from meat they were fed upon and consequently they were enabled to unlock their handcuffs and shackles. When the jailer returned, after bringing them their supper, to take the dishes out of their cell they forced the keys from him and unlocked the door of each cell and fled, dividing off in pairs and each pair taking a different direction. They were run by bloodhounds, shot at and subjected to various kinds of treatment and the severest of hardships, such as living five and six days without food, traveling barefooted, sleeping in hollow logs, wet caves, &c., and by traveling only in the night with the North Star as their guide, the following named persons below finally succeeded in arriving safely to their regiments and companies at various times, with the loss of the sums set opposite their names: Private William Knight, Company E, Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, $60; Sergt. Wilson W. Brown, Company F, Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, $29; Sergt. John R. Porter, Company G, Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, $30; Corpls. Mark Wood, Company C, Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, $125; Private J. Alfred Wilson, Company C, Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, $15. Others who were not among the lucky to escape at first have since arrived safely via Washington, D. C., and been compensated for all their loss is full by the Secretary of War and assigned as a mark of honor a brevet lieutenancy and furloughed home for thirty days, a notice which we are happy to make of them, and which is no doubt justly their due.

Therefore we, the officers of the Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, do each and severally ask and request most respectfully in consideration of the loss of the above-names enlisted men and trials they have undergone that they be compensated for said loss of private moneys and equipments and for rations not drawn; all which I have the honor to submit for your consideration.

I am, very respectfully, &c.,

J. M. NEIBLING,

Colonel, Commanding Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

[First indorsement.]

COMMISSARY DEPARTMENT, FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

April 20, 1863.

Lieutenant-Colonel FLYNT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Fourteenth Army Corps:

This letter and the accompanying accounts* are respectfully referred to you. I am satisfied of the correctness of the accounts. The men were sent from the division of General O. M. Mitchel while I was connected with it. Most of their comrades suffered death on the scaffold. These escaped by most daring measures, and I think it just that they should be paid for the loss of private property and also commutation of rations during the time of their absence from their commands.

J. R. PAUL,

Lieutenant Colonel and Commissary of Subsistence, Fourteenth Army Corps.

[Second indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Murfreesborough, April 20, 1863.

Respectfully referred to Colonel Neibling to know if the men herein mentioned are as worthy of the compliment as those already complimented by the Secretary of War.

By command of Major-General Thomas:

J. P. WILLARD,

Captain and Aide-de-Camp.

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* Not found.

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