Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/430

 430 Southern Historical Society Papers.

and head-muffled sentinels of the parapet. The opportunity seemed an auspicious one to the starving: and restless spirits fretting in gall- ing durance. A number of them resolved to attempt to escape by scaling the enclosure and crossing the lake on the ice. Among them was Captain (subsequently Major) Waller M. Boyd, of the Nineteenth Virginia infantry, who has given some of the information here embodied. He was not well, and found himself unequal to the endurance involved. His bunk mate, Captain T. Herbert Davis, however, was one of those who was successful in the desperate under- taking. A scaling ladder, from portions of the enclosure was impro- vised, and with its aid, as well protected from the cold as their scant resources of clothing afforded, the following gallant spirits, at about 9:30 o'clock P. M., a half an hour after the sounding of taps, suc- cessfully scaled the wooden walls : Colonel John R. Winston, Forty- fifth North Carolina infantry ; Captain Charles C. Robinson, Ninth Virginia cavalry; Captain T. Herbert Davis, First Virginia infantry; Dr. Luke P. Blackburn, chief surgeon of the division of Sterling Price, of Missouri, and George Young and E. T. Osborne, of Mor- gan's cavalry. They lowered themselves on the outside with a rope improvised of their blankets. The scaling ladder, at great personal risk, was taken away by an inside' comrade after having subserved its purpose, that the escape might not be immediately discovered by the sentinels. The fugitives crossed the lake on the ice, reaching the Canadian shore early the following morning. Here they appropriated the horses of a farmer and made their way to Toronto, and later to Montreal. At the latter place they were photographed in a group, and a copy of this picture, presented to him by his relative, Captain T. Herbert Davis, is now in the possession of Lieutenant Charles G. Bosher, of the Richmond Howitzers, a member of the firm of Messrs. R. H. Bosher's Sons. At Montreal the fugitives were duly supplied with money by Hon. James P. Holcombe, Confederate States Com- missioner. They made their way to Nassau, from whence they ran the blockade, coming into the port of Wilmington, North Carolina. Their suffering from the cold in crossing the lake was great, and several of them narrowly escaped the loss of their hands and feet from frost bite.

Captain Davis was a native of Richmond, Virginia, and was the son of William H. Davis, long a successful coal-dealer who lost his life in the capitol disaster the falling through of the floor of the Court of Appeals during the contest of the late Hon. Henry K. Ellyson for the post of mayor April 27, 1870.