The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-08-15
WAR MEMORIES.
Escape From tho Rcbeis-Tale or PtIson. Zen and
Stochadc How Columbia, n, e., Tame 10 he
Burned-Twenty Days with Shermans "num-
mers."
Written by GAIT Ira II. sAMrsoS, OF the qd Massa.
chusetts lleavy Artillery for the Kennhllcanl .

| mers.v
written hy GAIT Ira II. sANrsoN, OF the 2d Massa-
| chuse'ts Heavy Artillery for the Republican,
Early in thls series of war papers, Capt Sampson
gave an account OF an unsuccessful atempt 10 cs-
cape from rebel prison at Savannah, ia, The
Mory of tunnelinR the stockade upon stormy night,
nls adyeniurons voyage IN small skin In search OF
| Union Run.boat and his nnnl rc-capture male n
thrilling narrative. which he now supplcmcns with
an equally interesting tale OF how he last eluded the
clutches OF the rebels at Coumhia, T. q.
rHR COMMANDMENT or CHARLESTON,
After a few wecks stay Mt Savannah, continues
Capt. sampson, the movements OF Gcn. sherman
nccessated the removal Of prisoners to place Of
greater safety, We were therefore taken Charles
Ton. y u, and quarters assigned us ut the jail and
contiguous yard: We were here within range OF The
| Union guns OF Morris Island, aud confinement
under such exposure was n specimen OF rebel bar.
barity seldom paralelei. Gloom ana tesolaiion
hese nS san Sy ann lew W hn, negroes remained IN
structve work OF shells and re-hot shot that they
gave 'nem iitile attention unless uncomfortably
near. Much OF the city had already been burned
and the fire brigade was OF more consequence Than
the armed troops acting as Its guardians. Topplcd
grass, grown streets were graphic witnesses Of ihc
effective work OF "gilmorc's swamp angeIs'-or an
from the time Of their usual visitation, "timorc's
morning reports;" For weeks slept beneath the
%a gHSws wsa ne and though was
comfort others would have been glad to secure.
Ine waning heat OF summer brought with II the
enemy might be Inclined to disregard i,s ravages
among the prisoners, they could not without fearful
among the rank nnd file at the course, lust out
OF the city, was already fearful and with enforced
contend with tiiis unseen foe At length the ordsp
was given for removal, and we were closely packed
alv hSns a,Su ans ~ hustled h AWAY 70 Conmbs
city. '''"''''"'
LIFR AT SCAMP SORGHUM"
heaching Columbia at night we lay upon the
| ground IN soaking raln-a bath we much enloyed
The next morning we were removed to "Camp Sor-
| Rhum,' thus named by us from the ratOns Of sor.
camp was an old cotton Held near the Conparee
River, 2 short distance above the city. Having no
stocksIe i was surrounded with Gordon Of guards
hounds, the former with Instructions to shoot any
m one apprcach,ng the dead line. AT first our supply
thrown ont In the timber, but later when Gen. Sher-
mans movements demanded every available man to
oppose him daily parole was substituted under which
certain prisoners were allowed to gO ont and cut
wood for the camp Some broke their parole and en-
In strength to make such an attempt There were
some 500 OF us confined In the HELD, living In holes
In the ground anu In booths made OF sticks and
leaves until quite late In the fall, when with the aid
| OF q few axes some rude huts were constructed
| bangs"
THR REMOVAL IN ASYLUM CANT.
Late In December the Inclemency OF the weather
amt the insuiiiclency Of our d,apiiated clothing
the city. This lnciosed about two acres OF The State
Insane asyinm grounds and WAS therefore styled
| buildings used by us as hospitals. These hospitals
were provided with nurses from our own numbers
while the occasional visits Of confederate surgeon
raiions were still inadequate In quantity AMI quality
the pnching cold rendering the need OF meet almost
for months. We slept during the day la the warmth
OF the sun ami walked the camp at night to secure
constantly within the camp over lie ru%ors ~ s"s
cesses or reverses to the Union AMI resorted
TO many expedients to secure the news. The enemy
sedulousy watched every arrival OF Information,
often keeping us In ignorance for weeks until some
friendly negro would smuRgle paper Into camp.
lhe Information given by Southern press was usn-
ally no indefinite that the papers were more remark.
able for what they dill moi say than for what they
contained The absence OF reports from Savannah
and Charleston convinced us that the Union
forces held those cities and this belief was further
strengthened by the nervous waichfuness Of the
foe. Nearer AMI nearer came the victorious hoats
with the boon of freedom and felt 1t In the air
but suddenly our hopes were bghted by orders to
DC reauy 10 move al half.hopr's nolice.
