The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-01-27
John H. Morgan's Escape !!
How He Got Out of the Penifen-
~ fiary--CrOssed the Ohio Got,
Through Our Lines,
Etc, Etc.
AN INTERESTING STORY.
His own Account.


with an ovation on the 7th, on his arrival at
the rebel Capital The following highly in
teresting account of his escape from the Ohio
Penitentiary, and subsequent adventures, is
published in the Richmond Enquirer
Their beds .eads were small iron stools, fas-
tened to the walls with hinges. They could
be hooked up or lowered TO stand on the floor,
| and to prevent any suspicion, for several days
before any work was attempted, they made a
habit to let them down and sit at their doors
and read. Captain Hines superintended the
work. while General Morgan kept watch to
divert the sentinel, whose duty it was to come
| round during the day and observe if any
came in while Hockersmith was down under
| the floor boring away, and missing him, said,
"Where is Hoekersmith ?" The General re-
piled, "He is in my room, sick, and imme-
diately pulled document out of his pocket
and said to him "Here is a memorial 1 have
drawn up to forward to the Government at
Washington; what do you think of it ?''
The fell, W who perhaps could not read,
being highly hattered at the Generals conde-
scension, t,ok it and very gravely looked at it
| for several moments before he vouchsafcd any
reply. Then handing it back, he expressed
himself highly pleased with it. In the mean
i
came up, protesting to feel every unwell."-
This sentinel was the most difficult and dan
gerous obstacle in their progress because there
was no telling at what time he would enter
during the day, and at night he came regu-
larly every two hours to each cell and inserted
light through the bars of their door, to see
that they we're quietly sleeping, and frequent
ly after he had completed his rounds he would
slip back in the dark, with a pair of India
tbo;r 6
thing was going on. The General says that
he would almost invariably know of his pres
ence by {. certain magnetic shudder which it
would produce; but for fear that this acute
sensibility might sometimes fail he broke up
small particles Of coal every morning and
sprinkled them before the cell door, which
would always announce his coming
Everything was now ready to legin the
work; so about the latterapart of October
they began 20 bore. All were busy-one una
king a rope ladder BY tearing and twisting up
strips of bedticks, another making bowie
knives and another twisting up towels. They
labored perseveringly Tor fVsral days, ard af-
ter boring through nine inches of cement and
nine thicknesses of brick placed edgeways
they began to wonder when they could reach
the soft earth Suddenly brick fell through
What could this mean What internal
chamber had they reached? 1t was imme-
diately entered, and their great astopish-
ment and joy, it pf9Sed to be an air chamber
extending the whole length of the cells
Here Yves an unexpected interposition in their
favor. Hitherto they had been obliged to
conceal their rubbish in their bedticks,- each
day bnrning propcrtorate quantity of straw;
they had room enough fer all they could dig.
They at once comm enced to tunnel at right
angles with this air-chambcr, to get through
the foundation and day after day they bored,
day afier day the blocks of granite we're re-
moved, and the work before them seemed in
termiuable.
After twenty. three days of uuremitting Ia
Dor, and getting through granite wall of six
feet in thickness, they reached the soil They
tunn=led up for some distance. and light be-
gan TO shine. How glorious was that light.
1t announced the iulfllment of their labors,
and if Providence would only continue its fa-
vor, they would soon be free. This was the
M orning of the 26th day of November, 1868
The next night at IL o'clock, was determined
on as the hour at which they wonl1 attempt
their liberty. Each moment that intervened
was filed with dreadful anxiety and suspense,
and each time the guard enfersd increased
their apprehensions. The General says he
had prayed for rain, but the morning of the
9th dawned bright and beautiful. The even
ing came, and clouds began to gather. How
they prayed for them 10 increase If rain
should only begin, their chances of detection
would be greatly lessened. While these
thoughts were passing through their minds,
the keeper entered with letter for Gen. Nor
gan. He opened it, and what was his sur
prise, and l may say wonder, to find it from a
poor Irish woman of his acquaintance il Ken
lucky, commencing, ,s.My dear Gineral. feel
certain you going to try to git out of pris-
on, but for your sake don't you try it, my dear
n. l. L.
agin, and made to suffer more than you do
now.''
The letter then went on to speak of his
kindness to the Door when he lived at Lexing-
ton, and concluded by again exhorting him to
trust in God and wait his tine. What could
this mean? No human being on the outside
had been informed of his intention to escape,
and yet, just as all things wero nsarly ready
for him to make the attempt, here comes a
letter fom Winchester. Kentucky, advising
him not to "try it." This letter had passed
through the examining Office of Gen. Mason,
and tn en- through the hands of the lower off
cials. Wha. if it should excite their suspi-
cion and cause them to exercise an increased
vigilance2 The situation, however, was des-
perate. Their fate could not be much worse
AID they resolved to go. Nothing pog re.
manned to be done but for the General and
Col. Dick Morgan to chance cells. The hour
approached for them to be locked up They
changed coats, and each stood at the others
cell door, with his lack exposed and pretend
ed to be engaged in making up their beds
As the turnkey entered they 'turned in" and
pulled their doors shut. 800 siis'4'i as.s.
Six, eight, ten o'clock came. How eacf
pulse throbbed as they quietly awaited th,
approach of twelve 1t came-the sentine
passed his round-xall WELL After waiting,
| few moments to see If he intended TO sir
back, the signal was given, all quietly slipped
down into the air chamber, first stufing thei
i flannel shirts and placing them in bed the,
were accustomed to lie. AS they move
quietly along through the dark recess to th
terminus where they were to emorge from tn
earth, the General prepared to light a match