !"
Al the same lime giving me his tobac
co.stained and rusty looking felt IN
exchange My hayersack followed
next Ii contained, among other
things, number of dispatches and a
long list Of casualties. The blanket
followed shortly afterwards, and soon
/, together with the majority Of the
prisoners, had no article Of value left.
The man who appropriated the hay-
ersack very kindly allowed me to re-
tain two photographs and a tooth
brush. Likenesses were in every in
stance returned to the owners, as were
also any other small articles Of no
value 10 the rebels. As far as lay in
their power, everything was done TO
make our situation pleasant. Fresh
water was brought up in abundance.
The rebels had recently been through
several stores and suffers wagons, and
were well supplied with segars and
tobacco, which they dispensed very
literally among the prisoners. Those
who were hungry were supplied with
as much hard tack as they could eat,
aud a small supply of good brandy
and whiskey was equally shared, and
tended 10 remote a feeling Of good
fellowship.
About two o'clock Major Gilmor
sent word for all the citizens and non
officers and priyates to
be sent up to his headquarters, which
had been established in farmhouse
in The vicinity. On arriving there
we found that one OF the prisoners,
George g. Thompson, sailor, who
mad just been discharged from the
United States steamer hgawam, had
net an old shipmate acting as a cor
lord in the rebel cavalry. Mike
MAS a genuine sailor and promised TO
10 all IN his power 10 ct as many OF
IS of as possible. lie told Us TO keep
lose together, and he would see the
Major in relation to our release. AT
er The lapse of about ten minutes
Nike came out with beaming face,
md said it was all right. The Major
Iad given him orders to escort US for
bout one mile up the track and then
cave US to find our way to Hayre de
Grace.
THE COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
we're, however, kept to be made into
a, alrymen, at least SO said the Ma
or Before left many ofthem were
Mounted on barebacked SEEDS and
unishtd with a rope halter. Among
lem were Paymaster Hanna and
Assistant Engineer Clark Fisher, Of
lie United States steamer Agawam ;
Lieutenant Eaton, Of the army;-
surgeon Bloodgood, of the navy, and
Lieutenant Banning, Of the Marine
.orps. In all | Judged there were
bout thirty officers retained, and the
ebels said that before they had gone
many miles lie whole party should
,e well mounted.
Among those who managed to es-
ape were the following officers -
Lieutenant Colonel Smith, Eighth
Connecticut Volunteers Captain
Newman, Forty seventh New York
Volunteers Lieutenant Henry c.
Nelson, Quartermaster Second Della
ware Volunteers Chief Engineer
rho rpson, United States Navy -
1aptain Schermerhorn, Marine corps,
nd Edward Scattergood, Chief En-
.ineer Of The United States steamer
Several Of them were in citizens
ress, aid thus passed the guard
)Be or two Of them were Masons, and
yore a small Masonic breastpin. Ma
Or Gilmor is also member and low
c of the Order, and granted them
heir freedom for that reason. One |
Instance OF
COOL AUDACITY
J, however, worthy Of particular no
ice. Lieutenant Colonel Smith Of the |
eighth regiment, Connecticut Voun- +
eers, after looking around for some
me, noticed that the guards were not
cry strict IN The performance oil theif +
uly. Srizing the opportunity, he t
laced his hands behind bis back, and /
irolled letsurely and unconcernedly /
, Major GiItnoT's quarters. In The /
lme cool manner he entered the
oom, and after chatting with the Ma
,r for lew moments, and finding
iat he had determined TO keep ali
carers OF shoulderslraps, The Colon
s,roIied oul. and, looking up the
.ack noticed that there also The
yards we're iiule negligent. Sill
ecping bis haads behind his back and
buried il deep thought, he
rolled up the track and passed the
ie guards. After walking slowly