Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-04-27

Libby prison in daylight This was
John {. MCGOWAN of the First Mary
land infantry. He was captured by
the Confederates in 1861, but managed
TO escape He was captured at lat
er date and sent to Libby prison. One
night number of prisoners were no
titled that they would be exchanged the
next day.
Among these was man named
Quail Of a Michigan regiment Quail
knew that MCGOWAN was in very poor
health, and he proposed that the lat
ter take his place in line and answeI
20 the name Of Quail when the roll
was called. MCGOWAN did this and
was marched out with the released
prisoners. He stipulated, however,
that before the party reached the eX
change boat Quail should make him
self known, and, insisting that he had
been overlooked, demand his release.
Quail carried out his part of the
program and was sent after the march
ing column. The guards were instruct
IL
possible, the extra man. One count
was made as the men stood in line, but
no extra man was found. Then it was
decided that Quail should take his
place in line and that another count
should be made as the men went OH
board the exchange boat. Given fair
warning, MCGOWAN boarded the boat
among the first, and before the final
muster was made by the delivering and
receiving officers, hid himself
THE prisoners in number and name
taIli2d with the rolls, and all were
turned over to the exchange officers,
who at the time knew nothing of Nc
Gowans presence on the boat Later
he vent aboard the Union exchange
boat that met tie other at a designat-
ed po.nt. He made good his escape,
and TIE adventure was in every way
creditable to both McGowan and Quail.
But MCGOWAN was not the only Union
prisoner who escaped from Libby pris-
on III broad daylight.
"In the first campaign UP the Kama
wha in July, 1861, Captain John B.
TIurd of the Second Kentucky infantry
was captured at POca. In due time he
was sent to Libby prison, wearing the
jaunty uniform of gray adopted by
the First and Second Kentucky regi-
ments and by the Twenty sixth Ohio,
which also became a part of the Kama
wha division.
Zone day Captain Hurd was walking
about in the room occupied by the Of
ticers when several surgeons came in
to look after the sick. These were
from civil life, and in civilian dress.
each wearing green ribbon or scarf
on the left arm. Hurd noticed that
the green ribbon carried the wearer
past the guards without question or
challenge Just then one of the sur
geons in passing through the crowd
Of prisoners, dropped his green rib
bon. Hurd placed his foot upon it,
and then put it in his pocket
He retired to q corner, tied the
ribbon or scarf about his own arm,
ana. assuming an authoritative, pro-
fessional air, walked into the hall,
passed the guards 1T the entrance and
passed the guards at the entrance and
went down the street unmolested. He
was assisted by some old acquaint
ances, made his way to the Union
lines and returned to his regiment to
do good service as major in the later
wears of the var. This was the most
notable escape CT a Union prisoner
from Libby prison in broad daylight,
The story is worth telling again and
again"
"A good many men," said George r.
Gorham, had war adventures worth
the telling. Early in 1868 | was run
nlng an engine between Murfreesboro
and Nashville. was getting used to
the new conditions. and when the army
went south in June l went too. One
day the First regiment. Michigan en-
gineers and mechanics, went by under
the command OF Colonel InniS and
Lieutenant Colonel xjuntoon. Huntoon
had been master mechanic at Marshall.
Mich. when l Was running on the
Michigan Central before the war He
recognized me as l leaned forward to
watch the boys. and called my name
He said at once that they wanted my
train TO go right along with them and
| went.
Il was with the advance of the army
for several months and witnessed
good many skirmishes and exciting es-
capes. On one occasion General Sheri
dan climbed on ny engine and ordered
me forward. We went prospecting to-
ward Decherd and Bridgeport the
General insisting that we ought to go
as far as we could find rails. We felt
our way forward until we approached
Bridgeport, when the rebs fired on us.
Then we retired in good order.
xr-ha no nnninoar,