The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-14
"IOHEISOS'S ADJUTAST."
The Mysterious Leak He Made in Camp
Butler
Nashville American.

Nashville American.
\ man in prison is like :. alan with
cut hands whose brain is constantly
contriving TO overcome physical de-
fciency. The ingenuity Of brain
unrelieved by distraction Of employ
ment is capable of schemes which rival
fiction. Many thrilling tales are told
by prisoners Of war about their prlva-
tons and adventures while under the
espionage of an alert and rentless enc
my. An experience worthy of record
was told an American reporter last
night by man who now stands high
in public life in Tennessee. He was
once a Confederate soldier. He had
the misfortune to be numbered with
the captured at Fort Donelson, and
with hundreds of his comrades was
hurried across the Ohio and incar-
cerated in Camp Butler, spot which
will long be remembered by those who
were so unlucky as to be imprisoned
withia its battlements.
After pining, for several weary
months for an exchange that was
never effected these Southern patriots
SET about to accomplish their own de-
liverance. Various plans were con-
cocted, but were all successfully
thwarted by the vigilance of their Gus
todians. Finally the inspiration OF
this story hit upon scheme which for
audacity ard cleverness is unprece-
dented, and won for its originator a
title and distinction among his COM
panions which time has not yet obllt-
Grated.
Among the prisoners at Camp Butler
was a number of boys who served the
Confederacy in the capacity of"powder
monkeys" a function well knoWn toT
heavy artilIerists. Tha7Sdi1Iies of these
y91ngstess We're to convey powder !
charges from the magazines to gunners
in trenches or to assist in like manner
on the floating batteries which annoyed |
the I ederal gunboats in the Mississippi |
river.
Two of these little fellows, who had |
fallen into the hands of the enemy
were treated with the dignity due
prisoners of the war, and consequently |
found themselves hundreds Of miles
away from home and mamma and
subject to all the heartless discipline
of military prison. The manly for
tltude Of these two juvenile warriors
attracted the martial soul of Colonel
Morrison, who commanded the post.
70 make their imprisonment less ar
duous, he made them his office order
lies, and sent them on hundreds OF
errands which a commanding officer
finds a daily necessity in the discharge
of his duty.
The little fellows We're true patriots,
and no persuasion orpunishment could
dissuade them from the cause of their
fathers. 1t was through chem that the
hero of this story accomplished bis
designs. The had access at all times to
the Colonel's office, likewise the adju-
tant's desk. One night they were bid
den to steal from the adjutant's desk a
lot of blank passports.
But what good were passports to a
soldier whose very uniform forbid exit
from the inner stockade of the prison,
might be asked. Fortunately, how
ever, in the prison there was sutler
who possessed all the venality charac-
teristic of his cloth.
Among the prisoners in Camp But
ler there were several Confederate
soldiers who were the sons Of wealthy
parents and occasionally received
money from home. From this ele-
ment general fund was collected and
appropriated to the use of the plotters
for deliverance. With the sutler, " hose
loyalty to the American Union, it was
an easy matter to smuggle in slit Of
citizens clothes now and then.
On visiting days hundreds Of people
from the country around would throng
to the post to look at the fiery rebels.
They were shown, under the escort ofa
guard, through every part Of the pris-
on, and on several occasions these
parties in some unaccountable way,
would number one or two more on
coming in. Each Individual, how
ever, displayed his passport to the
guard at the gate, and retired unques-
toned from the portals of the fort into
the loyal prairies Of Illinois. Had the
guards counted their guests upon their
arrival and departure some startling
surprises would have resulted. On one
occasion two Confederate officers es-
caped by the guard with forged passes
and had taken seats in carriage
which was waiting to serve visitors at
the gate Of the fort when Colonel Nor
rison himself came out and addressed
them, asking if they had seen all they
wanted to see.
"Yes, sir" replied one of the fugl-
tives snavely. "They are hard look
ing set, amt they, Colonel?n At the
same time he was so alarmed that his
tongue almost refused to articulate.
BY this process half a hundred Con-
| federates were released from custody
and returned to their commands N the
field. The reader must not imagine
that these men were not missed by
their guardians, for after every muster
the guards were doubled and many
commissioned and non=commissioned
officers relieved, it being inspected
that they were responsible for the mys-
terious disappearance Of the prisoners.
SO cieverly did the plan operate under
| cautious restrictions, the leak through
| which the hnman contents of that no.