The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-01
FEDERAL PRISON LIFE.
A PAINFUL FxPERIE NOE OF THREE
DECADES AGO.


tried mems souls" (and bodies also.
In the autumn Of '6S the federal cavalry
retired the line Of the cavalry OF the Army
of Northern Virginia to the Rapdan and
Rappahannock rivers, snd in the action
which forced the retirement the deponent
had his horse shot under him, receiving a
slight wound In the right leg from the bullet
that killed his horse.
As Gen. Pleasanton's troopers had un-
horsed him, he thought the same agency
should procure him remount; so, In COM
pAuy with two other dism0unted troopers,
he started out with the view of procuring
remounts from the federal horse.
One Of them certainly did not accomplish
his object, for the same day they started
on their expedition, Gen. Pleasanton made
Q demonstration In force and the two ex-
petitions met about ! l o'clock p. M, one a
detachment Of three endorsed troopers, the
other q corps d'drmeS Of cavalry, and the
weaker went under.
Your correspondent, by the fortunes Of
war, fell a captive to PleasaDton's corps and
was sent first to Washington then TO the
military prison at Point Lookout. Nd.
Freedom is an Unborn characteristic Of
American people and this feature was as
fully developed in your correspondent as in
the average American. A few m )nths'
stay at Point. Lookout surfeited him with
the enaui OF that style Of living, so with
four companions, they plned for change
of climate, diet and habits. A conspiracy
developed. to abruptly terminate the rela-
lions existing between these five and the
garrison. We had been the recipients OF
the nations bounty as long as we desired
80 concluded on the night OF Dec. 81, 1858,
60 terminate our stay with our hosts.
We may have forgotten the law Of hospi-
tally in neglechng to advise our hosts Of
our contemplated change, but all the same
our preparation for departure continued.
During the day mentioned, Dec. 81. 1858,
we succeeded in securing four tent poles.
wespliced two and two together and with
our crude implements we succeeded in
making ladder without detection. The
day and night we're exceedingly favorable
for our expedition. One Of the conspirators
had once before taken sudden leave OF his
hosts, but some weeks after was again
made forced guest at this seaside watering
place.
We hoped for great results in securing the
services of this gentleman, whom we felt
sure could pilot us through Maryland, across
the Potomac aud back to Dixie.
The weather was very fortuiUous for our
expedition. A driving storm Of sleet from
the east made sentry duty on the western
wall OF the prison pen anything but pleasant.
The men on duty could hardly face the
elements and this side of the Enclosure was
selected for the attempt.
About 10 p. M, cautiously approaching
the wall under cover OF the shadow OF one
of the mess houses, we waited for an auspi-
cious moment TO place our ladder. The SEN
tine!s would approach each other, hold a
few moments conversation, then separate.
The extremes Of their posts must have been
near 300 feet apart, and when they had APP
prosched nearly to these extremes we tested
- Id Is.4, - 49, 81
long, we had to quickly and noiselessly re-
move IL, take it back to our quarters and
amputate both feet for about yard Our
second attempt showed it about right, so
when the ssntinels had made about one-half
of their beats, l was sent first. Ny first
step caused the rung TO crack, and in the
intense excitement the report sounded as
loud as q pistol shot. 1t did not, however,
attract the attention OF the sentinels, SO
up and over the fence the writer went
with one OF the other four close upon bis heels
In getting down from the scaffold or plat
form upon which tho sentinels tramped,
noise sufficient to attract the attention Of
the sentinels was made. and the alarm given.
The writer dropped do 0n from the scafFold
and stepped under its cover. The man
following was at the top OF the ladder when
detected. The sentinel hurrying toward
this point sent him quickly down the ladder
inside the Enclosure. The sentinel ordered
him TO drop that" the LADDER, at the same
time swapping his musket. The conspirators
had calculated that the weather would in
jure the ammunition of the guard and it
proved TO be correct. The sentinel snapped
his gun twice more and discharged it In the
darkness, but without injury to any of the
five men.
The writer then started to make his way
from the proximity of his dangerous hosts,
and carefully picking his way, worked be-
tween the camps and the prison pen until
he stood on the beach of Chesapeake bay.
North Of the prison, and distant about a
mile. the waters of large creek from the
Potomac came almost across the Point The
garrison had causewayed this narrow strip
of land, and upon it had erected block
house and had driven piling into the creek
on one side and into Chesapeake bay on the
other, thus isolating the Point from the
mainland.
The only way TO reach the mainland was
through the block house or by wading or
swimming around the pile fence. The creek
side was very Doggy; the bay side hard and
FIRM. The intense cold had made the waters
OF the bay a mass Of mush ice; the storm
was sending the sea up in huge rollers. The
alternatives were desperate. The beach
side was selected. Wading to about waist
deep, heavy sea knocked me over, and
bspuzing me in this intensely cold water,
Foilcu me up on the Deacn.
A council of war became necessary and
the beach route was determined as unfeasible.
and coming out in close proximity TO the
block house the sentinel could discern dark
object between him and the little light re-
fiected from the sea.
Before the council Of war could determine
upon the next move the sentinel had quietly
called three others to his assistance, and
protected by the black background OF the
block house advanced to within ten PAGES
OF the center, and, without hailing firod
their four guns at him.
Is there special providence watching
over peoplel Do not events justify the
beliefs Surely such happened in my case,
for Tot ten steps away four guns had been
fired at me, but not ball touched noe.
To avert further fire from the attacking
force threw myself on the beach. The
guard believed they had certainly killed
their man and were greatly surprised as
they came up to have him say: I'm surren-
der Ordering him up. they marched him
into the block house; not, however, before
one of them tried the point Of his bayonet
on the prisoner. but did DO serious harm.
Coming from the intense darkness into
the lighted room, one Of the guard exclaimed
S. IL 1t arn't 8 Johnny"
"Who did you think / was?" asked.
Zone Of those - bounty jumpers" re-
sponded the sentinel.
Saturated by the sudden immersion in
the sea and nearly frozen, was permitted
30 stand near the fire for awhile, then or
darad nv the n NTH fhap, IL