New-York daily tribune., 1863-11-09
FROM FORTRESS MONROE.
Arrival OF Escaped Prisoners from Rich'
n,ond -IIerrsrs Of Libby Prison.
Union Prisoners Starvinx-A Daring
mud 6uccessfuI Yankee Trick.

Ffom Our Special Correspondent.
FogrREss MoyRor. Nov. 3 1863
Major Houstain Of the l32d Regiment y. J.
Volunteers and Lieut. d. Won Wcltricn of scotfs 800
Cavalry arrived here las, evening from Richmond vim
Yorktown. They were captured In July iast-'he
Major in North Carolina. and the Lieutenant some
where near Northumberland met together in the
Libby Prison where they sojourncd until a week ago
last Sunday From conyersation with MAJ Houstain.
CLEAN the follow ing facts: The Union prisoners In the
Libby Prison have been gradually reduced 10 state Of
starvation being furnished with smal piece Of bread
ore loaf 10 sixteen mcn-meai IN the sane proportion
and little vlshy-washy soup once day. Ihe scenes
i.h .orur among the prisoners are hcnitgerdng III
the extreme The crlcs for food p..eous. and the
rawlings Of the rendered insane, In many instances
~ the pangs Of hunger sound through the building
night and day Men dying daily. and the horrors
Of the Jersey prison ship have been revived in The treat
mcut 81 our poor incarceratcd soldiers One man in
the room with Mai. IIou.,ain prosired by want
Of food that when piece Of bread q ruwn 20 him
b. his brutal Jailor he had The strength 70 eat H.
aud died with the scrip In his hand cuichirg n death
the very staff of life. party of prisoners Lad made
arrangements to escape prccrTng death BY the bullet
rather than endnre the lingering torture Of tie exit
through the door of starvation and had hribed
the guard for s2to. 10 let them go on
certain night By some means. the sch,m"
came "a the knowledge 81 Gen. Wuder.
TIE Confederate layaau. Tho cunrd Ngs removed aad
orders issued 90 shoe, any person attempting to
leave tAe Prison The geaius uf MAJOR Hopstain Was
equal To the emergency. however. and rather than 20
through the ordeal % starvation lie resolved make
the attempt 10 escape how much might bee thc danger
attending H. lie induced the officer having charge Of
the prison 10 give him work and pretending 10 be
tailor received msny little Jobs for which BE- was paid
II. f,r confidence that officers Hui soldiers sent
their dapited garments to be- rcpIircd and tie work
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hand. These connded to certain of lis fellow pris
one1s who were IN the secret and he design was that
eight ten would make the attempt Ia leave the
prison together The Major had received q MiJors
uniform End on Sunday, "a week ago. mfr,s Il boldly
past the guard. attended by Lieut. Wcii4cn as an or
Derry the oilers declining 10 take The ask %. the enter
but being ignorant oi the way found themselves on the
third dn, night upon the foitiAoations of Richmond
Discovering their in time avert the danger ol
Il. they finally directed by negro the way 10 tie
james River road Some - miles from Richmond they
got their first meal from farm housc, the Owner.
woman informing them. incidentally. that party OF
before In pursuit Of "A couple of prisoners who
bad escaped from Libby. Notwithstanding, |
this startling announcement Najog HVIstain |
maintained his sclfpossession and very cooy made an
engagement hr a bed IN the house upon BIS letarn.
Two miles rom this house. the parry encountered the
son ~ the woman who bad entertained them. lie |
his Intention 20 take them before the Provost The |
impcrmhiiy u Maj. H. carried them safely over this
the Rebel cowaid and they vent on them way rejoicing
Soon they up the Chick klhominy aud concealed
themselves IN the swamp. The Rebel cavalry were |
behind them and the before them and To add To
the complication of their situation. Rebel boat was
seen paiiolng the river. evidently watching for |
them. They were concealed IN bramhle thlokct. |
and thinking that they might be shot NJ, they |
completely covered themselves IN the soft mud. |
Their piccagion well taken. lVr portion of the
cavalry dlsmountcd and fired nearly hundred shots |
into the thokct Tired Of tbs operation aud sgpposing
that the objects Of search there the PRISONERS
len and ut night the Major and his ,onrade swan the
river that operation completely cleaning their clothes
of mud They found on getting across the river that
the Rebel pickcs were thicker than ever and that the
real dangers ol their movement had commenced. They
mnde their way to wood which sklitod clearing and
las there concealed for three days The Rebel pcheis
being plain in sight all around them. by crawling on
their hands and knees. they fortunately sue.
cecdcd ia cluding the pokcts. and reaching Williams
burg they obtained hc 6rsf FOOD rhcA hat iss,d nsr
mouths ~ four days. Their escape must be considered
almost miraculous. and the power OF endurance eNhlb
itcd nearly superhuman NJ tr is ,lcy bad an oppor.
tunn Of observing, very few troops are around Rich.
mond; nonc IN ilct except pairoling parties and pick
cts. In their three days wandering near the Rebel
capital they encountered none and they ol opinion
that tho forts are not even manned. Through this
source We have PLAIN unyaiulshed tale of The terrible
,ulerngs endured BY the Union soldiers in capttliy
the flag of truce boat brought down some dead oNi
dcmccs of Rebel helhaIity aud brutality. and W. now
have living testimony US 10 the same damnlng iaots.
something should be- done aud speedily, 10 relieve "nt
ba,c soldiers from the prosecutions Vi The modern
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