Morning journal and courier., 1891-11-26
His Service for His COuntry--A Brave
 and Unflfnching Patriot.

Bull Run, acquitting itself with honor, the lost fortunes of the day, by retiring in perfect order from the field to it's camp at Fort Corcoran. For bravery in this battle Cowles was pro noted to second lieutenant. He was mus tered out with his regiment August 7, 1861.
 In the summer of 1862-July and Au- gust-the Eighteenth Connecticut was re- cruiting in the eastern part of the state, with headquarters at Norwich. Cowles determined on second campaign and was commissioned second lieutenant of Com pany 0, color company, July 26. This regiment was commanded by Captain Will liam G. Ely, who had seen service in both the Second and Sixth Connecticut. It left for Washington, August g, 1869, and was assigned to the army of the Potomac. It performed guard and garrison duty at Bal timore until May g, 1868, at which time it was ordered to the department of West Virginia.
 In June, 1s63,it was engaged at the bat tie of Winchester, Va, where large num- Der of the officers and men were taken prisoners, among them Lieutenant Cowles. He was captured while his regiment was treating brigades. With characteristic grit Cowles broke his sword and thrust the pieces in the ground, saying to his cap tors, when it was demanded: "There it is in the ground; if you want it take it."
 The total loss of the Eighteenth Con necticut in this battle was 567 killed, wounded and missing, or more than half it's strength. The prisoners were soon pa roled, exchanged and returned to their regiment at Ha-per's Ferry. Lieutenant Cuwles was not so fortunate. For some cause never known to him-but probably for the breaking of his sword after hls capture-he was taken to Libby prison and there confined ten months From thence he was removed to Charleston, s. O., and with others confined in that portion of the city exposed to the fire of the union batteries under General Gilmore.
 At this place he was seized with sickness and removed to confederate hospital. Here his attendants were the Sisters of Mercy, who showed him the only kindness since his capture. They nursed him back to health and of them he always spoke in terms of highest appreciation.
 The varying fortunes of war compelled the south to make occasional removals of prisoners. At one of these times he was transferred to Macon, Ga., where he re- mained four months From this place he was sent to Columbia s. c.
 He had now been twenty months in southern prisons and his exchange seemed remote as ever. On the 14th of February, 1865, he was ordered to be removed once more, and with others placed on a freight train bound northward from Columbia. It is from this point the writer is permitted to use the prisoners own words.
 eve left the prison in Columbia, s. O., Febru- ary IA, 1865, and were marched to the railroad, where special train going north awaited us. We were packed into box cars, the same as are used here for carrying freight, with sliding locked, and the other generously left open that we might breathe. The guards were placed on top of the car-the rebels having once before de- t1oned Inside. As the night came on and we got under way rain began to fall, which turned into had to push the door nearly together, leaving only small aperture for breathing purposes I hsd determined to effect my escape, for did not teel-knowing how poor the confederacy was that could any longer trespass upon it's hospi- tality. had talked over the matter with Cap. Lieutenant Sears of the Ninety-s xth New York when we watched in turn at the door, for favor wood and water about thirty miles miles 'Rpe out of Go CO lumbia, it was found that seven out of the nine cars of our train had been lost on the road.
 After council was held it was determined to back down and find the missing cars. told my comrades that now was our time, 50 after making them both promise to follow me I jumped out The ground was covered with sleet and as soon as struck my feet went from under me and rolled down the side of the track against the fence. For an instant I expected to have a vol ley of musket balls poured into me, but as they did not come gathered myself up and tried t6 vault over the fence. I got half way over and there stuck doubting not at this time I should bt rldnled; but giving another desperate lurch tumbied head first into the field on the opposite l side. drew myself along for few lengths ane | then ran on all fours unt,l I had placed 8 few rods between myself and the train. then lay perfectly stil not daring to rise for fear of being 1 seen, and awaited the coming of my companions was scarcely the fence myself before | heard Hawkins come crashing out, and it seemed | wake the dead, Then Lieutenant Sears came | and, as thought, two others, and then all wa quiet. Not shot had been fired, which aston l ly gave the signal which we had agreed upon, l quail call-and out they ca.ne one, two, three
 four. They seemed to rise out of tn
 we found not only our origiaal par patty ee of three | but two more, who, seeing how safely es
 us o phe a or | between us and the guard as possible so we too
 ahe with the rarasd Our prison m l for twenty months previous and the food we ha
 received had not particularly fitted us for sue l work as this bu we were on the road to freedom l Pluck and nerve kept us going, and we got owe | the ground in style that did us all credit unde l lhe circumstances. After repeated attempts W l got a fire started and bringing forth our cor
 bread and hard tack we all sat around the fir | and warmed ourselves and ate our breakfasts a | the forest as we could, still keeping the fire i | view, where we waited for something to turn uI
 We remained here, suppose, about two hour. l all too thoroughly drenched and 0 excited b
 our novel position to sleep, when to our great jo
 we saw our picket approaching the fire accon
 panied by negro He listened very quietly t
 all we said and then assured us in the first plac
 that w. ran no risk in staying near our dre . | there would probably be no white persons alon
 that way: We told Ii,,. him that as our pr'
 best serve us if he would go back f
 his cabin and get from the other negroes, or an
 carry At nigntfal faithful guide cam
 bsck, bringing with him corn meal, corn brra
 fed like wolves, and ate ubslant,al suppe
 Gathering from him all P. ssble information 6
 to our route, and being ed by him for some httl
 with variety of adventures and finding our wa
 to freedom ab ut as hard a road as Jordan {
 travel. Two days and nights passed in this SO
 on watch by the distant booming of artillery. 4
 once it occurred to us this is old Tecumseh ..i,
 spirited by this music we started on again, hea,
 ing for Wilmington. N. c. Through swamps an
 woods, weary, hungry and ragged, we still hel l on our route until we came across another negr
 He also proved friend in need, and from hil
 we learned that we were near one of the prime
 some of General Sh-rman's army would pa, l that way and advised US, instead of trying ! pass the rebel lines to reach our own, to let hi | secrete us in one of those almost impenetrab
 swamps, and there wait for the rebels to pass ar
 our army to come up. At midnight his son can l to guide us to his fathers cabin. We We're intr l duced to his wife, who had prepare
 a substantial supper for us can't rememb, l all the courses, but the principal feature was l immense roasted goose, with appropriate fixing ! thinking of which even now makes my uout | water. The way that we went for that fowl an | the other things on the table, would have asto ! ished any member of a civilized community,
 think. After concluding our supper we all g | around the fireplace and had 6 good smoke, ar ! then, having expressed our thanks to our hostes | we started for the swamp. Here we wei
 secreted for nearly week, visited nightly by O, l colored friend, who brought us provisions ar I cheered our hearts by his own hopeful assu ! ances. Near the close of this week of confin l ment he brought the glad news that Sherman | troops had come up and lead us to one of u l cabins near his own where we found the orderl l headquarters, and there met such reception . ! only the blue coats could give We were f1tts | out with clothing contributed by our fellow of ! cers, and in due season were forwarded to w I mington, and thence to New York. Thus endt | our life of captivity, and our long and excitir
 escape from the prison pen of Columbia.
 Lieutenant Cowles remained sho
 time in Now York city and on March {
 was ordered to rejoin his command withi
 thirty days. This period was extende
 twenty days further, and as the war seeme
 rapidly nearing it's snd he was not calle
 at all into active service again. While
 Libby prison he was promoted to fir
 lieutenant of Company F. His final mu | fer out cane May 15. 1865, and he st ont