The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-07-20
How Gen. Franklin Escaped.
Correspondence Of the y. Y. Times.

Correspondence OF the y. Y. Times
After the capture of the train Cen Frank
lin was put into carriage, and with other
prisoners, driven through the country, stop
ping awhile at TOwsOntOwn and then NOV
ing across 10 ReistertOwn, where they arri-
we'd at l O'clock on Thursday morning, and
Immediately bivOuacked for the night
The General was put into the custody of
Capt. Owens, and two guards, who were
charged with his safe keeping. Expressing
himself as sick and weary, he Immediately
laid down and ieigned sleep. soon aflel
the Captain and his guards laid down, and
he listened anXiously Tor indications Of sleep
on their part He had not TO wait long be-
fore he heard the guard nearest 10 him COM
mence 10 breath heavily, mOmentarily in
creasing in volume and profundity, until IL
became sufficiently loud 10 wake any Ordina-
~ sleeper The Captain and the other
guard had, in the meantime, commenced
TO breath rather heavy, and the General
continued, with his ears open, TO ieisn
until all three gave unmistakable signs OF
sleep. Fearing that they We're playing
"pOssum," he got up and walked around
them, moving even 10 the fence, and still
noticed them. He then coughed loudly
and made considerable noise, thinking that
they wanted an excuse to shoot at him. a.
each man was lying with his right hand
grasping the muzZle of his rifle.
The indications OF profound sleep being
unmiStakable on the part Of all three Of them
he now thought he would test the sincerity
Of their slumberS by jumping the fence
This he did, and on looking back could see
no movement of the dusky forms Of his
guards, and he shot across several fields
jumping the fences and keeping straight
ahead in the direction he thought would
take him TO the city He ran Tor about
| three-quarters Of an hour when be entered
a thick wood, and in his weakly state, being
really broken down by fatigue, sought "a
place Of conceament
He remained concealed for the balance
of the night and all the LeXi day, frequently
seeing from his hiding place The rebel scouts
searching and securing the bushes and the
woods. Finally, about sunset almost fam
ished for water aud food, he ventured out.
having come 10 the conclusion that freedom
and starvation was nearly as bad as being
a prisoner.
he still kept in the woods, however. and
soon saw two men moving toward him. car
rying large bundles OF hay He walked up
TO them and asked them what they were do
ing with hay in the woods when one OF
them replied We have hid our horses in
the woods TO keep them ont OF the hands OF
the id rebels, and We are going to feed
them" This reply was a sufficient indica-
ton Of their sentiments, and he Immediately
made known TO them the circumstances vi
his presence in the woods, and who he was.
They greeted him most kindly, and cordl-
ally dropped their hay and conducted him
by secluded route TO farmhouse, where
he was most kindly treated and Hospitality
received by the family. Being in a neigh
borhood surrounded by rebel sympathlsers
and some OF the rebel scouts still proving
around apparently watching for him, his
Whereabouts was kept profound secret By
MS loyal host, who, on Wednesday, devised
means Of getting him to the city.