The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-01-30
Inside Views OF Castle Thunder, Castle Light
ming and Libby Prisons.
-FOUR DAYS IN HELL'S HALF ACRE.
How Our Correspondent Came to Visit
That Interesting Locality.
THE RELEASE ON PAROLE,


NINETY DAYS PAROLE
You paroled for ninety days. and here your dis
charge from Castle Thunder The dag or truce boat
leaves al seven O'Clock in the morning You will be
called for at Elk oclockn Welcome words these 10 my
ears had longed, and worked, and pray ed for theI
utterancc. l remember the words now, and wonder al
the passivenoss with which received their announce
ment from Lieutenant Callahan. Az, At the end Of six
days OF freedom Sit down In the quiet OF my own homo
TO write the incidents OF my capture my Journey to the
confederate capital and my twelve weeks experiences in
Richmond prison, that capture, that journey, those
twelve weeks experiences, the mephitc air Of those
crowded prison rooms, those huge windows and
iron bars, and stless and hopeless peering through
them into the great outer world Of sunshue and
activity and hope, those unyielding doors
and massive bolts the shreks Of the manaced in the
condem cells the continual clangor Of chains and
balls the impenetrabe Gordon Of bayoneted sentne'a
fronting the and lining the passages and cmcuitnf
in double lines the buildings the longing desires and srv
ngs for deveranco, the sickness and despair and deq
from hope too long deferred the valuations
Of troubled dream impossible reality. would that
II were dream; but II is not. Paris and her PRISONS in
that memorable reign Of marked by the sovereign
ty Of tho guiIlotns the ofst Bartholomew
but little ahead Of Richmond and her prisons to day
Within the confines OF the rebel capital there live
and anguish thousands OF noble and patriotic men
And only he who has been prisoner tell wba.
they suffer- not suferlngs inflicted by the government,
holding them captves surerIngs from scarcity 10
food or BLANKETS res inadequacy OF shelter, but
prolonged deprivation OF bery-lhe heated iron cutter
ing the SOUL the anxiety Of mind that is whitening the
hair and making prematurely old It's vctimsa slow and
harassmcnt OF soul and body which long pro-
tracted, must eliminate in the grave minds estiu
| guished in raging despair ptul lmbccility.
WHAT
paroled prisoner, write, OF COURSE with shack'ed
pen The strength position and intentions Of the Conodo
rate government, what may know Of inter
tioDs the feelings Of the regarding the
thing calculated to mpar Information TO the Northern
government likely or possible 10 be used TO their dsad
vantage am prohibited from writing And yet frank
to say that this prohibition although part tho pescrb
cd formula Of parole aud binding upon the accepting
IT, seems TO envelcped with large degree absur
dy In view OF the freedom with which their papers
write ana comment upon the state Of public affairs Tho
fact is the reticence characterzDg their own journals
at the outset Of the has taken tho other
extreme Editors exercise no restraint In writing and
write less about "dying in the last ditch aators
not hesitate TO blazon In loaded type thor crmnatons
Of heads Of government and determinations other
officers and privates give printed publicity to their dis
ontent, with cleaning Of any glorious
brighten lhe sombre background civilians, rs well
soldiers promugate loss Of faith the Southern currency
and far and wide have gone forth the waiings % al
classes consequent threatening starvation their daily
lessening facilities for furnishing equipments clothing
for their armies the wearing out OF their rsways and
persistent refusal Of recognition by foreign Powers Had
freedom, therefore, to write upon these matters would
only be writing old and oft told tale familiar 10 every
who has either read their papers the clippings
from them published In the Northern press While am
thankful being spared this labor what otherwise
might necessity Of celebrating these stale topics
will say this muchlnd neither this fact the alu
sion just given to the publicity allowed at tho South
garding military affairs and the sentiments Of the people
can, think be set down any violation or my parole
that could add but little TO the stock Of Information
Afforded through the columns OF their papers files
which the HERALD--whose enterprise wars rumors
OF lessen ENTHUSIASTICALLY obtains anas
regularly serves to It's million readers.
The story OF my capture, the Incidents Of journey
to Richmond and my prison experiences, and what
know OF the treatment and condition Of Union prisoners
allowed full liberty TO write and upon the latter
topics well know shall be going over troddeu ground
but the authenticity OF the facts and the interest 90
many feel in whatever is written regarding Rich
mond prisoners, and particularly by who has been
fellow companion and sufferer, doubt not viii make
amends for unavoidable lack Of freshness In the situations
described and renewed description Of that far away
prison life, with It's strange mngling Of Joys and
sorrows, hope and dcspondency-a life revealing
all the heroism Of noble Deeds the meanest sehncsa
and petty specuationsa life only lived aud experienced
within prison walls.
BOOKED FOR RICHMOND.
Mr. Hart. fellow HERALD correspondent, who, like
myself has his individual story TO write, and choice o.
manner and time 70 write 10, was captured with me-
MAJOR Nosby capor For one who has accompanied
tho Army Of the Potomac since the Inauguration Of
the war, and been with 10 nearly every battle u has
fought regret 10 say that front rank witnessed our
capture that no bullets whispered accordant notes 70
praise Of our heroism that sbes shrieked dsnay and
death 70 oar capor There none OF The nerce tragedy
OF the battle field. lsmpe night surprise 10 va, wMh
arms and advantages all the side Of the attacking party
n vas in october last during the second advance q The
Potomac army toward Culpeppsr Court HOUSE. Our army
linz stretched from warrenop 70 Caests station, W.
formation the segment Of clrols whose central point
was AZ Auburn.
We wore a. Auburn, n the houss q NJ. NcCormIck
man eighty years old, with dependent family
Of whs, three daughters and two pieces. Gene
raj heados headquarters were near ths house. me
Fifth corps encamped In w immediate rear. me
army had rcmsised there several days. and during THIS
time No had lodged and taken meals 81 the house.
always, pursuant 10 Vie looe establshsa proerammed
army correspondents, prsfsrring - lsAky and unstable
tsnts good and immovabls rcof 70 sleep sndcr 70
lodging on the ground Chrstisnks bed ss place Tor
nocturnal rerose and 10 camp meals and discussions
generals and tsctIcs and strategy family tsoe
cat r. M and partcnary whom cultured feminine voees
arc the c,v,zirg accompaniment we procured guar"
for The family. tot az the army moved ~ r""ra