INCIDENTS, AND ANOTHER ESCAPE.
I soon became a stockholder in a tunnel enterprise which was prosecuted
vigorously and gave many hopes of success. We started the tunnel inside
of an old cabin, using various expedients to conceal the work and get
rid of the dirt, all of which were successful. A survey was made to
locate the exit in a clump of bushes quite a distance from the stockade,
and all was ready for the final move. Quite a number of men were taken
into the scheme, and the greatest danger of discovery, that of being
"peached" upon by someone on the inside who was more anxious to curry
favor with our captors than to be true to his comrades, had been
avoided.
The night set for the escape should have been dark, according to
calculation, but it turned out to be a clear, starlight night, and some
of us were for postponing the enterprise, but the eager spirits
prevailed, and the attempt was made. Over a hundred men silently
gathered in the neighborhood of the cabin, and the leaders, who had been
chosen beforehand, went into the tunnel, followed closely by many
others.
A sentinel paced his beat about fifty yards from the clump of bushes in
which our tunnel was to come up, and as he slowly walked up and down,
probably thinking of home and friends and wishing for his relief, he was
suddenly startled by the sight of several dark forms springing
apparently from the bowels of the earth. The tunnel had been
miscalculated, and the men emerged several feet from the bushes, in full
view of the sentry. He was so astounded that he stood stock still for
several minutes without uttering a sound, during which time about fifty
men had climbed out of the tunnel and made a streak for liberty.
Suddenly the sentry came to his senses, fired his gun, called loudly for
the guard, and ran to the mouth of the tunnel, with his bayonet ready
for action.
Those who had not entered the tunnel concluded that they did not want to
escape that night, and we returned to our quarters in the stockade.
Over fifty got out and away, but the guards put the dogs after them, and
nearly all were brought back in the course of a few days.
The most amusing feature of this abortive attempt to escape occurred at
the exit of the tunnel after it was blockaded by the sentinel.
The narrow passage was full of men when the bayonet of the sentry
prevented further egress, and those inside could not turn back, while
none save the leader knew the cause of the halt. The rest were kept in
ignorance and suspense until the guards, who quickly gathered around on
the outside, had come to their senses and begun to permit the boys to
come out of the hole one by one. As the guards would call out, "Next!"
and let another unfortunate creep out, only to find himself still a
prisoner, the remarks to be heard were decidedly mirth-provoking, even
while the situation had its pathetic aspect.
A day or two after this event one of the officers, a captain in another
regiment, came to me and asked if I knew where he could get a pair of
pants. His own were a sight to behold, and I told him that I had a spare
pair with which I did not wish to part, but that I hated to see him in
such a plight. He at once offered me some trinkets for them, and
proposed to pay me a big value if he ever got back home. I told him that
they would be too small for him, and appeared reluctant to sell. A crowd
had gathered, as the smallest things were of interest to the prisoners,
and when I thought he was sufficiently eager for the trade, I went into
our cabin and brought out the pair given to me by the woman whom I had
asked for patches while on my return to the stockade. When the pants
were produced, and it was seen that they were intended for a small boy,
having all conveniences, a shout of laughter went up from the crowd,
which brought all the other prisoners in the stockade to see what it
meant. The captain was half inclined to be angry at first, but he
quickly put his ill-humor aside and joined in the merriment. It is
needless to say that the trade was declared off.
A few days later about thirty men of the guard, known as Sweet's men,
deserted, and there was trouble in the rebel camp.
The desertion was one of the coolest things I ever saw. This portion of
the guard was a cavalry detachment. They had just mounted guard on
horseback, about 9 o'clock in the morning, when, apparently by common
consent, one man, as leader, gave the signal, and all raised their hats
politely, saying, "Good-bye, gentlemen; we are going to Mexico," and
rode off. No one dared to follow, as they were well armed.
A new guard was sent, and the balance of the old guard relieved. It was
said that these men had been sent to this distant duty on account of
doubts as to their loyalty to the Confederacy.
We changed our quarters to a deserted cabin nearer to the gate, and were
thereby much better prepared for the coming winter, the move being made
because it now seemed certain that we were destined to remain in prison
until spring, unless we should be able to effect an escape.
Almost all the prisoners were in need of clothing, and we had been
informed that a lot had been shipped to us, but that it was delayed
somewhere.
We were all on the lookout for that clothing, and when at last we heard
that it had arrived we were joyous until we were informed that,
allowing one garment apiece, there would be clothing for only
three-fourths of the men. As some men needed shirts, some coats and some
pants this promised to be quite a problem to solve, and all the officers
were instructed to find out the needs of their men, so as to simplify
the matter as much as possible.
When the time came for distribution the clothing allotted to our
regiment was turned over to the officers, and we got together to divide
it. The men of all the companies except my own were crowding about us
and clamoring for what they wanted, but not a man of Company B was on
hand. This mute expression of their confidence in my willingness and
ability to look out for them was one which I appreciated highly,
although they had had several evidences of my willingness and
determination to secure for them at least all to which they were
entitled.
The number of men not being the same in the different companies, it was
hard to divide satisfactorily, and it happened that there was an odd
garment of each sort. As the odd men were unequally divided, and
fractions were necessarily eliminated, we decided to draw lots for the
odd articles. I was the lucky man in the lottery, and Company B had the
best of matters.
After the division had been made the neighborhood was a scene of
confusion, many quarrels and some fights, until all the clothing had
been as fairly distributed as was possible. My company kept away from
the crowd and in their own quarters, where I had our allowance conveyed.
