Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-30
RHEUMATISM

| SkdtlnE ana bHUlnk Abtut oh ihD ~
, outside the line OF guards, several
whom rushed up 10 see the row betwee
, the Confederates. Tho Federals not
duty were ordered of by the officer !
charge OF the guards. I was only to
glad to obey this order, and. with appa
rent Indifference. began sliding about o
the ice gradually gaining toward IN
beach / passed several OF the guard
along the shore without being challenged
and finally reached the apparent route 10
pedestrians to Sandusky. to be seen In tn
distance on the mainland OF Ohio. At thi
point a wEtchful sentinel was impatientl
pacing / expected him TO halt me, bu
as he walked up toward me assumed tn
air Of an officer and asked him how lon
he had been on duty. Upon his replying
1T is about time for the relief" locke
at my watch and remarked that the relic
should be more prompt. He seemed wei
satisfied that / was one OF their number
and continued my walk on the ice, occa
sionaily stopping to throw broken pieces
OF ice as far as could and TO slide about
all the while gaining distance from tn
hated prison, until l was half way Il
Sandusky, and over a mile from tn
prison. Here / passed number of Fede
raj soldiers-members OF our guard Of
duty-returning to the island from San.
dusky. 1 politely touched my hat, and
they saluted me in return. Looking bach
several times during this TO me momen.
tous but delightful walk of nearly three
miles on ice. could see groups Of my
| comrades--niany Of the most trusted be-
| ing by this time informed of my escape
| gathered at the windows of the prison
buildings eagerly watching me and re-
| joicing at the success of my ruse.
| Reaching Sandusky, 1 avoided the prin-
| cipal streets OF the city and the military
| parade. Willing to accord to Washington
| all the honors the civil and military could
| bestow upon his memory, had before
| me other and more important work. With
| light and rapid steps, when unobserved,
l made my way out Of Sandusky TO the
Lake Shore railroad, and thence along
it's tracks, passing now and then a gang
OF laborers, until four miles out. in a
thick piece of woods, when l Invested
myself of my soldiers clothes, hid them
under a log, and returned TO the railroad
In my citizens suit.
l continued my journey until near de-
pot, about eleven miles from Sandusky,
then / waited In the woods near by until
/ heard an approaching train going east.
I had secured in prison copy OF the time
table of the Lake Shore railroad from
the Sandusky papers. and. having with me
this slip and pretty-well drawn map of
the northern part OF Ohio, / knew when to
expect this train. Going to the depot just
as this train stopped, / secured a ticket
to Cleveland, and was soon bounding over
the rails, my heart getting lighter and
lighter as the distance increased But my
light-heartedness was soon to be inter-
rupted. A detective appeared upon the
scene, took seat by me, and remarked
on the old-style interviewer stripe of my
rather unusual citizens trousers. He
showed me his official assignment to duty
on that line. However, he was under
the influence OF liquor and garrulous, OF
1 might have had more trouble in eluding
him. He had exhibited such strong indi-
cation Of giving me trouble that 1 felt
sure he would arrest me when the train
reached Cleveland, not far ahead. Know
ing that Colonel Luce. in his attempted
escape, had been caught and returned to
prison after just such an experience,
watched my opportunity for escape.
had taken the precaution to get in the
rear coach, and when he went forward
to talk with the conductor 1 jumped from
the train. + had hard fall, and was
much bruised and hurt, the worse as
1t renewed very acute pain from an old
wound received in front OF Richmond. /
scrambled up the embankment, end,
placing my ear to the track, escertained
that the train had not stopped. 1t was
late at night. 1 continued on down the
track, arriving in Cleveland in about
three hours without further molestation
and in time to take the east-bound train
that night. From Cleveland took the
cars TO Elmira, N. Y, spending the last
money had. except fifteen cents, for my
ticket and then via Tamaqua to Philadel-
phia, with nothing of special moment
to interest one, except that, having to
wait several hours at Elmira, / endea-
vored to part with a valuable scarf-pin |
in order to procure a little money for
food, having to that time spent only |
twenty-five cents for that necessity.
After my experience with that detectiye |
I made it point, when practicable. TO |
occupy seat with some Federal officer |
in uniform on every train on which I |
This afforded me security from |
the intrusion of detectives and other dis
agreeable characters, and added to my |
as to army operations and |
the general thought at the North Near
Philadelphia l had q seat Immediately
behind two Canadians, who expressed |
themselves as warmly in sympathy with
the South. While this was very crafty
ing to me, 1t suited me just then to be
q warm Union man.
REACHED PHILADELPHIA.
Reaching Philadelphia on the second
day after leaving Johnsons Island, en-
tirely destitute of funds and the cravings
Of hunger unappeased sought tina resi-
dence of a lady friend, on whom 1 knew
would not call In vain for assistance
she extended TO me the warmest hospi-
tality, and, sending for her husband. in
troduced me. That night. with several of
their acquaintance, all sympataizers with
he southern cause, l spent a delightful
time. 1 had provided myself with suita-
Bile clothing. with a refreshing bath. and
supper, and felt a different man. many
degrees removed from the thoughts and
iiscomforts of prison life. These friends
advised ms to return to the Confederacy
via Canada, which might have been a
safer route. but / determined TO come
lirectly South. crossing into Virginia from
some place in Maryland
After two days in philadelphia, I took
he cars to Elkton, Md. Leaving Eikton
nat night. returned to Wilmington. and. |
being saturday, remained over there |
lntll Monday at the Indian Queen Hotel.
vnen hired vehicle TO take me ten or
we've miles by country road across 10
he Seaford and Eastern Shore railroad.
talked with my driver about the Della
ware crops and the country through
Vhich we were passing. The peach crop.
men, as now, came In for q large share
Z our attention and speculation. He told
ae some wonderful Mulberry Sellers"
tories OF fortunes that had been made
4 peaches Dismissing my driver. I again
oarded the cars. and arrived that night
SedfOrQ a small fQmu In Co..tl--