The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-05-12
the eye of sentinel who walked the

the eye OF sentinel who walked the
parapet of the fort.
Waiting until the guard turned for
a moment Gushing hurried across the
open, warily watching the sentinel.
He had made about half the distance
whenthe soldier turned andthe lieuten
ant was compelled to drop right down
in the grass. He lay fiat on his back
and could plainly see the soldier on
his tramp. If that gentleman had
closely scanned the opening In the
swamp he would surely have seen our
hero
He did not tnrn again 80 that Cush
ing could feel safe in trying to make
the rest of the distance to the swamp.
Soon a party of four soldiers passed
throug the rushes within few feet of
the Lieutenant They were discussing
the events of the previous night and
were SO interested in what they were
saying that they did not notice the
man lying on the ground so close to
them. After this narrow escape Cush-
ing saw the necessity of getting into
the swamp and finally succeeded in
doing so by sinking his heels and ell
bows into the soft earth and forcing
his body forward inch by inch
For five hours, with bare feet and
bare head, the lieutenant made his
way where probably none ever did
before The swamp was a network
of thorns and briers that cut into the
flesh at every step like knives. Ere
quently, when the soft ooze would not
bear his weight, he wss forced to
throw his body at full length on the
mile and pull himself along by his
arms.
At last. much to his delight, he
reached the edg of the swamp. But
as soon as he emerged into the clear
ing new difficulties beset him. A
large party of soldiers was in his way,
engaged In sinking schooners in the
river to obstruct the channel. By
careful work he got into corn field
and passed within twenty yards of
the busy Confederates.
Just after this he reached piece
of woods. There he ran across ne
gro. As Gushing was very anxious 10
hlloW VI tuC SuSSCoo VI IcJluiO VI LIS
efforts, he resolved to trust this darky
enough to send him for information.
SO he gave the negro twenty dollars
in greenbacks and promised him more
when he returned, and then started
him for town to obtain news.
After tedious wait the negro re
turned and brought the joyful intelli
,,onoo {Iof thn A AlHo,,o,.lo xroc OF fh.,
bottom of the river. Greatly elated
and encouraged the lieutenant now
resumed his weary tramp to the sea,
In the middle of the afternoon he
came upon picket of seven soldiers
who were Eosted on the bank of one
of the deep and narrow streams which
abound in that region. The party
had little, tlat-bottomed skitf which
was tied to the root of tree.
Gushing watched these men until
they all became busy preparing q
meal. Then he crept into the stream
and cautiously swan to the boat.
Gaining the bank he quietly cast
loose the boat and let it float down
the stream until it rounded a bend,
and then he clambered in and pad
died away as fast as he could.
After ten hours continued labor
the gallant lieutenant succeeded in
getting within hail of one of the Union
vessels. His "Shlp ahoyr' was given
with the last of bis strength and when
picked up he was found lying in the
bottom of the boat completely ex-
hausted and almost covered with the
water which the skiff haG shipped.
For this brave deed Gushing receiv-
ed the thanks of congress and was
Inade a Lieutenant Commander in
the navy.