Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-03-10

gether in plain sight of the sentinel, Col.
H. with overcoat on, clinging to the arm of
W. and playing the part of decrepit old
man, who seemed to be in exceeding i'll
health and badly affected with consump-
tive cough In this manner the two passed
beneath the glaring gass-lihgts and through
the crowded streets without suspicion as to
their real character. .Af
When he struck the lamp post of the
city, said Col H., Strengthened up. laugh
ter and cheers.) In the transit he was very
much amused at the sympathetic looks he
received from ladies and others on account
of his broken-down condition. They took
ravine outside the city, avoiding all houses
On going about five miles they came to the
breastwork They. used great caution and
saw no guard. They went on about two
miles and then rested for the first time
among the graves Of the battle field of Fair
Oaks. In the morning at daybreak they
crossed the Chickahominy on fallen tree
They then betook themselves to a swamp,
and were looking for the most tangled
thicket to hide themselves for the day.
Just at this juncture Col. Fl. caughta glimpse
Of man and for moment thought they
were discovered. His momentary appre-
hension was joyfully relieved by the dis
covery that his new made acquaintance was
Col. McCleary Of Michigan, who together
with Capt Clark of Illinois, had escaped
from the tunnel with the first party that
went out, and were now passing the day in
the swamp like hunted negroes.
BY this time, the whole population had
been informed of the escape, and the coun-
try was alive with pursuers. The four
agreed to travel in company and hastily con-
cealed themselves for the day between logs
in tangled grove of holly. During the
day two rebels approached so near that
their conversation was distinctly, under
stood, and the reyeille of the rebel troops
and the hum Of their camps were heard on
both sides Of them. AT dark, the party
left their hiding places and cautiously pro-
ceeded south-easterly. When they left
Richmond, Coils. Hobart and West had
placed quantity of dried beef in their
pockets-sent the prisoners from the North
and On this they subsisted through their
journey. III
The first night they made about twenty
miles, just before daylight secreting them
selves in deep and thick pine forest, where
they remained during the day The whole
country was full Of rebel cavalry, the bugle
notes of which fell quite too frequently on
their ears to be relished. Friday night they
again made about twenty miles. Saturday
night, after almost miraculously escaping
detection, they found to their dismay that
they had lost their way. After consultation,
the others seereting themselves, COL Ho-
bart went up to the door Of negro dwell
ling and knocked. A voice from within
inquired who he was. After some parley
the door was opened, when large and good
looking negro made his appearance, saying
II know who you is. You'se one of dem
'scaped officers from Richmond" Col. II.
laid his hand on the negro's shoulder and
said. II am, and you are just the person |
wanted to see. / want you to help me
through" The negro asked if there were
any others with him. Col. II. told him.
He said they must not stay there, that the
road was picl1eted with rebel cavalry, who
passed up and down every hour looking for
the fugitives. The negro woman offered
COL II. some milk which he said did him
more good than anything he ever took be-
fore in his life.
The negro proved a sharp and shrewd
fellow, and he invited Col. II. to a private
spot at a distance in the field where the
party all assembled and held conference.
The result was that the negro engaged to
pilot them round the cavalry pickets. He
then conducted them through long cane
brake path, then through a low swamp,
then through several fields, and then di-
rectly over the road, crossing between the
cavalry and their videttes-the cavalry sit
ting on their horses not over thirty or forty
reds distant and accompanied them a mile
further on. They asked him to go with
! them, but he said he would not go unless he
could get his family away also. He was
slave As they were about leaving him, he
said to Col. H., ''Now, Mighty God, massa,
how soon is you all coming down here?
We all want to go wild you = Col. Il. told
him he thought we should be along very
soon. daughter and cheers,) He said he
had the name of that negro, and ne should
remember him, and his kindness to his dy-
ing day and should repay it if ever oppor-
tunity was given.
1t was now early in the morning of Mon
day. For 1--WE days and nights, this little
band of hunted and almost exhausted fugl-
tiyes, with the stars for their guide, had
slowly picked their way among surrounding