, 1865-02-09
AN ESCAPE FROM A SOUTH
E1kN PEN.

bustion so rapid, that le would be unable to
effect his own escape.
AN ESCAPE FROM A SOUTH
E1kN PEN.
Interesting Narrative of an Escaped
Correspondent. |
William E. Davis, one Of the correspondents
who nude his escape from tho prison pen at
Salisbury, with Messrs. Richardson and
Brown, contributes to tho Cincinnati Ga-.tte
The following interesting particulars Of the
escape:
Sunday evening, December IS, Vas one Of
those dark, rainy and disagreeable evenings,
that people at home enjoy BY sitting around
q cheerful fire, and 1t required some nerve to
leave our prison quarters, miserable IS they
were. We started, and. were very successful
in making our exit, but how changed did VIC
feel when once outside those dreaEy wallis
every noise aroused us, and We were con-
stantly on the Qui rlre for fear Of detection
and recapture.
TwKNTY-FoUR HOURS WITHOUT WATER.
Our first night and day WAS spent in barn
not far from the town and hero we remained
twenty-fo hours without any water to drink.
and at an appointed place met brother 4
"hero" connected with the prison, who gave
rs some valnablesdirections. Our first tramp
then commenced, and after travelling until
We were about tired out, and supposi9g 1t 3
long distance, we came to road which VIC
our starting point. We were now satisfied
that our travelling could not be very speedy,
and governed ourselves accordingly. The
gray Of dawn found us about seven miles on
our journey. Having no friends in that Sec
lion, we went to the woods to remain during
The H0E Thu In which 9En1Ehn
along fences, under bushes and through the
woods to avoid being seen that morning while
bunting secluded spot, was 1udicfons In.
! 5eed. We remainel quietly in thfckct Of
pines all day without any fire.
TIE NEGRO OUR FIRE BT NIGHT AND CLOUD
IT PAT.
Having tasted iorty-eisht hours, it became
I necessary to make our first efforts to procure
| something to eat. The white people wcro
| but the experiences Of others and the craving
| Of our appctites gave us courage. and wo
| made tie effort. 1t was successful, the negro
| without asking any questions immediately
brought large loaf OF corn bread which nc
soon ale. At his request we waited until
we were bountifully fed. The negro then
| guide us to the main road, distance Of two
| miles, aud gave us directions where to stop
next morning. During tlss night tue rain
! fell In torrents, and with the cold We FeEc
| In pit!able condition. At the break Of day
| We hailed negro yet in his bed, who directed
! ns to an old barn, where ho thought 1t safe to
remain.
BCRIED IN BARN.
| We proceeded there forthwith, and found in
It large ma63 Of corn husks. There we
buried ourselves, wet clothes and all, and
there remained with no very pleasant feel
ings until night. Just before dark ne could
| l.. .
One had lost bis boots, another haversack,
and man who above all Others needed d
hat, sought anxiously, but In; rain, for that
article.
| THE KINDNESS OF SLAVES.
! By the kindness Of the negroes VIC were
| provided with fire to dry our clothes, and 9
good supper, and my friend received q hat d.
! rectly from the head Of veteran African.
From thi. place We were guided and directed,
secreted and fed by the slaves for about sixty
mi1cs-tzayeling in the night, and hiding in
the woods Or III basns during the day.
THE NECESSITY FOR CAUTION.
Our nerves bccamc very sensitive to every
excitcmcnt-and the bark OF dog had be-
come, abore all things, exceedingly annoy;
every eye was strained to see the CAUSE. We
we'll knew from the experience OF numerous
persons who had been returned to prison at.
ter many days and sometimes weeks on the
fame journey, that the knowledge Of the
presence Of d "Ynnkee " in ! neighborhood
would bring out every man, boy and dog to
hunt him. We we're therefore very cautious
-" fankinG" the dwellings, and often walk
ing On tiptoe over the frozen ground.
