, 1864-05-06
INTERESTING NARRATIVE.
Among, nnd Escape OF
Rtchard 1clinaaDs 8th Ills. CnVa1ry.
from rhe Rebels.

" A. SPENCER,
Chaplain Sta Illinois Cavalry,
ny name is Richard Hellman, private In
Co. F. Sth Ill cavalry. In October last I
YVES detailed. with 3 number Of other men
from my regiment and brigade, and ordered
to report to Capt. lille, Of the LIST division
cavalry corps, as a cattle guard. Knowing
that 1t is soldiers duty to obey, and not to
murmur at any class Of duty, obeyed, and
had been for some time on duty in that ca.
pacity at the time Of my capture.
Our duties were numerous and 1abo1ious,
and night always found Us tired enough to
make us thankful to the :" man who first In
vtnted Sleep" though We adopted that exc
crated cutoff, s'early rising.' It was CHS.
toma1y for our cattle corral to be inside the
infantry pIckets, and therefore, With the ex-
cattle, the rest slept during the night, there
being only SIX in all, hTe sleeping and one on
duty.
| My four comrades md were sound asleep
and being awakened suddenly with loaded re-
volvtrs to our breasts re had no time to put
I our hands to the head OF our beds for CUR
arms, but were compelled to surrender or re-
| ctiye presentation of cold lead not yerY de-
! 6irAble- as We were arranged By tWos In our
| shelter tcnte, that is two men in each Of the
three tents, counting the man on guard, there
was no chance for concert Of action and we
were prissncrs-haying had no alarm and no
clancc tor re esistance. ought t. say, in jns-
| tice to the guard on duty that, 1t was very
| carly IN the morning when four men dressed
| in Federal Uniform came up to or camp up.
| parcntly u1 armed, and as there Was NO cause
| for apprehension, he allowed them to cpme
| up to him and was disarmed, his fears first
| bling allayed BY finding that more than ono
| Of the men be had often seen with the division
rebel spies.
After TIE were captured We were hurried
| npCu our horses and marched at 4 n 2id pace
! picket line, 60 pickles being in sight on either
| Side, marched to HARDWOOD Church, and
stopped that night At Steyensburg, and On
! ths third night reached Richm ond about mid
night, and then We commenced to learn whal
| it meant to be s'prisoners OF war; in q coau-
| try whose Inhabitants claim to be chfvalraus
| and Kind d-hearted: whose honor and hospital
| ity are lauded 50 highly By traitors South and
] rebel synpHthizer5 every ~here, but who in
their very capital, in the temple Of their Idol
I airy, commit deeds whose cruelty, who Q
wanton ferocity we're filter for saVages than
! thoee wno claim to be the special, chos.n
people OF the Most High God.
During the first .tEo weeks we were in
Scott's building, and aftera ards were re-
moved to Pemberton's building four weeks
lonler, when We we're ordered over to Belle
Island, where we remained nearly six weeks
longer, when ne were started southwark on
the cars for Americus, Georgia, 500 miles
from Richmond; and when within eight
miles Of Raleigh, North Carotina, We escaped,
h.xipg Travelled distance Of nearly zoo miles,
Of our escape was this: There were nearly
sixty prisoners In the car, and four guards at
one end, the door at the other end being
without guard, as 1t was locked. One Of
my comrades had an old knife with blade
broken off square, and, as. the car was dark,
the screws from the door with this impromp.
tn ecreW-driTer, and then saw that the door
could be opened: Waiting until we arrived
at the next station, VIC watched our oppor-
tnnity: When the train Ind just started
away from tie platform We opened the car
door and jumped into the darkness, seven
teen in nll thus making their escape
AL light thxt night We travelled, and be.
fore dayb1eak hid ourselves, the party Of sew
enteen being now broken up into several
truyeled for month and Eve days, travelling
nights and lying etili in the day time, keep
ing some one from our party on guard in the
outskirts OF our camp to prevent surprise.
During nearly ten days OF the time We were
concealed In Union neighborhood, whose
Withhold. Many times we found Union
avoiding conscriptiou. or where they lad fled
after escaping the rebel service.
Having guns, and some Of them fcyo1vers,
they were well prepared for defense, and
found shelter in long low sheds, built two
facing each other, a log fire between furnish
inG warmth for tile occupants Of both sheds,
These men had food brought them by their
wives or BY old men or children, aud renain-
ed many months undiscovered, OF when pur-
suit became too hot they would flee to some
DtlIer Hrnt for a time.
We reached Richmond the Sd Of November,
left Richmond for Belle Island the o1st OF
January, left Belle Island TOR Raleigh the 9Th
Of March; Lett the train at q station near Ra-
mouth, North Carolina, and reported to Gen
eral Wtss.!s On the 11tt of April. .rarpe bare-
footed and famisned, but all too GLAD to lad
ourselves safe and free again at any price.
Here We :ound every attention, ind were
warmly clad and v ell fed. and on our way to
We were deeply indebted to General Wes-
scls and his loyal North Carolina troops for
their many acts of kindness to Is, which /
make dou6ly paintul to me the sad fate of tic
gallant garrison of Plymouth, for they were
The f!Et Union troops We had seen during sl1 !
act Of kindness was doualv precious to us !!
because its contrast with the cruel neglect /
which had crushed Us before.
At scotts Building aud Pembe,ton's Build. |
ing We were tolern6iy comfortable though
our OPPORTUNITIES for pereonal clcanlipess |
avoid yef1nlu, Our diet too was yery scanty.
4 ppund Of corn bread day Yas the rerula. |
ton allowance, and two ounces Of meat onre
in three DAYS, but oftentimes the meat was
wanting, and the corn bread was not more
than half pound, and rarely wonld amount
drew government blankets and oycrcoats
herr md sn]d them to satisfy hnnper-yyhirh