" The rest of the
party, among whom were George Knight and Jenks, tore into the front part
of the yard, where four guards were patroling near the main door of the
jail. Two of these guards were quickly disarmed. But the other two, seeing
the oncoming of the prisoners, ran out of the gate of the picket fence,
uttering loud cries as they went. Their escape was entirely unexpected.

The general prisoners now came tumbling into the yard, headed by Watson
and Macgreggor. Watson, warned that there was no time to lose, had
released his hold upon the astonished jailer. He did not know that two of
the sentinels had escaped, but he arrived down-stairs just in time to see
the result of their disappearance. A large reserve guard of Confederates,
warned of the jail delivery by these two soldiers, came rushing madly into
the yard.

"Look out, boys!" cried Watson. Other members of the engine party, seeing
the arrival of the troops, released the five remaining sentinels, threw
down their newly acquired muskets, and began to scale the prison fence.
There came the sharp crack of rifles from the reserve guard. Whiz! The
bullets rattled all around the heads of the fence-climbers, the whistling
noise having for accompaniment the cries of the angry Confederates. Whiz!
Another volley! Yet no one was hit. On the fugitives went, as they
descended on the other side of the fence, and made for some woods at a
distance of nearly a mile from the prison.

"After 'em, men," came the word of command to the Confederates. Soldiers
were running hither and thither, while the general prisoners, who had been
released by Macgreggor, were soon safely housed in their old rooms. The
bullets were flying thick and fast within and without the prison yard; the
scene was one of pandemonium. Ere long five of the engine party had been
captured, three inside of the yard and two immediately outside. Among
these were Jenks and Macgreggor who were both uninjured, but both very
much disheartened. Soon there was the clatter of hoofs, and a troop of
cavalry dashed up to the front of the jail.

"No more chance of escape!" said Jenks bitterly, as he looked out of the
barred window. He could hear the cavalry colonel excitedly crying: "Hunt
down the fellows till you have every one of them!"

"I hope some of the boys will get off," remarked Macgreggor. "Any one who
is captured is sure to be hung now." Afterwards another prisoner was
captured. There were now six of the party ba