Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-05-13

ey for orders on our northern friends,
[ took 600 of him and gave him
an order on rich uncle [ had up in
Saco, Maine. The only unfair thing
about it on my part was the fact that
my good old uncle had been dead
several years. 1t was, of course, a
| dishonest transaction, but was sub
iect to such straights that L felt that
| was compelled to do almost anything
to save life. With 5000 I purchased
a good pair of calf boots, and then
paid $40 to get them tapped. There
was no excitement in camp for some
time. We were promised an exchange
but it did not come. Some time about
Feb. 10, Sherman's army had ap-
preached so near that the authorities
decided to move US, and they hustled
rs off double quick to Charlotte,
n. G. Here we were put into a piece
of scattering pine woods, with a
guard around us. Some days after
we succeeded in making an arrange
ment with one of the guards whereby
we, eight of us, were to be let out
for S25 each.
Well, we stepped out, paying our
S25 each. But one of our comrade
officers, who got word Of the attempt
ed escape, undertook to follow us
out, and was shot by the same guard
that let us escape. We slipped the
guard at II o'clock at night and
started up the Morgantown railroad
for Mor9 miles away.
When we had gone, say ten miles,
on the railroad, we came to large
branch of the Big Catawba river,
where there was long trestle bridge
(the railroad being in course of con-
struction) that was not completed,
but had a plank strung from trestle
to trestle on which it was possible to
walk. We looked the situation over,
saw no guards, and concluded to
cross. 1t was a starlight and frosty
night, and as we crossed the bridge
we necessarily made considerable
noise. AS we crossed we saw what
appeared to be a guard-house, with
the door standing open and big dog
in it. The dog said nothing and we
said nothing, but kept right on. The
guards were doubtless asleep. After
travelling few miles farther we came
to the big river with high banks and
a bridge said to be eight hundred
feet across. 1t was strung with plank
like the one we had just passed over,
but it was much higher, and tick
lish task to "walk the plank" We
were prepared for almost anything
and we started, getting along safely
until we nearly crossed the bridge,
when we saw what seemed to be an
unarmed sentinel standing at the end
of the bridge. We halted, quietly
talked the matter over and concluded
that it would be very dangerous
thing to retreat, as one we'll aimed
gun might send bullet through the
whole of us and drop us into the
river. We approached the man who
proved a picket, and halted us soldier
and we told him that we were rebel
soldiers going home on furlough.
Close by was guard house and we
heard noises there and saw men hasti-
ly dressing themselves. The guard
was very large man and he insisted
on having us go down to the guard
house and show our furioughs. We
told him we were cold and wanted to
push right along. | saw that it was
necessary to do what we did without
delay, and passed him. AS we start
ed he said, Gentlemen, you will
wish you had stopped and shown
your furloughs.'' . We proceeded
along the track at a smart pace, and
it was not long before we heard the
guards following in our rear. We
hastened on and were soon running.
There seemed to be no good chance
to escape on the side of the road for
a half mile or more. Our pursuers
were gaining on us and we were doing
our best to keep ahead until some
chance opened to" "take to the woods %
We came alongside piece of woods
and made our very best time to reach
it. At this point the Rebs yelled out
said something to them about going
to sheol, and we kept on, though
they fired a sharp volley after
US, which probably killed or wounded
none, though Capt. Boden dropped
down at the time. We supposed he
was hit, but he proved a coward. We
were scattered somewhat on reaching
the woods, but secreted ourselves
and awaited events. The rebs came
close up, and we heard them talking
with Boden. We tried to find our
Selves ,and after considerable hunting
and waiting five of US were found to-
gether: Grant, Adams, Kellogg,
Norcross and Lowe. Boden, Potter
and Matten were missing, the last
two being re-captured the next morn
ing.
We decided to move on at once.
We dared not go to the clearing, but
kept along as nearly parallel with the
railroad bed as we could. We soon
came to rapid stream which proved
too deep to ford, and we were at
loss to know what to do; but we