Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-02-17
as,istelianeous.
Mr. A. D. Richardson's Ac-
count Of his twenty months
in Rebel Prisons.

How Men Feel under Bombardment-
! Thrilling Experimental Moment Of Sus-
! pense-Rebel Perfdy-How Union Victo-
ries Affect Prisoners The Tribune Corre-
spondents to be kept During the War
Particulars of their Escape-Stirring Adj
ventures among black and white Unionists
| An Unknown Hero-Dan Ellis, the
| Union Guide-"Out of the Jaws of Death,
Out of the Mouth Of He'll
The crowded columns Of newspaper
which is essentially, a thing of to-day,
afford room for but meagrc recital oil
the varied experiences Of twenty months.
We only attempt bare outline in the
p esent issue, rcserving for the future
some minutcrsdetails.
RUNNING THE vIcKsBuRG BLOCKADE.
The seven weeks since we escaped seem
to me longer than all the rest Of my life,
they are so crowded with stirring scenes,
But the twenty months in rebel prisons,
with their fearful ssdreariness and vacancy.
appear brief inleed---a ound in the
memory, which, when the balm of Free
dom was applied, instantly healed, lcav-
ing only 4 scar to show that the knife
was ever there.
1t was the evening of May 8, 1868,
when Mr.. Colburn and myself joined Mr..
Browne at Millikcn's Bend, % miles
above Vioksburg. Grants headquarters
were at Grand Gulf, So miles below
Vicksburg. Fighting had already begun,
and great battle seemed imminent: BY
going overland, on the Louisiana shore,
! if we safely ran the gauntlet OF rebel
guerrilas, we should reach our army in
two or three days. About three boats
out Of every four which attempted to run
the batteries, succeeded. II the expedi-
ton just starting survived the fiery Or
deal, it would deliver us at Grants head.
quarters in eight hours. 1t was clearly
our journalistic duty to take the water
route but inclination also joined with it.
We wanted 10 learn how one would feel
loo sing into the craters of those voicancs
as they poured firth sheets Of flame, and
volleys OF Shells
found out, to my fullest satisfaction,
rs we lay among the hay bales. gliding
slowly down the river, within hundred
wards Of the l0-inch guns, and With:
point blank range CT them. | thought il
might be a very good thing to DO once,
but that after we passed through it ny
curiosity would be permanently satisfied
During those long thrce-qlarters Of an
hour, Tounyscn'5 !iGes kept ringing in ny
ears
Cannon to right Of them,
Cannon 10 left If them,
Cannon in front Of thcm
Eollpyed and Numbered.
Stor,iod it by shot and shell,
l'l ly they rode and well,
Into the ws of Death,
loto the gates of bell,
Rode the six hundred"
1t was rather stirring. How the shells
hurtled against the sides of the barges,
aud screamed and crashed as they cx-
p!odcd On board, throwing up great four
taius Of fire
"Junius" would persist in standing up,
all exposed, to watch the coming shots.
Once, simultaneously with. the explosion
of Il shell he fell down heavily among
the hay bales. thiak never suffered
80 muca as daring the next few seconds
cf suSpcn and apprehension. l could
find 10 voice in which to ask if he lived !.
l dared not put forth my hand in the
darkness, lest it should rest on his mutila-
ted form. At last he spoke and relieved
our terrible anxiety. lie had only slip
ped and fallen.
That was u wonderfully effective shot
which disabled US. 1t first exploded the
boiler Of the tug, then Itself exploded III
the furnaces, throwing the live Goals over
both baraes. The hay bales instantly
caught like tinler, and blazel up in great
lurid sheets Of fame. Finally, the tu-
was cut in two by the she'll, and Went,
down like a pummet We looked in
vain; no tug was there. We were float
Ing and revolving hopcIessly in the ed
dies, while the batteries poured forth Il
hotter fire than at any previous time
For few minutes, between bombarding.
scalding, burning, and drowning, death
stared us in the face, in a good many diff
fcrent forms. 1t was less exciting than
one might expect. The memory Of it
impresses me far more deeply than did
the experience at the time.
IN yICKsEuRG AND JACKSON.
! We We're treated at first with all the
coui tcsy and kindness which prisoners OF
war could expect. Oar room was con-
tinual levce. Rebel officers and Journal
lists were constantly with us they sup
piled us with clothing, pressed money
upon US, and all talked much about the
war, but with entire courtesy. Our un-
expected and boisterous arrival created a
good deal of sensation and though
everybody on our expedition was a vol
unteer tone of the soldiers paid So for
the chance, and said afterward he would
not have been absent for twice the mon.
cyl the rebels didn't seem to understand
how anybody could have been on board
unless he was compelled to.
At Vicksburg the regular Agent of
Exchange, Major Watts, gave us our
formal, final, legal paroles. lie assured
us that we would not be detained at
Richmond, but were merely sent there as
tue shortest route for home, Grants mill
tary operations having suspended Aag-of-
truce communication at Vicksburg. Ma
jor Watts was pompous little officer,
and said, with a good deal Of self-impor-
tance "Gentlemen, you are long way
from home; but don't despond, for you
will soon return. L have met several
thousands of your men in the same pre-
n