Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-01-16

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that they never experienced
more trying time. 81 am read
now," said Buffalo, after a fe7
minutes. Jesse, who was watch
ing the guard through a hole i
the tent said, "Now is your tim
to cross the guard line" In a.
instant Buffalo was across tn
guard line, and came walking u
as if from the outside. The 9th
er three, with buckets on thei
arms and canteens on their shoul
ders, passed around on the othe
side of the tent and stopped a
the guard line, as was the Gus
tom of water carriers, to wal
for a special guard. "You d
Johnny Rebs who want waite,
fall right in here before me- y
shouted Buffalo, in saucy and
msolent manner, as he walked
up before them with his cap-brim
turned up. Immediately the
other young men walked off in
perfect obedience, and Buffalo
brought up the rear with a vol
ley of oaths, for the fluent use
of which he seemed to have q
peculiar facility. Thus they
went across the first line, out the
entrance and by the second, el-
bowling their way through the
Yankees, without exciting the
least suspicion. The report of
the anticipated escape spread
ike wild tire among the prison.
ers and many were peeping out
from behind the barracks and
tents with breathless interest,
expecting every minute to see
them detected. But, to the sur
prise of the prisoners, they pass
ed out of sight. The next day
something like the following ap-
peared in the Springfield daily
papers:
"NoTICE-A. J. Buffalo, Jas.
Nuby, j. L. and j. NJ. Stewart
were absent at roll call this morn
ing. These prisoners have made
their escape somehow since yes
terday morning, and any person
giving information concerning
them will be literally rewarded.
"Camp Butler Prison, H., Ju-
ly 4th, 1862"
AS soon as the fugitives ar
rived at the watering place they
passed on as if going to the coun-
try for milk, which they were
sometimes allowed to do, for the
sick. Having gene about a mile
hey turned into a woodland of |
.hick underground. When they
from that they found
themselves at the edge Of a neg
ected field covered with a dense
growth of briars; after a consul
alton they decided to enter the
hickost cluster, in an instant
Nuby seized the hatchet and was
separating the rank briars from
heir roots, making an opening
hear the ground and leaving the
ops undisturbed; the rest Of the
followed on their hands
md knees. Jim, who brought
Up the rear, placed the briars
Jack over the entrance SO that it
would not be detected; having
rome some distance in this man
ler they cut out a place six or
light feet in diameter in which
hey spent the remainder of the
lay. Buffalo, being a barber
or the emergency if not by
rade, then began to cut hair
nd shave the boys in such a
manner as would most likely
make them appear different from
my description which might be
,iven Of them. The day wore
way slowly in their briar apart
neDt. More than once during
he day they held their breath in
Hence and their hearts Beat
oudly as they heard the clank-
no sabres of the Federal Caval-
y rushing by them. Night
.ame at last and the young men
from their hiding place
the buckets and gun.
Before they left the prison
walls they had entered into an
agreement that the majority
should always rule, and that
laving two pistols they wouldn't
surrender to less than eight arm
d men; also that two of them
ihould watch while two slept
md that no one should speak a
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