OUR ONLY IED1sCRETox.
| With all our care TIC committed one indlscre-
| tion-we inquired at house the way to
must PASS. We obtained the Information and
proceeded on the rond, discussing with some
difference Of opinion" whether our informant
was Union man or not. As the day WAS
duwning, we concluded to take to the woods
for the day, and had selected cluster Of
Ing Of a twig was heard, and the keen cye Of
one Of the party discovered man who Was
following on our trail. We hailed him, but
upon our approach he beat hasty retreat,
aid we then, for tho first time, felt that we
had been pursued with view Of ascertaining
our hiding place. He no doubt anticipated
fine 'hunt' that day. Our very limbs re-
cciTed new strength, and our decision WAS
very soon made tO place as much distance be-
tween him and ourselves Is strength and
time would allow. The start seemed fayora-
bic, for he went one way very speedily, and
we the other, but knowing the fate Of many
others, in similar circumstances, We hastily
but cautiously fled over hIl1s and valleys,
Though woods and around the plantations,
for n distance Of probably five miles. We
u
cd lie balance Of the day. Sleep was out of
the question, for our liberty was to precious
to be lost by any want Of vigilance. Tie
hours passed wearily, but st last the much
desired darkness came, and VIC felt safe.
FOUR DAIs' REST.
On the sixth night Of our journey we met
the first Union whites. and they received us
rarely scen among relatives. They gave us Of
the best Of all they had nursed one Hho was
sick, and made us so comfortable That our
wesricd bodies and crippled limbs were ready
for the journey after rest Of four days. Dur.
ing the days of our rest many Incidents Of
''Home Guards' are always looked for By
t these Union people, and the men never enter
the houses without having the women OF
\ children to stand 4'on picket.n This duty
was performed by them for cur safety, and
the frequent approach Of persons during the
day caused us to seek the nearest hiding places.
: We repaired to cellars, garrets, corn cribs
and stables, and in some instances were com
pelled to get under the beds-not caring as
much for dignity as safety.
THE ONION PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND
THEIR PRIvATIoNs.
We were rested, and duty prompted us to
move On. After receiving The "God bless
you" Of these good people, our march was
Continued, passing through the county oi
Wilkes, which, from the large number Of
Union men in it, Is called the "Ola United
: States" We entered Wautauga county.
condition Of society. fhe Union men have,
, from the prosecutions Of the rebels, been
robbed Of nearly all they hare. The 1lm1lies
Of some live in huts, hastily and rude1y con.
J structcd, their houses having been burned
. | by the rebels. The men remain In the woods,
always bearing their trusty rifles. determined
to die rather than fight in such an unholy
| | cause. They await anxiously the SUCCESS o1
the Unicn' arms, and are ready to assist In
, the contest when opportunity offers. Their
in their houses for two years. The women
perform all the outdoor labor, and thereby
: furnish food for the whole family. These
men were numerous, and their kindness t0
us can never be forgotten. They showed us
paths over the mountains. md went with us
:. 10 flank the guards. The snow on the noun
tains was deep, and rendered 1t very unsatt
for Us to travel. Our tracks could be easily
: seen, and had the rebels yentured SO far from
: | the road as to get on our trail, our rccapture
would have been certain; but kind Provi
> dence guided and protected Us. through tht
:; counties Of Johnston and Carter the Union
! its we're numerous. os we travelled through
, three townships or districts IN which not ont
, secession vote WAS cast at their election.
DAN. ELLIS, TIE SCOUT.
I In Carter county We Joined party Of refu
F cees md returning Federal soldiers Of Ten
{ nessec 1cgimcnts-they were seventy In mum
q lew had guns These were commanded b.
6 Captain Dan. IEllis, q man well known b.
i. every person in the State, as well for hi
d genial and gcntiemanly department as for hi
r. unhinchinng bravery and superior M skull as
years been constantly in this business, an
= has brought from Western North CaTolin
and East Tennessee, over one thousand #
c11lits for the Federal army, most Of whoE