The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-05-08
A Promise Redeemed
(Original.1


During the civil war had been con-
fined as prisoner in Libby prison, and
ten years after being discharged from
tine United States service was sud
denly seized with a desire to go south
and have look at it.. AS l was start
ing an uncle Of mine insisted on CIV
ing me letter to an old friend of his.
Samuel Porcher. n RichmOhd merchant.
As soon as I arrived in the former
Confederate capital l went down to
the river bank and, standing before
the old tobacco warehouse that had
been my prison. looked up at 1t with
very singular feelings. There on the
street level was the door out of which
/ had passed in broad daylight at the
imminent risk Of my life and began
journey Of intolerable suffering down
the James river. AS l stood In 1874
looking on the scene Of my adventure
Of 1864 l scarcely realized that l was
free man, permitted to come and 50
as l liked. Not uniform was to be
seen, business had taken the place of
war.
This Is how l came to make an at
tempt ut escape: One Of the prisoners
mad secured a loaded revolver, how
never knew except that it was pur-
Joined from one of the guards when he
was asleep or drunk or who had left 1t
carelessly where it could be pounced
upon. 1t was a dangerous article for
q prisoner to have, and it was passed
from one to another till it came to me.
l was desperate, and, hiding it under
my shirt, buttoned my ragged coat
around it, hoping that I might find
chance to use it in some desperate
move for freedom.
was confined on the ground floor.
At times the door would be left open,
a guard pacing back and forth on the
pavement before it.. At times l would
make bold to 60 to the door and look
out, usually to be ordered back. There
was one of the sentries whom espe-
cially noticed. He was what l then
called an old man of about forty-five
and was doubtless a citizen relieving
regular troops at guarding prisoners.
One day at noon l went to the door
and stood looking out. Everybody was
ut dinner, and 1 could see no soldier
except the oldish sentinel. who l no
ticed was thinking about something
besides his guard duty. 1t was a crazy
thing to do. but my life as a prisoner
was burden to me. l watched the
sentinel till he turned to walk with his
back to me, then like a flash slipped
out the door and ran like a deer to the
corner where a street slOped down to
the river AS l turned ball came
whizzing past me, and l knew l had
been discovered. The sentinel chased
me. and, although was much younger
tnan he, l was weakened by cOnfine-
lnent. He caught up with me just as
was getting behind pile of lumber.
turned and shot him with my revOlv
er. Darling on, l saw cellar win
dow open and crawled in. Searchers
passed my hiding place dozen times
without thinking to enter, and when it
was dark l crawled out, lodged along
down the river bank, found boat and
tioated on the bosom of the historic
James How reached Old Point Com
fort and our ships would make a story
Of itself.
After inspecting Libby presented
my letter of Introduction to Mr..
Porcher. Now, there would be moth
ing in this story except the hair
breadth escape, Of which there were
thousands in that war, had not my
host had a pretty daughter ten years
my Junior, between whom and me
there sprang a case of love at first
sight l stayed in Richmond a long
while, pretending to have business
there, all the while attempting to
smooth away Mr.. Porcher's prejudice
against me as having been a Union
soldier. When at last l thought had
him in a more notified condition
ventured to ask him for his daughters
hand. He heard me through with low
ering brow, then said:
II will give my consent on one con-
ditiOn. There is man probably living
whom wish to kill-a miserable dirty
little Yankee who was a prisoner in
Libby In 1864. was a member Of
the home guard and sentinel at the
prison when one day the impudent boy
walked out Of the door and ran away.
I followed him. He not only gave me
wound in the shoulder from which I
have suffered ever since, but l was
dropped from the guard in derision."
He was going on. getting more and
more excited as he proceeded, when
his daughter came in anxiously and
stopped him. He ended by making It
condition Of his consent to our union
that l would promise to scour the
north for that dirty little mudsili"
and give him chance to shoot him.
l listened to this with establishment.
There had been something familiar
about Mr.. Porcher's face and figure.
and could not get over the idea that
I,oI 1t