Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-11-14
suttteN @ alt.
Escape from Perote Castle.
A PRISONERS STATEMENT.

4 was one OF the unfortunate BrXar prison
\ r, confined in the castle OF Perote, hy ord-r
NJ the treucheruuS Santa Anna, in the year
NJ 49, THIS fortified prison, the strongest III
Mn ,ylcO if not in the world. IS grand gloomy
III of masonry, situate IN valley between
mountains, about mile north of the town
u Prrotr. through which the stages, carrying
u mail bass between the cities Ut Vera Cruz
N md Mexico. The Castle, as 1t Is called. Is
Hm1, Of volcanic Scor,1, which has been 80
g,lpGed by fusion aS - be almost lmptrVlouS
steel The walls are eight feet thick, aud
lgut ,iXty feet in hight from the bottom OF
|ne ur.at moat to the rampartS. Ihis moAt,
i shjcn pxteu,.s entirely around the great Struc-
Eure. with It's angular buStIOnS, is some twenty
h ct IN dcpth iy tN0 hundred IN width, aud,
.ough ordinarily kept dry, as it was while |
gas there Is 80 conn Ctcd with suhterranean
Batter WORKS that Il can he flooded in few
NJ -mtrS. On the OutrrSide of the mDat is a
,,yr stone wall, aud beyond this again are
gmdabic clsU,ur triss aud ii dry ditch
8Ing this ditch, the entire works cover
aey SIX acres Upon the ramParts, which
m Bfe7tuty feet in width aud extend the entire
MI uufsreuce Of the building, are mounted
III gly pieces of artillery, aud here seniimrIS
" p constantly pacing l . and fro day and night
III fat root np0u which these cannon rest, is
" j masonry, fifteen feet thick, which is sup
4 tied 10y successive arches, seventy feet long
twenty wide The interior Of these arches
N ,utute the workshops, storeroomS and cells
the prisoners They are entered Only from
a J. "a
HI narrow grating over the top. When the door
# q cell Is closed, the only light and air winch
u reach I. must either come in through the
Eltus mentioned, or through a loop hole at
far pud, which, from hrIng some two feet
f Are on the luner side of the wall, gradually
SHOWS down to an aparture Of some four inch
ii " tE !Yc on the outside. directly over the
rat Ulat Fronting these &c Is or arches, ut
distance ot sixty feet, L. an interior range
square bindings, tWo stories high in which
ouartcrrd the oIfc rs aud soldiers Of the
,>,o, with, in many cases, their wives and
a.gS, and iu>ide again Of this inner range in
srn're court or paZi, five hundred feet
aa. used for military drill and parade. In
he Castle Of PrrOte, is alnost II city 10
nj aud originally cost many years OF labor
algy mli;OuS Of dollars.
l, modern Ba,tiIs alike serves the amhi-
Uraut auI common justice, AMI becomes
i The abode OF political rival, "a State con
lim Troublesome prisoner OF war, aud
s7icS frlan uuhung. Every grade OF so
lron the very highest TO the very lowest
r.IJn the man of rank TO the filthy vagabond
70; different tunes It's representative here
ID could the stones of this gloomy structure
tas the dark aud cruel deeds and tales OF
man suffering winch they might reveal would
'Ae common humanity shrink agha$t.
IL was N! ml>tOrtune, vita many other Tex
coAr"deS, TO be captured or kidnapped hy
AAcah general aud, after being marched
'4t'ls OF miles, aud receiving treatment
't' Killed several Of my friends. 1" be Im-
'0'rd 10 oHe Of the cold, dismal cells OF this
o. tyraut. And not ouIy imurisoned,
'oaaed with irons and degraded TO tue low
mental employment A chain, weighing
3! pounds, aud only some four or five feet
''s'A hnkrd me by the au,le TO one OF
"1FauonS IN misery and thus secured,
,e'e copt,vd, along with others. to remove
~'' ahd ott from the castle every morn
- hanIGa-rowS aud sitter thar 10 pack in
' '"l SaHd, to repair the fortIfcatiOn from
'ace OF Som-thgug like mile, heIng all
.'ie closely guarded 10y file of soldiers
'.''F SIDE Of Us, and often treated with IN
s@'y aad abuse. A SIX o'clock in the even
We were formed aud couuted aud locked
'lF cell, here TO remain TILL six IN the
"'S' passing the night as best we might.
10 1el but the cold flags, aud 10 cover.
.D' our worn filthy and ragged clothes and
- miserable blankets. which we had among
o''en, completely tired down with the Ia
!" '"e day, have passed restless night
very, sometimes caused bV cold, sometimes
"a'atsn sometimes by cramps aud collie
"1'eu aIlments, not TO mention constant
ahSletles, aud sometimes by the like
Of the companion to whom | was