The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1864-01-27

iiged to conceal their rubbish in their
bsdtieks, each day burning q proportion
ate quantity of straw; now they had
room enough for all they could dig
They at once commenced TO tunnel at
right angles with this air chamber, 10 &c,
through the foundation and day after
day they bored. day after day the blocks
Of granite were removed, and still the
work before them seemed iuterminable.
After tweniy-,bree days o! uursmit
ting labor. and getting through a granite
wall Of six feet in thickness, they reached
the soil. They tuuneIlsd up for some
distance, sud light began to shine. How
glorious was that light! Il announced
the fuIfllment of their labors, and it Prov
idsnce would only continue its favor, they
would soon be free. This WAS the morn
ing Of the 26th day Of November, 1853.
The next night, a, IL O'Clock. WAS deter
rhined on as the hour At which they
would attempt their liberty. Ercb mo
ment that interveae6 was filed with
dreadful anxiety and suspense, and each
time the guard entered increased their
apprshensions. The General says he
had prayed for rain. but the morning Of
the 9Th dawned bright and beastifuL-
The evening came, and clouds began to
gather. How they prayed for them to
increase! II rain should osly begin, their
chance Of detection would be greatly les
ssnsd. While these thoughts were na.s.
ing through their minds, the keeper en-
tered with letter for Gen. Morgan. lie
opened it, and what was his surprise, and
may say wonder, to find it from poor
Irish woman Of his acquain,sbce in Ken
lucky, commencing. my dear Ginral, l
feel certain you are going to try to get
ou. Of prison, but for your sake don't you
try it, my dear Ginral. You will only Le
taken prisoner again. aud made to suffer
more ihan you do now" The letter then
vent On TO speak Of his kindness to the
poor when he lived at Lexington, and
concluded by again exhort;ng him to
trust in God aud wait his time. What
could this meani No human beirg on
the outside had been Informed Of his in
tsntion to escape. and yet, just as all
things were ready for him TO make the
attempt, here comes a letter from Win.
chester. Kentucky, advising him not TO
try it, This letter had passed through
the examining Office Of General Mason,
and then through the hands Of the lower
officials. Whnt il ii should excite their
'uspisou and csuss them to exercise m
increased vigilaueei Their situation,
however. was desperate. Their fate could
not be much worse, and they resolved to
GO. Nothing remained now 10 be done
but for the General aud Colonel Dick
Morgan to change celia. The hou, ap.
preached for tfsm to be locked up
They changed coats, aud stood at the
Others cell door with his back exposed,
and pretended 10 be engaged in makiGg
up their beds. AZ the turnkey entered
they "turned in" and pulled their doors
shut Six. eight, ten o'clock came. How
each pulse tbrobbed m the , quietly a.
waited the approach Of t~slvel 1t came
the sentinel passed bis round-all well.
After waiting a few moments, to see il be
intended to slip back, the signal was Civ
Gu; al! quietly slipped down into the air
chamber, frs, sluffng their flannel shirts
and placing them in bed as they were
to lie. As they moved qui
city siong through the Dark recsss to the
terminus where they were to emerge from
the earth, the General prepared to light a
match. As the lurid glare fell upon their
countenancss,a "a scene was presented which
can never be forgotten. There were
couchsd seven brave mon who had re
solved to be free. They were armed with
bowie knives made out OF case knives.--
Life, in their condition, WAS scarcely TO
be desired, the moment for the desperate
chance had arrived. Suppose, as they
emerged from ths ground, hat the dog
should give the aI~rm-.bsy could .bu,
die.
But few moments we're spent 10 this
kind Of apprehension. The hour had ar
rived, and yet they came. Fortunately
yes, providsntialIy, the night bad sud
denly grown dark and rainy; the dogs
bad retired to their kennels, and the sen.
tinss had taken refuge under shelter
The inner wall, by the aid Of the rope
ladder, was soon scaled, and nov the
outer orc had to be attempted. Captain
Taylor (~ho, by the way, hs nephew Of
old Zack), being a very active man. bv