Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-13
OUT OF ANDERSONYILLE
4 Veterans Story of His Thrilling Escape
From u Rebel Prison.

4 Veterans Story of His Thrilling Escape
From u Rebel Prison.
OF the thousand or more Ander5onville
prisoners who at one time or another,
made a break for liberty, nine-tenths
were recaptured within an hour, says q
New York Sun correspondent. OF the
other tenth, the majority were returned
inside Of a day. So far as l can learn
only three prisoners ever made their way
from Auders0nville to the Union lines,
and was one of them. I was captured
soon after Lee returned TO Virginia from
Gettysburg, and was sent with about $50
others direct to Andersonville. l had at
the moment of capture about $500 in
Confederate money with me, hidden in
the lining of my vest, and $50 in green
backs in the heel of one of my shoes.
was searched four different times before
passed through the gate of Anderson
vile, and my money WAS not discovered.
They would have taken my clothes from
me, but l would not have it that way. On
two occasions when l was ordered to
s'shuck" | stood boldly up and said:
''This is my uniform. I paid for 1t. /
own it. I'm going to keep it. If the
Confederacy is SO hard up that 1t mist
needs rob prisoners, England and France
ought TO be informed
entered tie stockade with my full suit
of clothes and ell my money, much TO the
surprise Of my fellow prisoners, all of
whom had been dispoied. The place
was then approaching its worst. [ had
made up my mind directly after capture
that If taken to Andersonville, l would
run any risk to escape. | had not been
inside an hour before | was c8nvassirg
the chances. According TO all accounts
they were slim indeed. The stockade was
heavily guarded, the guards were aware
of every Yankee trick, and the people in
the country AROUND eagerly took mp the
hunt after any prisoner who made dash
for liberty. There was no longer any
hope of tunnelling under the fence, and the
idea of sudden uprising of all the Prison
ers had TO be abandoned In the face OF the
artillery planted TO prevent such a move
ment. In two days had figured the
matter down TO this: First, if [ got
away it must be while | had strength,
pluck and Inorey. Secondly, the first
move toward escape wust be TO get a de-
tail outside the stockada On the third
day of my stay / sent word that | WAS
willing TO setve on the medical staff OF
the post if desired, aud my offer was &C
cepted.
just at that time theUe was good deal
of sickness among The Confederates as
well, and there WAS no one at the post
worthy the title of surgeon. | had served
for six months hospital steward at
Washington, and, though nothing of a
doctor / was better qualified to admins
ter medicine than any one at the post.
The dispeusary was room about twelve
feet square, and the stock on hand was
almost worthless. There was about
hundred boxes of cathartic pills, some
blue mass, not over Two ounces of qui-
nine, an ounce of calomel, and gallon
Jug of extract of blackberry root. There
were few surgical instruments, but the
whole outfit would have been held in con-
tempt by q backwoodss beginner. The
day | went out of the stockade there were
twenty-three Confederates on the sick
list, and at least one thousand prisoners
that should be put under medical care.
| was informed that [ would be put on
my honor not to attempt TO escape, but
was not sworn or asked to sign any
paper. | therefore felt st liberty to
carry out any plan which might come TO
me. l knew the location Of Anderson
vine W d uObs anu the 1OpG distance one
would have TO travel to reach the union
lines. Such prisoners as had got away
had no other idea than to put distan sc
between them and the stockade and had
soon worn themselves out. Nv
first attention was given to the
country around US. In two weeks,
by observation and inquiry, I kney every
highway and plantation for ten miles
around US. Ia another fortnight l could
have made my way across the State of
Alabama without asking a question. A
great many colored people came to the
post as sightseers, and. as l employed
some of them to bring me bark and roots,
had every chance to pursue my lnqulr-
les. I got the highways to the West
truthfully mapped out in my mind, and
was posted as to every negro cabin be-
tween Andersonyille and the Alabama
state line. week before | made my
break l had every detail planned and
every emergency provided for, and there
was TO fear that anything wouid miscarry
After coming out of the stockade had
gradually exchanged my uniform for civ
iiian's clothes, and by the time was
ready TO go had nothing blue left. Up
to three days before LETT my secret was