The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-22
THE REBEL PRISONERS.

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Attempted Escape from Fort Delaware
How the Prisoners Escaped from the
Fort Recapture OF Nearly All OF
Them-Hoyv the Prisoners Livc-They
Desire TO Swear Allegiance to the Go
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS with the
Provost MarshaI--The Assistant Secre-
tary Of War Says None VIII be Forced
20 Go Eack Into the Rebel Lines when
there Is an Exchange OF Prisoners, &c.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HERALD.
DELAWARE CRY, July 20, 1862.
For tho past few days tho public have boon kept in
state OF excitement account Of the many
and exaggerated reports .. the OF prisoners from
Fort delaware, wheron confined all Of those
men taken In the late nghts tho peninsula and in the
valley Of Virginia That some have escaped out Of tho
motley crowd of rebels held here prisoners Of by
tho government until such times as they can be ex.
changed paroled. is certain but that thers was any
considerable number, such represented, Is
simply canard, got up BY men who may be classed as
alarrnigts.
The fort in and around which the prisoners
confined pleasantly situated upon what Is known
Pea Patch Island, in the middle Of tho Delaware
river, and somewhat over q milo from the banks
Of the river either eide. Tho island consists
OF about eghtyeight acrss Of ground, all Of which
Is distance below the level of the river at high
water and Is distant below Philadelphia city about forty
miles. Newcastle Is situated about sevon miles
above the FORT Delaware citya place Of inccnsderabls
sz-s directly opposite the island and Salem about nine
miles below on the Jersey sideal Of which places
be plainly from the fort The fort is substantially
built frces,one building, space of nearly twenty
of ground and has full command u the rivor which
flows beneath its guns, and s In itself complete block
AIDE well inc position from which TO repe the ad
Of foe up the river toward Philadelphia. When
the fort has its full complement Of guns II will mount
1866, all VI which OF large calibrc Outside Of tho
walls Of the fort, and in convenient pacss abo1t the
grounds, are a number Of six pound Geld pieces,
which kopt constantly loaded with grape and cans
ter ready at moments notice 10 scatter destruction
among hose who proper TO be insubordnaie
against the garrison wokncn have been employed for
nearly year past in BUILDING bornbproof cascmatos
ard other buildings the inside u the walls, AMI when
the work which is now progressing very rapidly Is CON-
psted, this ordcaticn viii rank ainorg tho arss in the
country. One groat fault, which has bon made manifest
by the bobardment OF Fort Simultaneously, tho want
OF proper vcnationhs here been rcmcdied, and tuos
lead from each casemate to the pararet, which
intended 10 carry off the smoke which arises from the
discharge Of large piece. Besides these cascates
two large and conmoaious buildings have been cd
for tho officers and ga,rison h!ch when niahsd viii
co.nmodac garrison Of esh. hundred men exclusive VI
the officers The work is not yet qaits done but will be
While tho spirit Of Improvement s going on inside the
fort the Eapc of neat ard subs,aalbck structures,
the outside clso presents IN animated scene Here large
frame barracks have beon erected for the accommoda
tion OF the rebel prisoners The barracks take mp
siderable snace upon the south sdl II the island just
side Of tho gates of the for, consist Of eating md
sleeping apartments for the prisoners, together with
I.pgs hollow square wh.ch Is formed by The prison bar
rarks AT ls II Was thought that these buildings wers
sufficient for tho accommodation OF all tho prisoners who
should 10 brought but since the recent invoices have
arrived from the peninsula and the forts about New York
these accommodations h1ye been found Insufficient. and
somewhat ovcr one thousand of tho prisoners arc now
confined In tents, willie quarters, which arc calcu.
lated accommodate ms acc IL course OF erection,
and will be iaishod in the coarse Of couple Of weeks
WEcs these lshcd all the rebels tie island will
tc comfortably housed, much to their own qualification,
wel u 10 tho garrison, who experience considerable
trouble In keeping the men in their proper PAGES The
prisoners al formed into companies OF one hun
drod each and st has been the incoming Of prisoners
that has been through the ndefagablc Efforts Of tho
officers thai matters are now beginning TO assumc proper
shape.
Thc whole number Of prisoners held a. this place
ia three thousand nine and four Including officers
aud men, in ctzcns' undress, who have been arrested
within our lines IS spies. These latter gentlemen all
hail from tha pepinsua.
The follow ing list or the officers OF the sarrison
Capt. A. a. Gibson, U. s. A., Coniman liant.
Capt raui 4. Jones, Independent battery, Psnnsylva
FIRST Jioulcnaa. Frank W. Paul. Independent battery
tcnnry yivcbia volunteers.
