The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-05-16

4
on him so heavily that when be was turn
ed over to higher Court he confessed.
/ He had made the denial granted him by
law, and had fought for life as long as
there was hope. Now, when conviction
was inevitable, he was prepared to ac-
knowledge his part in the plot and take
/ the consequences. He was sentenced
with Orsini and Pieri to be beheaded on
| Saturday, the 18th of March. Gormez
was sentenced to hard labor for life.
The 18th of March saw Orsini and Pieri
mount the scaffold, and De Rudio
with one foot upon it. At that moment
an officer placed his hand upoii De
Rudio's shoulder and told him to fol-
low. He was TO be reprieved. Divine
lucki On Monday he received his
formal pardon. The cause of this inn
perial clemency is forked. De Rudio's
wife was only sixteen, and was of En-
glish birth and education. She appear
ed in person before the Empress and
pleaded for her husbands life Infu-
erces from London, grandfather's
services to the first Napoleon, the con-
spirator's youth and his wife's petition
operated in his behalf Above all,
however, was De Rudio's luck. The
Monday following Saturday was the
birthday of the Prince Imperial. 1t was
the custom to celebrate his anniversary
with the pardon of some political GRIM
inal. On Saturday there were three
doomed souls. For the reasons given
De Rudio (the youngest) was reserved
for Mondays honor. The pardon didn't
mean the release of De Rudio. His
sentence was simply changed from
death to Imprisonment for life. Next
followed dungeon chapter for seven
months, with bread and water. A TWEEN
ty-eight pound chain held him fast in a
dungeon that was itself proof against
the escape of a Hercules. He could
take two steps in one direction; that
was the only movement to break the
monotony of lying down. After that
chapter was ended he was transported
for life to Silver Mountain Ga penal
settlemenD, in the extreme south of
French Guiana, Africa. Seven months
there, and the yellow fever broke
out. There were 900 prisoners, and
all died except IS OF the IS, all were
down with the plague except three; of
the three De Rudio was one. The press
of Europe raised storm of indignation
over Frances inhurnanity to Der con-
viets and prisoners. The soldiers
guarding had suffered severely. The
report went to France that all of those
living were sick. An order returned for
their transport to Salutation Islands,
NG Co
escence. De Rudio was again in luck.
He went with the sick, although not
sick. He was not there 48 hours when
he confided to fellow prisoner his de-
termination to escape. He hid noticed
a tishern1ah's boat secretly moving up
under the rocks, and selling fish to the
prisoners when the opportunity offered.
With five others he went to work, max
ing sail and preparing for perilous
voyage At the end of five months they
were ready. The evening of December
9, 1859, at @ o'clock they betk6ned to
tie fisherman Give of them) to come
under a certain rock for the purpose of
trade. When they landed the De Rudio
plotters were there with a saber in one
hand and an AK in the other. They
leaped into the boat and threatened an
Inhalation if any resistance was offered.
The fishermen were unarmed and sub
missive Rations, wine and water were
loaded on board. The fishermen were
then commanded to put out to sea. They
put. After dangerous and frequent
ly hopeless voyage of six days,
the improvised sail and rowboat reached
English Guinea, landing at New Am
sterdam. On freedoms soil De Rudio
at last saw daylight. He engaged as a
launchman on an English merchant
man. In England he was reunited with
his family February 20, 1860. January,
1868, he landed in New York. August,
1863, he joined the Union army as a
private. In 1864, he was appointed a
Second Lieutenant in a regiment of col
ored troops. He served in that capacity
until 1866. He was then eight months
in the Quartermaster's Department at
Washington. In 1867, he was assigned
to the Seconed Infantry, and on the 14th
of July, 1869, was appointed to a COM
mand in the Seventh Cavalry. From
that day to this he has participated in
every movement of his regiment. In
the South he was closely identified with
the suppression of the Ku-klux operat-
ing in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi
and Louisiana. He was a prominent
witness before the Congressional Com
mittee in New Orleans in 1875. In
August, 1875, he brought the 81 miners
out of the Black Hills. In May, 1876,
he came to Fort A. Lincoln as First
Lieutenant, and commanding officer OF
Company E, the troop of gray horses.
The next and last great episode in De
Rudio's career thus far was his
part in the fatal Custer expe-
dition of 1876. He was with the Reno
wing until he was cut off and
lost in the woods. He was then in the
highest place of his life. He didn't an.
ticipate any possible escape. Among
the many thrilling incidents of his lone
experience with Sergt. O'Neil was q
three hours fight behind stump. He
permitted the Indians once to come
within few yards of him. He shot the
first one down, and then treated the
second one with the same courtesy. The
enemy fell back, set fire to the wood
and concluded there were no soldier:
there beyond a single man or two, who
couldn't be routed at any other cos
than numerous Indians. Bullets dropped
all around him, and the flames almos
scorched him. De Rudio's luck Tha
experience is story in itself. omit tt
pass on and note the fact that last yea
De Rudio's company marched $40
miles, which he claims is the creates
six months march on record. He wa
over Dakota, in Montana, Wyoming
and Idaho. His horses were withou
grain for three months What has beel
said in this article is only an outline O
De Rudio's history. With all the re
markable incidents and exciting details
as he has written it or as he can tell il
De Rudio's biography is one of the rec
ords of the time.
Y