Connecticut western news., 1888-08-22
The Confederate's Ruse.
BY JOHN B. TABB.

BY JOHN B. TABB.
 was the last of the fortunate few that escaped from Point Lookout prison, he said, in tho fall of GA.
 The enclosure-known as the Bull Pen-in which the prisoners were kept, consisted of a paling about IA feet high, with an outside platform, not far from the top, whero tho sentiaels day and night walked their beat Tn sight of the prisoners.
 On the eastern side of the camp was the Chesapeake; and here, if we kept within musket range, We could bathe or fish at any hour of tho day-a privi- lege greatly appreciated by those who could stand the exertion.
 For some it became daily practice, whenever the weather permitted the sport, to fish in tho forenoon; and this we did either standing in tho water, sometimes up to cur elbows or armpits, or sitting on long-legged, crane-like tripods, which the more ingenious con- trivcd for themselves out of pieces of cracker-box. Day after day we would venture out in the broiling sunshine; and l have since wondered, in thinking of it, that no case of sunstroke ever oc- cured.
 Every morning large tubs of garbage from the cook house aud slops from the hospital-tents were brought to tho beach to be emptied; and those who happened to be bathing at the time had as much as they could do, in returning to the shore, to keep clear of tho filth. To one of these ''vessels of ignc miny" it was that I owed my escape. It chsnced in this way:
 I had waded out with my fishing clothes on somewhat further than usual, when l saw tub floating upside down and drifting toward me. As soon as it was near enough, l watched my chance, and, no one observing me, dived and got under it.
 There was, like Falsta if in the buck basket, with ''the rankest com pound of villainous smell that ever offended nos- tril." For moment Thought should suffocate; and doubtless such might have been my fate but for a bung-hole in the side of tho tub, which I fortu- nately discovered, and through which I got enough light and fresh air to supply my necessities. As my head was en- tirely out of the water, I had lut to t6n my face to this aperture and follow the tide.
 The weather being cool, the bathe1s that morning were comparatively few; but the beach was lined with groups of prisoners, and why neither they nor the sentipels saw mo, have never yet known.
 Once out of musket range, was safe so long as l managed to keep my foot ing. My fear was of stepping beyond my depth, and so losing the tub; or else of arousing suspicion by going too fast for the tide. Itwas necessary there fore, to move with precaution, and SC slow was my progress for the first two miles that it took mo fully an hour or more to lose sight of the prison. Even then it was only at intervals that Idared to peep out and not until noon did ] finally venture to doff the tub and make for the beach.
 So weak and cramped and dizzy was when got ashore, that all my remain ing strength was exhausted in dragging on slowly across the sand to the rine woods beyond. Once under the whis. pering trees, however, and stretched or the sweet-smelling, pine-tag carpet, fell fast asleep Whea I woke I did not know where was, nor whether tho sun, which was then quite low, wa. just rising or setting.
 Tho greatly refreshed by my hvt hours rest, was desperately hungry and the question now uppermost ia my mind was of something to eat. Iknev that the people in that part of St. Mary's were, most of them, kindly dis posed to the South, and that very night brought proof of it in the warm hos pitality extended to mo at @ neighbor ing farmhouse.
 On the following morning I left thi retreat, not only relieved of my present wants, but provided with what would supply my necessities for at least week longer.
 The adventure that closed my caree of danger is the only one, after quilted the coast that deserves to be men toned.
 l had been trave.ing mostly on foo since made my escape; and now, afte many tedious delay, there remained but one critical step to be taken to de termine my fate. A distance of ten O twelve miles was before me and I hac to pass through the village of t. reach my destination. For greater SC curity l was advised to make this la, stage of my journey by night, and b. no means to onter the village till dark as there were known to be spies in tn ] placo always on tho alert