Omaha daily bee., 1890-12-07
FACED REBEL AND REDSKIN,
Members of "Our Finest" Who Have Served
Uncle Sam.
WOUNDED ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE.
Confined in Rebel Prison Pens and
Seeking Freedom Through
the Everglades and
Darkness.
WOUNDED ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE

The police force of this city containsa
number OF officers to whom the smell Of gun
powder is anything but a novelty.
1t also contains a number Of men who have
at times suffered in rebel prison pens, though
the fact of their incarceration has been
known only to those with whom they are in
timately connected
These facts have recently come into the
possession of a BEE reporter and are deemed
of sufficient Importance to be presented to
those who will be willing to admit that
man who has risked his life in the service of
his country is not the less qualified to protect
the property and lives Of the people of
Omaha.
Chief Seavey enlisted in Omaha in the fall
of 1861. in company under Major J. G. Will
cox, which was being raised for n Missouri
regiment, and which became in January, 1862,
company H of the Curtiss Horse. This regi-
ment was composed Of battaliOns from Min
nesOta, Missouri and Iowa. 1t afterwards
was known as the Fifth Iowa cavalry and
received all its recruits from that state.
General Lowe was its commander, and his
father, DR.. Lowe, was its first surgeon.
Chief Seavey served in this regiment until 1t
was mustered out Of service at Clinton, Ia,
in August, 1865 For some time he was
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and first sergeant,
and in December, 1854 he was promoted cap
commission bears the names Of Harlan
Baird, lieutenant-cOlOnel commanding, now
OF Dakota county, and James III. Wing,
lieutenant and acting-adjutant. Mr. Seavey
was captured at JonesbOro, and taken to the
rebel prison at Andersonville, where he re-
NAMED for sixteen days. He first managed
to escape from train load of prisoners which
was wrecked near Barnesville while on the
way to prison, but was recaptured by. rebel
scouts after he had gotten safely within the
union lines During the tune he was con-
fined at Andersonville he kept
diary, and that records the fact that l43 was
the smallest and 1863 the largest number of
dead prisoners removed from the prison in
one day during his confinement. He got out
when an order came TO send 500 prisoners TO
be exchanged. The weakest and most ENACT.
ated were selected and Seavey was among
them. They were so weak, however, that
General Sherman refused to exchange for
them, and they were sent back. Seavey was
unable to walk and was sent to Macon prison,
where he remained aweek. He slipped away
from there with a number OF officers who
were to be paroed. Lieutenant Clark OF the
Second Indiana cavalry let him take his uni
form and both passed out together, Clark
being known and Seavey trusting TO luck to
escape detection in his bold attempt. He
lodged from one file to the other while they
We're being counted, and was miles away
when his escape was discovered at the prison
roll-call The confederates sent after him,
and he secreted himself in creek whole
day while the party OF paroled officers were
being recounted and did not leave his hiding
place In the water until after dark. BY
tramping thirty miles during the night, he
managed to get inside the union lines at day
break and subsequently, rejoined his regi-
ment. Seavey was wounded but once, when
he was hit in the head by piece of a shell,
| the result being the permanent loss OF hear.
| ing in his right ear.
Detective Vaughn Is another Of the honor
| ably discharged veterans. He was the SEQ
| ond man TO enlist in Fayette county, illinois,
| on the day after the first cali was issued in
| 1861, joining company III, Eighth Illinois,
| Dick Oglesby's famous regiment He served
| his ninety days and then re-enlisted In com
| pany +. Seventh Illinois cavalry, under