The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-11-13

He was Of course, inconsnnbc over tho loss,
and We all made u viRilaBt but vain search for
tho bullet. which, indeed. bad proven most
nggrayatng trophy. for IL broke his bones in
1863 when he got 10 at Gettysburg, and nearly
broke his heart when he lost IL there ia 1888.
This incident recalls another odd happening
In my regiment. AZ the battle OF Brstow
Station. Aug. ~ 1862. the drsG man shot in the
regiment was Charles 81 Neil, a Sergeant OF my
company I'D the builct-wbich ! distinctly
heard strko-wouudinR him in the head.
Withiu Ave minutes another Charles O'Neil,
also Sergeant, OF Co. X, was shot exactly in
the Same manner
conclude this pot pourri OF "reminiscences
with ono OF the most singular in my chapter Of
experiences as soldier.
As before stated / made five escapes from
| prison The adventures met in these attempts
were in many features so dramatic aud excit-
ing AS 10 indelibly impress them OF my mind,
so that ! would now have little difficulty in
closely narrating the special features of each
escape in the order of their occurancc.
Ny account of the tunnel escape in the Cen
fury viii furry sustain my claim to faithful
mcmoTy, yet in one instance my memory
showed Il lapse little less than miraculous, and
to this circumstance, which has remained an
npenetTabIe mystery to me for generation, /
invite attention,
One day IN November. 1864 made my escape
from tho prison Camp Sorghum near Co
lnmbla. :. g., with several comrades two of
whom know 10 have been Lieut., VIM. Bier.
| bower. Of the S1lh Pa, aud Capt Geo J.. Schcll
| Of the SSH Pa Who tho others were ! cannot
positively say, but the two named are still
| living, the iormef ia some nprOuOunacblc place
| IN Michigan. and the latter in Philadelphia.
IL was nearly sunset when we escaped from
the camp aud We moved rapidly through the
| pine forests, al first ~ a nOrtberly direction,
| and finally westward.
a l. IL.
daylight lasted we could fairly shape our course
| but after SHUTDOWN the sky became overcast
| aud prevented the
EVER FRIENDLY HELP OF THE NORTH STAR.
that divine lamp that guided many poor slave
and prisoner to liberty. Bat with the fresh
and painful recollection of tho ferOcious blood
| hounds that had torn our poor comrades 10
| death while seeking their liberty and know
| ing that kennel of these beasts were now held
| IN service Mt our camp, We voted 10 trust TO
| luck aud guess our way, urged by the imp0r-
| lance OF putting as much territory as possible
| between US aud the camp before the morning
! roll cail should reveal our absence and start
our pursuers on our trail
1t was one of the blacklist nights ] ever
saw, and az IL advanced objects could not be
| dlscerned more than few feet away. We each
armed ourselves with stout stalls and mopcd
our way through the dark jungle to tho noe
screeeh owls, who seemed to be sounding trail
| torous alarm 10 our enemies
We were falling constantly into unseen pits
ana headl0ng over obstacles until each of us
was covered with mud, bruises and cuts from
| bflars aud sharp stones. All OF our footwear
was badly broken, aud our clothing consisted
| oil few thin, tHttered aud filthy rags that
| barely hung on our starved and shivcring
| frames
| To add to our misery an ice-cold rain set In
about midnight, and fell without ceasing for
| tho next four or five hours; but we plodded on
| through II rs the only hope of keeping the
| warmth OF life In our ague .raeked bodies until
| we could compass distance enough to risk "a
small fire. We were drenched to the skin,
| iaint with hunger and our teeth chat Altering.
Ready TO drop with fatigue after our dread
| ful night journey, We voted at last to take
| an hours rest, and rs ono of the party had Sc
| cured a few matches ws hunted out "a deem
| hollow in the thickest of the forest, aud piling
| branches around as to obscure the light we
built fire, aud, despite the rain that was still
pouring down, we settled ourselves sn1Ry
| around the genial iRg0ts, and before many min.
utes every soul of us was snoring
! But we could not indulge our keen longing
| for satisfying rest aud sleep in such danger
| Gus territory, aud as tbs gray OF morning began
| TO appear We resumed our weary journey until
| IL became broad daylight the rain continuing
ahd no sun III prospect. Suddenly we were
startled by drums beating the reveille and di
reetIy ahead OF us. This brought halt and
council OF war, and it was decided to make u
reconnaissance OF the enemy's camp.
| lleplOying ms skiimshers, we appFOached can
tionsly through the woods, aud as we came to
the opening Bierbower, who was few rods to
my right mounted big stump. and after
Shading his eyes with his hand for II solemn
moment proceeded, to my amazement, TO de-
liver an address to an imaginary audience,
AND BEGAN TO "swEAR swoREs"
with as much vigOr and suphurous eloquenee
as II no was engaged with his wife in putting
| up stove.
My, what's the matter, Billy n" said /. an
preaching him In alarm; " il any thing wrong ="