The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-05-04
HOW 4 UNION MAN ESCAPED FROM
THE SOUTH.---A THRILLING STORY

Colonel Montgomery, formerly editor of the
Wicks0urg Wing. who was imprisoned by the
rebels for his Union sentiments. recently ad
dressed the Union League. in Washington, aud
relaled the following story in the course Of his
address.
One year ago last November, l was in Jail in
NIcksburg. condemned 10 be shot | escaped
one day; ran home 10 ny wife and lettle ones
Ii was about noon; train would leave the CITY
al taree o'clock ! told my wife 10 pack up
our trunks and We must 20; She packed them
and sent them 10 tn depot by negro. and
then followed With our little girl aud boy.
while | went around outside the Town. met the
train going through a cut, jumped aboard aud
all went well till ~e got 10 holly Springs /
must 20 TO Memphis fifty miles and no rail
road, and the most of the way through rebel
piekets- i must get pass AID a conveyance #
could. | went 10 the General Office he was
away, but bis adjutant was there aud said il
was OF no use to ASK for pa il was JEFF.
Davis son and had my mother with me / could
not be passed 10 that direction. talked with
him about other things; 4 asked him down to
take drink. lie drank and / talked. | told
him bow many AdJutants l had known, aud
what smart men they were. and that | thought
HIN the smartest Of all, and was sure when his
merits were known he would lie at the head OF
ali the AdJutanis in the cOntederacy. The Cen
eral came at last, and the AOjutaut begged him
10 grant pass to this very particular friend Of
his. TO take his wife and children TO Memphis
and return. was particular about the return.
tie gave the pass, but il did not cover con
veyance, and there was none tO be had Then
The telegraph brought the news of NY escape.
md u 20 I,...
The AdJu ant had the order. and he told me TO
GIT. Do you know what git meanss Well. |
tell you, IN such a case il meaHs to-oifl The
Adjutant had endorsed me as his friend. he
was afraid he bad bis foot in. so he wanted me
to GIT, and did. My vile made a bundle OF
what clothes the children must have. | mt il
on my back, took my little boy by the hand she
TOOK the little girl, and we started on foot for
memphis 1t was day of scOrchinc heat. the
thermometer above 80 : the burning sand six
inches deep NV f',l =. ~.
little BOY with no nat, anu my VIE Win only
IN soi.d eiinra-o on. worth about forty cents,
bat Tor which paid Sl0 hard cash. There was
10 getting out of that burning sun and burn
ing sand. and as We went on, oh, nv God the
screams of those little children the red frey
streaks ran up their white ankles; every step
was agony, and every breath We dragged
them on. Every moment we expected 10 hear
the cOuricrs behind coming for me- Nv wife
and little girl were before me, the little boy
was too young to keep up with them. AT every
rise Of ground my wife would turn and look
to see it q messenger were coming for me- One
time as She stood so my little boy reached her
his poor feet all red and blistered, his curl.
matted to his head with Precipitation, with both
hands clinging 10 her dress, and his dusty tear
ful face listed to hers be cried out, 90. nam
ma. can't you see our home now?'
So we went on all one day: At night ",
stopped at an ovcrseer's house. where We wer,
permitted to stay They were poor but kind
A bed was made upon the floor for US, but the
agony the children suffered was 80 great thai
they could not sleep. exhausted a. they were
We bound their little feet In cloths. and | sci
up all night 10 keep cold water on them; thel
they could sleep. II in my stupor and exhaus
ton chanced to forget myself, their shrek
quickly awakened me again. In fhe morning
we had To start; there WAS no staying here
Those poor little feet, burn all dav and soakct
al night looked n if they bad been parboiled
vet bli>terrd a they were. swollen till shape
less. and streaked with red and purple aud blue
they must 20 into that blruing sand again o
my God, NY God those cries, will thine aveng
ing angel gather up the tears that bedewed th
path. tears from those helpless little ones il
their awful agony (He covered his face will
/ bis hands and then resumed). But We dragge,
/ Them on | don know how il happened tha
+ | did not notice when the little band slipped
from mine, but from whatever distraction O
mind was in was startled by a shrek that i
ringing in my ears vet. aud looking back | saw
nv little boy lying in the sand in the road be
hind me. IL could not walk another step, an'
thought had lett him TO die put nv pscl
on one shoulder and laid him across the other
with his burning cheek 10 mine. and his ho
breath tanning my face. His mother and siste
had gone on. and were sitting on the grass IN
der a tree waiting for us. Little Freddy sav
them and said:
Papa. do mamma and sister see our hom
now?"
said yes"
Well said he, If Ponto sees them he'
know m coming and he'll run past them, an
I'll call him and get on bic back and rid
home. and then You won't have to carry ne
will voa papa POnto was great dog We la
AT home.
laid the child down on the grass beside hi
mother she told NE then that she could NJ
90 a step farther There we were. Present.
nv wife saw cloud OF dust in the distance.
saw it too.
1t is the courier coming for you" she sal,
90 ne " III AahC W ilNiu US anu -. :" ldl ~
become Of yOu-what VIII become Of Us. bel
! alone
looked up and saw that the man was in
! small buggy-lsst room enough for him and L
: 30 provisions for my family. Ny poor vi
2 was on her knees-her face was white as marbi
! and cold She was trying 70 pray. but she on
: repeated over and over again, - o, my God
! nv God,' not another word would come. | p
nv hand on her shoulder and said Ny de
e there Is but one man, and 10 one nan takes 4
D from you to cay"
E The man in the buggy drove up. He stopp'
: and looked 1t u. Said be, II see you are ira
2 cling 3"
e "No .;r," said l. travelling and have quit
e We'll, you don't live hereabouts -
a "No"
Y "What is your name -
d Montgomery
e He looked at the feet Of ny little ones lyi
1 on the grass Have those children got :
v small poI 81
q NO
Of "The measles 3
: "No~
= "WeN, what have they got;'
,e "My dear sir, they have got just as rear no
ing as it is possible for human being TO get