Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-09-05
Escape Of Prisoners from Richmond
Interesting Particulars.

--lnterestlng Particulars.
The Washington Star announces the ar
rival in that city Of Capt de Golyer Of Com
pany +, Fourth Michigan Regiment, aud
Assistant Quartermater II. c. Jenckes Of
the Second Rhode Island Regiment, having
escaped from the military prison at Rich
mond on Tuesday, the 18th inst.
AT Richmond most Of the prisoners we're
confined in large tobacco warehouse, which
has iron bars to the windows. In this prison
the Hon. Mr.. Ely and all the captured of.
ficers where confined in room 60 feet long
by. "a feet wide. There were sixty in all in
this one room, giving "a square feet, or a
space 6 feet in length and 4 feet in breadth
to each man.
The prisoners are fed on fresh beef tpen-
orally boiled and wheat bread, with an al
lowance Of rice every other day. Every fine
afternoon there is crowd Of vistors-male
and female--''to see the Yankees" This
exhibition the prisoners playfuly allude to
as stirring up the animals" Many of
these visitors would no doubt treat the pris-
oners with kindness if they dared to do so.
Amongst others who visited the prisoners
was ex-senator Wigfall lie saidif their
Government chose they 1.-THE prisoners)
might all be exchanged. "If" said he,
they want to fight us as Christians. we will
tight them as Christians, but if as Canaan
ches, we will fight them as Camanches.
The officers of the prison and the surgeons
acknowledge their loss at Bull Run in killed
and wounded to have been greater than
ours. They claim to have I,3OO Federal
prisoners at Richmond, of whom $50 are
wounded. We have already stated that
among these prisoners are about 60 officers.
Capt. Todd. said to be brother-in-law of
President Lincoln, is in charge of the pris-
oners, and they allege that he is very harsh
and accommodating, but they speak in
the warmest terms of the kindness of Mai.
Winder and other Confederate officers.
VI the romantic manner in which the
prisoners effected their escape, says the
Star, we are not at liberty to speak fully
lett suffice to say that they escaped from the
rear Of the prison about nine O clock on the
evening of Tuesday, the 18th instant, and
by good luck and good management were
able to avoid the sentries. But of their per
ilous journey from Richmond to this city
through the heart of Secessia, aboundns
as it does in incidents of personal darinL
and danger, we propose to give brief nc
count, as 1t will compromise nobody. The,
left Richmond Immediately, but before leav
ing they provided themselves with loaf o
bread and ten cents worth of crackers.
They travelled in a Northeasterly direction
and about two miles from Richmond the,
passed the intrenchments for the defense o
that place. About three miles from the cit
they, came to stream spanned by bridg
the flooring of which had been removed :
They crossed this bridge on the stringers
and Travelled all that night-it was rainin
heavlly-and when morning dawned they
were astoni.hed and terrified to discove
that they had doubled during the night, an,
were going toward the bridge they hac
crossed several hours before They took t.
the woods and concealed themselves all tha
day, ,resuming their journey at night. Dur
ing, the ensuing week five days were stormy
and onward they toied, wandering at ran
dom through the woods at night without
star to guide them, and standing or lying OIL
the wet ground in some thicket in the day
time, drenched to the skin by the pouring
rain. Many times they reached the sam
ground they had gone over previously, an,
while lying perdu they often caught sight o
Secession cavalry dashing by.
Only once they saw white man excep
these, ana that was at Bowling Green, wher
the dogs ran out, and the railroad agen
made his appearance and halloed "WhC
goes there?' They made no answer, but KEEP
IN the woods. Arrived at the banks of tn
Rappahannock on Tuesday night, just on
week from starting, they were fairly non
plussed. Here, however, fortune favore
them. Hearing whistling they kept a shar
lookout and soon saw that the melody pro
ceeded from six or eight jovial looking dar
kies. Hailing these sons of Ham, they foun
they were going down the river to anothe
one Of "massa's plantations Capt. Golye
told them he was going to see his brother
in-law who lived on the other side of tn
river, but didn't believe he could get acros
without going to Fredericksburg. ''Golly
massa, said one of them, ''you go dow
hea to Uncle Jim's and he'll put yo
across in his skiff sure, for ten cents" The
Giu Pue ohoh across, anu tney reacneu III