Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-05-08

being past, the minds Of many Of the
prisoners naturally reverted to
attempts to escape, and no one was
more bent on it than the heroic and
daring Charlie Pierce. A tunnel had
been commenced from block 8, but
the project was deemed abortive,
owing to it's long distance from the
dead-line, and abandoned. Charlie
then transferred his operations to
block |, where he soon organized u
working party, who succeeded, by
incessant labor,in completing q tunnel
to the extreme end Of the works. But,
alas for human expectations, when
the attempt was made to pass out
they were pounced upon BY a guard
and their hopes blasted. Thus ended
the first attempt.
On q less active and vigorous mind,
such signal failure would have had
a paralyzing effect. But it only arous-
ed the ambition of our hero to sue
coed at all hazards, and his thoughts
were instantly turned to some plan for
the future.
An opportunity soon presented it.
self, which he eagerly seized. One
morning the Offal cart was driven in
by a soldier under the influence of
liquor, who lay down in Charles
blosk while the cart was being filed.
Charlie succeeded in securing his cap
and overcoat. Quick as thought he
jumped upon the drivers seat, seized
the reiDs, drove out the cart, passed
the sentinels at the gate, who opened
it for his egress, and got beyond the
parapet, imagining himself at last
free. But the condition of the SOL
der being discovered by the prison
guard, a hue and cry was raised, the
ruse detected, and a squad sent in
pursuit Of the fugitive, who was soon
overtaken, and the intrepid Charlie
was brought back to his prison quar-
ters.
This daring attempt led to incwas-
cd vigilance on the part Of his senti-
nels, and rendered our hero an object
to be watched and dreaded. But his
daring object was not to be abandon
ed, and lis third attempt exceeded
the previous one in strategy and exc
cutiOn:
With a chosen few, he conceived
the project Of sealing the parapet,
attacking tho sentinels with rocks,
and breaking for tho Canadian shore,
the lake being frozen over.
Scaling ladders were made as Sc
cretly as possible, and a bright moon
light night selected for the attempt.
There was only one pistol obtainable,
and this fell by lot to the possession
of Lieut.. Wheeler, of Morgan's cav
airy. The others armed themselves
with rocks. Lieut.. Pierce, Wheeler,
and j. b. Knowles, Of Louisville, KY,
were the first to get their ladders in
position and attempt the ascent. Our
hero, however, was the only one who
gained the parapct. A rock III his
hand was as true rs rifle ball,
thanks to his base ball experience
With it he felled the sentinel. His
cousin, Lieut.. Bowles, 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 tho sentinel in
front of him fired at each other sim
ultaneously, and, siugularly, both
missed, when the Lieutenant slid
down to avoid another shot, he
having no other means Of defense.
Lieutenant Pierce speedily pursued
his way over the natural bridge Of ict
on the lake, under a constant fire
from the sentinels, until he got be-
You'd 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 hear for miles around boom.
ing on the still air. Unlceding the
cold, for his heart beat high at the
prospect Of once more being with hi'
comrades in the field, and proving
with his sword the faith that was in
him, he gained the strip OF land twelve
miles distant, and pursued his way
through the woods until daylight
when he was halted by some farmers
with shotguns in close proximity to
bis body. Those fellows, whcl
aroused by the alarm guns, were cve1
on the alert to capture an escaping
prisoner, and claim the reward. They
had no ordinary one in Charlie Pierce
and hungry, chilled and footsorc, III
was speedily marched back to his
old quarters. The gallant fellow Of
ten said that he felt more chagrined
and discouraged at being brought
back by civilians than if captured by
regular soldiers. But his fortitudt
soon returned, and his mind con-
stantly dwelt upon the one darling
object of escape.
1t was not to be wondered at tha
Charlie now became an object Of the
strictcst surveillance on the part Of
every agent Of the enemy. His ever,
movement was watched, SO that hi
sole reliance was upon strategy fo1
his fourth attempt.
Procuring a Federal uniform iii
was supposed from some one conncc
ted with the hospitaD he CAREFUL.
concealed it in his bunk. With :
piece Of wood, Of which there wa
plenty, he manufactured gun stock
with q lot of fruit cans, which III
procured from the hospital, he manu-
featured a barrel and piece of the
handle Of IL camp kettle was wrough
into a lock. After five months in
cessant labor, he completed his task
and during that time he was exceed