The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-09
best ard bravest men that ever went to
battle, by thousands, have been allowed to

best ard bravest men that ever went to
battle, by thousands, have been allowed to
rot and to starve.
At the date of our visit not more than
hundred prisoners were in the Libby, its
contents having recently been emptied in
to worse sink in Georgia; but almost
constantly since the war began, twelve and
sometimes thirteen hundred OF our officers
have been hived within those half dozen
desolate rooms and filthy cellars, with a
space of only ten feet by two allotted to
each for all the purposes of living!
Overrun with vermin, pe-ishing with
cold, breathing stifled, tainted atmos-
phere, no space allowed them for rest by
day, and lying down at night "wormed
and dovetailed together like fish in bask-
ct their daily rations only two ounces
of stale beef and small lump of hard corn
bread, and their lives the forfeit if they
caught but one streak of Gods blue sky
through those filthy windows-they have
endured there all the horrors of the mid
die passage. Ny soll sickened as l look
ed on the scenes of their wretchedness. If
the liberty we are fighting for were not
worth even so terrible price-ie it were
not cheaply purchased even with the blood
and agony of the many brave and true
souls who have gone into that foul den
only to die, or to come out the shadows of
men-living ghosts, condemned to walk
the night and to fade away before the
breaking of the great day that is coming
who would not cry out for peace, for
peace on any terms?
And while these thoughts were in my
mind, the cringing, foul-mouthed, brutal,
cotemptible rutfian who had caused ell this
misery stood within two PAGES of me! I
could have reached out my hand, and,
with half an effort, have crushed him, and
II did not do it. Some invisible pow
er held my arm, for murder was in my
heart
"This is what that Yankee devil,
Streight, that raised hell so among you
down in Georgia, got out, p" said Turner,
pausing before a jut in the wall of the
room. ga fue was here, you see, but
we've bricked it up. They took up the
hearth, let themselves down into the base
ment, and then dug through the wall, and
eighty feet underground into the yard of a
deserted building over the way. If you'd
like to see the place, step down with me. I"
"We would, Major We'd be right
glad ter" | replied, adopting, at hint
from the Judge, the Georgia dialect.
We descended rough plank stairway,
and entered the basement 1t was damp,
mouldy, dismal place, and even tLen-in
hot July weather-as cold as an ice house.
What must it have been in midwinter.
The keeper led US along the wall to
where Streight and his party had broken
out, and then said:
It's three feet thick, but they went
through it, and al the way under the
street, with only few case-kHiyes and a
| dust-pan."
Wal, they ~0r smart. But, keeper,
whar' as yer eyes all o'thet time? Down
our way, ct 4 man couldn't see twenty
Yankees a-wuckin' so for six weeks, by
daylight, in a clar place like this yere,
we'd reckon he warn't fit ter tend a pen
o. niggers"
The Judge whispered, "Ie' cover ,.o:ng
it. Hold in" Turner WINGED like struck
ho' MI, but, smothering his wrath, smil-
;ng'y replied:
"Ihe place WASN'T clear then. 1t was
flied with straw and rubbish The Yam
KEGS covered the opening with it, and hid
away among it when any one was coming.
l caught two of them down here one day,
but they pulled the wool over my eyes, and
l let them off with few days in a dun
geon. But that fellow Streighu would ont
wit the Devil. He was the mos. unruly
I'xyo hcH in ho
I've been here. l put him in keep time
and again, but l never could cool him
down."
"Whar' is the keeps? - l asked. eyes
got lots o. them, han't ye?"
= "N0-Only six. Step this way, and I'll
show you"
"Talk better English" said the Judge,
as we fell few PAGES behind Turner on
our way to the front of the building.
There are some schoolmasters in
Georgia"
Wal, there ha'n't-not in the part |
come FROM"
The dungeons were low, close, dismal
apartments, about twelve feet square,
boarded off from the remainder of the
cellar, and lighted only by narrow
grating under the sidewalk Their floors
were incrusted with filth, and their walls
stained and damp with the rain, which,
in wet weather, had dripped down from
| the street.
"And how many does We commonly
lodge yere, when yer hctelH full?" 1
| asked.
81 have hal twouty in each, but fif-
teen is about as laaus as they comfortably
hold"
81 reckon! Aud then the cIsa..ut
moughtent be much ter brag o..
The keeper soon invited us to walk
into the adjoining basement. was a
few steps in advance of him, taking
straight course for the entrance, when
| sentinel, pacing to and fro in the middle