The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-01
LIEUTENANT's STORY.
HxchanrA

1t Is & somewhat rare thing to come across agood story teller in this world -one who knows how to embelliah his yarn just enough and yet not to delay the point too long. If there ever was D good hand at this sort of thing Lieu- tenant Walsh, of the signal scrvice corps, is that one. This morning he was in fine mood. and told the fol- lowing thrilling story of adventures in the far southwest:
 "Several years ago was inspecting stations In the west. l had just ar. rived at little station out In the di- lrection--it doesn't matter where. We had come across the alkali desert, and my throat and eyes were filled with the dust. had to send my clothes out to be beaten Just like a carpet, They were perfectly white.
 sAfter I took bath and got dressed I felt better, and decided to walk down o tine signal station. This was Ia the morning. The man l found In charge was big, raw -boned fellow, over six eet high, with as villainous a counte- lance as ever you laid eyes on. Some low or other took dislike to him from the first look gave him. Well, | went into the office and overlooked .hings. It is usually the custom to examine all the property in the store- 'oom also. l went into 1t, the man xeeping with me all the time. It was small room, about the size of large iloset. There were a lot of boxes in {. looked into some of them. In moving them around saw one under hem all. l looked at 1t, but this fei- ow-we'll call him Thompson-said That is mx -ncrsnnrlpraperty.' There must needs rob prisoners, England ail France ought to be informed"
 l entered the stockade with my ftR suit of clothes and all my monel much to the surprise of my fellow prisoners, all of whom had been dy spoiled. The place was then approaca ing its worst. had made up nv mind directly after capture that l taken to Andersonville ] would rn any risk to make my escape. l he not been inside an hour before I W canvassing the chances. According :. all accounts, they were slim, indeed The stockade was heavily guarded, t.. guards were aware of every Yanh trick, and the people in the counts, around eagerly took up the hunt aitd any prisoner who made dash for Ii 2 erty. There was no longer any hoy of tunnelling under the fence, and te idea of sudden uprising of all tls prisoners had to be abandoned in tn face of the artillery planted to prevei such movement. In two days l hs figured the matter down to this: I
 First, if got away 1t must be whie I had strength, pluck and mones Secondly, the first move toward escaI must be to get a detail outside il stockade. On the third day of m stay sent out word that was will ing to serve on the medical staff of tlr post if desired, and my offer was q. cepted.
 Just at the time there was goo deal of sickness among the Confcdei ates as well, and there was no or at the post worthy of the title of SUI geon. l had served for six months u hospital steward at Washing ngton, an, although nothing of a doctor, I w? better qualified to administer medicii- than any one at the post. The din pensary was room about twelve fas square, and the stock on hand WY almost worthless. There were abo, one hundred boxes of cathartic pilp some blue mass. not over two ounc- of quinine, an ounce of calomel, and
 gallon jug of extract of blackber
 root. There were c few surgical L. struments, but the whole outfit wou
 have been held in contempt by bao, : woods beginner. The day went ou of the stockade there were twenty three Confederates on the sick list, an, at least 1000 prisoners should hay Fbeen under medical care. !. was informed that would be pu on my honor not to attempt to escapl but was not sworn or asked to sid any paper. I therefore felt at libert to carry out any plan which migI come to me. knew the location
 Andersonville to 6 dot, and the lon distance ore would have to travel e reach the Union lines. Such prisoneh as had got away had no other idt than to put distance between tho
 and the stockade, and had soon won themselves out. My Hrst attentt
 was given to the country around
 In two weeks, by observation and 1
 quiry, knew every highway au plantation for ten miles around o In another fortnight I could ha
 made my way across the state of Alv bama without asking a question. !, great many colored people came out the post ss sightseers, and a l CTS l ployed some of them to bring me bas