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THER WAR LIBRARY.
23:
. -° We walked for fully an hour in silence,
and at last stopped tefore a handsome pri-
. vate residence in a distant part of the city.
My companion rung the bell. It took
some time to arouse the inmates of the
house. an .
At last some one opened a window over
our heads, and in asleepy tone asked what
“we wanted. |
“T. wish to see Mr. L—— immediately,”
replied my companion.
The window was closed.
Turning to me, he continued:
'.“*Heisa Union man,and will help you.”
- In a few minutes the: door wes opened,
and we were shown into a comfortable par-
lor by a gentleman whom my companion
saluted as Mr. L——.
“Now,” said. the gentleman, when we
were seated, ‘‘ what is the meaning of this
singular visit?”
“Take off your overcoat, captain,” said
my friend.
did so, and stood before Mr. L——in my
ragzed blue uniform. I saw his eyes light
as they rested on the loyal color, but he
said, quietly:
“Tam ata loss to understand this.”
‘Tam an escaped prisoner of war, sir,” I
said. ‘I am Captain Truesdale, of the—
New York cavalry. I have just made m
“ Way out of the Libby Prison. On the street
Imet this gentleman, who has brought me
here. -He tells me that you area Union
man, and that I can trust you.”
Mr. L—— hesitated and looked very grave.
“Tf you are an escaped prisoner,” he said,
slowly, ‘thisisa very bad locality for you,
sir. How do I know that you are not trying
_ to bring me into trouble? It is not sate to
aid escaped prisoners in these times.”’
My companion rose, and drawing him
_ aside, conversed with him for some moments
ina low, earnest tone.
: After that Mr. L—— came back to me, and
holding out his hand, he said, frankly ¢
_/' Excuse my hesitation, captain. My po-
sition here asa friend of the Union isa very
dangerous one, and I am compelled to be
very cautious. Mr. Winston has satisfied me
that you area bona fide Yankee, and not 2
detective, and I shall be glad to do anything
can to assist you, though | don’t think you
pill find getting out of Richmond an easy
ask.’
‘TI think he will,” said Mr, Winston, for
that was the name of the scldier that had
-befriended me. ‘Let him stay here two or
three days, until the excitement caused by
the discovery of hisescape has subsided.
will manage the rest, and I'll promise to put
him safely in the Federal lines in a short
ile.”
My friend now left me, promising to call
the next morning and inform: me of any-
thing he might hear; and my host, after a
brief conversation, conducted me to a com-
fortable chamber, where I slept until late
the next day. '
Istayed with Mr. L——for four days.
nm the morning of the second day I had
the pleasure of reading an account of my es-
cape from the Libby in one of the Richmond
Papers.
I remained indoors all the time, and,at the
suggestion of Mr. , donned a suit. of
citizen's clothes which he loaned me.
On the morning of the fifth day I was sur-
prised to see Winston drive up to the house
with a covered wagon.
r. went out and assisted him to
bring inalarge box. .This they placed in
the parlor.
“Now, captain,” said Winston, coming up
to my room, *“‘I am ready for you.”’
I followed him down. into the parlor,
where I found Mr. L——, and his wife and
daughter.
A large box was lying on the floer, and in
it was an open coffin.
“Here,” said Winston, ‘‘is your hiding-
place.”
He pointed to the coffin, and involuntarily
Ishrunk back.
‘“Tt’sa good plan, captain,” said Mr. L—.
“Winston has perin ission to carry his broth-
er’s body into New Kent county for burial.
He has fixed this box and coffin so that you
will have plenty of fresh air... You will only
have to fast for about twenty-four hours.
Itis your only. chance,” he added, seeing
that_I still hesitated. ‘‘ You will pass for
the dead brother he has never lost, and I
feel sure that in twodays you will be with
your friends.” ‘
I hesitated no longer, but bidding my
friends farewell, took my place in the coffin.
The lid was laid gently over me, but the top
of the box was nailed on.
