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

CilHt up, our
blandly informed them the escaping pris-
oners had been seen running down the
road as fast as they could go about half an
hour before. By the help of these kind ne
groes we finally managed to reach the
Union lines"
In Federal Prisons.
Congressman Cobb of Alabama, the pro-
FOUNDER of the famous question, "Mr
Speaker, where was 1 at?" has related his
experience after his capture in the battle
of Gettysburg, and it is an exceedingly
interesting story. He was the first lieuten-
ant of a company attached to the Texas
division under Longstreet. 1.-THE second
day of the fight, July 2, 1861" said Mr..
Cobb, 81 was cornered by the enemy in.
the course of the engagement. On the side
of me was steep, almost perpendicular
slope. On the other was a wood of heavy
timber and thick underbrush. l failed to
hear the order for retreat, and before 1
knew it l was surrounded and captured. L
was first taken to Fort Henry, Baltimore
harbor, then to Fort Delaware for three
weeks, and after that to Johnson's island,
where l staid from the 1st of August until
the February following. At that time there
was a call for 600 of us officers to be car
ried to Point Lookout at the mouth of the
Potomac. We were joyful over the trans
fer, rs we thought it was made for the
purpose of exchange, and as u matter of
fact 200 were exchanged.
"We were eventually crowded out by the
wounded men brought in from some bat
tie and were then carried back to Fort
Delaware. Soon after our transfer another
call for 800 men was issued to go to Charles
ton harbor to be made the subjects of re-
taliation. The Federals charged that Fed
eral prisoners in the hands Of Confederates
had been kept within range of Federal bat
teries and thus exposed to the shots from
their own men. Whether this was true or
not l do not know, but they took me and
about 900 other prisoners among them
Speaker Crisp, and placed us in position
between Federal and Confederate batteries,
where we were exposed to the shots of both
sides. The shots would fly over us occa-
sionally. don't remember that any of us
was injured, but 1t was certainly not pleas
ant to be constantly expecting stray shot
to drop among us. After this ordeal our
party was separated, some Of the 600 being
sent to Fort Pulaski and the remainder to
Hilton Head. l was among the latter and
was some time afterward transferred back
to Fort Delaware, where l remained until
the cessation of hostilities.
81 never saw any particular case of cru
city in the prisons in which was con-
fined. The guards shot several prisoners at
Johnson's island, but guess they brought
it on themselves. There were severe pun
ishments for insubordination-as, for in
stance, when privates were tied up by
their thumbs and officers were tossed in
blankets. 1 helped to bury many poor
fellow. Sometimes as many as four or five
IN,,rin inl OF hot lnnt Ia OF
the result of bad treatment, but of wounds
they had received in the field or of confne-
ment or homesickness. The winter 1 spent
at Johnson's island was very severe, the
Thermometer registering sometimes Is to
20 degrees below zero. On New Years day
of this year five men attempted to escape
through my room. They took two of the
benches which were in each of the rooms
and made a ladder by mailing pieces of
wood between them by the assistance of
which they made their escape through the
window. Ordinarily there were sentries
stationed about every 300 yards, but this
night was so bitterly cold that they could
not remain on post. The five succeeded in
leaving the prison, but one succumbed to
the cold before he had gone mile and was
brought back the next morning with his
ears, toes and fingers frozen. Three others
were found at different distances near the
fort, unable to proceed farther on account
of the cold, and were recaptured. The fifth
escaped to Canada.
Several other efforts to escape were
made by the prisoners, with better success
than the one l have just related One time
a party occupying the hut nearest the
fence took the floor up, dug under it and
tunneled under the fence carrying the dirt
off in haversacks. This was long and te-
dious job but it was finally finished On
the outside of the fence at the exit of the
tunnel there was a thin crust of earth. In
side the fence the tunnel had downward
inclination and outside the fence an up
ward. When everything was in readiness
a dark night was selected for tho escape.
A large number succeeded In making n
safe transit, but one large fat fellow got
stuck where the tunnel turned to go up
ward and could neither retreat nor go for
ward. His comrades tried to push or pull
him through the tight place, but without
avail, and he had to stay there. He was a
nervy fellow and made no outcry, remain
ing there all night until next morning,
when the guardsman discovered him lodged
in the tunnel. His fellow prisoners thus
had good start, and about half of them
made good their escape The others were
recaptured." WALTER WELLMAN.
African Mushrooms.