The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-03-05
From The Washington Star. Feb. 49,.
The Escape from the Libby-An
Interesting Narrative.
ICGNCil nED. |

lCoHIhl hED.
Once out. they pro'eeled up the street,
heeping in the shade Of the buildings, and
passed eastwardly through the city.
A description Of the route pursued ny this
party and OF the triDulaii"ns through which
they passed will give some idea of the rough
time they all had of it. Col. kendrick had
before leaving the prison mapped out his
take was the one towards Norfolk or Fort.
ress Monroe. as there were fewer Rebel
piekets in that direction. They therefore
kept the \ ork River Railroad to the left
sud moved toward the Chickahominy River.
They passed through Boar Swamp and
crossed the road leading to Bottom Bridge.
Sometimes they waded through mud and
water almost up to their necks, and kept
the Bottom Bridge road to their left although
at times they could see and hear the cars
travelling over the York River Road.
While passing through the swamp near
the Chickahominy, Col. kendrck sprained
his ankle and fell Fortunate too, was tina,
fall for him and his parry, for while he was
lying there one of them Glanced to look up,
and saw in u direct line with them a swamp
bridge, and in the dim outline they could
perceive that parties with muskets were
passing over the bridge. They therefore
moved some distance to the south, and at
ter passing through more of the swamp,
reached the Chickahomny about four miles
below Bottom Bridge. Here now was a diff.
ticuity. The river was only twenty feet
wide, but it is very deep, and the refugees
tnt cd
however to look up, Lent Bradford saw
that two trees had tallen'on either side OF
the river, and that their branches were in
terlocked. By crawling up one tree and
down the other, the fugitives reached the
east side of the Chickahomny, and Col.
kendrick could not help remarking that he
believed Providence was on their side, else
they you'd not lave met that Natural Bridge.
They subsequently learned from friendly
negro that had they crossed the bridge they
had seenthey would assuredly have been re-
captured, for Capt. Turner, the keeper ofLib-
by Prison, had been out and posted guards
there, and in fact had alarmed the whole
country, and got the people up as "a vigilance
committee to capture the escaped prisoners.
After crossing over this natural bridge
they laid down on the ground and slept un'
til sunrise or the morning of the llth, when
they continued on their way, keeping east
wardly as near as they could. Up to this
time they had had nothing to eat, and were
almost tamished About noon Of the llth
they met several negroes. who gave them in.
formation as to the whereabouts of the Reb.
ell pickets, and furnished them with food.
Acting under the advice of these friendly
negroes, they remained quietly in the woods
until darkness had set in, when they were
furnished with comfortable supper by the
negroes, and after dark proceeded on theil
way, the negroes (who everywhere showed
their friendship to the fug'ives) having frs
directed them how to avoid the Rebel pick.
cts. That night they passed camp O
Rebels, and conld plainly see the smoke ane
camp fires. But their wearied feet ga"t
out, and they were compelled to stop anc
rest, having only marched five miles tha
day.
They started again ut daylight on the 18th
they saw a negro weriiug in a field ano
called her to them, and from her received
directions, and were told that the Rebe
plckets had been about there looking iol
the tugitIvcs from Libby. Here they laid
low again, and resumed their journey when
hallel until the morning Of the l4th, When
the journey was resumed.
AT one point they met u negroe in the
field, and she told them that her mistress
was Secesh woman, and that she had son
in the Rebel army. The party, however,
were exceedingly hungry. and they deter
mined to secure some food. This they did
by boldly approaching the house and inform.
ing the mistress that they were fusitives
from Norfolk, who had been driven out by
Butler and the Secesh sympathies of the
woman were at orce aroused, and she gave
them OF her substance, and started them on
their way with direction how to avoid the
Yankee soldiers. who occasionally secuted
in that vicinity. This information was ex.
cyrdingy valuable to. the refugees, for by it
they discovered the whereabout of the Union
forces.
When about fifteen miles from Williams.
burg, the party came upon the main road,
and found the tracks of large body Of
cavalry A piece Of paper found by Capt.
Jones satisfied him that they were Union
cavalry; bat his companions were suspi
cious, and avoided the road and moved for
ward, and at the Burnt Ordinary" (abou'