The National tribune., 1885-03-26
WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY MARCH 2 1885

| feeling towards u.s. and hearing us so otter
| singing and praying, asked if we would not like
| to talk with minister. Knowing that minis
ters were not all alike, we assented. Rev. Geo
| G.. N. MacDonell, Of the NJ. E. Church South
! then visited US. We were glad to see him, and
q very profitable Conversation took place.
little offense was occasioned by his first prayer
| in which he petitioned that our lives might be
| spared, If consistent with the interests Of ht
| C6nfederGcy. But we made no comment, and
were richly rewarded for our complacency
He not only gave us Christian sympathy and
counsel above all value, but on leaving sent us
some excellent books When the first lot OF
books was finished-of which we took the best
of care, reading most Of them aloud-we re-
turned them, and received Others ontinuing
the process OF borrowing until We had perused
nearly the whole of the good mans library.
Only those who know what q terrible trial it is
to pass day after day with no definite employ
ment, no company, and no means of diverting
thought from one never-endng round can form
any idea of the great boon thus bestowed upon
us. The Christian kindness and disinterestCj
benevolence of this minister viii never be for
gotten. But even these books were not su I'll
cient. l sold my vest-not expecting to live
until cold wcather-and my pocket book, =
which my captOrs had left when they took all
its contents,-and with the proceeds the iailer
bought me three little books-all gems" Par
adise Lost Pilgrim Progress" and Polok's
"Course of Time" These | deliberately set to
work to memorize. 1t was pleasant and profit
able employment, helping very much to shorten
those interminable days:
Our room was of greater size than that in
Chattanooga; the windows larger and our
number reduced; yet the heat was fearfuly
oppressive. One OF the party, Mark Wood, was
very sick. He had been Frustrated with fever
for nearly a month, and at this time his life
was despaired OF. This was not thought by the
others to be any great misfortune to him, and
they accordingly administered consolation in a
style worthy tho best of Jobs friends. They
would say, "Now, Wood l wouldn't try to get
well, if were in your place. They will only
hang you if you do. Better try to die and save
them the trouble" Wood, however, did not
relish this counsel, and, becoming contrary, he
recovered, Just for spite, as he often declared.
The black walters of the prison were very
friendly. They assisted us by every means in
their power, and seemed willing to take any
personal risk on our behalf 1t was not long
before they found that we desired few things
SO much as to read the news, and they tasked
their ingenuity to crafty us. Newspapers
were prohibited, as they had not been at Knox
vile. But the walters would watch until the
jailcr or some of the guard had finished read
ing paper and laid it down, when they would
slyly purloin it, put it into the bottom of the
pan in which our food was brought, and thus
hand it to us unsuspected. 1t had to be re-
turned in the same way to avoid suspicion.
Our ministerial friend also, as he acquired con-
fdence in u.s. gave us reason to think that he
was not so much devoted to the Confcdcracy as
his first prayer (made in hearing of the cuardl
indicated. He asked permission of the .jailer to
give us some old files Of religious papers. and
sent in bundle weekly, or ofteuer. They
were acceptable, but their value greatly in
creased when we found that an old religious
paper might have new daily folded carefully
inside! These acts of friendship were deeply
grateful to us, and lightcned many q weary
hour.
One morning our jailct came to our door and
asked if we knew John Wollam. We were
startled, and hesitated to answer. For three
weeks we had heard nothing of Wollam, and
hoped that one member of our devoted band
had escaped. Now we knew that the jailer
was in possession OF some news, and while we
burned to hear it, we feared the possibility of
doing Wollam an injury by ack nowlcdging the
acquaintance. But while we deliberated, John
himself came up and put an end to our doubts
by greeting us heartily. The door was un-
locked and he entered. All the survivors of
our party were now together, as those who had
been separated from us at Chattanooga were
put into our room Immediately after the exc
cution of our comrades. Our number, includ-
ing Capt Fry, who remained in cur room,
was 15
The first thing in order, when left alone, was
for John to tell us all his adventures from the
time he and Andrews had broken out Of the
Chattanooga dungeon. Ho was fred upon
while still suspended in the air by the blankets
upon which he was descending but fortunately
the hands Of the guards were too unsteady to
infict any injury. He succeeded in getting
safely to the ground, and then out of the prison
yard and through the guard-li line.
In his efforts to cScaUe Wollam dispjaveI
qualities which would have done credit to an
Indian. A few moments running brought him
down to the river side in advance OF all pur-
suers. Finding no means of crossing. the bril-
liant thought struck him of making his enemies
believe he had crossed. This idea was instantly
acted on He threw off his coat and vest drop
ping them on the bank of the river. and then
walked few rods in the water to throw any
hounds that might be following off his track.
He next slipped quietly back and hid in
dense thicket of canes and rushes. lie heard
his purSuers on the bank above him and all
around talking Of their various plans. At last
they found the clothes, and at once concluded
that no had taken to the river. Accordingly
they fcrried the blood hounds to the other
side, and searched for tho place of his exit
from the water. AS might be expected, the
dogs were unable to find that. and after due
time spent in consultation the COnfederates
concluded that he had been drowned and gave
over the search.
Wollam spent the day in great anxiety, but
night gave him the opportunity of leaving his
hiding place. lie made his way cautiously
down the river on the Chattanooga side for
some miles. AT length he found canoe in
which he drifted down the stream by night,
while hiding il and himself in tho bushes by
day. On two occasions he would have been
saved if he had only known it. Gen. Mitchell
had captured a steamboat and fitted il up as q
cruiser, with which he patrolled the river as
far as his lines extended. In his night-voyaging
Wolam passed this oytcmporized gunboat
twice but fearing that il was some rebel craft.
he crept quietly by in the shadow of the shore
without discovery.
At length he felt sure that he was inside
the Union lines and beyond the probable danger
of capture, and therefore ycntured boldly for
ward in the duytime. This was a fatal mistake
The danger of capture is never so great as
iii the debatablc ground between two armies
where both exercise their utmost vigilance
This boundary in most cases is also shifting
one II was so in this instance A band of
rebel cav&lry on the shore saw the lonely vow
ager, and, riding on ahead, procured % boat
and came out to meet him. He was unable to
escape, and thus the poor fellow was captured
on the very brink of safety. As usual he tried
to persuade them that he was a Confederate
but unfortunately a certain Lieut.. Edwards
who had assisted in his previous capture, hap
pencd to be present and 1T once recognized him
by his bold and reckless bearing lie was then
taken TO join us at Atlanta.
Our provisions here became worse and less
until the starvation point was nearly reached.
Constant hunger was ono of the tormcnt5 Of