Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-06-09

From Advance sheets OF THE Field. the Dun
geon, and the Escape" by Albert Il. Rich
ardson, Tfibuac Correspondent.
The Escape.
On that Sunday evening, half all hour
before dark (the latest moment at which
the guards could be passed, even by au-
thOrizcd persons, without the courter-
sign, my friends, Messrs. Browne and
Davis, went out to the Rebel hospital,
beyond the inner line of sentinels, as if
to order their usual medical supplies for
the sick prisoners. As they passed i'm
and out Il dozen times day, and their
faces were quite familiar to the senti-
nels, they Were not compelled to show
their passes, and Mr.. Browne left his
behind, with me. ....... .....u... ..... ...
a long box filed with the bottles i'm
which medical supplies were usually
brought, and giving II to a little lad who
assisted me in my hospital duties, |
started to follow them. =
AS if in great haste, we walked rap
idly toward the gate, while, leaning
against trees or stai,dihg III the hospital
doors, half a dozen of our friends look
cd on to see how the plan worked.--
When we reached the gate, L took the
box from the boy, and said to him, of
course for the benefit of the sentinel
+" | am going outside, to get these bot
ties filled. | shall be back In about iif-
teen minutes; and want you to remain
right here, to take them and distribute
them among the hospitals. DO not so
away, n0w.' - ...a. a..
The lad, understanding the matter
perfectly, replied: Yes, SIR" and j
attempted to pass the sentinel by mere
assurance. .s ....,.
! had learned long before how far n
man may go, even in captivity, 10y sheer
impudence = by moving right along,
without hesitation, with II confident
look, just as if he had right to GO AMI
no one had any right to question him.
On several occasions, | absolutely saw
prisoners, who had procured citizens
clothes, thus walk past the guards in
i think ] could have done it on this
occasion, but for the fact that it had
been tried successfully two or three
times, and the guards severely punisli'
ed. The sentinel stopped me With his
muskct, demanding: .... ......
Have you II pass, sir"'
Certainly, have pass" ! replied,
with all the Indignation could assume.
Have you not seen it often enough to
know it by this time?n
Apparently little confoundcd, he re-
piled, modestiy:
Probably 1 have, but they are very
strict with us, and l was not quite
sure.N
gave to him this genuine pass be-
longing to my associate:
HEADQUARTERS CoxFEDERATE SrArns)
MILITARY PRISON, SALISBURY, No,
december D, 1861. J
Junius II. Browne, Citizen, has permission
10 pass the inncrratc of the Prison, to assist III
carrying medicines to the Military Prison Hos.
pitfalls, until further orders
J. A. FUQuA,
Captain and Assistant Commandant Of rost.
We had speculated for long time
about my using spurious pass, and my
two comrades prepared several, with 4
skill and CXactncss which demonstrated
that, if their taients had been turned in
/ that direction, they might have mad,
first class forgers. But we finally con.
cludcd that the veritablc pass was bet.
ter, because, if the guard had any doubt
about 1t, I could tell him TO sond il tC
! headquarters for examination. The an.
swer returned would, of course, be thai
it was genuine.
But it was not submitted to any sucl
inspection. The guard spelled it or
slowly, then folded and returned it (,
me, saying:
"That pass is all right. know Cap
tain Fuqua's handwriting. Go on, sir
excuse me, sir, for detaining you"
| thought him very eXcusable unde
the circumstances, and walked out. NJ,
great fear was that, during the half hou
which must elapse before | could e,
outside the garrison, ! might encounte
some rebel officer or attuchG who knew
| mo.
Before ] had walked ten steps / saw
sauntcring to and fro on the piazza ol
the headquarters building, n desertel
from our service, named Davidson, who
recognized and bowed to me. l rather
thought he would not bctray me, but
was still fearful Of it. / went on, and /;
| few yards further, coming toward mt
! in that narrow lane, where Il was i'm
/ possible to avoid him, / saw the onC
rebel officer who knew me better thar
any other-who canc into my quarter,
| ucntly-Iicutcnan Stockton, tho
! post adjutant. Observing him i'm the
distance, | thought l recognized in hin
that old ill-iortunc which had so Ions
DDd stcadfastly baflled us.
When we met babe him good even
ing, and conversed for few minute.
upon the weather, or some other sub
jcct, in which did not feel any very
profound interest. Then he passed in.
| to headquarters, and sscnt OF. Yet 6
! few, yards further encountered a third
rebel named Smith, who was entirely
familiar with me, and whose quarters
! inside the garrison, were within twenty
feet Of my own. There were not q hal
dozen Confedc.ates abnat the prison
who were familiar with me, but il seem
ed as if at this time they were coming
together in Il grand convention.
| Not daring to enter the rebel hGspita
/ where | was certain to be recognized,
laid down my box of medicines, ant
I sought shelter in little out-building
While l remained there waiting for tht
/ coming of the blessed darkness, con
stantIy expected to see u sergeant, with
/ Il file Of rebel soldiers, conc TO take mt
back into the yard; but none came. II
was rare good fortune. Stockton, Smith
! aud Davidson all knew, if they has
I their wits about them, that | had nt
! more right there than in the village it.
I self. | suppose their UiOugiitlcsgncs.
! must have been caused by the peculiar
/ ly honest and business-likc look of thai
7 medicine box ......
AT dark, my two friends joined me
| We went through the gate in full sigh
of the sentinel, who, seeing us come
| from the hospital, supposed we wert
rebel surgeons or nurses. And then, OF
that dark, rainy Sunday night, the firsl
time for twenty months, we found our
selves walking freely in public street
without rebel bayonct before or be
hind us. .#
= Il ~ + I:
so, on that cold winter night, when
we were so stiff and exhausted that ",
could barely keep our seats on the irsasas
they had so thoughtfully furnished
those friends conducted US fifteen miles
and left us in Il Union settlement WI
were seeking.
1T was now five o'clock in the morn
ing. Leaving my companions behind
/ ! tapped at the door of iCg-iIousc,
| few feet from the road. where, thu
ground being covered with snow, W.