The daily morning Alaskan., 1904-01-07
.OIJT OF ANDERSONNIE
IconyrIghl. lall. by [. , LawI1l

war LlAn Lle iAtu VA "a t"i'tiN' N-'-t~ Into my mind.
 At that time the dead line" was close in to the stockade itself, and the Confederate sendnelg on the elevated platforms on the outside of the pen were satisfied with calling out to a man who approached too near. Tents were allowed within three feet of the furrow which represented the dead line.
 A tunnel from twenty to twenty-five feet long would clear everything
 Four of us set up a tent and that very day we began our tunnel The ex- cavation was made at the back end of the tent and $ blanket kept at hand to cover up all evidences.
 We worked only at night because the dirt had to be carried down to the creek to be disposed of, and the only tools we had were an old case knife Hn plate and a piece of board sharp ened for a spade.
 It was sixty-tbree days from the date of beginning the tunnel before we est- mated that we were twenty feet be- yond the line. The moon was now full and the evenings as light as day While waiting for a favorable night our third man, member of an Ohio regiment was taken m. We cared for him as best we could for a couple of days, when be was taken outside to the hos pital We agreed to postpone our es- cape for ten days If be did not re- turn by that time We were to give him up as dead.
 It was long after the war before l as- certained what happened him. He mended so rapidly that he would have returned to us on the seventh day, bu' was unfortunately included in a draft Of prisoners for exchange. He had no way to send us word, and we had no list Of names and for many years l be- ileved he was one of the thousands bur led at Andersonville.
 During our wait of ten days the Con federates came in twice to probe and search for tunnels, but fortunately missed us both times. As many as eight or ten others were discovered.
 Yet our greatest danger was from our fellow prisoners A man named Sharon. who belonged to a New Eng land regiment, in some way got a sus- picion that we had a tunnel and one day entered our tent and announced that if be was not allowed to escape with us he would stop our going. We attempted to bluff him off when he made a straight course for the gate, presumably to fulfill his threat
 He was not permitted to go far be- fore being overtaken and charged with attempted robbery. It would have gone hard with him had we pressed the charge. but we dropped it with the understanding that he should keep his mouth shut regarding us. From that hour he was kept under surveillance by two men hired by us and was not permitted to go near the gate. Per haps be would not have carried out his threat. but a prison pen brings out the baseness In human nature very fully.
 It was three days after the trouble with Sharon before the weather be- came favorable, and We had not taken anybody Into our confidence. Never theless, we argued, as we had done be- fore, that if a dozen or more got out the chances of escape would be in creased. We waited until we saw thet the night was to be dark and drlzzly, and then we passed around among such acquaintances as we felt could he trusted and Invited them to call at our tent at 9 o'clock. Each thought be was the only one invited, and each believed he was to be let into a plot to over power the guards and free all prisoners.
 At exactly 8 o'clock my chum crept Into the tunnel, and l followed. Not more than ten minutes later VIC emerged from the hole outside of the stockade and set off into the darkness.
 IT those who Followed on had been as cool and cautious as We an would have gone well with them, but on Incident occurred to unnerve them. Six others had wriggled their way through the hole when the relief guard came march ing along go close that one of the pris oners cried out and brought detection to all. CT course an alarm was raised, the tunnel discovered and an further escape cut off.
 The escape of the six greatly favored us. however, as they scattered in differ ent directions, and none of them was recaptured for two days while one went as far south as Albany.
 At o'clock in the morning the man Sharon heard of the tunnel and sneaked away and gave information at the gates.
 It was at first believed that over 200 | prisoners had escaped, and the widest excitement prevailed inside and out It was not until 2 o'clock in the morn l ing that the true number was discov- ! cred, and then the Confederate force at hand was too small for a vigorous pursuit Of all.
 My chum afterward told me that his trail was followed for some miles by a l bloodhound and thac twice he caught l Bight of pursuers on norseback
 By the time the six who came out l after us had been recaptured we were ! well out of the neighborhood. The l telegraph was no doubt used to notify l various points to look out for us, but l that did not result in our recapture- My fellow prisoner was twenty-seven l days in reaching the Federal lines, l while Twas thirty-one.
 Of more than 200 Uen who at one time or another escaped from that l