The examiner., 1886-03-27
A Miraculous Escape!
RIDDLED YET ALIVE.
CAYALRYMAN CLARK'S EXPERIENCE.
The Most Miraculous Escape from Death
 That Happened im thc Late War.

That Happened i'm the Late War.
 Doctor Thomas Simmons of No. 70 Pearl St., Hartford, an old English Reformer, officials of the Knights of Labor in the city, is now treating Mir. Vim. E. Clark, brother to the we'll known lawyer, Sydney E. Clark, for wounds received in the late war; and through the courtesy of the Doctor who is familiar with the facts in this particular case; we are furnished with brief account of the manner in which Clark received his wounds, their location and his miraculous escape from death. Clark enlisted in Company A, First Reg irnent Conn Cavalry, Vols. before he was fourteen years old, and had received all of his wounds before he had arrived ct the age of seventeen. He is well known in Hartford, and many of its citizens are ture and escape-he being pronounced the worst wounded soldier in Connecticut. The following is the account:
 On the famous Wilson Cavalry Raid in June 1864, made upon tho South Side and turn from the raid endeavored break through the Confederate lines and join Grants army, Clark received a wound in the back of the head On the following day in charge made upon the enemy at Stony Greek, Va, he received another wound i'm the left foot; at that time two horses having been shot from under him. he was mounted on an officers pack-mule which he captured on the battle field after the animal had lost it's pack and been abandoned by the fleeing servant in charge.
 The next day, General Wilson having extricated his command by passing around the right flank of the Confederate army, from the dangerous position into which by misunderstanding it had fallen, began the reorganization of his worn out and separated troops preparatory to joining the Union lines. Parts of regiments, stragglers and squads of troopers that had become seperated from their immediate commands by hard fighting, forced marches and faded horses, were ordered to join their respect i've regiments at once.
 Clark at this time separated from his regiment, which was in the advance, and was riding in company with ". H. Bishop tnow of Toledo Ohio) when General Wilson rode up 10 them and ordered them to join the regiment by cutting across lots. Bishops horse, although much faded, was faster than the mule which Clark rode and in passing through woods and across fields they became separated, and Clark probably made longer cut than his companion did and came out on the main road far in ad- vance of his regiment. As he came out into the main road he was halted and cap tnrsd by squad of fourteen of the enemy's dismounted cavalry, who were concealed from his view until the challenge was made. He was then quickly hurried into the thick woods, and back to the rear. After Will sons command had passed, leaving one man to guard over the prisoner, the rest of the Confederates returned to the road and picked up two stragglers-one a pri- vate from the 9th N. Y. cavalry, the other colored servant from the 1st D. c. regi- ment Of cavalry. Later in the day the Con- federates guarding their prisoners closely, took up 3heir line of march for the Confed- crate lines. Penetrating the thick woods they at length came upon bridle-path which was followed for some distance, when suddenly one of the guards after few angry words shot the colored prisoner from the rear, the charge entering the head just back of the right ear Death must have been instantaneous. The 9th N. Y. man was next to fall and was killed in a similar manner to the negro.
 Clark now saw that he was destined to the same fate, and wounded as he was he sprang to the left of the path in the hope of placing some of the large trees between himself and the Confederates, but received two bullets in the left leg which felled him to the ground. The Confederates then up and at very close range fired charge after charge into his prostrate and bleeding form. Twenty rounds must have been fired in all, fifteen of which took effect. The last shot which penetrated his left breast and rendered him unconscious was fired in such close proximity to his body that the powder from the muzzIe of the weapon burned his clothing
 The shooting occurred at about 5 D. m. and Clark lay in an unconscious state until after the sun was up on the following morn ing. Upon awaking or returning to con sciousness the sufferings which he expert enced from the great loss of blood, thirst and fever, caused by the many wounds received, is indiscrible. Several attempts were made by him to arise to his knees, Lut weakened by loss of blood, and crippled by fractured bones, every attempt failed. At length he began to crawl towards the two dead men, whom he could see from the position in which he lay, in the hope of finding a canteen of water on their bodies. He was long time reaching them and this was accomplished by lying flat on the face and right side and making an inch at time in that direction. When he reached the dead men, to his great disappointment and almost utter prostration of hope, he found no water upon them. He then remembered of having crossed brook a short time before the shooting occurred, and painful and exhaustive as the exertion was, he began crawling in that direction
 
 having began to bleed afresh, the entire distance that he crawled was marked by a trail of blood. Only few feet could be made at a time in the direction of the brook, when utterly exhausted he was com pelled to rest; but when the shades of night began to deepen he had reached the brook, and so eager was he for water that he crawled into it, allowing his whole body to be submerged while he drank, after which he crawled upon the bank and was now able to get upon his knees, but not to arise to his feet While lying upon the bank an old jaded, cast-off cavalry horse came through the woods and approached the brook for drink. Seeing the wounded hasp on the ground he went cautiously up to him, and began smelling of him, where upon Clark seized him with ths right hand by the foretop and by this means succeeded in pulling himself up to standing position. He next took off his suspenders and with his right hand and teeth formed moose and secured it to the animals under jaw. The horse which was nearly as feeble as himself was now allowed to drink and then fastened to a shrub near at hand. After resting awhile he began making the attempt to mount the animal By crawl