Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-04-22
Rebellion War Record.

Among the plans to escape from
prison, hundreds of which were made,
| give here an account of one:
While at Macon, / found that the
officers had a secret organization, the
object of which was to effect an es-
cape. We were under strict orders
and oaths, and were expected to keep
the secrets of the order sacred, while
we obeyed orders. 1t was agreed
that whenever we were moved from
that point by train that we should at
tempt to overpower the guards, cut
the train loose from the engine, and,
having captured the guards and taken
their arms, make our way as best we
could to the coast, where we might
escape to the q. S. gunboats. At
| length the time came when six hun
dred of us were ordered to board the
train for some destination, presuma-
bly, unknown. We had time before
the arrival of the train to make some
preparations. We made slow prog
ress during the first night, reached
Savannah, and the next day learned
that our destination was Charleston,
S. G. The train was in charge of
lieutenant there were four armed
guards in each box car with us, and
as many more on top the car. 1t was
decided to attempt to capture the
train during the night, and arrange
ments were made. My duty was to
sieze the gun of one of the guards,
q suppose, possibly others were to
do a like duty) and then attempt to
capture one or more of the guards
outside. Somebody forward was to
cut a hole through the forward car,
uncouple the engine, and as the train
stopped a general attack was to be
made on the guards. The lieutenant
seemed to be suspicious that there
was to be an attempt to escape, and
the train was run at frightful rate
of speed. We were at our posts,
anxiously awaiting the signals and
the stopping of the train but for
some reason, never ascertained, no
signal came, and we found ourselves
rapidly hurrying on toward Charles
ton. | was sitting in the door of the
car with Maj. Adams and Capt. Bee
man, feeling that the attempted cap
ture Of the train had proved a failure.
| decided to take my chances of es-
cape by jumping the train. l whis-
! pered to Adams and he consented to
take his chances with me. Beeman,
who was sick and feeble, said if we
| jumped, he should; we urged him to
keep the car, as we knew him to be
unable to stand the hardships of an
attempted escape. / saw at this time
water beside the track, and decided
to jump, though it was very danger
Gus thing to do. The guards, mean
while, were asleep. | jumped, and
after turning several summersaults.
brought up in the water beside the
track. | was stunned and dazed for
little, but got my perpendicular
presently, and started on, finding
Adams and Beeman, who had a SINH
lar experience to mine in alighting
from the cars. We travelled on a
mile or more ,and Beeman gave out and
could GO no further. He wanted us
to leave him and try to escape our
selves, while he took his chances be-
hind. We told him not to give us
away and left him.
Adams and / travelled on till we
came to where carriage road cross
ed the track and we struck off toward
the coast southwark. The country
was very swampy, and there were
plenty of alligators, snakes, etc., all
about. We had travelled in the dark