Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-08-05

with their liberty on the Federal side of
the line. Five times did he escape from
rebel prisons and four times was he re-
captured.
"The first time was taken" said Mr..
Morgan in telling me the story of his re-
markable experiences, 81 was sent with o
lot Of other prisoners to Libby prison. 1
had not been there very long before l be-
gan meditating plans of escape. While
knocking around in the room where we
were confined discovered that the Chin
ney led down to an unoccupied room in
the basement. The guards apparently had
no suspicion that we could reach the base
mont by the flue, but we did, climbing up
through the fireplace and then slipping
down the chimney. By working quietly
and in regular relays we were able to dig
n tunnel from this basement under the
foundations of the building across the
street and into an adjoining open square.
We had some trouble in disposing of the
earth taken out of the tunnel but piled
most of 1t up in the rear of the basement
room. BY careful management we kept
up our tunneling for several weeks without
attracting the attention of the guards. On
the appointed night Colonel Strait and 1876
men passed safely through the tunnel and
out the other end, where the opening was
concealed from view from the prison by
! some bushes. 1t was very successful
break, but only about half of us succeeded
in getting safely to the Union lines. was
caught the next day on the Chickahominy
and carried back to Libby. They confined
me In an underground cell and put me on
half rations.
"Before night had hole through the
floor above and was in communication
with my fellow prisoners up stairs. They
shared their meat and tobacco with me. l
had just laid my plans for another escape
when the authorities concluded to transfer
| us to Macon. Wcwore six days ON the jour
ney, which we made in box cars. On the
way several of my companions and myself
cut "a big hole through the bottom of the
car, Notwithstanding the fact that several
armed guards were in the car with us.
The noise of the train helped us, and we
kept up singing and shouting as we
worked. When the train stopped in the
night, we slipped through the hole and got
away. This time l was out week and
really thought had succeeded in making
good my escape. 1 had got clear of the
Confederate lines and was right opposite
our own army when rebel skirmishing
party came up and caught two companions
and myself. We were sent to Macon.
Il did not have the pleasure of escaping
from the Macon prison. We did have
| tunnel dug under the walls and were about
ready to disappear when our plans were
| exposed by some one on the inside, proba-
| bly, Confederate placed among us for the
purpose of giving away our schemes of cs-
cape. was next sent to Camp Sorghum,
as it was called, at Columbia, S. G. The
name was derived from the rations given
| prisoners there-corn bread and sorghum
molasses. One day few of the boys and
myself made u break and succeeded in get
| ting through the lines but were all taken
the next day. Later made another break,
having for companions Captain Ewing and
Captain Baldwin, the latter one of my
| congressional chums in the house. He Is
member from Minnesota, you know, and
right glad We're we to discover one day
while sitting out in the lobby taking a
smoke that we had been companions on
that daring though unsuccessful effort to
get away from our good friends the John
ny Rebs. We got along famously after Civ
ing them the slip this time and thought
we were going to reach the Union lines
But at the end of the third day Ewing
broke down completely, and we staid by
him and were caught and sent back.
"My fifth and successful attempt to es-
cape was made from moving train. We
were being taken by train to Charlotte,
n. c., and two other prisoners and myself
cut a hole through the bottom of the car.
At the lrst'opportunity we slipped through
the opening and made "A run for it. The
night was very stormy one, with snow
and slect. None of us had any shoes, and
l was bareheaded, having lost my hat in
getting away from the car. We were thin
ly clad and were weak from long subsist-
ence upon prison fare. We had gone a con-
siderable distance through the storm when
our strength gave out, and we agreed that
we could not travel mile farther. We
knew that pursucrs We're not far behind
us, but we felt obliged to succumb to our
fate. At this moment we came upon ne
gro cabin, and when the inmates respond
ed to our knocks we told them who we
were and what straits we were in, and
they took us right in They gave us warm
food and drink and good beds. When the