Page 144 - Arkansas Confederate Women
P. 144
SAM C. BELL AND CHARLES SCOTT.
By Mrs. Mary E. Woodruff Bell, of Little Rock.
In the year 1863, Charles Scott, who had moved with his
family from Van Buren to Little Eock, was in Baltimore with
his daughters, Misses Emma and Johanna Scott. One morning
he left the hotel before breakfast, to go to the market, telling
the young ladies that he would return in time for breakfast.
He was away so long, that his daughters became uneasy lest
some accident had befallen him; the father returned, however,
safe enough, but whispered the exciting news that he had seen
a Confederate soldier, Col. Sam S. Bell, whom he had known in
Little Eock. The soldier had gone into a restaurant for a cup
of coffee or such a breakfast as his slim purse would allow.
The two men recognized one another at once, but, with a glance,
Col. Bell made Mr. Scott understand that they must not speak.
With the ingenuity that comes to all in time of necessity they
managed to meet in confidence and Mr. Scott learned that
Col. Bell and nine other prisoners of war (including his broth-
er, Capt. Jo. Bell) were being taken from Johnson's Island to
Point Lookout. .Knowing what that meant, all of them deter-
mined to make their escape, which they did. The two brothers
jumped from the train just before it reached Baltimore, neith-
er one knowing that the other had escaped. After talking with
each other as long as they thought prudent to do so, Mr Scott
handed the soldier a roll of bills, knowing that he must be ill-
prepared for a long journey. Col. Bell thankfully accepted the
money saying that he would "make it good" when he arrived at
Little Eock. The friends parted, one to go on to Philadelphia,
where he placed his daughters in Mrs. Cagey's school, making
five of Little Eock's young girls there, Mrs. Myra (McAlmont)
Vaughan, of Little Eock; Mrs. Laura (Tucker) Hardy, of Chi-
cago; Mrs. Lizzie (Eeynolds) Fellows, of New York; Mrs.
Emma (Scott) Lawson, of Little Eock, and the late Johanna
(Scott) Eoberts of Little Eock.
