The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-09-29
CLOSE TO DEATH.
Adventures OF Threo Escaping Union oti-
GERS on the Congnree River.

Adventures OF Threo Escaping Union ofii.
! GERS ON the Congnree River.
! We we're gliding along nicely, poi
thinking of anything but the bridge, the
guards and home, when suddenly Pierce
cried out: "Snag." For an instant I saw
it, and it did not look larger than one'a
thumb just sticking out of water. The
next instant our boat was over and we
were foundering in the water Fortu-
nately. we were all of US good swimmers.
We tried to swim towards the shore, but
were taken rapidly down with the cur
rent. Lieutenant Pierce and myself
! seemed to keep pretty near together,
while Captain Nichols get somewhat in
advance of US. 1t was very near dark
and we could see nothing Soon heard
Captain Nicholt Ay: II have caught a
tree" Captain Nichols found long
piece of grape vine, which he kept
throwing in our direction, being guided
only by our voices. | finally caught It
and forced Pierce, who by this time had
to be compelled to make the least effort
to assist himself, to take hold of il with
me, and we we're drawn iuto the shore.
Here the INK was twelve or fifteen feet
high and shelving. held on to the
grape vine with both hands, being sub.
merged in the water up to my neck. /
had found in the bank little shelving
place sufficiently wide to rest the toe Of
my boot, which assisted me great deal
in keeping up. Pierce needed all the
help | could give him, and by fiuding
this resting place for my foot could give
one hand to assist Pierce, and, fortu-
nately for us both, Captain Nichols was
o very powerful man. We finally laaded
Pierce who could do nothing. l thought
l would have no difficulty whatever, so
after taking short rest ! gave n spring
upward, and il seemed us if my cloth es
weighed ton. found / could not help
myself much more than TO hang on to
the grapevine. / tried and tried again.
only TO go back into the water up to my
neck. After IL little while thought per-
haps had not caught the grapevine by
the end and there must be some of il be-
yond me in the water. worked it along
with one hand until got it SO could
pass the end up to Captain Nichols,
which did. He had in the meantime
fastened his end to Il tree. ! thought by
making loop of it could put my foot
in it and help myself in that way. II
was, however, not long enough. could
only get my knee in it, and when / got
near the top of the bank, it being shelly.
ing, swung under it and had not the
strength to push myself out and get over
the edge of the bank. with all the assist
ance Captain Nichols could give me. So
back went down into the water. If I
had not have found the little shelving
place for one of my toes to have rested
do not believe l would have had the
strength to have Sustained my weight
with my hands and arms, although n
heavy weight is quite light IN the water
Captain Nichols lay fiat down on the
ground, reachipg with his hands. no
far down as he could, and / then got
one of my feet on the vine. could then
strnighten myself up, and It WAS compar-
atipely easy TO get over the bank. was
nearly exhausted. ! do not know how
long was in the water or how far We
swan. I should think, and it was the
opinion of my comrades, that we must
have SWAN and floated about three miles
and that / was in the water oyer two
hours.
We turned into the woods and went to
our former hiding place and waited for
day. At the first streak Of day went up
to the negro quarters and reported.
Tney were oil glad to see me, but sorry
had been unsuccessful before. Old Joe
actually cried at MY misfortune. Hs
said: "Go back to your place and soon
we will bring you something to eat" 1
went back and reported. Very soon
after we heard voice, saying, "Head
up, head up" The grass was high and
they did not know exactly where we
| were. We saw Old Joe with as many
BIZ twenty of the men and women Of the
place. he said: "Dey got de dogs on
yer; dey got de dogs on yrE. Go jes'
fast as eber you can right straight for der
barn keep in one row." We oheyed
| and he with the other negroes came be-
hind shufiling out our tracks and. rub
bing against tue brush so as to throw the
| dogs of the scent when they should
come. We had not been long in the
barn before we heard the dogs. Near
the barn door was large persimmon
tree, and Old Joe was busily engaged in
| picking the perslmmons. When the
dogs loat the trail they began to run
around in circle, making the circle
largc- and lsrger, thinking in that way
to strike the trail again. Soon the barn
we were in was within the circle and We
knew we we're safe. We did not how.
ever, dare move about, but remained
very quiet until night. The solitary
rider we met the night before knew who
we were, and early in the morning. had
put the dogs on our tracks, Capt. j. b
Dennis in Philadelphia Times.