The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-22

ftgilsnce on the part of the sentinels,
! aud rendered onr hero en- object 10 be
E=tabsd and dreaded. But his darling
object was not 20 be abandoned, and hfs
third attempt exceeded his Sregions one
In strategy and execution,
With q chosen; few, be conceived the
project Of scaling the pafapet, attacking
the sentinels with rocks, and breaking
for the Canadian Shore the lake being
frozen over. a - ssi
Scaling ladders we're made as secretly
Us possible, and o bright moonlight night
selected for tho attempt. There was
only one pistc! obtainable, and this fell
by lot to the possession of Lieut.. Wheel
er, of Morgan's cavalry. The others
arr med themselves with rocks. Lients.
Pierce, Wheeler and J.. b. Knowles, of
louisville, KY, were the first foget their
ladders in position and attempt the as.
cent. Our hero, however, was the only
one who gained the parapet. A rock in
his hand was as true as rife ball,
thanks 20 his base ball experience. With
it he felled the sentinol. His cousin,
Lieut.. BoHles, was shot on the ladder,
and his body fell inside. His dying
words TO Charlie were to push on and
leave him to his fate. Lieut.. Wheeler
and the sentinel in front Of him fired at
each other simultaneously, and singular
ly, both missed, when the Lieutenant
slid down to avoid another ,shot, he hav-
ing no other means of defense. Lieut..
Pierce speedily pursued his way over che
natural bridge Of ice on the lake, unovr
a constant fire from the sentinels, until
hegot beyond the range of their guns.
At the same time the guns of the fort
opened with solid shot, for the purpose
of breaking the Ice, while the signal guns
could be heard for miles around booming
or the still-air. lInheediug tho cold. for
his heart beat high at the prospect Of
once more being nth his comrades in
the field, and proving with his sword the
faith that wac in him, he gained the strip
of land twelve miles distant, and pur-
ched Lis way through the woods until
daylight, when he Yves halted by some
farmers, with shotguns in close proxim-
ity to his body. Those fellows, when
aroused by the alarm guns, were ever On
the alert to capture en- escaping prisoner,
and claim the reward. They had no or
dinary one In Charlie Pierce, and hun
CRY, chilled and footscre, he e,ssepeediiy
marched back to his old, quarte,s. The
gallant fellow often said that he felt more
chagrined and discouraged at being;
brought back by civilians. than if cap.
tured by regular sold iers. Rat his forti-
tude soon returned, and his mind con-
stantly dwelt'upon the one darling object
of escape. st9a N.sss ..s'3l
It was not to be wondered at that
Charlie now became an object of the
strictest surveillance on the part of every
agent of the enemy. His every move
ment was watched, go that his sole reli.
ance was upon strategy for his fourth at
tempt
Procuring a Federal uniform (it was
supposed from some one connected with
the hospital), he carefully concealed it
in his bunk. With piece of wood, of
gun stock; with q lot of fruit cans, which
he procured from tho hospital, he manu-
factured barrel, and piece Of the
handle of camp-kettle was wrought
into lock. After five months incessant
labor, he completed his task, and during
that time he was exceedingly reticent,
confining himself in his bunk as much as
possible, keeping hi5 own counsel, like q
good general, but working like beaver.
As piece of workmanship, it was pro-
neunced by all who saw it O marvel of
mechanical ingenuity and skill. He was
fortunate enough to find an old rusty
bayonet, which he soon made look like
polished steel, and how he stained the
gun to make it look real, no one but him
eelf knew; but that il did look so the
sequel will show. Having everything in
readiness, how put them to user The
guard must bs brought into the block at
night, 30 that ho could fall In with the
men and march out with them. Confid-
ing his intention to only q trusted few of
his mesamatea. ha rennessaa LienE. Mi
chaei Long inow living in New Oflaans)
to inform the guard that an attempt
would be made to break ont that night
from block eight. The Lieutenant was
thanked for the information the senti-
mel chilled, Corporal of the guard !" the
corporal carried the InIurDation 20 the
oificer of the guard the .ydard was dou-
bied zor the emergency, Ind an inspect
the prison. While pnasing through block
eight, Charlie, with his Federal uniforEn
and improvised gun, quietly fell in with
them. Not finding anything suspicious
in that block they were marched out.
AL the other. blocks were visited without
any discoveries being made. The guard
was then formed in !. line for inspection.
The Lieutenant in command, examining
the acconteriuents of the mon. diseoV-
cred That Charlie had no cartridge.b box,
when the following dialogue took place
LieGtsuant Of the Guara-How is it,
sir, that you have no caftridge.bo 2
Charlie Well, Lientehant, We fell In
outside in snel q hurry declare / for-
/ got IL. q 81 ~ 50 9. l
Eieutenant Well, you are fine SOL
dier! No cartridge box 4 suppose The
raneR tpArA I'm affsaf irs x5t1iis r,s tsra +,
here among theni7 T,st me- see yohr
gun, sir q
The Lieutenant proceeded to an iIispec.
ton Of arms, atill upbraidipg the deiin.
| quent soldier. y 4
Charlie, seeing that his last .biE0rt was
| defeated. Strengthened himself. hfonaht
his gun 70 inspection arms, = in true
| Military stylo, and patssed it TO the officer.
, OF conraes its weight told tho tale. The
rnse vas discovered, and by neglecting
the caftridke box, tho eRsiest OF all 70
make, our hero wBs again defeated In his
| pihnsJ BY permission OF the Lieutenant,
| however, he was allowed 10 make the ex.-
| pertinent of passing the sentinel as the
| gate, which he did without eiicitine any
surprise, lie was then taken before Col.
Charles ". Hill, OF the One Hundretl
and Twelfth Ohio, then commandment OF
the prison as Johnsoa's Island, who
showed himself q humane and consid-
crate officer. and who frankly admitted
| the priaonef,a right To attempt TO escH=;5.
Ie6npifmented him ca his conra9e and
strategy aud condenned him TO no other