The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-03-10

uluI anu LOOK bltn 70 IaFine near the IOEtt
and told him to remain there until we came
for him. had hardly snesked back to the
fort when Lynn was missed. and a general
search was being made. l was placed under
arrest, and accused of aiding the prisoner to
escape, but plead my innocence so strongly
that was released. In the meantime my
companions had gotten together fifty pounds
OF -four. lot OF jerked beef, quantity of
slap-jacks, and some common soap. We di-
vided these things between US, and at 10 o.
clock silently and stealthily made our way
from our horrible prison. We soon got to
where Lynn waited our coming, and rapidly
approaching the San Ant0nia. we plunged in,
and eight Of US swan to the opposite shore,
while two remained upon the other bank un-
able to swim, 3 Frenchman and a Georgian.
secured long pole, and calling upon one
OF them to jump at a time, as far from the
bluff into the water as possible, waited un-
til / saw his form poised In the air, and then
plunged in and caught him as be rose to
the surface OF the water and landed him
safely. It was the plucky Frenchman.
then called upon the other to jump. but it
was long time before l could get him to
make the perilous leap. He would walk
back from the bluff and run toward it as il
he would leap, but when he reached the bank
his heart would fail him and he would halt.
We finally induced him to make the leap,
and l again made = successful landing
just as we had all gotten over we heard
wnistling and what We supposed to be
alarm signals and with fear and trembling
We pushed forward in the darkness in q
binding rain over low, swampy country,
up to our waists in water until daylight,
when We halted to build 4 FIRE to dry our
clothes aud eat something. TO our dIsmay
we found that the timber that we had secre-
ted upon ourselves got wet and would not
burn. had a shawl that had given Lynn
to wear, and beneath this we found a dry
spot upon his shirt, about the size of mans
hand, which, ia the absence OF q knife, we
gnaued out. and from this and our flint at
last succeeded In starting y fire. We gather
ed around the fire and dried our clothes, but
upon examination found that the soap, the
flour and the siap-jscks had become sotteneo
by the water aud run together, making a
mass So nnpalatable that 1t was impossible to
eat it. We low held q council a. To the di-
rection to be pursued in order to reach Vic
proposed that 1 should act as captain aud
lead and tue others follow. / did not like to
assume the responsibility, but upon being
urged l consented TO do so, and selecting
Lynn To assist me, l struck out boldly, fol-
lowed by the rest We travelled all that day
without anything to eat, and that night,
guided by the stars, toiied Wearily along un-
til dawn, when We were startled by hearing
what We supposed to be the sound Of re-
Yeile at GOilad, and instead of travelling in a
straight course, We had been travelling IN q
circle, and were again in the vicinity VI the
hateful and drea ded spot. Greatly depress-
ed. We again pushed forward, and toward
tie end of the second day reached another
river, supposed 20 be the Guapelupe. Here
arose dispute as to whether we should go
up or down. l was iE faVsr of going down.
and five men agreed with me, and four
concluded to go up the river. So we separa-
ted, and six of Us made our way slowly down,
and had not gone. far when we were joined
by the four men who had started up the
river, and We we're again united. On the
morning of the third day we suddenly came
upon herd of deer, aud man by the name
Of Hughes, from Tennessee, strong of Iimb
and fleet of foot ran a young fawn down
and captured it. We skinned it with a Jag
ged rock, and ate it raw, without salt or
bread, carrying such portions as We did not
devour along with US. On the fourth day
We had neither food nor drink, and toward
noon came upon lot of corn mixed with
cOw-dung, evidently where wagon had
broke down, and of this we ate eagerly aud
ravenOusly, filling our pockets with the re
msinder. On the nth day one Of our men
climbed tee to see il any sign of hsbita.
tion could De seen, and reported that he saw
houses in the distance. Another ascended
and said he saw smoke, and, be thought
cows. l then climbed a tall tree myself, and
the first thing my eyes fell upon was a man
on horseback riding directly toward US.
descended and told the men what l had
seen. and they all fed to the woods and hid
called to them to return that we had Just
as well be captured as to starve to death.
waited for the man to come up, but he did
not come, and 1 again cliubed the tree, but
could see nothing of nim. On the sixth day
with bleeding feet and enaciated bodies aud
despairing minds, we were suddenly sur
rounded by a body OF horsemeu, which
proved to be Sherman's advance cavalry OF
the Texan army. We were tenderIy placed
upon horses aud taken to camp. We had
been six days aud nights in travelling TWEEN
ty-seven miles. the distance frUm GOliad Il
Victoria.
Col. Wood is now sixty-siz years old, Of
fine physique aud handsome carriage, and
barring q slight attack of pneumonia last
fall, was never sick day in his life, and
/ never took drop OF me0icIne. He intend:
visiting Texas this fall to note the changes
| that time has made, and pay bis respects Il
/ the only surviving companion In his esca pt
| from Goliad, George Ii. Bringhurst, GRAND
! Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Texas Ma
sons.
The SPECTRE OF VICKsBURG.-I remem
! Der to have been standing on knoll in front