The National tribune., 1906-08-30
LIBBY PRISON TUNNEL.
Continued from page iD

Nsoiitihueu irpiH p'He ~
mounted and Non foot but so vigilant
were we that no ear could detect sounds
quicker or eyes see moving objects so"n-
er than ours The breaking of twiSs Ut
the noise of loosened and rolling stones
was painful. When we cam, to Il pine
forest where the fallen needles had
made soft carpet. over which we could
walk noiselessly, the sensation of reiief
to our strained nerves and sensitive ears
was exquisite. So intensely were our
nerves wrought up by the great strain
that it was months before mine became
fully quieted and resumed their normal
condition.
Could Not Forsnke His Comrndc.
On the third day Capt. Boyd was TAX
en- Ill with severe pains in his stomach,
with tendency to wander in his mind.
He declared that he could go no
farther. and insisted that we should
leave him to his fate. This the other
two insisted on, and wished mo to so
with them, which was great tempta-
ton. and 1 started on with them, leaving
poor Boyd sick and alone, but as 1
looked back and saw his sad. pale face.
bade them good-by, and returned to
Boyd, determined to share his fate.
whatever it might be. Hundreds OF
times since I have been thankful that l
resisted this temptation. and stood by a
comrade in preference to my own selfish
desires.
During the afternoon we moved on a
mile or two and in the evening came
to what seemed large stream of wa
ter, and which I believed was one OF
the large tributaries of York River. In
looking along its banks I found boat,
and we concealed ourselves near by,
until dark, believing that we could sail
into York River that night. and the
next day be picked up by a gunboat or
work our way to Yorktown. After taxi
ing the boat we sailed along finely, as
1t took the strain of our tired feet and
limbs. To our great disappointment we
found it was large mill dam we had
got into, and were again compelled to
take to our feet
About o'clock we came to a high
way. and finding suitable place we
lay down near the road. to learn, IL pos
sible. whether there were any pickets In
the neighborhood.
We had not lain there more than five
minutes before squad Of cavalry came
along escorting Capt Moore back as
prisoner. He was talking with his
guards, and we knew him by his voice
and conversation. which we could dis
tinctly hear.
He had been captured. as we after
wards learned. by incautiously going to
house for food. We had found we
were close to Confederate soldiers, and
during the rest of the night we were
very cautious; at one time crawling on
our hands and knees across a large
field, near which we discovered picket
post that we easily avoided.
About 2 o'clock in the morning We
came to thick woods, where we tried
to get little sleep and rest by the side
of a large log. one of us lying close to
1t and the other. on the outside; when
the outside man got so cold he could
endure it no 1onger we would change
places. in
But Little Progress.
ress, as we were In a rough and hilly
region. We concealed ourselves for
hours near a highway. hoping that we
might discover Union cavalry scouting
in that direction, but no such luck befel
US.
Before night we came to a lonely
ravine, some distance from any habita-
ton, where we found a pile OF dry rails.
I proposed to Boyd that we stay there
until night and build a fire out Of the
rails, and, II possible, get good nights
body and mind. though naturally large
and strong man, that he was as weak
as a child, and never questioned any
suggestion I made.
We had been able to secure but few
matches, and as several OF the party
were smokers their supply was soon
exhausted. Not being a smoker, I had
held on to my share persistently, and
1t was we'll I did. for It took the last
Inf r he arn IN
out doubt our strength was helped, II
not our success and safety secured, by
that one last match.
I then learned the real value OF
match. and have since been so parsimo-
nious in their use that It has been a joke
in my family, and II fail to light one
when striking 1t the remark Is at once
made. See, father Is squandering
match"
A Good Rest.
I started the fire, and then went off
some distance to see how far II could be
seen, and found that 1t was we'll secret
ed. We then made our arrangements
for sleeping, which we did so soundly
that part of my clothes were almost
burned off me. Neither the peril of our
nor the scorching fire disturbed
us until dawn. But the warm and COM
lOItdpie IeoI we ildu gave US StfeilSln
and courage to pursue our journey,
which we did for an hour or two in the
early morning. We then came into a
more thickly populated region. We soon
found a place Of concealment between
two faller. trees with brush covering US,
and from which place we could easily
keep a watch of all that was going on.
During the day three armed Confeder-
ate soldiers passed so close to us that
we could distinctly hear their conversa-
ton, and thereby learned that they were
on the lookout for escaped prisoners.
1t was Sunday. and so many people
were moving about that we did not dare
to leave our hiding until dark, and as
the weather was very cold we suffered
warm. The very memory Of that day is
Soon after we started that night we
passed near a cluster of houses, where
we We're beset by dogs. from which we
escaped with much difficulty.
About 10 o'clock we came to a stream
which appeared quite deep. Tho bridge
over it had been destroyed by fire. and
we attempted to cross on the partially
burned timber lying In the water, but
the planks and logs would sink under
our weight as we leaped from one to
another. until we finally had to plunge
in waist deep and wade to the shore
through the ice-cofd water.
Union cavalry.
About midnight we heard horsemen
and, hiding near by. saw
large squad OF Union cavalry, as we
afterwards learned5they were, pass us