Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/429

 Escape of Prisoners from Johnsons

ceeded, by long, weary nights of unceasing toil, in tunneling under a deep ditch and the parapets of the prison, eluded the vigilance of the guards, stole one of the officers' boots, and escaped to the oppo- site shore.

" He made his way through the country on foot, travelling most of the time in the night. He finally crossed at Buffalo into Canada and joined the faithful band of exiles and escaped Confederates who had taken refuge within her borders. Soon afterwards he joined the secret expedition to New York, was followed on his return by a de- tective, who kept close watch on his movements, and after crossing the border the detective was satisfied he was one of the party engaged in the attempt to burn New York city. Captain Kennedy resolved shortly thereafter to return to the Confederate lines. All prepara- tions were made, but he had no sooner crossed the line than he was arrested by the United States detective who had been watching his movements all the while. He made a terrible resistance, but was finely overpowered, placed in irons, and carried to New York. On the way he attempted to escape by jumping through the car window, although heavily ironed, and the train in motion. Nothing seemed capable of subduing his courage or restraining his rage against his enemies. Holding up his shackled arms he told the passengers on the train that he considered ' these irons ornaments,' and ' he was proud to wear them for the cause he loved.' He was tried in New York, condemned as a spy, and executed some time during the lat- ter part of 1864. We saw a letter from him a short time before his execution. Speaking of his approaching doom, he said that ' he expected to die like a man,' but 'death was a leap in the dark.' He died as he had lived, believing in the justness of our cause, and sacrificed his life for his country's good."

There also appeared in the Richmond State of April 13, 1891, a correction of the assertion of Lieutenant Carpenter. The article in the State, while correct in the main facts stated, was erroneous in some of its details. The prison was enclosed by a high fence (about sixteen feet), near the top of which was a parapet for the guards to walk upon, and from which they could overlook the prison enclosure. At intervals there were sentry boxes in which the guards could pro- tecj themselves from the cold and storms. The night of December 31, 1863, was intensely cold, as stated in the Sandusky papers, the coldest "in the memory of the oldest inhabitant." By 10 o'dock that night Lake Erie was frozen over to the main-land. There were no guards on duty within the prison. There were only the benumbed