The men were drawn up in line, and my first sergeant and myself
proceeded to allot the garments as seemed most fair. Only one murmur of
discontent was heard, and that from a man better clothed than any of his
comrades, the men being practically unanimous in their wish that I
should decide who needed clothing most and what was most needed.
This incident is related principally to show my appreciation of the
conduct of my men, and because I think that I may be pardoned for
feeling proud of their confidence in me.
The next three weeks were fully employed by all in making log cabins and
in filling up all chinks, as the winter was fast approaching.
During this time I was informed by one of my men that a guard, who had
seen me almost every day taking part with the men of my company in some
amusement, had been asking questions about me and had sent me word that
he wanted to see me. After learning when I could see him, I approached
his post at night, when, after he had satisfied himself that I was the
right man, he directed the guard on the inside, who was one of the line
placed within the stockade when the sentries were doubled each night, to
stand aside so that he could talk to me. We leaned against the fence and
had a long and interesting conversation, during which he stated that
he had frequently noticed the interest manifested by me in my company,
and desired to do me a favor because of the attachment he felt for me in
consequence, intimating that he was disposed to help me make my escape
if I so wished.
[Illustration: CAPT. J. P. RUMMEL.]
Before I left him he had volunteered to let me out, give me a horse,
saddle and bridle, inform me as to names and locations of different
rebel regiments and furnish me with an expired furlough. I was not
inclined to be friendly to the horse idea, although I could see the ease
and celerity of my escape if all went well, for I knew that it would be
sure death to be discovered as an escaped prisoner with a horse and
equipments in my possession; but the guard was so enthusiastic over the
matter that I promised to think it over, after thanking him heartily for
his kindness.
When I explained the plan to some of my former companions in escape they
tried to discourage the idea of escape altogether, saying that we would
soon be exchanged, and that another failure would keep us from exchange
when the time came. I had no hope of release before the end of the war,
and so I sought other companionship, believing that the guard could be
induced to help more than one of us.
Capt. J. B. Rummel, of the 120th Ohio, had impressed me as a man of the
right sort, and I approached him on the subject. He was ready and
willing to try an escape, but he confirmed my own impression about the
risk of trying it with horses, and we finally concluded to devise a
scheme and try it on foot. He suggested that we take Capt. B. F. Miller,
of the same regiment, and we decided to do so, after finding that Miller
was as anxious to go as we were to have him do so.
When I saw our friend the guard, he was mad because we would not adopt
his scheme, but he showed his desire to help us get away by agreeing to
let us out when we got ready, even while insisting that the safest and
best way would be to take horses. He said:
"Why, man alive, you can start early in the evening, and the horses will
not be missed until late the next day. Then if the stable-door is left
open they will not dream that prisoners have taken the horses--at least
until you are missed from the stockade. By that time you will be so far
away that they can't possibly catch you before you reach the Federal
lines on the lower Red River."
I was too timid, however, to risk my life in this way, as I considered
the chance of suspicion and apprehension too great, and regarded it as
certain death to be caught with a stolen horse. Notwithstanding the
risk, I can now see that the guard proposed the plan most likely to
insure a successful result.
We determined to try it on foot, but, while we were preparing for a
start, another opportunity presented itself, and we took advantage of it
rather than risk getting our guard or ourselves into trouble.
Miller, being a turner, manufactured a rude lathe and made numerous
articles likely to be purchased, chessmen being the principal of these,
being the most salable. We realized some cash from the demand for just
such novelties.
Having some flour, we bought some meat on the outside, made some bread,
jerked the meat, and thus had provisions and a little money for our
enterprise.
We sent out the provisions, little by little, and had them taken to the
hospital and concealed until such time as we were ready to start.
Captain Fee was in the hospital at the time, just recovering from an
attack of illness, and the day before we were ready to start he came in
to see us, on a pass. As we were talking together, I asked to see his
pass, and read as follows, on a rough scrap of paper:
"Pass Capt. Fee in and out of stockade, with soap. McCANN, Adjutant."
I was a very good imitator of handwriting, although I had never been
guilty of using my gift for unlawful purposes, and, as I read this pass,
the manner of our escape was settled, all being fair in war.
After some little effort on my part, Rummel, Miller and myself were each
provided with a pass similar to the one on which Fee had been admitted
to the stockade. We told no one of our intentions, but decided to leave
the next evening, it being understood that I was to go out just before
the change of guards at the gate, and that Miller and Rummel should
follow a little later, after the change, in order to avoid the
presentation of too many passes to one guard.
At the appointed time, after much mental bracing up, I walked quietly to
the gate and presented my pass for inspection. The guard looked it over
in a hasty manner and silently opened the gate. As I passed out I saw
that several hundred men were watching me, and I concluded that in some
way our scheme had become known. The colonel and some other officers
were sitting on the porch at headquarters when I passed, and I coolly
saluted him, saying:
"Good evening, Colonel."
He responded politely, and I walked on to our meeting place at the
hospital.
My comrades waited until the guards had been changed, and then, with
inward tremor and a bold, confident exterior, they walked in a
business-like way to the entrance and submitted their authority for
departure, which was duly acknowledged without a question. They soon
joined me, in high spirits over the ease with which the departure had
been accomplished.
We had $4 in greenbacks between us, and felt quite wealthy. Securing our
provisions as soon as darkness came, we quietly slipped over into the
woods, thence to the road, and went on our way rejoicing, full of hope
and with bright thoughts of home and dear ones.