The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-12-04


tiers for two or three men connected with
the hospital department, and as we pass
ed out Of the tunnel in turn each Of us
heard them talking and moving about.
Each man crept away to the left, climb
ed over a fence and followed it for 90
rods, and then made for certain tree
which could be seen from the stockade
and which had been agreed upon as the
rendezvous. We encountered no guards
and raised no alarm, and within half an
hour from the time the first man enter
ed the tunnel the five of us were gath
cred under the tree
We travelled all night, with only
brief stops for rest, and when daylight
came we judged that we had made
good 25 miles. We had followed the
highway on and off, but without en-
countering any one, and as the day
broke we sought the cover of a thicket
and lay down TO rest and sleep. 1t was
afternoon before any one awoke, and
then the first move was to look for
water. We soon found that, and then
the question Of food came up. Keeping
all together, we moved to the west,
knowing that we should come to a plan
tation sooner or later. The best we
could do in the way Of weapons was for
each man to arm himself with club
The highway was ON our left as we
went forward, and we had proceeded
for about mile when we broke out of
the cover of thicket and found our
selves upon the road, which took q
turn there to avoid a hill. It was only
a narrow road, and couple Of jumps
would have given US cover on the other
side, but as we left the bushes we came
face to face with soldier in Confeder-
ate uniform. He was sitting down on
stone to rest and was without weapons
of any sort. Had the soldier remained
quiet tragedy would have been avoid
ed. At first sight of US he sprang to his
feet and instead of running away when
he recognized US as escaped prisoners,
which am sure he did, he called on us
to surrender and seized man with each
hand. He was only boy, being less
than 20 years old, and not having even
a pistol with him it was a foolhardy
thing for him to do. Having a brave
heart in him, he acted on impulse. The
idea with all Of us was that we had
Numbered upon party Of soldiers sent
out in search, and no one hesitated to
use his club.
It was only after the young soldier
had gone down under our blows that
we found he was alone and unarmed
Two men lifted up his body and bore it
into thicket across the road, and when
at safe distance we examined his in
juries and did all that was possible I'M
der the circumstances to revive him.
Some Of the blows had fractured his
skull, and at the end Of two hours he
was dead. When tell you that we were
sorely grieved over the matter, do not
half express our feelings. In one sense
we had the moral and legal right to at
tack him and defend ourselves, but when
we saw him lying dead we could not
help but feel that there was innocent
blood on our hands. On an envelope in
his pocket was his name, George Will
Hanson, and he also had with him ten
days furlough, granted by the COM
mander Of the post at Salisbury nine
days before He was one Of the guards
at the prison pen, then, and had been
home on furlough and was making
his way back.
We found a spot where tree had
been overturned and buried the body as