The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-10-04

soon Whit and .Jo:ncr were ready
with their team. | selected j. ID
Jackson aud $ u IAr.o', two York
boys, to 60 witt me- jackson had
been with me on a similar expedition
and had nni been found wanting. and
Sam H;:l:on, knrw. was thoroughly
reliable i.d er,ic 10 the core.
We al started ~ in the wagon,
! sinsnr Re-, White aud Blue. After
g"inn 4 nl!c "r >" wc saw fellow in
/ 'l,n III 'ancc riding ur the road toward
:,a' in!i i-r-ci lcwas bare headed
lellcd him an'l asked what va, the
nA.ior he laid that he saw some
i"!irma Gown there Ac.o>s the field
that L. d.; ~, fancy much. a> lie
wr 40 nn'l '!iA tnr Ike to ri-k
hr,
lini:c .,ua,iau at oucc. cot
Hi IL wAenn 4ar nracrci Whit,
at.; lo.n.'l iurr ;l...r wagon around
eW N.i' safA. b, ilrg had no other
ria'r e' amrgf there shoull
,aiie e. ra'y 'i.,nslr aiicad /
,ni,i ,nra. H., jacl.-,.n. E4r:uu and
~ 81! 4u'li -; 70 tiuG the Yankee,
" 'pi"liu ,hi7m'>lur, arru~~ The
ipal rs .!,r .hcm II chnurr t. c,cair,
ara that i 'nry proceed Zoo ma,iy for
u we w"n.'! uink" back over tie cross
way -, IN The wund, and take care
oi rir~.lv,~ tlr best We could That
wa he ~c'.mc But alas rs for its
conSummatIrn.
All Of :: sudden Two hundred and
fifty Yankee cavalrymcn made their
appearance and charged on Us, firing
volley after vollcy.
"Our trio Of 'skirmishcrs' fred.
wheeled and rctreatcd. Whit, the
tcamstcr. became terror stricken. never
before having been placed in so un-
comfortable position, turned his
team so short as to completely upset
the wagon, the bottom being on top.
Barron, Whit, Joiner aud myself were
captured. Jackson escaped Just as
the firing commenced Scrgt Ben i'clot,
who hnd started out from the camp
after we left to follow us aud look
after the baggage, came in sight He
at once wheeled his mule and rode at
full speed back toward the battery
The four prisoners. including my
self, were carried back to Pocataligo,
and thence across Port Royal River on
Il pontoon bridge to Beaufort Islund,
and from there to Hilton Head, and
from Hilton Head to Point Lookout,
Maryland.
After arriving at that famous
prison | did nothing except to try to
concoct scheme by which might
make my escape. I observed every
thing connected with the management
Of the prisoners very closely.
Gone evening about sundown, after
had been there about six weeks, they
were taking out some prisoners to ex-
change. The ground WAS covered with
snow and it was MS cold as blue blazes.
The guards inside the prison, between
the prison walls and the gate, were
| negroes. and they were carelessly
facing each other and engaged in an
apparently absorbing conversation.
All ut once the idea flashed into my
mind that My opportunity was at hand
TO make my escape. knew if I could
pass in the rear Of the guard and reach
some old barrels and boxes and get
behind them | was safe. got on my
hands and knees and unobscrvcd by
the guards reached the desired goal
The next thing was to get with the
crowd Of prisoners that was going out.
and that was standing between me and
the gate, without being detected by
some Of the officers. The negro guards
were still talking to each other, un-
conscious of ms movements. I real
iged that had them exactly where I
coutu uhc tucm as cuOSC, so l was
ready for tho final break for liberty.
raised up from behind the rubbish
and started.
81 had not made more than four or
five steps before l was halted by
lieutenant, who, pointing big pistol
at inc, said: Where are you going?
Now came the tug. knew tho
guard was in close place for allowing
me to pass, and would endorse any
thing | said in order to protect them
! selves. | spoke out distinctly, in
order that they might hear, and said
| to the officer. am going over to the
! crowd of nriacnCrs there.