Year: 1877

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"CoIOneI Harry White, Come Forth. y


A Confederate Account OF His Attempted
Escape from Prison.


There was one incident in the course


of deliveries which was quite dramatic,


though very painful to one of the par


ties, a Pennsylvania colonel In the


beginning of the war surgeons were


regarded as non-combatants, and not


subject to detention on either side. A


difficulty. however, arose between the


two governments about one DIR. Ruck-


ner, who was held in confinement on


the charge of murder and other high


crimes. The United States demanded


his release, and falling to secure it, put


DR.. Green, a Confederate surgeon, in


confinement in retaliation. This led


to the detention of all surgeons on


both sides. 1 made vigorous efforts to


restore the old practice, and at length
succeeded. Accordingly a day was
fixed for the delivery of all surgeons


of both sides at City Point, and all the
Federal surgeons were directed to be
sent from the Libby and put on board
the fag-of-truce steamer. I accom-
panied the party. When we were
nearing the steamer New York / per-
ceived that a signal was flying for me
to come to the shore with my boat. l
did so, and found there a communica-
ton stating that Colonel Harry White,
commanding one of the Pennsylvania
regiments, had disguised himself as a
surgeon and was then on board MY
boat. | Immediately directed the pris-
oners to be drawn up in line on the
shore and made them an address, in
which l recounted the efforts | had
made to secure the immunity of their
class, and stated that an officer of the
line not entitled to exchange or release
was among them disguised as a sur
geon. I then raised my voice and
shouted: Colonel Harry White, come
FORTH" He stepped in front at once,
and in few words claimed that he
had the right to resort to any stratagem
to effect his release. l replied that |
was not there to dispute or affirm what
he said, but that he must return to
Richmond under arrest. 1t was a
heavy blow to him, struck at a moment
when he was sanguine of his liberty.
Two minutes more would have placed
him on the New York, where he would
have been safe even if his disguise had
been there detected. He had been
long time in captivity. and extraordi-
nary efforts had been made to secure
for him a special exchange. He had
been elected as Republican to the
Pennsylvania Senate, which without
him, was equally divided between the
war and anti-war parties. His pre-
sence was needed to effect an organi-
zation and working majority in that |
body. / had learned these facts from
more than one quarter, and was not
disposed to assist in giving aid and |
comfort to the war party. | was un-
der no duty to release Colonel White,
as the exchange of officers had ceased. |
So obstinate was I, that when the Fed
eral agent offered me Major General
and several officers of lower grade for
him, declined to accept. | might |
have speculated to great advantage on
him if l had been so disposed, and the
situation in Pennsylvania would have
warranted it. If every officer and man
had have been Harry White, there
never would have been any difficulty
about exchanges. Indeed, if the anx-
iety manifested about him had been
distributed, instead of making him the
reservoir of all, it would have been
better for a good many people.