The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1898-04-14
SOLDIERS STORIES.
ENtERI AIMING "REMINISCENCES
OF THE WAR.
Graphic Account of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed on the Battlefield and in
Camp-Veterans of the Rebellion Re-
cite Ex pcrieuccs of Thrilling Nature.
Sand set Them Free.

Conway. Dei0W ffcuerlckSDuTS, II
scouting party of our people had what
might be called very. narrow escape
from an involuntary trip to Richmond
as prisoners" remarked sergeant of
the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry, who,
with other enlisted men, was relating
his experiences. You see," said he,
I'VE had been sent out by General Bay
ard to see what the enemy We're doing.
We numbered all told thrty-SiX men
under the command OF n lieutenant, and
our instructions were to go as far as
the old warehouses on the river below
us, and then return the way we had
gone. Everything went right until
about 4 o'clock; we hadn't seen any of
the enemy, and were marching to camp
again, when the lieutenant thought he'd
see what was in a house over on our
| right. When We arrived at the house
we found no one at home but an old
woman, two young girls and half a doz
en- female slaves. We dismounted and
asked for something to eat. There
wasn't a mouthful of anything in the
house; the women We're fed by son-in-
law over by Port Conway. There wasn't
horse or other animal to be seen about
the whole place.
"'Are there no men about% asked the
lieutenant.
Mot one replied the lady, with dig
nifty. They are all in the Confederate
army. If you are after them you'll
have to go where they are to find
them
Thanks laughinsly replied the
lieutenant. We have no particular
wish to go on the other side of the river
at present
Perhaps you may 60, said the lady,
without any desire
1--WE mounted and were soon on our
way to Port Conway. distant about
six miles. AS We rode along l thought
over what the lady had said. Did she
mean threat, or was it only womans
talk? / rode up to the lieutenant and
was just about to mention the thing to
him when from clump of bushes there
sounded such shout as l had never
heard before. Our men were scattered
over about half mile of road and
there was no chance 10 get them to-
gether; as it was, don't believe any
effort was made, for each man seemed
to be taking care of himself. AS pull
ed up l saw about dozen JOhnnies
making toward me. Surrender. you
Yankee -. or We'll fill you full of
hn1aS I cnr1I 10
discretion the better part Of valor and
pulled up where l stood. .Dismountr
cried a big fellow. aiming a gun at me.
/ dismounted and was led into the
woods. where l found a number of our
men who had been previously captured.
There was another serveant besides
myself, and l asked him how many
there We're of us. He told me that nine
had been captured with him. We did
not halt long i9 the woods, but were
soon taken over by the river, there to
wait until the others came In. Only
three men were left to guard us, but as
we were without arms that was quite
enough. While we were sitting on the
river bank bemoaning out fate | MOTTO
ed little piece of newspaper floating
on the surace of the water. l played
with it while, then drew Ii forth.
Glad to do anything to pass the time,
sat down and looked ii over. Down in
one corner l read the story of woman
throwing vitriol into another's eyes.
When you have given up in despair,
when nothing but rebel prison stands
before you. your thoughts are some
what lively. Mine were, at any rate,
and l prayed for an ounce of vitriol a t
that moment. But the prayer was in
vain; | had no vitriol and nothing to
take its place. We were sitting in the
sand, and the guards were talking to
US like old friends. All at once l started
up. / had an idea that looked feasible.
What's the matter with sand? l asked
myself. If we could manage to get a
handful of sand in each guards eyes
we might escape. 1t was an inspiration.
The more thought Of it the more feas-
ible it became. and l got so nervous
thinking over ii that couldn't sit still. |
sat down and got up. walked as far
as l dared and sat down again. We
prisoners We're all together, and | |
thought Of some plan by which l might
communicate with the others. The |
guard surrounded us, and it looked to
be impossible. l made sly motions to
the other sergeant, but he was so much |
taken up with his own affairs that he
couldn't understand. and l gave up the |
idea of attracting his attention. Right |
next TO me was little York County
Dutchman. I'd try him. 1 whispered |
that if we could only cast a handful of |
sand into each guards eyes we might |
escape. He was a cunning little duck, |
and instantly grasped the idea, and sig |
nailed that it was all right l saw him !
look for sand right away. Then | whis- !
pered to another man, and he signaled |
that he understood and he looked for |
sand. In this way l managed to COM
municate the idea to the others, and in |
a little while had six men in the Sc
cret. | had no doubt that the others
would get in as soon as they saw the
point.
1--WE had been waiting about half an |
nour ana the guards were becoming |
restless. They stood about and talked |
to each other and to us. Then entered |
into conversation with them about
the war and l saw the York County
man gather a handful of sand; then
some of the others did the same. and |
one would have thought that us Yanks
were mud-pie makers without doubt
had they seen the industry of these
men. | had not got my sand yet. but 1
determined to he in it and soon left the
guard and collected my sand. The other
men We're sitting about thinking of
their trip TO rebeldOm. when suddenly
arose as if to depart, which caused the
guards TO look about. The next instant
I had dashed a handful of sand directly
into his eyes and he was swearing as