Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-03

Narrative Of the Escape OF Coionol Streight.
The following is an account Of the thrill
ling escape Of Colonel rsight, whom the
rebels detained with so much yigor.
But the dsy Of liberation from prison
approached for Colonel Streight. He knew
nothing Of the digging Of the tunnel un-
til G few days before it WAS finished. He
was the fifth to 90 cut and it was tight
squeeze = the colonel is somewhat alder
mamie in figure = but he managed to get
out. Dressed in citizens clothes, and his
haYersack well stuffed with dried beef,
tongue, and crackers, he ssssyed an sdieu
to rebeldom. Pursuant 10 previous agree.
ment that they sSould keep separated ss
much as possible, he started in company
with Captain Chamberlain. Il was about
9 PIX. when he left the prison. Passing
up Canal street two squares, they turned
20 the lefE and went into Second street,
thence going to the right and keeping on
the east side Of the town. At this early
hour in the evening it was impossible not
to meet and pass 6 good many but they
did so without exciting suspicion. Going
by the fortifcstions, they saw no one. TAX
ing q northessterly course, they continued
their journey, proceeding slowly and eau.
tiously, Of course, until An, when they
halted in dense wood close by the Chick
shOminy swamps, and remained the next
day. Several times during the day squads
Of rebels, out in search Of the missing pris-
oners, passed close by them, but happily
without discovering their place Of conceal
ment. At dark they started again on their
journey, crossing the ChickaLominy on
fallen tree, and, as good luck would have
it, encountering no piokeis. They got in
10 terrible thickef, and this night accom-
plished only five miles. They lay in this
thicket all the second day, and the Fl E.
quent firing Of guns about them materially
dissipated whatever Of poeticsl enjoyment
they might otherwise have derived from
their wilderness lodge. Thus far they had
slept but little in the day: but neverthe-
less on the third night they made another
start, now striking for the Psmuskey river.
The detours they had to make to keep them
selves under cover of the woods, and
swsmps totraVerse, made the journey slow,
and day light only found them midway be-
tween the Chickshominy and Psmunkey.
The next day they passed in a swamp
Rebel scouts were still proWling about,
but they ley low and quiet, and were not
discovered. They suffered greatly from
cold. Next night thsy reached the Pamun-
key, near Piper's ferry, and some ten
miles above the White House. How to get
across the river-which here, although not
very wide, is deep and dangerous, and the
weather meantime had reached degree Of
coldness making swimming an impossible
ity-Wss now the question, and it was q
difficult one TO solve. Thus far they had
sbstsined from coming in contact with any
one, Whito or black, They were compelled |
TO call in contrsbsnd assistance, and in ac-
complishing this were four days. At
length they got negro, and the negro got |
a boat, and in this way they got across the |
river. And now good fortune smiled on |
them. The negro turned them over to an
other negro, who piloted them fifteen miles |
down the opposite bank Of the river. As |
g good many OF the rebel soldiers, and par
tioulsrly the cavalry living in this Yicin
ity and Gloucester oUunty, were home on |
they still had TO move with eX-
ceeding caution. But the kindness Of the |
negroes saved them from capture. They |
were brought down 10 York river and set
across by q skif at BigeloWs Landing
From here they went down the river, pass
ing West Point nssdsylight. Here, seeing
no one save negro soldiers on picket was
the first positive assurance OF reaching
our lines. After the trying ordeal they
had gone through it was deeply crafty
ing TO see the stars and stripes again at
Williamsburg, which they reached in II
days and ore hour from the time Of leav-
ing Richmond.
The stories Of the remaining prisoners
are likewise full Of thrilling interest al
though in substance similar to that Of Col
onel Streight.
The North star and negroes were their
guides, and love Of liberty was their sup
port and sustenance.