The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-03-02

breath, and my shoulder waa pa,ning
me dreadfully. II seemed aan We were
lost in some horrible grave.
Twas struck with the wonderful clear.
ness with which all sounds were trans
mitted through the passage. q Il We
were enc0mpassed By metallic natDad
of clay walls. At last. near fatnf3ag
with suflocation. pain and fatigue Z
raw of light gladdened nv eyes aud ]
felt the welcome blessedness OF fresh
air--certainly the most delicious air I
have ever bresLhed in my whole hfa.--
Morgan extended his hand and gave me
n friendly welcome as I rose like IN
apparition to the surface OF the earth.
and having reached terra firma ! made
q careful and minute survey Of my sur.
roundings. was in Q yard that divided
two old buildings that faced respective
ly north and south.
stood about seventy feet from tho
eastern wall Of tho prison, and looking
through the dilapidated fence saw the
sentinels pacing their posts. and by tho
light Of the street lamps could easily
distinguish their features. An arched
way OF sufficient width for the passage
that ran next to and parallel with the
canal. now noticed a third person
in the yard, and Morgan in whisper
introduced Lieutenant William Wat
son, Of his own company Of the Twen-
ty-iirst Wisconsin Regiment. We held
= hurried conference, and decided togo
down the street in an easterly direction,
agreeing u meet ut the second corner
for further consultation. We each re-
moved our shoes. that We might move
noiselessly. and also that we might run
the swifter if challenged by the senti-
nels.
Watson went off first and was follow
ed in about two minutes by Morgan
AS they moved away closely watched
the two nearest guards. who ut one time
halted on their posts and gazed together
after the retreating forms Of my two
friends. resolved. should they show
sign of firing, tn shout an alarm to my
comrades and dash down the street at
ter them. But the guards appeared to
KEGS, and without any audible comment
regarding them resumed their pacing on
their posts. Feeling this to be my OPP
portunity, stopped from the arched
way and leisurely followed in the wake
of my friends. 1t would be difficult TO
convey TO one who has not shared in a
like experience clear idea of the pecu-
liar sensation felt when. after an i'm
prisonment of over six months. l first
found myself in the open. fresh air. aud
drank in the first fragrant breath of my
liberty; and l felt pang Of regret rs I
turned irresistibly to look at the grim
walls of Libby. where l was leaving,
perhaps forever, many OF the most gal
liant fellows, the most valued friends Of
my life. followed the tracks
of the Confederates to the border of the
open field. which afforded clear view
for not less than half.mile toward the
north. A small farmhouse stood in
sight Mt a distance which estimated st
LOCO yards, but not man was in sight
of hearing. The sudden disappearance
of the party, whom l knew could not
have reached the house in so brief
time. was significant, and instantly
concluded that they were at that very
minute deploying about the border Of
the swamp. so as to encompass and close
10 Oh rs. t;urned quietly. and ran ]
back into the swamp, expecting. as No
treated to hear the wlIizz Of bullet
from concealed Confederate. l had
taken less than dozen steps, when a
long, clear whistle was heard to my
right. and instantly answered by another
on the opposite side of the swamp. My
two friends. mistaking these for my sig
mails. bounded through the woods like
startled deer. running towards the south
side.
1 stopped an instant, and heard
dozen answering whistles, followed by
the loud. clear command OF the Com
fedcrates to ''close in" l could hear
the crash and parting Of the brush as
our pursuers pushed their way into the
tangled jungci. The thought Of going
back a captive to Libby was like u knell
of death, and fully resolved to take
any chance short of actual suicide rath.
or than be taken. had yet heard no
sound from the east side of the swamp,
and therefore determined upon that as
the point to run the gauntlet. tore
through the low bog, and lost my left
shoe in the treaoherous mire. and, to
increase my speed, took off the other
and threw it away. struck a cow-path
running eastward. and, hatless and
without shoes. fairly few over the
ground. I sprang upon the huge trunk
Of a fallen tree that crossed the path,
and, as I leaped to the ground on the
opposite side. a tall Confederate con.
cealed behind it, and who had not heard
my swift and noiseless approach, sprdng
to his feet leaving his carbine leaning
against the trce, turned and ran. He
tripped and fell Hat on his face, utter.
ing . 'wboop'' like . Comanohe In.
dian.
As no 10y straight in tho path I ieaped
souarcly over him and almost into the
arms of three of the Confederates, who
leveled their carbincs at my head and
commanded Inc to halt, while the fallen
man. recovering his gun and his wits,
came sayagely towards me, gun in
hand, and in fog-horn voice shouted
Surrender" amid the laughter of his
cooler companions. For few moments
hoped my two comrades might meet
better fate than l, but they were soon in
sight. attended by the guard. and ex-
changed condolences. The Confeder-
ates hunted up my shoes for me and
treated us with considerable kindness,
being soldiers. and not prison guards;
they fed us literally from their haver-
sacks. They admitted that our discov-
cry in the swamp was an accident and
great surprise TO them, and added that
we were outside of their nOsts -Tr0u