The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-07-27
McGREGOR IOWA, WEDNESDAY, JULY 81, 1864.
How Gen. franklin Escaped...A Ro-
mantle Story.

lHovv Gen. franklin Escaped...A A0
mantle story.
Major Gen. Franklin was seated in ca
at the time of his capture alongside OF
wounded Lieutenant Colonel; when rebe
Colonel came in the car addressing himscl
to the wounded officer, said: "Arc yo'
Major General franklin p He replied tha
ne was not, and gave his name and rank
Gen. franklin was in citizens dress, bu
the rebel also put the question to him, ant
he, frankly, answered that such was hi
name and rank
There was no doubt in the mind Of Gen
Franklin, from the rebel interrogation, tha
he had been pointed out to the rebels bJ
some of the passengers.
The rebel Colonel said: General, l an
happy to see YOU"
The General r. piled: II cannot say tha
I am pleased to see you under the circum
stances"
About ten minutes afterwards Henry
Gilmore came into the car, and addressing
himself to General Franklin, said: Gen
eral you will consider yourself my pris
oner."
Gen. Franklin was then put into car
riage, and with other prisoners, driven
through the country, stopping while al
Towsontown, and then moving across to
Reistertown, where they arrived about one
o'clock on Thursday morning and imme.
diately bivouacked for the night.
The General was put into the custody ol
Capt Owens and two guards, who were
charged with his safe keeping. Expressing
himself as sick aud weary, he immediately
laid down and fejgned sleep. Soon the
captain and his guards laid down, and he
listened anxiously for indications Of sleep
on their part. He had not to wait long be.
fore he heard the guard nearest to him
commence to breathe heavily, momentarily
increasing in volume and profundity, until
it became sufficiently loud to wake an ordi-
nary sleeper.
The captain and the other guard had, in
the meantime, also commenced to breathe
rather heavy, and the General continued
with his ears open, to feign sleep. He laid
in this way for some time, until all three
gave unmistakable signs Of sleep. Fearing
that they were playing "possum," he got
up and walked carclessly around them,
moved over to the fence and still noticed
them. He then coughed loudly and made
considerable noise, thinking that they
wanted an excuse to shoot at him, as each
man was laying with their right hand
grasping the muzzles of their guns.
The indications of profound sleep being
so unmstakable 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 off he shot across several
fields, jumping the fences and keeping
straight ahead in the direction he thought
would take him towards the city. He ran
about three quarters of an hour, when he
entered thick wood, and in his weary
state, being really broken down by fatigue,
sought place of cOncealment.
He remained concealed for the balance Of
the night and all the next day, frequently
seeing from his hiding place the rebel scouts
searching for him, and securing the bushes
and the woods.
Finally, about sunset, almost famished
for water and food, he ventured out, having
come to the conclusion that freedom and
starvation was nearly as bad as being
prisoner.
He still kept in the woods, however, and
soon saw two men moving towards him,
carrying large bundles Of hay. He walked
up to them and asked what they were do,
ing with hay in the woods, when one Of
them replied: I'VE have had our horses in
the woods, to keep them out of the hands
of the id rebels, and We are going to
feed them" This reply was = sufficient
indication Of their sentiments, and he i'm
mediately made known to them the crcum-
stances Of his presence in the woods, and
who he was. They treated him most kind.
Iy and cordially dropped their hay and
conducted him by a secluded route to their
farm house, where he was most kindly and
Hospitality received by the family. Being
in neighborhood surrounded by rebel
sympa :hizers, and some of the rebel scouts
still prowling around apparently watching
for him, his whereabouts was kept pro-
found secret by his loyal host, who on
Wednesday. set about devising means of
getting him to this city. This he accomp-
lished, aid at midnight last night car
riage went out from the city and returned
with the General, feeling, as he expressed
himself, more free than ever he had before
felt in his life.
The name Of the gallant and patriotic
Maryland farmer is at present withheld,
for the reason that he has reason to fear
rebel retribution should any more of the
of Harry Gilmore be still in
his neighborhood.
The General is preparing to leave this
morning again for Philadelphia, to join his
family at York Pa, where he will spend a
few weeks to recuperate his shattered
health Baltimore paper.