From the Richmond Enquirer, 2/13/1864
RECAPTURE OF MORE YANKEE OFFICERS. – Three more of the Yankee officers who recently took the underground route out of the Libby Prison, were recaptured on Thursday, near Fort Clifton, on the Appomattox. It seems that after their escape from the Libby they succeeded in reaching Port Walthall, where they secured a boat and started for Old Point. In going down the James river they mistook their way and turned into the Appomattox. In the darkness they ran the boat upon the obstructions in the river, near the fort, and upset it, when, utterly exhausted and almost frozen to death, they went ashore and surrendered themselves to a party of men belonging to Martin's Battery. They were conveyed to Petersburg and confined in the provost marshal's guard house. Their names are Frank M. Kreps, 1st Lieutenant, 77th Pennsylvania; Freeman C. Gay, 2d Lieutenant, 11th Pennsylvania; Henry B. Freeman, 1st Lieutenant, United States Infantry.
When the York river train reached Tunstall's Station, yesterday, one of the escaped Yankee officers – Major J. N. Walker, of the 73d Indiana – approached the cars and surrendered himself to Surgeon J. A. Slater, of the 15th Va. Cavalry. He said he was quite sick, had eaten nothing since Tuesday last, and was consequently unable to travel. He said that the 109 officers who escaped commenced leaving the prison at 9 o'clock at night, and the last of them got through about 5 o'clock in the morning. The escaped party were, according to his account, 55 days at work on the tunnel. After getting out, they made North of Richmond, and most of them crossed the Chickahominy and then worked their way down on the other side.
We are informed that one of the party passed the pickets at New Kent Court House, and, representing himself as a member of the New Kent cavalry, made good his escape.
We are also informed that some of the recaptured officers acknowledged that when the roll used to be called, some 70 would answer to the names of 100. This is almost incredible, for, we suppose, it was and is the practice to count the prisoners as well as call the roll.
A report was brought by a party who came up by the cars last evening, that the enemy was again advancing, and had driven in our pickets at New Kent Court House, at 12 o'clock yesterday.
In addition to Major Walker, who was brought to the Libby in an ambulance last night, four more of the absentees were captured in the vicinity of the city yesterday. – Their names are Lieutenant W. Clifford, 16th U. S. Infantry; Major Robert Henry, of the 5th Ohio; Lieutenant J. W. Hare, 5th Ohio Cavalry, and Lieutenant A. Garbett, of the 77th Pennsylvania.
A number more were expected to be returned by our scouts, who were in active pursuit and expected back last night.
It was extensively rumored yesterday, that the notorious Colonel Straight had been wounded and captured, on the canal, above and west of the city, and was on his way down. The manner of his capture was embellished according to the fancy of those giving currency to the report. The leavanting Colonel may have been taken, but he certainly had not reached the city at sundown yesterday. We hope to chronicle the arrival of this scoundrel at the Libby on Monday.
In all, about 34 have been returned to the prison.
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RECAPTURE OF YANKEE OFFICERS. – Of those who escaped from the Libby prison Tuesday night, the following have been taken and returned thither, since the closing of our last report on Friday night, viz: Lieut. Col. Ely, 18th Conn.; Capt. E. S. Smith, 19th U. S. cavalry; Lieut. W. H. Wilcox, 10th N. Y. cavalry; Lieuts. Adam Hauf, 45th N. Y.; Daniel Flausberry, 1st Michigan cavalry; T. J. Roy, 49th Ohio; J. H. Gadsby, 19th U. S. Infantry; M. M. Basset, 53d Ill.; M. Bedell, 123d N. Y.; Capt. N. Moore, 29th Ind.; Lieut. J. D. Simpson, 10th Ind.; capt. J. D. Phelps, 73d Ind.; Capt. W. C. Rosman, 3d Ohio; Col. Thos. G. Rose, 77th Penn.; H. P. Crawford, 2d Ill. Cavalry, and S. D. Sutherland, 125th Ohio. – Most of them were caught north of the Chickahominy.