New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-23
nv 0SIsRzSs sRzPUBLl0AN SUNDAY, lf1lL 81 1879

| nation Of their escape. KNEW nov that
must have bean hunted down amona
the first, and felt that had acted wisely
in not casting my lot With them. Dahl.
gren's raid occurred about this time,
AID excited the widest approximations.
Richmond fairly boiled with excitement,
and military scrutiny became 90 riQid
that my friends declared that must de.
fer oil thought Of getting away until the
departure of another train. This I re-
luctantly. but still wisely, consented to
do. But at last the long expected day
came, and, furnished with q passport
bearing the name of Moses Parish "a real
person, who was unable to 60 with the
train on account Of sickness, and whom I
was to personste), / babe farewell to my
kinds deliverer and walked over to the
rendezvous with q bold air. Tho officer
in command of the train scrutinized my
passport and then me, and put me
through q severe catechism. had ex-
pected this, and was we'll prepared for it.
My story was that I was native of Balti-
more. who had enlisted in the Union
army, and had deserted and found my
way to Richmond after the battle of Chan
L
promptly and consistently, and he at last
told me to mount my wagon and he
would ''see about me-"
II don't know you," he said, stand,
therefore, I put no confidence at all in
you. If catch you trying to get across
the Potomac I'll put bullet through
you, so look out.
I had been training and disciplining
myself for the dangers that I must en-
counter in this bold effort to escape.
had thought of all the ways by which
aroused suspicion and the effort to dis
cover might approach me, and I was
therefore able to appear perfectly cool
and sat home" in this situation. We left
the city, great empty train full half q
mile in length, With several companies of
cavalry as escort, and wound along slowly
toward the southern Potomac. There
was incident enough, and excitement too,
every day while stayed with this train, to
make story of itself; but nothing hap
pened to bring me into danger until We
reached the Pamunkey. The water was
high, and the whole train crossed on
boats. was leaning on the rail looking
into the water, when q Yesounding slap
fell on my back and q loud voice ex-
claimed:
"Hallo, Porter! who'd have thought to
see you here?"
may remark here that for two weeks
before left Richmond the widow and nv
friends there had called me nothing but
Moses Parish. The idea was continually
in my head-don't recognize your own
name! I turned now, slowly but deliber.
ately, and faced my kind friend the train
master.
''That's not my name, SIR" said, ssbut
I'm on hand for duty"
"The ID it isn't! and the ID Won
are! he said snappishly. ''Now, don't
You are Captain Porter, of the Yankee |
cavalry, who escaped from the Libby just
before Streight and his gang"
His hand was on my shoulder; he |
looked me squarely in the eye. It was a
critical moment for me, because / knew |
hat he had it in his mind to put me I'M
Ter guard and take me back to the Libby
IN mere suspicion. never finced from
lis look, but answered sturdily:
'You are mistaken, sir; was never in
he Yankee cavalry, or in the Libby.
"Well-who are your"
"Moses Parish, lately from Baltimore.
enlisted"
"There- enough of that! If you amt
}aptain Porter you are likely to be some
'ther escaped Yankee prisoner"
He was called away just then, and the
ubject passed from his mind for the time.
saw him occasionally afterward, and as
10 did not renew his attentions to me l
oncluded, with q great sense of relief,
hat he decided not to put me under
uard. He may have reasoned that 1
ould be watched until the train returned
, Richmond, and that after thus getting
ne benefit of my services he could re-
ort me to General Winder, and ascertain
there was anything in his suspicious.
1t my conclusions were correct the lieu
'nant found reason afterward to repent
his decision. We reached the neigh
orhood of the Potomac, and watching
y opportunity one dark night, when we
ere parking the train and everybody was
1sy, detached mule from the wagon
drove and rode him to the river as fast I
! could make him go. I was 80 lucky
to find q, negro with boat in q few !
inutes, and was safe across before there
as any sign of pursuit. jumped ashore, :
I'd in my exultation I caught up hand
i of the sand and shouted, maryland '
y Maryland" soon found one of our t
valry camps in the vicinity, and by the {
lip I received there I was enabled to t
ach Washington in few hours had
It been in the city half day before 1 .
IS closeted with the Secretary of War,
wing him a full account Of n,y expe- !,
,nces. There is good reason to say that Y
gave him information that proved of q
~ great importance to the Union o
use.-Neu Kork Times.