Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-06-14

ooohI Lace, ana proceed nOrtheaSterIy
through the Argentine Republic into
Brazll, and to Rio Janeiro. Then he
will change his direction to the north
west and sever the continent across
the rivers of the Amazon near their
head. His journey VIII terminate af
ter he has twice Travelled the fuI
length of Venezuela
Less is known of the county through
which he is to ride than is known Of
interior Africa. The traveller will avoid
the sea coasts.
There is, perhaps. no other man So
well adapted to the accomplishment of
this great undertaking as is Col. L.
J. Johnson, No wild west story would
compare with the simple truth of the
adventures of Col Johnson. an outline
of which is here given without his
knowledge or consent. the writer as
Suming the right, having once been
his superior officer. Col Johnson was
BORN near Syracuse, \. Y. and reared
on farm in northern Ohio. The days
OF his youth We're spent in the woods
with gun upon his shoulder. it being
his duty to supply his family with
fresh meat. In other words he was
hunter.
At seventeen he enlisted in company
+, first Ohio volunteer infantry. com
manded by Col. Hazen He was at
the front until Sept %. 1863. when
he was captured at the battle of
Chickamauga and taken to Libby pris-
on at Richmond, Va In prison he
proved to be a great organizer and
magnificent digger. Within Libby pris-
on he was closely watched BY dig
@ing he escaped from the prison five
times within seven months During
that period he was outside of Libby
nearly as much of the time as inside,
and became familiar with the country
and acquainted with many people. The
fact is not generally known, vet it is
true, that there were underground
railroads" and secret societies existing
in opposition to the southern confeder-
acy. and extending north from that
locality. These organizations We're
not for the benefit of the prisoners
confined in Libby, but formed for and
on behalf of conscripts and descrters
from the rebel armies.
Upon Col. JOhnSOn'S fifth escape
from Libby prison he organized a bat
TALON of these rebel cOnScripts and
deserters, and, armed and equipped,
started on night marches for the Ohio
river, Col. Johnson being the colontl
commanding. While they were about
it they might as well have conferred
upon him the title and rank of gen
eral.
Gen. John MOrgans' men learned Of
the advance of the force. which
seemed to threaten the north He
felt of them and found they were
not friendly. A fight followed in which
the nOrth-bOund forces repulsed the
cavalry. losing fifteen killed and about
thirty wounded. Afterwards Morgan's
men ambushed and routed them, tax
ing Johnson prisoner
The company holding Johnson pris-
Oner was not i'll command of a COM
missioned officer. They consulted and
decided that the thing to do was to
shoot him; but luckily a commissioned
officer came along in time and took the
prisoner along with him. JOhnsOn's
feet were bleeding and the officer took
pity on him and had him mount, rid
ing behind. At an OppOrtune moment
Johnson slipped away from .,his com
panion, hiding in a thicket Hiding by
day and travelling at night he reached
GallipOlis, Ohio, November l, 1864 the
point where the forty-tirst Ohio had
first crossed the Ohio river into the
southern cOnfederacy
Reporting to the governor of Ohio,
Johnson was assigned to special serV-
ice that took him to Canada, but he
was finally commissioned and sent to
the front again. The war soon there
after came to an end, and on July 3,
1865, he was mustered with the one
hundred and ninety-seventh Ohio vol
unteer infantry-biS occupation gone.
He went into business several times,
and was successful every time, but as
soon as the novelty wore away he
found the mOnotony uncomfortable.
Then he struck out for the far west;
travelled thousands of miles on horse
back, taking his time, observing close
ly and making note of that which was
Of interest. and he unwittingly drifted
into a profession, that of correspond
ent for q syndicate of newspapers.
The object of the present expedition
is to describe the country through
which he travels, the soil, mineral and
vegeta BILE productions, their available
ity, the natives, forms Of government
and actual subsistence, and the means
by which profitable commercial rela-
tons may be established with the
mails and insects, Mr.. Johnson will
write instructively and entertainingly.
There will be times when he will
be in a single day journey from the
heat of summer into the dead of win
ter, in consequence of the altitude Of
in his path.
As to those who are to accompany
Col. Johnson upon this expedition,
nothing definite can be stated except
ing that Capt. G.. H. Hamilton, an
English traveller and explorer of Afrf-
ca, distinguished as such, and DR.. G.
F. AIillspaugh, a well known botanist,
are to join him at the city of Mexico.
It may be relied upon that Col. John
son will proceed upon the journey
mapped out as far as is practicable,
and that upon meeting the insurmount-
able he will probably find a way