Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-08
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

More of the escaped prisoners from Lib
hey. Richmond, reached Washington on
the 10th Of February.
The Flight 1884, the steamer Ella
From Libby, 1 Us,nshe po up aao co oI
101st Ohio: Capt Scarce. 5lst Indiana,
and Lieut.. Sterling. 3Oth Indiana The
Star Of that date said:
these four have been together ever
since they escaped. but they did not leave
Richmond Immediately. not being In Il
condition to travel. but after recuperating
they started from that city and took a
northeasterly direction. travelling alto
gether at night and lying by in swamps.
thickets of woods. otc.. during the day.
the north star serving as q guide. At
some Of the rivers they found boats, In
which they crossed, and at others they
mado RATS. on which they poled them
selves over. AS they passed along. al
ways keeping out OF sight Of the roads
and houses. they were aided by the
slaves, some Of whom seemed to compre-
bend instinctively who they were, and
would say: I knose yer; you's some OF
dem Yankees got out Of Richmond. and
better keep quiet, for dey's advertised ye
and is looking for ye' Several times on
the road they came near being taken.
and when near Tappahannock, on the
Rappahannock river, they had quite a
lively time OF 1t. They reached that place
on tho morning Of the 21st and were dis
covered near a fodder house. It appears
TO- kf,a
vicinity had been stealing fodder from a
stack. the owner of which set q slave to
guard it. Col. S. and party. not knowing
this fact, went to the stack to get fodder
to make a bed and were discovered by
the negro, who gave the alarm. and as
soon as day broke the whole country
was aroused and the party was hunted
by cavalry. militia and slaves with dogs.
But fortunately they were in a country
Astounding In swarnps and hills. over and
through which they were chased unsuc-
cessfully. The dogs could not track them
through the swamps and the briars were
so thick that Col. 8. says even il a dog
had essayed to follow them his hide
would have been scratched of.
after being hunted nearly the entire
day their pursuers gave up the chase.
or got on a wrong trail, and the four
went back in the country, where they
found a boat in a creek about five miles
from the river, which they took. and
making their way down crossed the river.
Here they resumed their travels and
reached the Potomac Wednesday night
but there were some fifteen or eighteen
rebel soldiers in the vicinity who very
nearly captured them as they were at
tempting to cross the river on the fol-
lowing night. The next night these sol
diers guarded the river and no attempt
was made. But Saturday the prisoners
made their way up the country and
crossed the river to Blakistons Island
from whence Saturday morning, they
hailed the steamer Ella For PRUDENTIAL
reasons they do not give any aeIalls Oh
their escape, fearing the publication may
injure some of their friends. They re-
late enough. however, to satisfy any one
that even in Richmond there are 4 good
many Union men. Maj. Mcdonald. who
appears to be one of the principals in
the identical piece Of chisel with which
the tunnel was cut out. The parties We're
twelve entire days in getting from Rich
niond to the Potomac"
~
President Lincoln, having signed an
act Of Congress providing the grade Of
lieutenant general Of
Gen. Grants tho army, sent to the
D..;. Senate, Tuesday,
1IoAotiVn' March 1, 1854. the
nomination of Mai. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
to fill that office. Gen. Grant having been
transferred from the volunteer to the
regular service as OF the date of July 4,
1853. Cen. Grant soon afterward left his
field headquarters to come to Washing
ton to receive his new commission. and
to confer with the President and the
Secretary of War with reference to fu-
ture operations.
The doctrine of Ieniency toward Offend
ers against the laws was not popular
here in war time. for
A Parade there was so much dis
disorder and lawbreak-
OF nosues' ing that drastic measures
were necessary to impress the dignity OIL
the statutes upon the public. In The Star
of March 3. 1854, Is the following news
paragraph:
YESTERDAY afternoon three contrabands
employed in the quartermaster's depart
ment. named Amos Dean. Thomas Miller
and Joseph Shipley. who, it appears nave
recently been creating disturbances about
their quarters and other offenses, were
sent to the provost marshal and by him
were committed to the central guard
house. They were escorted by guard OF
the invalid CORPS with field music, around
the ouartermaster's storehouses ana
thence to the guardhouse in the following
order. A file of men with arms reversed
and bayonets fixed, then the prisoners,
fianked by guards, the tallest one wearing
large piacard on his breast labeled
The king of thieves and another on ms
back on which was inscribed, rag
thief and the others on either sloe oi
him wore placards on their backs laoeled
"A striker Behind them came announcer
file carrying their muskets at cha .ss,
and behind these came the music Playing
the sRogue's March, followed by pia-
toon of men. AS the novel procession
passed through the streets It attracted
much attention, and a large cro"o oI
BOYS followed to the guardhouse-
Dodging the patrol was a constant oc-
clrpation of soldiers who were not strict
In their observance OF
Steamed the rules In and about
Washington half CEN
ooluleI. fury ago. Many were the
tricks and devices to escape detection
when beyond the limits of the post win
out leave. In The Star of March .. 1854
ia the following account of an expedient
which offered probably graver perlis thah
were involved in capture and ofnciai