Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-09-20
THE CAPTURE AND ESCAPE.
History of the Experiences of 'Doc." Jones Dur
ing the War of the Rebellion, Told by Himself

In lowering one 0l the boys To the sugar |
hogshoad. Alter he was tired out, |
another went down; we kept this up |
until all the haversacks were filed. |
We not only supplied 700 or 500 on one
side of the building, but like number
on the other side. have often
wondered why IL was thnt the relief
guard never heard us, as there was only
u wall that separated us, in the same
building.
The inmates OF the other side of the
prison had made u similar rnde on salt,
and we exchanged the saccharine for
the saline article.
We had free access to the sugar for
several days, but were finally caught at
it, and an angrier set of men you sell
dom see. For two days and three
nights they tried the starvation plan OF
making us tell who cut the hole in the
floor, but without success. Neverthe-
less IL was sufficient to create great un-
BUSINESS in the mind of the narrator, as
he had taken very active part in plot
ting to capture the sugar, and in fact
was the first to commence cutting the
hole in the floor.
| firmly believe that had no more
cause for uneasiness than have now,
ms am thoroughly convinced that the
last man In Pemberton would have died
by starvation, as horrible death us it
is, rather than have been an informcr
on their comrades. Since that expert
ence l have had more confidence in
mankind, and would not now fear to
risk my all on comradeship.
The results of eating 50 much sugar
were disastrous. The two days and
three nights that our captors tried to
starve us into submission, we had no
alternative but to eat sugar, and as to
the effects of that alone, any physician
can tell you. Each one of us was
simply producer of Orleans molasses,
a factory in himself; and the constancy
with which the factory was kept run
ming soon reduced the prisoners to such
n weak state that they failed to appear
in their places.
About this time we were gladdened
by the information that there was to be
an exchange of prisoners that were con-
valescent, twenty-six in all. Our un-
derstanding was that those who were
the most feeble would be the ones
favored with this good fortune. About
the first of December, about 8 o'clock
in the morning, an officer OF the guard
came in and began to select the requir-
ed number from the three rooms. AS
predicted, the feeble ones were called
out, taken to the head of the stairs, and
then sent below to fall in. had an
idea that possibly there might be q
chance for me, II exercised the neces
, sary cheek, and as l was standing neal
] the stairs, when the next comrade wa:
sent below, marched down with him
and fell in line with the rest. The
! scheme seemed to work admirably thu:
! far, but then came this drawback by
, the addition of myself there was one
more than the required number to be
, exchanged, and when they come to be
counted the fact was apparent. The
l officers began looking over the prison
ers, and they were not long in deciding
that was the one not required, and
was Immediately returned to my place
= above. To say that was disappointed
{: but feebly expresses; but after looking
| back over the lapse of time, l fee
thankful that the selection was made as
+ it was; for in all probability had il
l been any one of the others, his grave
would have been numbered with that
/ of others in Southern fields. have
, ever regretted that those brave fellows
: who gave their lives in defence of the
/ stars and stripes, could not be laid tC
J rest in northern ground-the land o
, patriots, and where rebellion is moi
known.
, About the middle of December, more
} excitement was in store for u.s. 1t begaI
, to be rumored about the prison that
another exchange was to take place
; and again hopes were raised, only to be
, dashed to the earth, with an increased
burden to hold them down. In addi-
} tion, the whole army of graybacks seem.
} ed to have been let loose upon us, and
, we had an opportunity of utilizing our
| spare time in hunting them.
A little incident occurred to vary the
t monotony of things, and served two
, fold purpose, viz: it afforded employ
5 ment and amusement. There was /;
, stylish rebel who came in every morn
: ing to count us. Speaking mildly, he
was centemptible. Always with pan
falcons tucked into pair of boots that
were carefully polished clear to the
, tops, and general appearance of just
. stepping from band box. He was des
perately afraid that II grayback might
get on him, and carefully avoided the
approach OF u yankee, lest he should be
, contaminated, and none were allowed
to come within six feet of him.
One day comrade from the navy
whose name have forgotten, said il
, we would secure a lot of graybacks, he
would see that they were properly dc
posted ON the dandy, for reproduction
We Immediately set TO work with q
will, and soon had pepper box hal
full, and when his highness put in hii
appearance our comrade watched hi,
, opportunity, and transplanted the en-
tire colony on the person of the dude
The next morning when he wen
, through his routine OF counting us he
seemed to realize that a trick had beer
played upon him, but could not locate
Z the author, or tell how it was done.
| fro BE Continued
IIOW'S THIS,