The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-06-17

doned. But the resources OF men in
ured to danger. were not exhausted
Towards the end of the Neck was an
old stone wall, which was surrounded
by thick and tangled mass of plGm
bushes The plan was to remove one
side of the wall. an lrebuild it in such
a manner as to afford hollow places
for their concealment. A few singular
and ingenious cages having been Fl
nished, kennicut surveyed them
closely, and with scrutiny on all sides
Assured of the completeness of the
concealment, kennicut. with a few
words of caution. left Ferris and his
companions in their voluntary iInpri
sonment, with promise to return to
them whenever he might do SO with
prudence.
The situation of our heroes, must
indeed have been tr ying. 1t was not
long before daylight appeared, and
then they could bear the search that
was going on all around them. Pres
emily the tramp of soldiers was heard
which grew nearer and nearer, and
their hearts sank despairingly within
them. as they could detect their ap-
proach direc:T to the spot where they
were concealed. Two files of soldiers
one on on each side of the wall. and
so near to them, that with a switch
two feet long, tha prisoners could
have touched them. Suddenly and to
the great terror of the adventures,
the word to halt was given, and our
heroes believed their discovery Ger
tain. The grass which had been
trampled down by them in the process
of erecting their prisons, arrested the
attention of the soldiers, and brief
conference as to it's cause, was held
within hearing of the captives. One
remarked, that there the id
rebels must have lain last night. >
but another was of the opinion that
it was where the deserters, who had
escaped the day previous, had lain
during the night. Satisfied with this
solution of the cause, the party re-
sumed their march, much to the relief
and delight of our incarcerated friends.
They remained in their concealment
the entire day, and much of the en-
suing night, without food, and in a
state of pnceasing anxiety. Towards
morning, Kennicut came and released
them. They now abandoned the inten-
tion of securing the officer, and set
about escaping from the Neck in the
same manner they had come upon it.
Mr. Ferris was frequently engaged
in enterprises of a similar nature to
this, during the period Of the war. On
one occasion, he accompanied an ex
pidition in two whale boats, eastward,
and approaching Stonington they re-
solved to cut out two vessels. a sloop
and schooner belonging to the Brit
ish; which were lying at anchor in the
barbor. AG the hour of midnight,
when all was hushed and still, they
cautiously rnwed towards the vessels,
the one to which Mr.. Ferris belonged
approaching the schooner But one
man walked its deck, the others being
asleep below, and he seemed to be
unconscious of the danger, which
threatened the vessel. Not a sound
denoted their approach, and the boat
was by the vessels side, and the as
sailants already pouring upon the
deck. ere the sentinel was aware Cf
the attack. A pistol at his head COM
manded immediate silence, or death
the penalty, and in moment the
hate hes and companion way were Sc
cured, the cables cut, the sails hoisted
and they slowly moved from the
shore. But at this junctnre they We're
saluted EY cannon from the battery
on shore, the alarm having been given
by the hosting of the sails, and with
balls blowing the sea abont them and
occasionally whistling through the
rigging, they stood ont to sea, but
were soon out of sight and beyond the
reach of the enemy.
Numerous adventures and "hair-
breath 'scapes" occurred to Mr.. Ferris
during the eventful period of the war
but the foregoing, from their daring
and ingenuity particularly commend
themselves to the admiration of the
reader The author is indebted TO a
son of Mr.. Ferris, now residing in
Westchester County, I'D this State for
the particulars of the above sketch.