Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1888 — HE FEIGNED DEATH. [ARTICLE]

HE FEIGNED DEATH.

How »Prisoner of War Rer*ln«4 Bia (Liberty. Col. Musser relates an interesting incident of army experience which occurred while he was in command of the post of Washington, Ark., in the summer of 1864. The story as related is told by a Federal officer, a prisoner in camn. to Capt. James T. Otey, of the Eighth Missouri Infantry/ The Captain was playing the part of the hospital host toward his guest and prisoner, through the medium of a couple of tin cups and a jug filled with home-made whisky, clear as crystal and uncontaminated by an excise tax. Lieu* Boren was a Federal offleerin au Ohio regiment, and faad fallen into the hands of Dick Taylor about the lime of Banks’Bed River expedi tion. Becoming' weary of captivity. and disgusted with Con federate rations, he planned with severalbf his fallow-prisoners a scheme by which at least one of their members might make his escape. Whisky poker was played to determine which one should be given the first chance. Lieut. Boren won. In accordance with the scheme agreed to, he feigned death, was buried by his comrades in a shallow grave,and succeeded in making his resurrection after the departure of the Confederates anil his companions. TL<; deserted grave was discovered during the day by some loiterers about the camping place and they were “dropped onto,’ and reported to the commandant at Marshfield, La., who immediately set a pack of bloodhounds to track the fugitive. After the trait was struck all of these but one were called off. This one continued the pursuit, and at the end of the third day overtook and treed the lieutenant in tiie dense woods near Washington, Ark. The hound guarded the tree for three days and three nights, until the soldiers, who took their time, in the pursuit, arrived and again took charge of the well-nigh starved fugitive.