The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-10-23
THRILLING WAR EXPERIENCE.
How Two Ex-Confederates Escaped
From Prison Through a
Tunnel.

Since the dark days OF the war OF
secession, the books, periodicals
and newspapers have been full of
accounts of the desperate heroism
hair breadth 'scapes and undaunted
gallantry of the officers of the
Confederacy. Orators, in clarion
tones, have narrated the bold deeds
of men high in command, and poets
have attuned their muse to the
daring do of the rank.
Here is the story of the escape of
c. Malone of Company F, Ninth
Alabama Regiment, who with three
companions dug, with a butcher
knife, fifty foot tunnel and es-
capped from the midst of the Yam
KEGS.
"None of us were officers, but on
ly men, so it does not count in bat
tie, writes the hero; and he might
have added that it does not count
much with the average war remin-
iscence reporter.
1t twas on May 6, 1864, that Pri-
vate Malone's experience as a pris-
oner with the Yankees began. 1t
will be remembered that on that
date the Battle of the Wilderness
was fought in Virginia In the
thickest of that fray we're the Ninth
Alabamians; but when the struggle
was over Private Malone found him
self in the hands of the opposition,
where he remained for six weeks or
so while he was carried across the
country to Point Lookout, Md. He
made his escape from the guard in
a fairly commonplace manner, and
for three days enjoyed his liberty.
But he was recaptured and return
ed to Point Lookout; and it was not
long after that he, with several
thousand other prisoners, was
transferred to Elmira, N. Y.
1t was on August 16, 1864, that
Elmira was reached. There were
thousands of prisoners gathered
there. Malone and three compan-
ions found themselves assigned to
quarters in a little tent. His COM
panions we're spirited fellows. They
belonged to the Jeff Davis artillery
and knew not the meaning of fear.
Their names are j. Fox Maui, w. B.
Trawick and j. P, Polegnat They
we're transferred to Elmira at the
same time as Malone.
The prisoners were permitted to
mix together with a certain amount
of freedom, though they were en-
closed in high paling and there
were sufficient guards on hand to
see that no one should escape. I'm
der these conditions the tent mates
discussed the chances of escape,
and a half dozen other no less hardy
spirits were induced to join in the
project, The conspirators canvass
ed their stock of available material
and found it, when all returns were
in, to amount to one butcher knife;
and even this was not first class
article of its kind. 1t had origin
ally been made from a file, was old
hacked and cracked.
Then the men made an inventory
of the labor before them. They
found it necessary to dig a tunnel,
beginning in their tent, fifty feet
out under wall
1t was not long after the men
reached Elmira befor they conclud-
ed that escape by this route was
feasible, and they at once set to
work upon the tunnel 1t was two
months later when the work was
completed that is on October 6.
The work was slow and tedious, At
first nothing could be done, except
at night, and at no time could more
than one man use the knife.
When at last the tunnel was fin
ished and everything was ready for
escape, the nerves of the men were
at fever heat. There was always
the possibility, not to say probable
ity, of something occurring to spoil
the plans of so well laid and so pain
fully carried out. 1t was decided
that the break should be made at
night. What if, when the men
emerged to the surface Of the earth
outside the walls, they should find
themselves surrounded by squad
of the enemy What if the plan of
escape had been known and watch
ed by the guard and the men had
been permitted to continue their
work only to be corralled or shot
down at the moment when liberty
seemed certainl
A thousand such fancies took
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