New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-25
HOW COL. CoRCORAN ESCAPED.

HOW COL. CORCORAN ESCAPED.
REBEL ABUSE OF PRISONERS.
Lieut.. Samuel ID. Hurd, Of the I'd Regiment Maine
Volunteers, who was wounded and taken prisoner
at Bull Run, arrived in this city on Monday, from
Charleston. His account Of the condition OF Affairs
at that place. especially OF the treatment which the
Rebels nee out TO their prisoners is quite interest
ing, while his report Of the escape OF Col Corcoran,
of the Goth, is piece Of unlooked.ior good news.
lie left Charleston on Thursday, the 18th inst, Law
| ing been one Of tome three hundred prisoners who
were confined in the City Jail, uhich ras burned
during the late coufagration-tbe prisoners making
| their ESCAPE by jumping from snail wipdow-t6e
only onewLich was not barred. BAR. Hurd was shot
through both legs al Bull Run, and as) wounded IL
| the size. He WIS taken TO Manassas, where bis
| wounds were dressed Ivy rebel surgeon. Laued Nc
Williams, from Msr, land. They were atterward
removed To Richmond, aud confined in Edwardss to-
bacco warehouse, from which they were taken 10
Cbarleston-aboot iour hundred of the whole num-
Der beiog confined in Castle Pnckney, anc the re-
mender about three hundred, being sent soon after
| 10 the City Jail.
The Jail was q large brick building on Broad
street. and nearly all the pri onen Were u large
upper room, the Windows u which were barred snd
closed with iron shutters, except small
locking very narrow street ia che rear OF the build
ing. SIR. llurd states that tire fle broke out, as
nearly rs he conld judge in gas-house, next door
10 sash aud blind tGctOry a. q thai 10 epnead With
great Iap0ily. Great Efforts MADE 10 extiDguiso
il, but without the slightest tfsct. The engires,
orEed by negroes ana bites seeu ed utterly power
less, aud the flames spread finally 10 the jail, the
ROOT Of which was one sheet Of fire. No m0ocment
tds made 10 let tie prisoners mt The guards usu-
ally stationed around the building were away, and
10 sodieru visible. Mr.. Aurd states that Col.
Corcoan was the fret to leap through the VIC
dow, exclaimiug az he went out, Here goes for
Beauiort or The North" Hurd was the next, and
az he struck upon ths pavement he rays half dozen
others came upon BIN, aud the whole room was
speedily ,mptied of iis inmates. They spent the
night in tie vicinity OF the flames, keeping together
as - ell rs they cogd-lnany OF them beng severely
wounded. They had nothing 10 eat and nothing TO
driuN, except some liquor which portion OF their
nun Der got from toe cears of houses from which
the occupants had been driven by the fire.
a. about 10 o'clock guards were sent TO take them
in charge 1ley treated them with great brutality,
striking with their gus those OF item who ca not
move quickly enough. One IF the soldiers told tie
sergean, OF The guard that Col C0rcordn was mis-
sing. His reI Was, that perhaps he " rs burned
ii not, he must be hunted up. Men were sent to
look after him. AT . o'clock the whole squad Of
pii-oners were driven TO Castle Pibckney again,
where they left in the open courtyard through
the whole Of that day and the following night with
out shelter of any kind and with no Other clothing
than that in which they made their escape. Col
Core oIan was not in Cattle Pinckney with the rest
OF the prisoners, had sIr Hurd been able TO OBJ
tain any intelligence concerning him. he thinks 1t
probable that lie made an effort to escape to Beau
tort.
On Thursday Hurd and half dozen others Of the
wounded prisoners were told that they would 10
rent North. Six Others, named Frank Tunes OF
New-York. Nicholson Of Vermont, and McBren,
O Bieo, Wilson, and siillott were also released on
taking an oath Lot to serve again against the South
reveal ANYTHING they might have learned there.
They were all put into railroad train and taken to
Richmond, and thence to Norfolk, having nothing to
eat or drink ON the way. From Norfolk they were
cent under flag Of truce to Fort Monroe, aud
thence to Washington.
Mr. Hurd says that the treatment of the prisoners
has been brutal and infamous. Their allowance Of
food wps q quart Of oatmeal, with thiee pints OF
water day; and they were constantly exposed TO
the SCOTS eers, and insults Of the mob. Al Richmond
they required TO do picket duty part OF The time,
and 10 shoot any prisoners whom they saw looking
out at a widow. Hurd himself was In this way
wounded in the neck, and a fellow prisoner from
iaipe named D.egett, was killed.
Mr.. Hud states that among the prisoners removed
from Richmond to Castle pinckney early in Septem-
Der, was a Mr. Hnrbert--and from his description OF
is personal appearance, inclined to think il
Mr.. w II. Huribert formerly connected with The
Tine, 'and well known IL this city. lie WIS left IN
Castle Piockney, ard not taken 10 Charleston with
tie rest Of the prsoners When alr. Hurd returned
10 the Castle after the fire. MIR. HuIlbert recognized
Hurbert has suffered greatly from bis imprisc nnent
that he has had attack Of typhoid fever and
is exceedingly pale aud enaciated. He /, very low
spirited and despondent. His treatment Is the same
as that Of the other prisoners.
Among the prisoners left there were two, named
Trip and Palmer from Scranton, Pa. two, named
Boorman and Chase, from Wilkesbarre, and quite
uuaber of men belonging TO the New-iork 7lst and
Fire Zoasves. At Charleston the general opinion
seemed to be thnt the fire the work ofthe
Tie citizens mainly went to Savannah. The negroes
were not guarded, but Mr. Hurd saw no reason to
suppose that their feelings toward the North were
different from those of the whites.
AT Richmond, where they were allowed TO go
about tho city Mr.. Hurd says there were abundant
evidences OF Union sentiment. Very many met aud
shook bsnds with him, declaring themselves Union
men, and one persoc, whose name he gave us, told
him that half the troops there were Union men, but
bad been pressed into the robe service. There We're
great numbers Of troops al Richmond aud along tue
route to Norfolk.
Mr. HuId secuted bic discharge from the army at
Washington, and il on his way home. He has q
wooden leg and various other memorials Of bis con-
necion with the war.
Gov MORGAN-AN EXPLANATION.