The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-02-19
nov our of''rr. ,c.saPed from this Lib

iow our Oficers cspapod from the Lib
by Prison.
Captain William Wallack, Of the
alst indiana, Originally from Pepuc.
lndiann.) who escaped from Libby
Prison through the tunnel, arrived to
day, and was on the floor ofthe House
He camo nearly due north from Rich
mond TIL he reached our iinos. He
says they began digging the tunnel
on New Years Eve, aud only finished
]. the night before making their cs-
oapc. The work was carefully CON
contcd, even from the bulk of their
brother officers. for the reason that
rebel spies are believed to hc among
them, clothed In our uniform. and
protesting to be prisoners from some
of our regiments. The working par
ty were oil sworn 90 the mott solemn
secrecy. They began back Of the
stone IN room an tho ground floor,
where q pile Of ashes enabled them
to conceal their work. From this
\ they dug INTO the chimney, end so
down into the cellar, This cellar
was filed with old rubbish. and also
contains a pile of straw. They be
gun their tunnel from this cellar. dig
ding through the whole night. reliev-
/ inc one another by turns, and piling
! the dirt taken from the tunnel in u
corner of the cellar. from which they
had remoucd the rubbish. Every
might before closing their work they
would stamp this dirt down, to make
! it occupy rs small space rs possible
and then cover it over with straw. -
They would then carefully black their
boots and remove every particle OF
clay from their clothes. and after
morning roll call spend the day in
sleeping, for the double purpose of
gaining rest and avoiding conversa-
tion with others.
Col. Rose of Ohio, acted as chief
Icnginecr In managing the direction
of the tunnel. They continued this
way night after night, till the evening
before making their escape, some ne
groes who were in the prison waiting
on prisoners. discovered what they
were doing, but loyalty kept the Sc
crct.
They dug in this way under an ada
cent street, and finally came to the
surface in n vacant lot, 80 yards dis
tant At the point where they were
under the street. tuey were only four
feet below the surface, and nothing
but the tcnacity Of the soil prevented
the tunnel from crumbling. Toward
the close they became alarmed about
the pile of dirt eXcavatcd, and in or
der to make it occupy as little space
as possible, they only made the tun-
mel large enough for medium sized
man to crawl through on his belly
When they came to attempt the pas
sage. several Of the men stuck fast
and it was with the utmost difficulty
that some Of them managed to work
their way through.
1t was owing to this delay that,
comparatively, so small a numher cs-
capped. A. it was, ~ many got out
as possibly could till daylight came
to check their operations. Many.
however. started without any provis-
ions. and being compelled TO stop at
houses for food, were discovered -
To this and to their weakness from
long continued privation. the recap
Iturc Of So many is attributed.
Colonel Streight is expected here
tonight. aud Captain Wal,ack leaves
for his home in Indiana.
THE STARVATION IN RICHMOND.
Escaped prisoners confirm previous
statements as to the general scarcity
of provisions in Richmond, They
say that during the time the rebels
distributed the contents Of the box
cs from the North, their very guards
would beg provisions Of them, and
that of late halfnakcd boys from the
streets of Richmond used to gather
about the windows to scramble for
the crumbs from their corn bread.
which 'hev threw ont TO them.