The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-12-17

looked at the stalwart tAlabafnacAval.
ryman, tall, broad-shouldered and
light hAired and at the Third Georgia
militiaman, about AZ tall, but tanker,
sof darker complexion, and black hair,
but could see no resemblance. Yet
each was named after the same James
Patrick,sa mutual, grandfather, one
was clothed in the blue OF the Federal
forces, now much soi!ed and ragged by
constant wear in prison life; the other
in q strong and new suit OF home
made cotton cloth, tinged of butter
nut color and decked with wooden
buttons. No likeness there. One was
q soldier Of The United States the 9th.
er one OF the Georgia militia, which
Governor Brown had so much con
3tentioi to keep from Confederate con-
troll.
More striking than all else-one was
sa prisoner OF war in the hands of enc
mics, subject to all the abuse and pri.
yations of such acondition-the other
with musket in hand, guarding the
prison and executing the stern DEGREES
of military power upon its helpless in.
mates, There was no resemblance in
their appearance, clothing or situa-
ton; in fact, a marked contrast
throughout. Yet their names were
identical and they were of the same
ancestry.
During these engrossihg reflections
OF mine their conversation had been
continued. They had traced each
others lineage by mutual question
and answer, and found they were in
fact first cousins. The details oI
names OF uncles, aunts, cousins and
kin OF various degrees, with occasion.
al exclamations OF astonishment, OF
confederation, spun. out their conver.
sationto great length and in minute.
ness not now remembered.
But there were the two Mabrys-one
on guard, the other in the prison pen;
one Union, the other Considerable
each with the same name exactly, and
cousins.
How many more interviews they
had can not say, but my beliefis that
my Mabry laid the foundation for OBJ.
tanning q more regular supply OF horns,
and q better market for his combs,
and devoted himself with greater in.
dustry than ever to their manufacture.
- n
About the middle of March, 1864,
came orders to remove all the Fed eral
prisoners from Andersonville. As u.s.
ual, we were told this meant exchange,
but We had been too often deceived TO
trust to such an announcement,
though it was "a contamination de-
voutly to be wished" Nobody, how.
ever, grieved to leave Andersonville,
for it was well known that any other
prison would be, in some respects, an
improvement, certainly none could be
worse. The vast graveyard just out
side the prison gates, which had re-
ceived the bodies OF some thirteen
Thousand of our comrades, always
seemed speaking to us in the language
of the old hymn
'.Ye living men, come view the grou nd;
Where ys shall shortly lie."-
Prisoners in detachments had been
leaving Andersonville for week be-
fore cur turn came to march out.
Mabry and had become fast friends,
and as soon as we were put on the
cars for transportation to Savannah,
as was told us for exchange, we de.
termined to use every opportunity for
escape. Our route lay nearly north to
Ft. Valley, at which point the road to
Savannah was to the eastward. In
stead our train was headed to the
west, which seemed to mean no ex-
change but another prison. Our plan
OF escape was soon made, though it
took some time to execute.
We were confined in box cars, with
four rebel guards to a car, two at
each door with muskets crossed. In
the end OF the cars there was not
much light even in day time. Our de-
sign was to escape by saving hole
in the floor of the car near one end
large enough to allow us to pass
through, and then crawl out and spring
off the train when it was going slow
on an up grade.
We commenced work soon after
leaving Ft. Valley, and from there to
Opelika did not stop. The main
trouble was to get even a small hole
through the boards. By dent of
working continuously with pocket
knife we at last succeeded and could
feel the cool air coming through the
crevice.
Now Mabry's comb saw, came into
good service, and we worked with a
will.
Cramped fingers and blistered hands
wers not regarded. The rattling OF
the train in motion drowned all the
noise we made at work. How far be-
yond Opelika we were when we finish
ed our labors, we did not know, but
we knew we had been working all
night, and it was toward morning.
Now came the crisis OF all our labor,
and being the smaller ventured first.
! let myself down through the hole,
found something underneath to cling
to until ! worked myself to where
l could come up between the
cars. / climbed up and signal
ed Mabry as agreed, by three taps
on the end of the car that was
out and ready to disembark as soon
MS he joined me. Then he followed,
and soon stood beside me. Noguards
were in sight, the train was running
slowly; SO far success had attended
us. j jumped first and he followed
me, both alighting safely. We lay
down until the train had all passed,
and then Immediately took to the
woods.
Once more we were free, at least,
masters OF our own movements for
the time, but hundreds OF miles inter-
vened between us and the Union lines,
and to whatever point we might trav-
ell our way led through u hostile
country where the greatest watchful-
ness would be needed to avoid recap
ture.
After consultation, we decided to
shape our course towards Pensacola
and endeavor to enter our lines there
For three days we Travelled through
lonesome woods, waded streams and
threaded our way through thick un-
ln,. ~