An Account of the Escape of Six Federal Soldiers from Prison at Danville, Va.Newlin, W. H. (William Henry)
History
An Account of the Escape of Six Federal Soldiers from Prison at Danville, Va.
Newlin, W. H. (William Henry)
Danville Prison; Prisoner-of-war escapes; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives
of pastime, read Testament, played checkers, fought vermin, but never
carried any rations over from one day to next. Kilpatrick--Jesse
D., not James, as we have it on page 10--joined our Seventy-third
delegation; his credentials were from Company B. Got our share of the
sugar. Stopped one night at Scott House; next day, November 14th,
took train for Danville, Va., arriving November 15th. Our delegation
generally agreed, worked and voted as a unit on all questions.
Consisting of seven members, we settled things among ourselves in
committee, before going to the full house. Attention was occupied a few
days considering a plan for a general break; plan never fully matured,
i. e. in the full house; killed in committee, no doubt. December 15th
we seceded, withdrew from prison No. 2, on account of small-pox, and
went to hospital. In time recovered, and was variously employed up to
February 19, 1864. Formed new acquaintances; organized a new alliance;
seceded again, the night of date last mentioned.
In issue of _National Tribune_ of November 16, 1882, my comrade L.
B. Smith, criticises my narrative, in a manner complimentary to it,
however. He says, "Many important points are left out; all he has
written is true, and much more." Have supplied one of those "important
points" on page 4, the very _important_ one to comrade Smith. I refer
to his rescue, by Sutherland, from drowning in Craig's Creek. Another
interesting, if not "important point," left out, is that which includes
the proposal, from a mulatto girl of some fifteen Summers, that we
should leave Smith with herself and parents as a "hostage," security
that we, after getting through, would send a squad of cavalry after the
whole family. Other interesting points were some of our discussions
as to feasibility of things proposed, such as the taking of the
horses, the third night out; which road to take--this, that, or the
other; and the project of unearthing money said to be hid in a certain
portion of a river bank. Another important and interesting point in
Mr. Smith's life did not come within the compass of my narrative,
viz.: his standing guard for a few minutes over Mr. Jefferson Davis,
immediately after, or within a day or two of his capture. Mr. Smith
became twenty-one years old in February, 1864, while on our trip. The
cut--upper left corner--represents Smith as he appeared at about the
age of thirty years. Another interesting point was the management,
making a friend, by Sutherland, of Huffman's dog. So skillfully did
Sutherland get on the "good side" of the dog that he never barked
once, or gave his owner the slightest intimation or warning of our
approach. Comrade Sutherland, I believe, was connected, in or about,
the despatching of Maj. Ross' dog in Richmond. Mr. Sutherland is, and
has always been a farmer; is now fifty years old; cut--lower right
corner--represents him as he appeared probably ten years ago. Other
interesting points left out are those in the experience of comrade
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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