The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-26

.-uD with brush and at night he na,io
l'is escape. getting fifteen miles from
! prison when lie was captured and ia :
Ken back His punishment was wear
Ing ball and chain.
Notwithstanding these failures Of
! others TO escape. determined that /
would make the attempt to get out.
i told my plans to w. Bailey Dunlap.
OF AUGUSTA county, and we decided 10
make trial. We laid our plans and
decided we would leave some dark
| night. We took into our confidence
James Kenton, who promised to aid
US. The plan was TO get 1Iceton to
! assist In getting over the wall ny
means Of ladder and then temove
Inc iadder. 50 that our escape would
not be discovered.
The night OF September &c. 1864,
Friday, was rainy and very dark. so
That was our time TO go. We called
Neeton. and together we carried tho
ladder. which, was procured from a
building under construction We
watched for the guard, and whnu he
vailed his heat and turned 10 go back
the ladder was put against the wall
Dunlap Went first and followed. ther
keeton took down the ladder, and We
were on our way to freedom. VIC
crawled 10 the edge az the bay,
through the storm OF wind and rain
proceeding carefully. we creps 10 the
stookhouse and crawIed around tho
building. AZ one time the guard
stopped ana looked IN our direction
lie was near us and we thought hc
had seen us. but he moved on and
VIC FASTENED on. We passed q negro
camp two miles up the bag and
ernerScd from the water and went into
a cornhelc For the first time we
.elt like we were out OF prison We
crossed Smith Creek and travelled ali
that night We We're guided in our
dirertion ny following telegraph poles
We rested in the woods the next day
and could see the Yankees all day.
that night we travelled twenty miles.
The next dag tSundaS) we kept in
the woods and swan,ps and lived OH
foT grapes. pawpaws and apples. On
Monday we were Very hungry and
called al a house for something TO eat
and were given n good meal. The lady
was very inquisitive and asked US
many questions We hurried on THAT
night We called a a house and Mr.
Freeman came out. We told our story
OF escape and asked for help. He fed
us and kept us All night and next day
sent US 10 Dr. Beams. At first he was
suspicious but finally took us in, and
was Very kind. We spent several days
with the family, who did much for
US. Or. Dent came and said we had
on our way, and they were exceed
ingly kind TO us. giving Us food and
clothing. For the fret time since
| leaving prison we felt clean and like
gentlemen.
we left DR.. Dents hospita bio home
and went to Port Tobacco, the county
seat OF Charles county. STAYED all
night and good many persons called
TO see us. To roach Virginia we had
TO cross the Potomac River, which
was several miles wide at that point.
The cost of ferrin2e was $50 each. so
the money was raised by sympathizing
| friends The night we were ferried
across the river was very dark and
we PASSED numcrous boats but no one
molested us. We made our way to
Richmond and delivered letters and
messages from friends We were we'll
taken care OF by some of the officers,
of the Confederate government. We
bad hearing before General Cooper,
who gave US permits to return home
; Transportation to stanton was ar
ranged. and there Dunlap ana
tparted.
While in prison had many in
ducemcnts offered me to leave. One,
a former Methodist preacher OF my
county. visited the prison and urged
ME 70 tsko the oath and leave; an
other. q friend at home with influence,
advised me to do likewise. ! con-
Guided to remain and wait, deciding
ships with my own people than enjoy
the good things With Northern people.
II feel proud 10 stand before you
to-day as a Confederate soldier, and
more tlan proud TINT I was n mem
Der OF tho famous Stonewall Brigade"