Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-09
STRANGER THAN FICTION.

After the battle of the Wilderness, Gen.
Lee set out to follow the Union forces, leav-
ing Col. Cronan with others to bury the
dead and care for the wounded. Among
the disabled on the confederate side was a
man named Smith, who had lost an arm in
the battle, and was strongly suspected OF
being Union spy. A council Of officers
was held TO decide the status OF the sus-
pected, when Cronan, dissatisfied with the
account he gave Of himself, insisted on his
being shot Smith, cool, bold AMI astute,
confronted the council with the air Of an in.
jured man, pointed out his shattered arm,
and asked WAS 1t thus that spies exc.
cuted the behests Of their employers? Was
it usual with spies to bear the brunt Of the
battle? Was il thus that Lee expected
the confederate wounded to be treated p
Col. Cronan retorted by observing that spies
not unfrequenty mingled in battle to avoid
suspicion; that the accused had been de-
tected in making inquiries respecting the
movements Of commanders, which ut the
least were calculated to arouse suspicion,
and that finally his explanation Of these sus-
picons circumstances was doubtful and I'M
satisfactory. At last vote was taken as
to his guilt. which resulted in his acquital,
Cronan casting his ballot for condemnation.
THE fortunes Of war" changed the stars
oil the Union were in the ascendant, the
cOnfe1eIates were pressed on all sides by
Grant, and Cronan was captured and sent
with eight others TO Florida, where they
were guarded by colored soldiers. The pris-
oners, relieved from the toll Of war, occu-
,ol Al, NIT MI IN off,
escape The colored women around the
prison, strange as it may appear, were the
the most devoted friends They procured for
them all the comforts they could command.
gave ali the intelligence they could obtain,
and, in short were the confdantes, advisers
and secret messengers Of the prisoners.
Constantly plotting, maneuvering, disSimu-
lating, the prisoners occupied themselves for
two months, when. one night, at a signal
from their female friends. they resolved to
try fortune. 1t was midnight, aud black as
Erebus. Rain poured down in a deluge, the
thunder crashed, the angry and incessani
Lightning rent the sky, Illuminating the heav'
ems with Iaomentary glow. Of lurid light
and the abysmsl darkness enVeloped the
earth. Ii was one Of those awful night
When nature covers, aud the brayest eKpe'
rience an undefQed sentiment Of fear. The
African race is naturally Superstitious, and il
was no wonder that the eolored guards be-
came dereliet aud took TO cover. This wal
the moments for the captives. Frustrating
themselves on the ground, they wriggled
snake-like, by slow and silent movement
toward the guards, with bated breath anC
glariDg eyes. Through the thick darkness
they could barely see them scattered her
aud there in the shelter of the trees and
other objects which afforded security from
the Temorseless storm. NOiselessy they
crept on. When they were within three fee
Of the sentinels they paused to concert sim
ultaseous action. and then with a suddeI
bound they sprang on them, disarmed anC
gagged them, and then held a council as Il
their next procedure. 1t was a fearful
crisis 10 a desperate adventure. Some coun
seled tying the guards TO trees to proven
them from spreading the alarm; others Il
put them 10 death as a more efhcaciou
means ofinsuring their silence while Cronan
with characteristic originality, proposed h
seize the guards as fugitive slaves, who wer
beyond the pale Of law and protection, an,
actly the kind Of plan to secure the con
currence Of bis desperate companions. The
caught the idea at once, aud marched tn
tied and gagged colored soldiers down
the seaside, seized u schooner in the harbol
and by daylight were sailing for Havan
with their late guards tied down 10 the vel
sells hold as marketable slaves. Arrived q
Havana, they sold the schooner aud thei
seven aslayes" for $1,000, which SUN bein
evenly divided, CrOnan with his share OF tn
spoil came back to the South, got married
and went Into business with 4 partner
New Orleans Nemesis pursues the eyi
doer, aud CronaD, instead Of attending to h
business, took 10 gambling as a more rapi
as well as a more easy way Of recruiting b
shattered fortunes Losing in play, he DIRE
surreptitiously from the funds Of the hrn
hoping by turn Of luck in cards to be abb