The National tribune., 1908-05-28
THAT PORT HUDSON zoUAvE.
His Daring Attempts to Escape-Success
mt Last, Only TO Meet His Death.

Editor National Tribune: In your is
Jas. N. Jerome, in regard to Port Hud-
son, interested me, as one who was
there during the siege. l remember
well the 21st Ind. and the effective work
it did. The part of his narrative that
interested Ele most was his account OF
the service rendered by a Zouave, who
escaped from the prison inside of the
works. He was Corp'l Plots. Co T.,
165th n. Y, I'd Duryee Zouaves. The
regiment was assigned TO lead the
charge of Sherman's Division May 81,
1863. Just before starting in the
charge the two canteens of the general
guides, Fosdick and Steves. by orders
of Col. Smith, had been filed with Quar-
termaster'S' whisky. After the charge
Plotts. Hamilton and Steves (Fosdick
was mortaily wounded): remained thru
the entire hight. doing what they could
to help their dying and wounded COM
rades, which included giving them what
was left of the whisky in the canteens
of Fosdick and Steves The long night
at last passed. and daylight once more
showed the drea dful state of affairs to
the three unhurt comrades, as they
kept up the spirits of the wounded and
helpless. They found themselves much
nearer thet fortification than they ex-
pected. and a party of the enemy soon
observed them, came out and took them
inside their works as prisoners of war,
thinking them from our own hospital
For Safekeeping they put the three in
an old country store which was used as
a prison, where were already confined
as many eaptives from the various
Union regiments as could well lie down
on the floor In the cellar underneath
Were imprisoned the men of their own
locality who refused TO bear arms
against the Union flag
The prisoners were treated as we'll as
they couldFafford to be by the defend
ers of the fort, as rations were becom-
ing scarcer each day the siege contin-
ued. Corp'l Piotts had always been a
great swimmer, and the sight of the
Union flag flying from our fleet was too
much of a temptation for the Union
boys. 50 one quiet night, during the lat
ter part of June, Hamilton and Steves
assisted Plots into some old clothes,
and to slip away from the guards and
get down to the high bank to the edge
of the water. The first two not being
much as swimmers. and all being weak
ened from lack of FOOD they thought
1t best not TO go with ''in.ts.
Plots started IS quickly and vigGr-
ously as possible, making line hoadwaiy
at first. as he had the current of the
river with him. For over two hours he
strove, and then found himself still
over one-third of thu distance from the
fleet, with his strength failing What
was to be done? Struggle as he might
me realized he could keep above water
but few minutes longer. He shouted
for help. and was heard by a man on
shore with a boat. who rowed out and
took him In just as he was going to
the bottom. He was taken back to the
prison house again and put in irons.
and then notified that any attempt to
escape thereafter would be fatal for
they were treating the prisoners just as
well as circumstances would admit and
therefore the first step towards an at
tempt to escape we,!d be followed by
a shot to kill without stopping to order
q halt
When the time came for the actual
escape. about ID days after. Steves
picked off PlottS's -Ghackles by insert
ing the loop of leather shoestring in
the keyhoIe of the irons. Toward the
last of June the prisoners had been re-
duced TO two ears of hard corn per day,
and were Obliged to boil il about half an
hour to get il soft enough to eat. To
procure the wood with which to make
the fire to boil the corn they were al
lowed to go outside of the prison house.
one at time. under guard. and find it
where they could This trifiing fact of
btlHS oDl1StQ 10 IOOk IOr- HTeWOOd en-
abled Steyes one day to find an old table
knife, WHICH gave them the means of
making their escape. With this old
knife they cut thru the floor of the pris-
on by firmly. slowly and patiently draw
ing the knife across three of the boards
during the. best part of a day and night
until they were entirely cut thru. at the
same time e'holding up an old blanket so
as to hide the movement from the
guards.
In this way the three Zouaves gained
access to the cellar. where, as they hal
learned while cutting thru the floor, the
men confined there already had a hole
nearly finished. which they had dug
with an old tin plate and which the
three helped with a big iron spoon to
complete. ! The hole was some 10 feet
long from the cellar, whore it started. to-
where it came out Of the ground back
of the building. and just large enough
to crawl thru on light diet No time
was TO be lost. tho the three Zouaves,
to their surprise found no one willing
TO start for the Union lines but them
selves. The others said the risk was too
great, and that as il was supposed the
place could not hold out much longer,
it weii.i not pay TO take the risk
The tIsr6e started at once for Thomp-
sons Greek about two miles distant, to
the northeast travelling in lively time
mostly down hill, until they reached
thar stream just as day was breaking.
Seeing {: boat on the other shore. Plots
threw eff his clothes, swan across the
creek. brought the boat back and rowed
Hamilton and Steyes over to the Union
lines, once more free men. 1t took only
half an hour 10 reach the Third Brigade
headquarters and another half hour to
reach the Second Division headquarters.
AT each place they gave full information
in regard to the fortifcations and how
short theyswere of food.
The three Zouayes spent July 4 under
their own flag. The information given
by Corpl Plots was well described by
Jas n. Jerome We, his comrades
never knew definitely how he met his
death. supposing it occurred on board
one of the fleet, while directing the fir
ing. We knew he Was killed on July
6. and was buried on the east bank of
the Mississippi. The regiment as Provost
Guard at Port Hudson after the sur
render held as prisoners the very men
who were formerly on guard over them.
and those Confederate officers and men
who had shown Kindness to our boys
were introduced to the Zouave guard
officers, who now had charge of the
town, and found that their little deeds
of kindness were a good Investment.
The following, from the New Orleans
Evening Era. July 81, 1863, speaks for
itself:
Port Hudson, La. July IS. 1861
Sir: Permit me TO say to You that
never in the course of this war saw men
behave with such courage and fertitgde
under all circumstances as Your com
mand. Your wounded were. the con-
slant theme of conversation by the Sur
geOnS for the heroic manner in which