The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-09-17
An lmproviised
Boat
BY JOHN TURNLEE

During the oar between the states
the singular methods used by prisoners
of war for escape sound very gauzy
today. fifty years after they occurred.
But when one considers the number
Of men under arms. then figures the
proportionate number of prisoners and
remembers that one in fifty is not a
large proportion of prisoners who made
attempts TO escape, he will see that
quite a little army made the venture.
For example. suppose there were 100.-
600 prisoners taken during the war.
1000 men tried TO escape.
Among the curious ventures mnde
by Union prisoners in the south be-
tween 1861 and 1866 was that Of
Charles Dorrance. a private In the
Union army. Dorrance was wounded
during the operations around Nicks-
burg and taken TO house on small
plantation. where he was nurseG by q
young southern girl.
Eyery one knows how conducive to
love is nursing. Mabel Owen captured
her patient without any trouble, and
he captured her the first time she saw
him. She was a country girl. and Char
lie was a city boy. with a clear. hon.
est eye and a pleasant smile. 1t was
not TO be wondered that she surren-
dered on sight.
Had the captive OF Cupid rejoined
his command as soon as he was well
enough TO do so he would probably not
have been made a captive OF Mars.
He daliied. and a troop OF Confederate
cavalry came along and took him TO the
camp OF an infantry brigade on the
bank OF the Mississippi river. Mabel,
on seeing her lover taken away from
her, was disconsolate. When he bid 1
her goodby. moved by the strongest |
Impulse in humanity. love. he whisper
ed IN her ear:
Re on the lookout for me. for III
come back to you n l have to come
In my cofiinr'
The day Dorrance was taken 10 the
camp two deserters we're
tried BY court martial and sentenced
10 be shot. A carpenter was at once
yet 10 work 20 make the cofiins. He
was doing the sob In sight OF the
guard tent where Charlie was confined.
Charlie noticed that he was making
.low progress and beard an oficer
bcrating him. saying that " be didn't
work faster be wouldn't get the job
lone IN time for the execution. which
vas appointed for half an hour after
-evellle the next morning. Charlie told
he oflcer that he knew all about max
M cofans-which was false-and
would help 10 permitted. The oficer
Iccepted the oner. and Charlie went 70
rork
one - the coins was q very large
ne and the other q very small one.
-hnrlie worked on Tire large che He
ia not finish q tn long AFTER dark
nd was permitted 70 - On. a sentinel
einr placed over him 20 So that Re
ernsiuef IN camp.
b. commsnd was asieen. Ell erccrt :
10 chain - Aenfinels Surrounding the ]
arrp. suf - wns the guard detagied
, wHtch the rrisane-x Thers vas q !.
~ uT-u - Chafiie-lthe river Tn =
urtunrtelT b. cuuifnt swlr1 and hsd ;,
3 t,oat But Charlie cpuceirei en- :
les- Borzse hales A. - nrter edKes :.
Z tiis cansn. ~ drere gins N the
49,. then ruurlir shnpet ccuris - Z.
sur ira rlnrks into e Tair - usrs. ;
Tbs p1us v.rs tl,s ristt disfHnos :
uarr fur ru~lpcks he blades - ~. :
~ we-r me rfrft ttiatness. tut "a. =
.st Yrs r1fber fiiin r.
ne Ne. wo-firr wIftin . fsu rrrds
~ rseEr nud ruftinr -. uE-s "a
- ga. - carried g 80 fts wnssr. =
t.r-teg ft 81 in ans - frieut'T =
f--srf -srrssz hin ear tsto ans dsv-n q
!. r1rsrs A. Huar e. - hae runs