Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 12.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[398] I knew they would not stay together long. Presently they separated. When a short distance apart, I stepped out. The noise of the stones crunching under my feet was heard by one, who stopped, looked at me, and took his gun from his shoulder. My heart beat a reveille. It seemed as if my hopes were to be frustrated in the very moment of success. However, I kept evenly on, occasionally glancing over my left shoulder at the sentinel. He seemed to change his mind, replaced his gun, and resumed his walk. A half-hour's walk brought me to the river, on the eastern shore of the island. Pulling off my clothes and tying them in a bundle, I started in, expecting to have to swim; but fortunately the river was not deep, and 1 waded across. Having gained the other shore, I started up the railroad for Chicago. By morning the first station, a distance of twelve miles, was reached. I concealed myself during the day in some high bushes on the prairie, and at night walked into the station. A freight train was about to start. As it moved off I climbed up between two box-cars, and the next morning was in Chicago.

Before leaving the prison a comrade told me to go to Mrs. Morris for help if I succeeded in reaching Chicago. The address he gave me was incorrect, but by the merest accident I found her. I shall never forget her kind, sympathizing face as I told my tale. A nobler woman never lived, and hundreds of Dixie boys whom she assisted, and whose wants she relieved, will ever hold her in grateful remembrance. She gave me money, and advised me to go to Marshall, Ill., where I would find Captain Castleman, to whose company I belonged, and other Confederate soldiers, most of whom also belonged to Morgan's command. I left Chicago that evening, arriving the next day at Marshall, where, to my surprise, I found, comfortably established at the leading hotel, several of my comrades from whom I had parted at Cynthiana.

I do not know whether or not the history of the part played by the Confederate soldiers in Illinois and southern Indiana, in the summer and fall of 1864, has ever been written. Strange as it may appear, some of our men were to be found in several towns, mingling freely with the people, to a large number of whom their purposes were known. Under the directions of Castleman and Hines (the latter a member of Morgan's staff), they were quietly organizing the disaffected element into a force with which they expected to pounce upon Chicago or Indianapolis, or perhaps both, release the Confederate prisoners, and then, joined by a volunteer force from Kentucky, make such a demonstration as would cause Thomas to retreat