PLANNING FOR AN ESCAPE.
Believing our forces were surely pressing toward
US we had expected the enemy would again attempt
= removal OF the prisoners, and hence our leisure
out "retreAts" In which to seclue ourselves when
marching orders were received. Lieut. Robert b. |
chuse,is Volunteers, theavy ar ery) had his bunk
a. the front OF the second upper hall. Along ihe
head and he conceived the Idea of aidinp between
ne Sei'ng anm roof II the space proved 70 be large
enough. using case Rnlfe with nOtches broken
ont OF II for saw hole was cut by us during tne
nights underneath his bunk Into This space. The |
boards were replaced, the cracks led win soap,and
pleted some time, when the night Of February ig
1855, we received the order above mentioned. Sc.
ourselves within the hiding place. nlling il to its
, utmost capacity. A comrade outside generously |
sepasen sn ssa e S1a1as reng the cracks win
clairs bunk and lett us TO our fate Our party now
aSassea arsry q MAJ New Yor
ton, Second Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Llents |
hsS,hs peyins ana nyers WIN three Others now Unknown
ordered, the line was formed and the prisoners
moved out Ct the pen TO the cars and started for
North Carolina. This was about o'clock at night
by us.
During the rest Of the night the rebel guards
have !een left behind, and N the morning we saw
them Them t@ar1Igh @ re cracks from line across the
every Inch OF its surface with their ramrods and
Dayoneis: In this way some nfty or more OF our
fully understood by the rebels. As we saw the
crestfallen cap!iyesmarchel OF, we hardly dared
within the building where we were conceaea'
searching every nook and corner except where we
were WERE ana from {heir conyersai!on we knew that
whisper aaasa a. Having foaaa ali eonssaes aSsxs
ne o %sp a me the 5sosa
suit OF q whispered consultation, we determined to
citizens at that hour were required to be within heir
homes. During the afternoon a cold, driving rain
set 10 and its CHILLING effect, added our cramDe,
position and the Cravings OF hunger rendered. H.
Impossible to longer endure the confinement.
EACH Nan FOR HIMSELF.
1t was scarcely more than O'Clock when we |
exed aa bd" Sa1 hg place and after short
each man should shit for himself Cautiously en-
tsaF Swa Ss sa HEY ~ @ dsa
neryonsness. The entrance was closed and going
to the east q the camp BY the aid OF stick was
guards. u was 80 dark could see nothing but the
guided by these soon found myself on street
leading into . thickly settled portion. Having The
utmost Ss% n the blacks Of the sont,
lection and care OF escaped prisoners, Determined
TO throw myself upon their sympathy and gener-
ss,ysn,s SasIsIs q, hnSx
drawing ne Into tRs House caimed siAI II Know SS
an he eny other 0ecananl was an old colored
- "aunts," SessSned ns 70 follow Sm % lie look " me-
place from which through the cracks between ' the
some comrades ess ioriaaa,e than than myself had
been discovered and recapiHrcd, while others were I
o q Psys saTs along
swarmed tatq the enclosure, again thriistng right
aud lei. piercing the ground aud aring the nuts and
chance 70 he In cOncealmeht. The IRE Increased 30
rapdy that the attention ~ the enemy was soon re-
qured TO save the larger buildings. aud during the
c0nf1Aion which ensued several prisOners escaDed
from the pen and like myself were cared for by The
blacks. - ~
AWAITING GEN. sHERMANs cOMIsG.
II Ia needless to add that after such friendly re-
ceptl0n was ut once supplied by my c0lored host
win an abundance AMI quality OF food not enjDyed
slnce my captivity. % course the good Ihngs came
from the supplies OF "Massa, who lived few rods
distant, , @ on me morning Of lne 10th found my po-
opposite 70 where the Union ARMY aiterwari
sniefed, Ile daI PASSED without incldeAl other
lime the ayhg runners as 10 Masaa sbeTInans
and supposed Intentions Flrst he
was certainly crossing the river above ana then be-
ow nor shure, nassa" bit out OF II all was GER
AIN the blue-coas were coming aud the hour OF INV
was at hand. There were 0mInous !
'9ulds OF Aprrying troops and the hasiy Departure
d citizens, and over az t1e distant neal aud reyer-
ieraon Of cannon, which gathered strength as the
lay wore away. Ny strength Increased with The
,oom of the canon, and for once found myself u
hrViny on IHe eAepy nisfoJl,nes az fol ihe past
en- mohlhs they had gloateq oveF my own ',