Second Lieutenant Edward s. Cciwcll, Iu6opendeni bat
terry, Penns ylvaua vcluntccrs.
riSsrsssrn Eas,rxsr xKw YORK STATE MILITIA.
Company A-c.2,an, Isaac Smith; First Lieutenant,
William H. rarwigcr: second Lieutenant, Daniel Tor
bwsh Company N-faptain John 8. Watts; First Lieu
tenant vcret J. Roosc Second Loutsnant, William Oak
Icy. Coin.ary 3Llaptaia, Peter Latonrrette First
Lirrtcnait. William karin, second Lieutenant john A.
~ Ronl:. Company I--Captaia, j. c. Rcnnigon: First
Lieutenant, Frank Raihbcnc; Second Lieutenant John
ii. Doughaday.
rDsn isTrAII5S yaRxs ARTILLERY rgSSsrLyAsI. VIOLIN.
Hermann segc0srth, Major ard rrovost Marshall FRS,
l,cuicnaiit, JShn ka.sse, tlarermasicr, Amos Mar
geTum. Battery A-tsptain, Join 5. stevenson; First
jicateEnn., W u. Bohrma:n, Second Lieutenant, W.
p.sr. Isitery B--Captnin Ffani DC Sching; First
Lieutenant, L. A. iril; Second Iisgtcnant G. s. Clark.
The recent escaio Of some t teen VI tho prisoners
from the fort has caused consdo ahlo chansc ia the flgu
aiss Of tho WAGE mil IS now only IN rrsen, casos
thai persons not having business c .he island ad
United. me ni.h. on which tac prisoners referred to
escaped from the islad vas one or unusual Storm The
ran fel IN perfect torrents aud WAS only by occasional
laes of iighlnng that the guard could Distinguish OBJ
lccis within few feet or their bayohets Iuling Of
taSo iayho o, lightning OF the scntcs discovered
standing upon tile ond of onc of the wharyes
aad, after c.a,n ing and rccsvipg 10 answer, called
tho corora OF ths guard aat alarmed tie garrison
which soon brought the whole yelsr 10 bic side on pro
cooling IN. wharf nothing cord DO scon of tho r,sn
When ian,ern wss brought 10 boar upon The water six
far caor III aSaye 70 ciArc terl 10 gci breath
lhoy waro bauied oai and escorted back TO moro
safe quarters Tor ila remainder of tho night,
search Immediately natuie anpng The rshcs that
border hc stand Arn tilisunt search. nch laste
aarng the whole might ihiitccn who hal run tho
gauntlet we're asI easoy ieturncd 70 ,ie'r quarters.
At tie time Il MAS hardy known how Iilny had escape
but ccranl examination tha ltrge ibcr which
sGrrosc 10 have got OF Was daeei TO Some n!nc OF
Ten, sil Of whom with but exception, hava since
been reeaptcrcd ~ dircnt pGcoa IN goag soathvard
or - nisasg tic horses oc Union man for those who
syaSn.iizc with ,lc Se aaom OF Jefferson Davis. III.
pisn for the s-cgo bad kucn divrgsd about fwr hun
drcdssf tie prisoners, and nuubars were icuid with
Jan e &c, ready packed ant but for tho procdonln
Cash NJ lightning which eifbie the sentry beyond
his tNSc. .raLd sttmp5e or secosh wond have n-cn
the rssew Thoss who escaped mostly rivate"rs
men wassoectr1 al lbe atil'wrod and made rats
w whici they noated Du; ioo Tho strcam ald the lido
caricd ,he4a of up tc Ncw.s'lc In instance ono
man vas ,op.i catn n the VGdlo &c the rivur upon
s,a hoard almost exhausted BY his endaavnrs % rca,
tile psvare shcic. This ndivtd2l prcfcrf captivity
watefy Savo or tho last diGh. Ibtto ht word tor u
uce lie islie attempt of the pfScrs % cssape, the
garrison Las pcrr Irceascd and thr ost rigid csuic
ions navs booa laid Upc1 ykors cunning 10 a 4laI
for Iy purpose Other tiSa busiiess gshcb must e ea
cGtcd nan dete'", ard tie parties. u ~. ensaFsd IN
some way Wi ne rrisOuc.s' qt.arc y VIE nei b per.
mtcd neat lro1l. Jhs is good, whole ae ordcr.
Everything nov goes With the soglNatity e clock
aork.
Jcaterdpy notrlng rogGr inspection ce 10 prisop
ere taok pllca on q Grado ground outsI2 = ta fort,
nll tlp ,rgnpcrs IA iei and