Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1889-01-03

/ kA~@< <*<</
].ek@at ; 6 60 =. = - p
vile. I had at the mansut of cap
turs about $500 in Conlsdsrats mon
sy with me, hidden in the lining ol
my vest. and $50in gresnbaoks in the
heel Of ons Of my sl,oes. ! was
searched four different times before ]
| passed through the gates Of Ander-
sonvills, but my money was not dis
covered.
I entered the stocksks with my
full suit of clothes and ell my money.
The place was then approaching ita
worst. I had made up my mind di-
rectly after capture that If taken to
Andersonville would run any risk
to make my escape. ! had not bees
inside an hour before I was canvass.
ing the chances. According to all
accountsthey were slim, indeed. The
stockade was heavily gtarded. the
guards were aware Of eFsry Yankee
trick. and the people in the country
around eagerly took upthf hunt af.sr
any prisoner who made q dash for lib
erty. There was no longer any hope
for tunnelling under the felce, and
the idea Of sudden uprising Of all
the prisoners had to be abandoned in
the face of the artillery lplanted TO
prevent such a movemsit. In two
days I had figured the natter down
to this: First. if ! got lfay it must
be while had strengtllI pluck and
money. Secondly, the lirst move to-
ward escape must be I'd get det il
outside the stockade. On the third
day Of my stay ! sent out word that
I was willing toserys q the medical
staff Of the post i =. and my
offer was accepted.
Just at that time the;e was good
deal OF sickness among The Confeder-
ates as well as among the prisoners
and there was no one at the post
worthy of the title of surgeon, / had
served as -haspital steward 1t Wash
ington. and though nothing Of doc.
tor, I was better qualified to admiuis
ter medicine than anyone at the post
The dispensary was room about IL
feet square, and The stock on n.nd
was almost worthless There weIs
about 100 boxes Of c.lihartic pills
some blue mass. not ov,sr two ounces
Of quinine. an ounce Of calomel and
q gallon jug of extract Of blackberry
root. There were few surgical in
struments, but the whole outfit wcnld
have been held in contempt By back
woods beginner. The day / went oal
of the stockade there were % Confed
crates on the sick list, and at leas
1000 prisoners should have been an
der msdical care.
4 / was informed that ! would i.
put on my honor not 10 atteppt {,
escape, but was not sworn or asked I,
sign any paper. / therefore felt a
liberty to carry out any plan whicl
might come to me. knew the iocs
tion of Andersonville 10 dot, anC
the long distance one ,vould haYe Il
travel to reach the Union lines. Sucl
prisoners as had got away had c.
other idea than TO pei distance be-
tween them and the sfockade, ane
had soon worn themselves ont. M,
first attention was given to tie coun
try around rs. In two weeks, Ey CD
servation and inquiry, ! knew every
highway and plantation for 10 miles
around as. In anothar fortnight
could have made my way acSots tlts
State Of Alabama without asking Z
question. A great many colored peo
pie came TO the post as lsightssers, and
as / employed some Of lIhem 10 brins
me bark and roots. hal 'evsry eh.acs
to pursue my inquiries I got tie
highways to the west tllntLfully insr.
ped out in my mind anil was postsi
as to every negro cab;Il between An.
dersonville and the illasanas SiAse
line. A week before / inads %, break
l bad every detail planned and every
emergency provided fsr. aud sheSs
was no fear that anything wduld mis-
carry.
After coming out Of sha stockade
had gradually ezchAng.d my na'fora
for civilians clothes. aid BY The iiiaa
/ was ready to 20 ! had nothing blue
lefs. Up to three days. before | lsil