I was then lifted from the floor and car-
ried to the wagon which stood before the
door, and in a few minutes I was being
driven rapidly away.
I heard the remarks of the guards ut the
fortifications as we stopped there for Win-
ston’s passport to be examined.
They warned ‘him to be cautious, as the
Peninsula was full of Yankees, who might
capture him before his journey was ended,
1 cannot describe my feelings as I lay there
in that narrow box in total darkness and
without the power of raising my head ora
single limb. .
I began to think that I might suffocate,
and of all the horrible. things Tcould imag-
ine; but this would not do, so I drove off the
thoughts with a resolute will, and_ finally
succeeded in falling asleep.
Ido not know how long TI slept, but when
I awoke I heard voices and the sounds of
horses’ feet and. the clinking of sabers out-
side of the vehicle; and ina few minutes I
gathered enough to show me that we had
fallen in with a detachment of Southern
cavalry, and were traveling in their com-
any.
P I trequently heard Winston’s voice, and
from the ease and freedom of his conversa-
tion I supposed that we were not suspected.
At last the party halted, and the wagon
stopped also. .
In about an hour Winston got into the
and said, in o low tone, but loud
nD: - -
“Weare not suspected, but they will not
let me go on to-night, for fear that I may be
captured. We shall have to stop with them
until the morning. Are you comfortable?”
I replied in the affirmative, and he left me~
It was a long, long night tome, I could not:
sleep, and my confined position was becom—
ing painfulto me. I began to suffer from
thirst also, and the little air that reached
me through the chanuels which had’ been
provided was hot and unpleasant. My fears.
troubled me greatly also, and affected my
comfort to a very great degree... At. last,
however, I heard the men stirring, and soon
everything was in commotion. 1 could hear ~-
the troopers getting their breakfast and
making ready for the start. At last we
were on the road again.
It might have been an hour or more after
starting when an officer rode up to the
wagon,
“*Can you take my overcoat in there?’ he-
asked?
“Certainly, colonel,’ replied © Winston.
«Just throw it into the wagon,”
The heavy coat was pitched upon my box,
and unfortunately fell entirely over the
holes that had been made in-it to give me -
air, completely covering them. I did not.
know this at the time, but I felt the air
grow hotter and dryer every moment.
My throat began to trouble me, and soon I
felt a swelling sensation in my head and my
lungs seemed to be full of liquid fire. I
tried to cry out. Detection was better than
death in this horrible form. I exerted my- ;
self to the utmost to call for aid, but no
sound escaped my lips. My sufferings grew
more intense every moment, and I was.~
gradually losing my consciousness, I heard
what sounded like the sharp rattle of fire- |
arms and shouts of men, but I thought it
only a portion of my death-sensations. Then ~
all became blank to me. ~
When I recovered my senses I found my- -
self lying on the ground, surrounded by a
number of men. One was throwing water ~
in my face, and another.chafing my hands. ~
As I opened my eyes I recognized the. blue
uniforms of my companions, and ina few
minutes found that Il was among my own
regiment, who had been engaged ina raid,
and had attacked and driven off the Confed-
erates that had been traveling with us. :
Winston had remained by me, and assoon .
as possible had informed them of my condi-
tion, as, not being able to make me answer
him, he supposed I was suffocatiug.
At my request he was not held a prisoner.
He astonished me by stating to my colonel’
that he had made up his mind to abandon °
the Confederate: service, and had availed
himself of this opportunity todoso. He re-
fused to.enter our army, and_ after we .
reached Fortress Monroe went to New York.
Ina few months he sent mean invitation to
his wedding, This was the cause of his
leaving the South. .
He said he liked me from the first, and as. -
solved, when he met me in the street in
Richmond, to take me with him, as we would ‘
mutually aid each other. :
I accompanied the regiment to Fortress
Monroe, glad enough to be back with the
bluecoats once more, and sincerely thankful
that my singular escape had resulted se .
fortunately.—The Night Express. :
predere er Rue