Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-11-25
ICHIGAN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25. 1886.

4
the officers of the prison. l made my plan
known to some of my comrades, and with
their help, and the use of my cherished
gold-pieces, it was not long before 1 had
! o complete uniform for Confederate pri-
vate slowed away behind the bricks at the
corner of the room. Next / bought q
razor and a pair of scissors-for even these
could be got with money, of the hucksters
that were occasionally admitted to the
prison. On the night before the morning
that had fixed for my bold attempt, lay
down with the bundle of clothing under
my head, and tried in vain to sleep. Long
before daylight was up; nobody else was
astir in the room, but l heard the guards
tramping back and forth in the halls.
went to the window, and, trusting great
deal 10 the sense of feeling, l sheared
off my luxuriant hair, beard, and dropping
mustache, and with the aid of a small
piece of soap and some water that was left
in my can L made lather and shaved my
face. Then with some ink lent me by q
comrade dyed my eyebrows; and takin Z
off and concealing my old clothes l put on
\ ths gray -aaiforna- hnttonine thS-OaAt ap to
the chin, that might look like an orderly
without arms. Stationing myself near the
door, / waited with fast beating heart.
Presently the morning allowance of food
/ WIS III, bCA6Vhub uuu bCNCidA
soldiers entering to see to its distribution.
A guard stood at the door with musket and
fixed bayonet. l walked straight up to
him. remarking, "Theres enough here
without me-" He stepped aside and al
lowed me to pass without word. With a
firm step walked through the hall and
descended the stairs. / observed that he
looked after me carelessly. In the hall
below passed another guard; he looked at
me, but said nothing. Acting in exact
pursuance of the plan l had marked out,
/ stopped at the prison Office at the end of
the lower hall. and asked the clerk the time.
NEARLY seven, he replied, looking at the
clock, and then indifferently at me.
He did not know me, and never sus-
| pected that the man before him was other
than what he seemed to be; and yet-so
| astounding were the incidents of
my escape-I instantly recognized in
this clerk an old friend of ante
| who had come South, where his sympathies
lay, when war became imminent! thanked
him, and, turning to leave the office, met
Major Turner at the door. promptly sa-
luted him; he returned it. and on L went,
between the muskets at the outer door,
past the sentinels. and the relief guard,
some of whom were waiting for their
breakfast near by-nobody challenging me,
| nobody appearing to imagine that L was
other than an orderly from the prison, 60
| ing on some early errand. In two minutes
l had turned corners enough 10 remove me
from sight of the Libby. l hurried along
with no other thought than to get outside
| the city as fast as possible, forgetting for
the time both the weakness of my leg and
the Iromss of the Union lady. Near the
- "a. II ,Nx
negro quarter: and, knowing from previous
experience the fidelity of the blacks 10 the
Union cause, / did not hesitate to disclose
myself to venerable darky, and ask for
directions.
you'll nebber get out dis way, sah," he
said, with grave shake of his woolly head.
ddeyIr Ind ySRh ySSRho oalu nd de rsaaas y8Ht Baah and
/ pressed ON; but the negro's warning
was speedily verified; and, had been less
circumspect in my accommodating, should
have probably reached the Libby again
before noon of that day. On that road, on
two other roads that tried discovered at
distance mounted patrols or infantry
guards. / sat down on some abandoned
earth works, and reflected. My leg was
getting painful, and was in the midst of
| enemies. If 1 should succeed in passing
the pickets-and this was not certain-I
had not the strength nor the endurance to
| lurk in the woods daytimes and prosecute
nv escape nights, as would be necessary.
There was nothing at the end of this but
recapture, and the Libby again. There
was no course open to me but to turn back
into the city and seek my unknown friends.
l did it with heavy heart; yet, as the Sc
quel proved, i was then taking the path
that led to home and freedom.
1 found the lady's house with little diff
Guilty, and was welcomed in way that left
no doubt of her fidelity to the Union cause.
During the next month, that noble woman
| concealed me, watched over my safety, and
at last provided for my transit 10 our lines,
| in the manner presently TO be described.
But so surprising were the discoveries that
/ made while in this refuge, and so novel
will their relation be to most people ut the
North, that will pause n moment to speak
of them. This lady was one OF large num-
ber of Unionists in Richmond, who, at the
greatest risk to themselves, were constantly
engaged in helping the cause. They trans
mitted important news to Washington, and
sought every opportunity to aid our pris-
oners. Her house was the headquarters of
a branch organization of loyal league,
which she told me embraced the names of
several thousand in the city. All of them,
of course, were not active; but all were
sympathizers. / know it to be fact that
these men had arms concealed In their
cellars and garrets; and in the previous
spring, during the Charlottesville cam
paign, when Stoneman was nearing Rich
mond with his cavalry, they anxiously
waited the certainty OF his coming to rise,
arm themselves, open the prison doors, and
take possession of the city for him. But q
premature disclosure of themselves would
mean instant DEATH SO they were bound to
great caution. Those were strange times
and strang than anything l have yet re-
lated, but still absolutely true-during my
sojourn at this house l was introduced to
one o. It's visitors, man in thorough SYM
pathy with the national cause, who was q
high official in one of the Confe lera'e bu-
reaus. Al his su u!gestion 1 accompanied
him one day as an orderly, riding horse
which he provid ID for me, on q tour of in
spection of the defenses of the city. The
party included n board of engineers and
several prominent Generals of the Con.
federacy. In view of what happened to me
afterward, shudder TO thint OF the risl
then ncedlessly taken. But my officia
friend was sure that my disguise was abso
lutely impenetrable; AMI the information
which l acquired during that days ride wa
of great value 10 o lr cause. At least Sec
retary Stanton told me 50 when afterwarC
gave him all its detlils.
The plan of escape which my loya
friends had formed was disclosed to me
and, though burning with impatience t.
make the trial, was constrained to TAX,
their counsel, and bide my time. They de
signed to get me place as driver Of one o
the wagons of forage and supply train
which was with large escort to leave th,
city for the Lower Potomac region. Their