The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-09-16
TWO NARROW EaCAPRs.
Story Of tho Flight Of General
Brockinridge and John p.
BENJAMIN.

Mr.. Benjamin, though lea wing by
way Of Tampa aud the waters BE- low,
made hts landing ut Nassau, New
Providence. After the separation 0f
the members Of the confederate sOv-
ernment In Georxia from President
Davis, at the time Of the surrender,
Gen. Breckiuridge rude GU horseback
to Florida under the name Of CaOell.
He had with him, besides his sou,
Col. Wood, who was \ nephew Of
President Zachary Taylor, and anOth-
er officer named Wilson, all Of whom
had been members Of the Generals
staff. On entering Florida from the
Ge0rgia line immediately north of
the tOwa Of Madison, they reached
the house Of Thomas Livingston, who
soon conducted them to the planta-
tiOn Of Gen. Finegan. Word Was vt
once sent to Capt. James Tucker,
Who resided not far from Madison,
and was . neighbOr Of Gen. Fine IAN,
to come to the house Of the latter, to
which he came and wis introduced
to the party and informed Of their
purisse to leave the country. Gen.
Breckinridge presented the fine horse
be rude to Gen. Fineg.n Ills son
went to Jefferson county to stay for
= time with Capt. James Tucker IL
son VI Capt. Tucker, Sr., first men,
tiOned). Gen. Breckinridge accepted
the use OF Capt. rucker's carriage,
and Capt. Tucker accompanied him
in 1t on the way to East Florida, bis
cClOred coacllnlan driving.
The two 0iIic .rs Of the Generals
staff and faithful cOIOred servant
man Of Gen. Breck,nritiye rode the
horses on which they came int, the
State on tie same route. The party
went about seven miles south Of Ma.
.i~on to strike the Bellanay rmd. In
the carriage was the General himself
and the c0l0red driver. The team Of
the cs'ach was, Of course, a pair Of
good horses. On the rOad they over
took . country woman and little
girl walking. Capt. Tucker asked
the General If he would have any Ob-
jectiOn to take the two uptO he'll p them
on their way for a few miles. Vi
c0urse they were given y place In the
carriage a, once. The oil woman be-
came very inYuisitive aud askesl the
General IL he was President.
The General answered, mo"
She asked, "Then you are Ger
taimly u General"
He answered. NO, not (:cncral: OIL
" q private soldier, far away from,
hOn,e."
TIE keen eyes and questions q: the
old woman became 10 searching ~ tn
esnbarrass him little. and tn. Cen
eral diverted her by kind enquiries
about the little glrl. whether she WAS
able to read, etc.
She said tho little girl could not
read.
TtE' General then gave the child
five one dollar gold pieces, aud told
iaer mother to send her TO school with
it As fur NJ 1t would 20.
Capt. Tucker escorted til" party to
Mr.. Hailc's plantation, near Gaines.
willie, and there. putting them in u
position to he cscOrte.i further he l'adc
them a,lieu AMI returned home.
At Mnseley'* ferry Oh the Suwanec
they encountered another old c''ui,-
try woman in u house near al hand,
who became q; itc social with the par
ty, and t,ld them that "Old lSenja-
min" had passed that way u few days
l,ei;,re, and hal taken a meal there.
He had arrived alone ~: horseback,
rather late l;,r the meal. Mr.. Benia-
min hal asked the man Of the house
f,r the meal, and he had replied tina.
1t was pretty late; and h" didn't know
whether the old woman would he
willing to ssn,k another. Mr.. Ben
jan,ln said that he had g.'lal to pay
iOr il, and the meal Was soon snlok-
ing ON the table. Gu!d was y rare
charm. in those days on the Beilamy
road.
When the old lady told the lsreck-
iaridxe party that "Old BENJAMIN "
had PASSED there few days before,
u,,0n lciny asked how she knew him
she replied that while he was eating
she was looking over an old pictorial
PAPER which had somehow gut over
the lines, ans' in 1t was u picture Of
some Ut tile 'great Rebels" ~ they
were called. and among them was
o,,e printed 'P. J. Benjamin."
''I'll Ee shot," said the old woman,
"wl.ile l was lOOkin' ut the pictures
and l,,Oking up ut the nlan eatin: his
supper, II ! could help nOticin' the
likeness, and ] was .OOn SURE that the
man c:,tin' his supper was old llcn-
jamIin himself. That's now I know
he has been here, and you all comm
along IN this way reminded me OF
him."