The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-03-01
Rebel Prisons.

On emerging into the open air, our fugitives
took a survey of the situation lesurely. The
tobacco yard was surrounded by high fence,
except npon the side next the canal, where was
a structure of brick with an arched gate way
through it, and this gate they found to be un-
taste ned. At the street corner ten feet distant
was gas lamp post and at the opposite corner
of the street was a seminal not more than fifty
feet distant. The gas lamp threw strong
light upon the gate way.
All this seemed to be embarrassing, butthere
was no help for it; SO waiting until the senti-
neps back was turned upon his beat, few
men slipped out quietly, and were soon in the
shadow, 80 as not to attract the sentiners at
tention. In this manner they all succeeded IN
making off without challenge. The next
morning in the prison there was the usual roll
call of the prisoners. This was done by putt
ting them all into one room and counting them
as they passed through narrow door. We
had tried to arrange for this by making num-
Der of our men pass through the door second
time so as to conceal thel escape Of the fugi-
gitives as long as possible, but we were not able
to execute the plan, SO we gave it up. passed
first through the door and stationed myself
directly BY its side, opposite to the two officials
who, with note book in hand, were keeping the
tally. After an interval of few minutes we
were put once more into the room ana passed
out as before, to be counted. Again sta
toned myself by the door SO as TO see what
would come of it, and when we had all passed,
and the enumeration had been completed, one
of the officials, with vehement invocation of
the patron saint of the Confederacy, exclaimed:
ooh! the d. why it's one hundred and ten"
Some of us, fear, could not suppress a
emilia al haa that and witnessing the
sternaticn upon the faces of the officials who
instantly hurried out to carry the unwelcome
intelligence to the prison office. Immediately
there was hurrying to and fro among all the
carefully examined within and without, but no
indication was anywhere discovered of the
place or way by which the escape was effected.
1t was only after two or three days that the
mystery was solved, and then it was fun for US
to observe from our windows solemn groups of
rebel officials and others standing about the
hole by which our men emerged into the upper
air! An excavation was made in the street
directly under our windows, so as to traverse
the tunnel, which the workmen soon discov-
cred.
The officials saw at oLce that the sentinel
ought to have seen the fugitives as they passed
through the gate, and 90 they questioned him
sharply. Yes, be did see some men coming out
of the gate Why didn't he challenge them?
He thought they were their own men who had
been into the tobacco ware house to rob the
yankee boxes"-as they called the packages
which had been sent to us in great numbers,
but which had not been delivered. This was
thought to be a valid excuse for the sentinel!
Immediately the telegraph was set to work
and messengers and scouts were sent off in
every direction in the hope of intercepting the
fugitives. Generally, our men scattered,
every one for himself as the most likely way to
avoid observation and to 'get through" to our
lines. 1t was cold weather, and the fugitives
w fra lo hu in hn n innn md IN
travel only at night. 1t was not easy to find a
suitable place of concealment for the day, but
generally they did so.
For some days before the escape, small saw
ings had been made from scanty rations. SO as
TO have reserve of food for use during the
flight. This food was mostly, if not entirely,
of the miserable corn bread furnished to the
prisoners by the rebels. But in many cases
this Was supplemented by small gifts from the
negroes who were sometimes encountered upon
the way, Whenever any of our men dis
covered negro hut they were sure of shelter
and help; their only fear in applying for assist
ance at any such place was the possibility of
finding white man there. The confidence of
our friends in these people was not betrayed
in single instance.
There was littl group of three officers who
had agreed to abide their chances together. as
they were unacquainted with the country.
They had wandered all night and had found no
sufficient shelter for the day. In the earliest
uaWn tney discovered negro nut not Iar away,
and one of the number went to it to reconnoitre
and, if thought best, to apply for shelter and
help. As he drew near the house a negro
came out and saw him, and at once suspected
what the case was. He instantly put his finger
on his lips to signify silence, and beckoned to
the back, and following him in said, ''Shh!
dere's white man in dere; shin up dere
(among the corn stalks) and wait" "There
are two more of US out in the field among the
bushes" "Dey mus wait till de white mans
done gone" N. D.