Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-03-04


The late rebel papers have been fsliCita ting
themselves upon the fact that among the es-
capped Libby prisoners Who had succeeded in
reaching our lines Col. SEA1GHT was not iu-
cluded, which afforded strong ground for hope
that he would be again taken and returned to
their custody-an event which would fully
compensate them for the loss Of the ffty odd
other officers who had succeeded in getting
beyond their reach. Considerable unsasiness
was also beginning~to be felt in the North in
regard to his fate, from the great length Of time
that had elapsed since their escape without
anything being heard OF him. He has finally
turned up, however, having in company with
Eve other officers, reached Washington last
Monday-thus blasting the hopes Of the rsb-
els, and relieving the anxiety Of the loyal peo.
pie of the North One Of his brother officers
furnishes the following interesting history Of
their adventures from the night they left Lib
by up to the time they entered our lines:
1t was about 9 P. M. when we Ieft the pri-
son. Passing up Cannal street TIVE squares,
they turned to the LEFT and went it on 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 good many, bat they did SO
without exciting suspicion. Going by the
Notifications they saw no one. Taking 3
north-easterly course, they continued their
journey, proceeding slowly and cautiously, of
course, until 4 A. M, when they halted in q
dense wood close by the Chickahominy sWamps
and remaining the next day. Several times
during the day squads of rebels, sent in search
of the missing prisoners, passed close by them,
but happily without discovering their place OF
eoncealment. Atdark they started again on
their journey, crossing the ChickahOminy on a
fallen tree, and, as good luck would have It
encountering no pickets. They got into ter
rible thicket, and this night accomplished only
five miles. They lay in this thicket all the
next day, and the frequent firing Of guns about
them materially dissipated whatever Of poeti-
cal enjoyment they might otherwise have
derieVed from their wilderness lodge Thus
far they had slept but little in the day never
theless, on the third night they made another
start, now striking for the Pamunky river
The detours they had to make to keep them
selves under cover of the woods, and swamps to
traverse, made the journey slow, and daylight
only found them midway between the Ohicky-
hominy and Pamunkey. The next day they
passed in swamp. Rebel scouts were still
prowling aoout but they lay low and quiet
and were not discovered. They suffered
| greatly from cold. Next night they reached
| the Pamunksy, near Pipers Ferry, and some
ten miles above the White House. How to
not very wide, is deep and dangerous, and the
weather, meantime, had reached degree of
coldness making swimming it an impossibiIi-
cult one to solve. Thus far they had abstain
ed from coming in contact with any one
white or black. They were compelled to cal l
| in contraband assistance, and in accomplish
| ing this were four days. At length they got
| . negro, and the negro got boat, and in this
way they got across the river. And now good
| fortune smiled on them. This negro turned
them over to another negro, who pill oted them
| fifteen miles down the opposite side of the
| river. As good many of the rebel soldiers,
and particularly the cavalry, living in this vi
clnity and Gloucester County, were home on
furloughs, they still had to move with ex-
ceeding caution. But the kindness of the ne
| groes saved them from capture. They were
brought down to York river, and set across
by skiff at BigsloW's Landing. From here
they went down the river, passing West Point
in daylight Here, seeing no one save negro
soldiers on picket, was the first positive as
sursnce of reaching our lines. -