Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-08
STRANGER THAN FICTION.

AFTER the Battle of the Wilderness,
Gen. Lee set out to follow the Union
forces, leaving Col Cronan, with others,
to bury the dead and care for the wound
ed. Among the disabled on the Confed-
crate side was man named Smith, who
had lost an arm in the battle, and was
strongly suspected Of being a Union spy.
A council or officers was held to decide
the status Of the suspected, when Cronan,
dissatisfied with the account he gave of
himself, insisted on his being shot.
Smitb-cool, bold ard astute-confronted
the counsel with The air of an injured
man, pointed to his shattered arm, and
asked: Was it thus that spies executed
the behests of their employers? Was it
usual with spies TO bear the brunt of bat
tie? Was it thus that Lee expected the
Confederate wounded to be treated?" Col
CrOnan ret0rted by observing that spies
not unfrequently mingled in battle to
avoid suspicion; that the accused had
been detected IN making inquiries respect
ing the movements of commanders, which
at the least were calculated to arouse sus-
piclon, and that, finally, his explanation
of these suspicious circumstances was
doubtful and unsatisfactory. At last a
vote was taken as to his guilt, which re-
suited in his acquittaI, Cronan casting his
ballot for condemnation
"The fortune of war; changed, the
stars Of the Union were in the ascendant,
and the COnfederates were pressed on all
sides by Grant, and it befell Cronan to
taste the bitter life of war. He was cap
tured and sent, with eight others, to Flor
ida, where they were guarded by colored
soldiers. The prisoners, relieved from
the toll of war, occupied them
selves with plotting to effect their
escape. The colored women around the
prison, strange as it may appear, were their
most devoted friends. They procured fol-
them all the comforts they could com
mand, gave them all the intelligence they
could obtain, and, in short, were the con-
tidants, advisers and secret messengers of
the prisoners. Constantly plotting, ma
neuvering, discriminating, the prisoners
occupied themselves for two months,
when one night, at signal from their
female friends, they resolved to try for
tune. 1t was midnight, and black as Ere
bus. Rain poured down in deluge, the
thunder crashed, the angry and incessant
lightning rent the sky, Illuminating the
heavens with momentary glow of lurid
light, and then abysmal darkness envel-
oped the earth. 1t was one of those awful
nights when nature covers, and the BRAY
est experience an underlined sentiment of
fear. The African race is naturally super
Stltlous, and it was no wonder that the
colored guards became derelict and took
to cover. This was the moment for the
captives. Frustrating themselves on the
ground, they wriggled, snake-like, by
slow and silent movement toward the
guards, with bated breath and glaring
eyes Through the thick darkness they
could barely see them scattered here and
there in the shelter of trees and other OBJ
jects which afforded security from the
remorseless storm. Noiselessly they crept
on. When they were within three feet
OF the sentinels they paused to concert
simultaneous action, and then with a
sudden bound they sprang on them,
ulsarmed and gagged them, and then
held council as to their next procedure.
IL was a fearful crisis in desperate
adventure. Some counseled tying the