Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-05-22
A WAR EPISODE.
The Capture and Escape of
a Federal Soldier Dur
ing the Late
Rebellion.
Immured ia a Rebel Prison, He
Gains His Liberty and Travels
Hundreds of Miles to the
Union Lines.
Written for tho Press and Dakotaian
BY BUCKEYE.


BY BUCKEYE.
My capture as prisoner OF war came
about IN this way. WAS on one of the
extreme outposts of our lines and not
more than one hundred yards from the
enemy's pickets. My post was beside an
old tree, which was broken off perhaps
one third of the way up. The top was
still hanging to the stump, while the
branches were resting on the ground.
Several large trees stood near by, but
there were none between me and the
enemy. Worn out with marching and
fighting, l several times found myself
half asleep. was suddenly awakened
from this stupid condition by man
grasping my gun, while another pointed
. bayonst at my breast. Escape was i'm
possible, resistance useless and scream
death. In whispered breath one of
them said. forward march," In few
moments was a prisoner within the
enemy's lines. In changing the guards
they had by some means unobserved by
our pickets secreted themselves in tree
top near mo and there waited their op.
portunity, my capture being part of q
general plan to take all the pickets on
that portion of the line prisoners, make
night attack, carry our works and thus
gain an important victory. Their plan
failed. [ was, 90 far knew, the only
ono taken.
The next day was marched off to
prison. Now comes an experience of my
life SO thrilling, SO full of mental
anxiety, SO dreadful. that / cannot hope
the reader may even family realizsi it as
did.
Within short time after my imprison-
mont formed very close and conf
Dental acquaintance with two of my fell
low prisoners and together we concocted
plan of escape which we resolved to
put into execution the first possible op-
portunity. We were in the upper story
of a large brick building. Back of the
building abont thirty feet was stream
of water, along the bank of. which
were stationed senfInels, and
| the whole building was heavily
guarded on every side. One dark and
stormy night we resolved to try it..
| Across the windows were iron rods
| nearly half inch in diameter. For
several days, when there was confusion,
80 as not to be detected, we had been
working at the iron rods with our
knives until only few minutes would
be required to complete the task of sew
eriDg them. We had sawed up so close
against the bricks that it could be de-
tected only on the closest examination.
And now, under cover of the storm, we
completed this part of our work. TAX
| ing hold of the ends of the sawed off
rods we bent them around to the out
side.
We now cut our blankets into strips.
| tied them together and made rope OF
Sufficient strength to bear our weight.
After removing the step inside the win
dow we cautiously lifted 1T out and set
it against the wall. Then tying one end
of our rope around the bent rods we put
the other outside. ALI was ready. Who
would go first? 1t seemed like SWING.
ing ourselves into the very jaws of death.
A sickening hesitation seemed to over.
come us. Vigilant sentinels. armed
with deadly guns, stood in our pathway.
Yet, in The darkness and roar of the
storm, there was possibility OF passing
them. Sometimes in the vivid flashes
III, saaS ~ - ~. a. sntpses u
Te nav 'otu oe.t ~ pe .no hRuL y, g9alu. a,'
:, oui a;.adn a;,epo mas az ~" M auanuoneu Ihe
.pia a, inoi s nius
49, Eoa a ne - xooi;.aa ~ " esoape.
an". T fa,t ~ ~ az ae.na ,.ns ut Stae aea.n was
neai le,o tne grasp u Que OF my
Ill nana .ha aart mn.sps.s ,a', ial's,
~ hun o,aaa;ns aa VII th.nsap tt,o oonl ~, !,
.ha ,aa nasans .nosn f re- sne minuoW' M! M
no mhoIs 1.sn seaa " enoss n.snts. NY
mnoae ns .ae .; seetneL osomue" into MN
snna sn - % tha. ho had % rsoahaa h ~ ~ ene rope
Wnrla 'A"s Ss no nnn u su aona .h une souno; !:
mou Hasho W Aos snarp pass .ans.. ene euala
oannat aasa.ih s,a,i;'.,.
-. max. tau n,;nr.os 80 .hs4 ne!y
a;aht - III, tann - -. .naS noiilu 1i
.;|a @ nf arasn,nn @ % the rona say ans leooaec
;na thro,,,,, ,ha ,n;nao,. "ns ~ ~. on pass
st;.i .;tsh. kaio, ~, AZ =. ,.hus ,So1hs
aash ~ s,ta;no o ~ Az ae a.S ~ .ns iaknsn.ng
.hsarh ~ ,,.a 80. ~ 'no 5 s9unu, oasepips
a.has sida t os .ha straan aau " ieaoiiAhs 'he
osTI. Tha so nroat - danaar na. a.so. -. r
os n s,in t0a. a,..anSa ua "Is 10, passeu uas 4
forts r M and aamns OK w gualus' aau
tbs@t, ~. IL. all ns may
on ais a VIC san n..s 'eso,a. w .inee iounu
yse eis n, La. s.a.;, saa, anu R oa9s caugn'
e.It IT,. as s.sppiut ,sa,. L oa hs pnoi-
FL So. ,ha,n as dnatsm ~ 'ao ae saiey
~ .hI WI sn" .,, ~ Az. ua e uiteo.ion
Inns nsssad 1s havs ' no n ,nsana of 'Es ;na'
\ / only know that day-daWn found me-