The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-07-20


the line Five times did he escape from
rebel prisons, and four times was he re-
captured
The first time I was taken" said Mr.
Morgan in telling me the story of his re-
marknble experiences, II was sent with a
lot of other prisoners to Libby prison. 1
had not been there very long before I be-
gan meditating plans of escape. Whilo
knocking around in the room where we
were confined discovered TINT the Chin
ney led down to an unoccupied room in
the basement. The guards apparently had
no suspicion that we could reach the base
lncnt by tho fiuo, but we did, climbing I'D
through the fireplace and then slipping
down the chimney. BY working quietly
and In regular relays we were able to dig
tunnel from this basement under tho
foundations of the building across tho
street and into an adjoining open square
We had some trouble in disposing of the
earth taken out of tho tunnel, but piled
most of 1t up in the rear of the basement
room. BY careful management we kept
up our tunncling for several weeks without
attracting the attention OF the guards On
the appointed night Colonel Strait and l25
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 ocll and put mo on
half rations
Before night I had hole through tho
floor above and was in communication
with my fellow prisoners up stairs. They
shared their meat and tobacco with me 1
had just laid my plans for another escape
when the authorities concluded to transfer
us TO Macon. We We're six days on the jour
ney, which we made In box cars On tho
way several of my companions and myself
cut big hole through the bottom of the
car, Notwithstanding tho fact that several
armed guards were in tho car with us.
The noise of the train helped u.s. and we
kept up singing and shouting MS we
worked. When the train stopped in the
night, we slipped through the hole and got
away. This time I was out week and
really thought had succeeded in making
good my escape. I had got clear of tho
Confederate lines and was right opposite
our own army when z rebel skirmishing
party came up and caught two companions
and myself. We were sent to Macon
II did not have the pleasure OF escaping
from the Macon prison. We did have a
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-
capo. was next sent to Camp Sorghum,
rs it was called, at Columbia, =. c. Tho
name was derived from the rations given
prisoners thcre-corn bread and sorghum
molasscs. One day u few of tho boys and
myself made a 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 nv
congressional chums In the house He is q
member from Minnesota YOU know and
right glad We're we 10 discover ono day
while sitting out in the lobby taking u
smoke that we had boon 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 tho slip this time and thought
we were going to reach the Union lines
But at tho end of the third day Ewing
broke down completely, and we staid by
him and We're caught and sent back
My fifth and successful attempt to cs-
cape was made from II moving train. We
were being taken by train to Charlotte
N. o., and two other prisoners and myself
cut hole through the bottom of the car
AT the first opportunity we Slipped through
the opening and mndc run for it. The
night was n very stormy one, with snow
and sleet. None of us had any shoes, and
was barehcadcd, having lost my hat in
getting away from the car. We were thin
~ clad and wcro weak from long subsist-
ence uponsprison fare. We had gono con
siderable distance through tho storm when
our strength gave out, and we agreed that
we could not travel d mile farther. We
knew that pursuers We're not for behind
US, but we felt Obliged to snccumb to our
fato AT this moment we came upon ne
gro cabin, and when tho inmates respond
ed to our knocks we told than who we
were and what straits wo were In, and
they took US right in. They gave us warm
God and drink and good beds When the