New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-09
SAND SET THEM FREE.
HOW UNION PRISONERS ESCAPED FROM
REBEL PRISON.

| 3, a
people had what might be called a very narrow
! escape from IN involuntary trip to Richmond as
PRISONERS remarked n sergeant OF the 9th
fehhSyiVan@ Cavalry, who, with other enlisted
| men, was relating his experiences you see"
! said he. we had been sent out by General Bay
ara 10 see what the enemy were doing We
| numbered all told thirty six men under the COM
! nand Of a Lieutenant and our instructions were
! TO go as far AZ the old Warehouses on the river
! relow us. and then return the way had gone.
! everything went right until about o'clock; we
| hadn't seen any Of the enemy. ard We're march
lnS to camp again, when the Lieutenant thought
! ned see wAat was in ~ house over on our right.
! W men we arrived at the house found no one
! al nome but an cid woman, two young girls and
mar dozen female slaves We dsmOunted and
asked for something TO eat. There wasn't q
mouthiul Of anything in the house; the women
were fed 10y Il sOn-in-law over by Port Conway.
! Ihere wasn't horse or other animal to be seen
about the whole place
Are there no men abou.?' asked the lieu
tenant.
Not one replied the lady with dignity.
They are all in the Confederate Army If you
are after them you'll have to go where they
"'Thanlls,' laughingy replied the lieutenant,
We have no particular wish to go ON the other
side Of the river at present
Perhaps you may CO. said the lady, with
out any desire
I'VE mounted and were soon our way to
Port Conway. distant about six miles. AS we
rode along / thought over what the lady had
said. Did she mean n threat or was 1t only
woman's talk? | rode up to the lieutenant and
was Just about to mention the tnlnS TO him
when from a cllmp Of bushes there sounded
such a shout had never heard before our
men were scattered over about half mile -
road and there chance to get them to-
gether; as it was. | dom. believe any effort
made. for each man seemed to be taking care II
himself AS | pulled up | saw about a dozen
Johnnics making toward me- Surrender you
Yankee - we'll fill you full Of holes. l
could do nothing. so thought discretion the bet
ter part OF valor and pulled up where stood.
Dismountr cried n big fellow aiming his gun
liSmOlDtci
woods. whore found number " our men who
had been previously captured. There was an
other sergeant beside myself. and asked him
how many there were OF us. lie told me that
nine had been captured with him. We did not
halt long in 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 without arms that was quite
enough. While sitting on the river
bank bemOaning our fate, noticed little piece
OF newspaper floating on the surface or the
water. ! played with it awhile then drew II
forth Glad to DO anything to pass the time, i
sat down and looked 1t over. Down in one cor
ner read the story Of a woman throwing Vltriol
into anOthers eyes.
when you have given up in despair. when
nothing but n rebel prison stands before you,
your thoughts are somewhat lively. Mine were
at any rate. and prayed for an ounce Of vitriol
at that moment But the prayer was in vain;
| had no vitrio and rothing to take its place.
We were sitting in the sand, ard the guards
were talking to us like old friends All at once
started up. had an idea that looked feasible.
what's the matter with SHlli. ASKED lHNS'll.
If we could manage to get handtui OF Slh1
In each guards eyes might escape II was
an inspiration. The more l thought Of it the
more feasible ii became. and | got so nervous
thinking over it that couldn't sit still | sat
down and got up. | walked as far rs | dared
and sat down again We prisoners were al
together and thought of some plan by "hiSn
| might communicate with the othef3. ! ne
guard surrounded and ii looked to be I'M
possible. l made sly motions to the other ser
Ceant but he was so III len taken up WIN us
fIpt ha fn'
| gave up the idea Of attracting his attention.
Right next to me was little York county
Dutchman. I'd try him. | whispered that II
we could only cast handful OF sand INTO each
guards eyes We might escape. He was Il cum
ming little duck. and instantly grasped the idea
and signalled that it was all right. saw MN
look for sand right away. Then l whispered 10
another man, and he signalled that ne under
stood and ne looked for sand. In TINS way
managed to communicate the idea to the others,
and in little while mad SIX men in the secret
/ had no doubt that the others would get in
as soon as they saw Tho point.
1--WE had been waiting about half an hour ana
the guards were becoming restless. They stood
about and talked t. each other and to US Thcn
entered into a conversation with them about
the war and 7 saw the NDrk county man
Gather douhle-haudful Of sand: then SOME II
the other, did the same. ami ono would have
thought that as Yanks were Wud-ple makers
without doubt had they sen tho industry IT
thcs. men. had rot got rE "lhd -. hul
determined 10 bee in il and soon left the
Guard ard collected my sand. III" other men
were sitting about thinking OF their trip 20
!. n,idom. when / suddenly arose as If To d.
rnrt which caused The guards 10 look about.
The next instant had dashed tardiGl ~
sand directly into his eyes and ne was swearing
As only a trooper can. .o9NeI ABOUT ana
saw that the other guards had been taken
care Of by our fellows ana Wtr, scanperin5
about rubbing their eyes liNr mad'nen We
were not long in disarming them ana making
them prisoners: il Was all over IN less IMAM
TWO minutes when We hal shared their
sa Ares. pistols arl clri'res among us and We're