The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-04-07
The Rebel Prisons Or Rlchmond.
e.n. neal Dow. E.p....n.s,. /. /.

H.'fh III ~ W. f|.. 4l
Gen. Neal Dow, who has Just been
released from confinement at Rich.
mond, having been exchanged for the
rebel Gen. W. H. r. Lee, delivered an
address at Portland on tile Path uit.,
describing his captivity. He confirm.
ed oil the reports Of the inhuman
treatment Of Union prisoners, stating
that large proportion Of the supplies
sent them from the North were stolen
lby the rebels, who had the military
clothing dyed black, Every prisoner
who looked out Of the windows was
shot at One day rebel soldier, who
was inside, was shot at and killed by
Che sentry. So angry were the rebeis
at this mistake, that they tried very
hard to kill a Union soldier too, and
on several occasions fired into the
windows, whenever one Of the prison
ers came near enough to be seen. Gen.
Dow gave the following confirmation
Of the mining of the prison, TO blow it
up, should Kilpatrick's men get inside
the city. He said : h .ie 's' '''
"On the morning Of Wednesday,
March I'd, after we had been informed
Of the gunpowder plot, Dick Turner,
the Inspector of Military Prisons, was
asked by many officers at different
times five were correctly informed,
and he assured US il was true; that q
large quantity of powder had been
placed under the prison, to blow US up,
if Fitzpatrick had come in, and that it
would be done yet if attempts were
made to rescue US. = .
"Rev. DR.. Smith, President Of Ran
dolph Macon College, well known in
both North and South, as an able and
influential man, came into the prison
to visit Lieut.. Col. Nichols, Of the 18th
Connecticut regiment, with whom he
was acquainted He said that powder
had been placed in the basement for
the purpose Of blowing us to atoms
Col. Nichols did not believe it. DR..
Smith assured him. it was SO. He had
then come from the Office of Judge
Ould, who told him it was SO. Rev.
DIR. McCabe said the same thing TO Col.
Cesnola,. of the 4th New York cavalry.
land others. Some officers were in the
kitchen at the back window, directly
over the door leading into tho cellar.
Turner, the commandant of the prison
and four or five rebel officers went in.
to the cellar, and on coming out they
remained q few moments at the door,
and one of the officers said, "if you
touch that off, it will blow them to
h, sure enoughp' On the morning
we came away. Major Turner assured
Captains Sawyer and Flynn. who were
exchanged in connection with myself
that powder was there, and he said
"Rather than have you rescued,
would have blown you to h, even
five had gone there ourselves"
Gen. Dow also stated that there were
many Union men and women in Rich.
mond, whose names he knew, but Of
course could not report them. He said
that until recently, the rebel leaders
were confident of success, but now
were becoming moro thoroughly con-
vinced of the power and resources Of
the loyal States. lie believed'the next
campaign, if properly conducted, wo'd
be the last The rebels are very anx-
ious to get some other man than Mr.,
Lincoln elected. The people view
their case as lost, and are anxiodsly
inquiring as to what will be done.with
their persons and property, They
generally believe that all rebel prom,
ises to pay will be rcpudiated. All
branches of industry are ruined, and
no able bodied man, unless provided
with special detail, can serve ms clerk
in any store or factory. The negroes
are everywhere friendly and anxious
to help the Union cause. . -.