The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-03-02
MANkAro FREE Pass.
TRTDAY. MARoH 4 isss
DARING and SUFFERING.
CHAPTER XIV.
A DARING ESCAPE PLANNED.


From the very beginning of our impris-
,scape. A very hopeful scheme had been
oiled at Chattanooga by the separation OF
he band when the twelve were sent to
Knoxville. Andrews and Wollam had
actually gotten outside the prison walls
.he latter remaining at large for many
lays. How to escape was one topic OF
which never lost its interest.
We felt that II once more in the open air
our chance OF reaching our lines in the
clear October weather, and with the album
iant supplies in the fields, would be far
greater than in the spring. We went
over all the errors committed on first
leaving the train, and each gave all others
the benefit of all the knowledge of geog-
raphy he possessed.
But In many other respects we were less
situated now for an escape than
we had ever been before. The distance
was greater TO be traversed, for Gen.
Buell. had been forced back almost to the
Ohio river. Our own number was dimin-
ished by death. We were all weakened
by more than six months Of terrible inn
and some Of our best men
were too sick TO take very active part in
the struggle, while strong guard was
on duty and we were in a
strongly barred and locked upper room in
the edge of a city which was almost in
the center of the Confederacy.
But we resolved at every hazard to
make an attempt If there should be the
slightest intimatiOn of an intention to
bring us before another court martial. 1t
was better to die on the bayonetS OF the
guards than on the scaffold.
Long before this, when utterly wearied
with captivity, we wrote letter to JEFF
ferson Davis-stin preserved in the gov
eminent Misunderstanding our case from
our own point of view. This brought no
response. More recently we wrote again
to Gen. Bragg, commanding the depart
ment in which we were. This had been
forwarded, step by step, to the president
of the Confederacy, bringing from him a
savage question as to why we had not all
been executed like our comrades! This
letter and its numerous Endorsements are
published in the War Records. We onlv
Knew of the danger it indicated at the
time indirectly. Our guard was strength
sned; the jailor was overheard by q
prisoner in another room saying: "Those
Ohio men win soon all be hungl' The
commander Of the post, Col Lee, visited
us and asked of US almost the same ques-
ton Davis asked, as to the difference be-
tween our case and that of our comrades,
and urged great vigilance on the guards.
These things convinced us that our only
chance of life was by taking the matter
In our own hands. One plan proposed
was to try to get out secretly, at night,
by saving off the bars of our windows
and lowering ourselves, one by one, to the
ground. The fatal objections to it were
that it required us to await dark night,
and even then it was scarcely possible
that more than one or two would get out
before an alarm was given. l had nc
hope from it.
But the other plan could not fail if every
man did his exact duty, and we were now
so well acquainted that we had perfect
confidence in each other. 1t was simply
to attack our foes in broad daylight
When our food was brought in the after
noon, and the door opened, we could rush
out, seizing and holding perfectly quiet
the jailer and his assistant, threatening
them with death if they moved, unlocking
all the doors so that we might have the
assistance of all the prisoners, and ther
charge upon the seven soldiers below, dis
possessing them of their muskets in the
first rush; and if this was done without
noise or alarm, march them up into oul
room and gag them there. 1t was not
likely, however, that we would be able tc
keep everything quiet enough for this; il
which case we were to run as soon as ar
alarm was raised, for we knew that there
was q strong reserve close by, and did not
To- nh fn thoT he
seven rebels on hand.
In such an attack, the element of time
and exact planning of every mans work
80 that there is no confusion and hesita
ton, are of vital Importance. We ar
ranged with the utmost nicely. Capt
Fry was to begin the movement, for he
was the oldest, and we gave him the post
of honor; l was to stand by and help him
with the jailer and the Waterman Thoer
If the latter was on hand, as he usually
was; probably was given this place from
the correct view that with my poor eyes
l would be of more service in a scuff1e in
the hall than in the glazing light outside
Then Buffum, who was as agile as cat
was to snatch the keys, and, waiting fol
nothing else, to open all the doors above
There were three, and the fitting of keys
from the bunch under such excitement
was likely to make this take some time,
I think no one of us felt that Buffum had
q desirable Office. But it was desirable tC
to have all the prisoners released if only
to distract the pursuit. All the others
were arranged into two bands with lead
ers, to slip down the stairway at the pro
per time and break out on the guards al
the front and rear doors simultaneously
Then quickness, courage and desperation
were to be pitted against loaded muskets
and bayonets, and the issue left to the
God of battles.
We had also chosen our comrades and
routes. We were to travel in pairs and
in every direction. Capt. Fry was to BIZ
my partner, and all the rest considered
that was fortunate, for he would be al
home in the Cumberland mountains, to
ward which we were to journey. ThC
intended course was marked out for each
couple and everything done to forward
the movement on which we believed de
pended our last chance of escaping the
gallows. We did not forget to make mos
earnest supphcations in prayer, and II
VOW, in the old time manner, that We
would render faithful service to the Lore
of Hosts If he would aid us in this great
emergency.
It was afternoon when we received thu
intelligence which determined our actor
and we could not very well be ready tt
start that day. So the work was set fol-
the following afternoon. We patched oul
shoes as well as we could, and made clott
moccasins to protect our feet, for many
shoes were worn out. We gave messages
to each other beginning with the form
''n you get out and do not''-for we
could not tell who would be the fortunate
ones in the effort, or how many might
fail. We had a strong conviction of sue
cess, but whether seven guards would
allow their muskets to be taken without
using bullet or bayonet against some Of
their assailants with fatal effect, seemed
more than doubtful l have made ready
for battle more than once, but never haG
30 deep and solemn q realization of the
uncertainty Of the issue as on this occa
sion.