Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-12-31
ADVENTURES on A UNION sOIBIER
HIS ESCAPE TROa COLUMBIA, SiUTH CAROLINA,
AND HIS WAKBERlA6S THROUGH North
CAR0LINA----AD AFFORDED BY
HEGR0ES---ARRlVAL At KNOX
VILLE---PERS0HAL
ITEMS.
CAMP NELSON, KY,
nacnTn har ~ 1881

EDITOR LEADER Thinking that an
item or two from this camp would be of
some interest TO some of your numerous
readers, take the liberty and send such
matters as have come under my notice. To
attempt to nsrrate at length on "the stu
alton of our armies, SC, is useless in mo
to undertake, as it would be too much ST.
ter the artesian style of literature.
To-day met Lieutenant J. FL. Reed, of
the 10th Illinois Volunteers, who had
made his escape from C5lumbis, South
Carolina, prison, and is on his way home.
His story was very interesting, yet some
what painful and sad-a portion of which
will relate. he was captured about nine
months ago in Mississippi, while under
General Sturgis' command, and taken to
Richmond. After enduring the sccus-
toned hospitality Of Libby Prison he was
removed to Charleston Harbor, where he
was placed under fire for several weeks.
When the yellow fever broke ont there
last summer, he was conveyed to Adner-
sOnviIle, and there remained in an open
pen with thousands Of others, until Sep
tember. Here he witnessed our boys
dying at the rate of about one hundred
daily for want of food and shelter.
Lastly he was transferred to Columbia.
At this place an opportunity presented
TFanlf to IN his 20 IN hn
ond Of November about q dozen Of them
made break and succeeded in getting
into the woods, taking with them some
salt and some meal Here they divided up
into squads of three and four, and separs-
ted, trusting in Providence and the North
Star in directing their difficult undertaking.
Knowing full well the fate that swaited
them ifthey were so unfortunate as to be
oVertaken and captured, they put forth
all the strength their feeble health
would bear and rather felt their
surface of South Carolina, subsisting on
burnt corn and sweet potatoes until they
reached into North Carolina. Here they
found a settlement of Union men, who vel
coined them with open arms aud plenty Of
food. After tsrrying here for a day OF
two, they set out with renewed energy
and hope of reaching the Union lines in
East Tennessee. A few days travelling
brought them to the somber Blue Ridge
mountains, and after much hard labor the
summit was reached. While roaming
through this wild, unnihabited region their
provisions gave out entirely. No game to
be seen or had except q wild mule, who
made his escape by darting instantly
into the thicket Onward they went
through this dismal region, travelling
chiefly by night, for four dsys without
food. On the fifth day they found some
chestnuts which gave them life and vigor to
push on. About this time, when death
itself almost stared them in their faces,
they were taking observations on the
mountain. They espied a small hut in
the distant valley; forthwith they start
cd and with much difficulty they reached
the spot and found il occupied By . negro
and family. They told the negro their
condition and asked for food +; he sent them
into the bush to wait awhile 1t was not
long before some well cooked chickens
| from Msssas' celler reached them clandes-
timely. Here they were conducted to an
other negro, who entertained then in like
manner and sent them rejoicing on the
underground railroad, until they reached
the Union lines near Knoxville, having
travelled 8 distance Of about four hundred
miles, which they accomplished in twenty
/ eight days-ragged, shoeless and destitute.
/ Fortunately they came seross Paymaster
Clarke at Knoxville, where they were paid,
| fed, clothed, and furnished transportation
home. Out of about two hundred who es-
capped from Columbia prison about the first
of November, only fifty haveas yet resched
and reported at Knoxville. Many have
doubtless been captured, while Others have
persisted on their way across the Blue
Ridge, and the Smoky Range Of mountains,
for want of food. The Leutenant's stste-
ment corroborates the many newspaper az
ticles We have sll read concerning the
treatment and mortality in those Southern
prisons. One pint of corn and cob meal,
and 8 small allowance Of Sorgho, was their
daily ration for each prisoner. He further
says the dsrBies take it as q good joke on
jeff Davis that he is arming the slaves to
fight in the Confederate ranks. He pre-
| d1cts CnRT JnIs HCE VIII DB TnB grand Dnafe
of the rebellion.
The Freedmsn's Aid Society of Cincin-
natl is accomplishing much good at this
place, in the way Of furnishing clothing,
Sc, to the hundreds of destitute women
and children belonging to oolored soldiers.
Rev. J. Vetter, of oberlin, is zealously la
boring in this cause here, to see that a
proper distribution is made.
Captain E. E. Stewart, of the Tooth Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, has recently been sp-
pointed A. A. Q. NJ. at this place, where
he enters upon his duties January l, 1895.
h