Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-11-07
LIFE IN REBEL PRISONS.

renuor Dy brave Lleubenant- The Hap
py Delivelanoe from Prison Once more
Behold the Stars and Stripes and the
Boys in Blue.
BY VIM. +. GRIERsoN, co. n, 33D o. V. I.
NUMBER SIX.
While at Florence, two boys from the
10Th Pennsylvania regiment and myself
planned and tried to make our escape.
which, like my two former attempts,proved |
a failure. As before stated, ] was paroled |
in order to pass the guards for the purpose |
of carrying medicine from the dispensary !
to the hospital; and by means OF certain
signals given with a lantern, was allowed
to go out at any hour during the night.
The two boys referred to had watch
which they wanted me to use in obtaining
pass through the vater-gate ut the west
side of the stockade, and meeting them on
the outside, we would then endeavor to
make our way to Wilmington, Mt the mouth
of Cape Fear river, which was then in the
possession Of General Terry.
| took the time-pcce and watched for
an opportunity to find guard on the post
at the water gate whom | could trust. On
the 9th day OF February learned that II
boy belonging to the 9th Georgia regiment,
L
would occupy that post between eight aud
ten o'clock that night. / privately called
his attention to our plan, and proposed to
give him the watch il he would let them
pass out under the gate at the slough. lie
consented TO do so, and we arranged for
the two boys to pass out when the guard
called out lIalf-past eight o'clock, and
all is WE'LL"
A few minutes before the hour was
called by the guards, took my lantern
and passed out of the gate, going IN the
direction of the dispenSary I'm il ! had
passed ont of notice of the guards at the
gate, when | darkened my lantern with my
blouse and hastened TO where my compan-
ions were to meet me. | crept cautiously
along until | could speak the sentinel
on duty, Just as the guard at the
gate began to call the hour. DELPHI
and Herb, (the two boys) soon came crawl
ing up out of the slough from under the
water gate. aud we at once started in the
direction of Wilmington. We walked all
night through innumerable swamps and
dense growths of small timber. The next
morning we crossed some nice farms, and
at sunset entered another dense forest, in
which we wandered all night, fearing to
lay down and rest lest our pursuers should
overtake us, and we would be torn to
pieces by the hlOodhounds. We pressed
forward in the direction, as we supposed,
of Wilmington, until the next morning,
when we again reached the edge OF farm
ing district. Just as the eastern horizon
began to light up, we heard the cry Of
hounds in the rear OF us. | told the boys
that we had better climb small tree and
rest, that we might learn whether the
hounds were in pursuit of us, or only dogs
belonging to the plantations Just before
us, as | did rot want to trust myself in
an open field without anything with
which to defend myself from the hounds.
We had been in the tree but few mo-
ments when the whole pack OF hounds Kept
at the stockade came up, bowling IN tue
most hideons manner, and surrounded the
tree in which we had sought refuge.
While in that unfortunate predicament, /
| thought OF Millions description OF the dark
regions OF despair, with its horde OF hell
hounds ringing their hideous pealS We
felt that we were almost in those regions,
as we were without food and halt-naked,
in country occupied by our most ihvet-
crate enemies, our only safeguard tree,
and that surrounded oy pack oil hldeouS-
looking 6ruteS, oeiching their howlS OF an
ger ana disappointment III our escape from
their bIoottmrsty Jaws; NY spirit sank
within me, ana felt that 1t would he Il
blessing II the ohcers would shoot me
when they came up as had n" hope OF
ever beng Liberated except 10y dea h, and
longed 10 nave my s'herinss brought TO
an end
Three men on horSehacK' each bearing Il
SWORD ana par OIL reNo'Ve'S soon l0u' up
Lieutenant b'rrett assumed rs n'"ch poinp
ana ulShl Il" tho'Sh lie was apo"l 10 ne
s0'ia'e terms OF peace win zen "rlnt,
Wneh yT he -demnhueu OIL us 10 Snf'e"uer'
we maze y" reply, when ne Sa!"; sur,
render or IN Sho't You rePl'e", "Good
heavens, lieutenant what nave we to sur
render we are hnl-s'arVed ana worn
out win tatlSue, ana nave nor even so
h'nch as @ JacEKh'le WIN whlc', TO cut
cane " nat nave we 10 SURRENDER lie
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