Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-07-28
ESCAPE & ADVENTURES OF THREE UNION OFFICERS.
800 Miles Through Rebel Territory.


ed, that 1 shall say little about it here, though
a few items may not be uninteresting.
When we first arrived at Libby, our
tions consisted of about three-quarters of
pound of wheat bread, about one-quarter of
a pound of meat, per day, rice enough to
make soup, and what salt and vinegar we
needed. Corn bread was soon substituted
for wheat bread, and Of this we received
a piece about three oy five inches and one
and half inches thick. | give the size of
the piece, instead of the weight, for it was
so miserably baked that a piece of the size
mentioned would sometimes weigh two pounds
when it should have weighed three-quarters
of pound. Some time in February a rebel
Congressman, Mr.. Bates, Of Kentucky, |
think, came in while rations were being IS
sued, and on seeing what we received, eX-
pressed his surprise at the small amount, and
told Major Turner, c0mmandant of the pris-
on, that he had always understood that our
ratIons were ample, and asked him if he
thought any man could live on such rations
as we received. He then asked one of the
prisoners for his ration, which he received,
and said he was going to lay the matter be-
fore the War Department. A short time af-
ter that our bread ration was increased to one
loaf, about five incnes square, which proved
to be sufficient
In November and December we received
meat about every other day; during January
and February about five days each month,
and after that none at all. What meat we
did receive was frequently tainted so that we
could do nothing with it, and those who
ought to be judges in the matter pronounced
some of it mule meat 1t was certainly
tough enough, and to be very old mules at
that.
Until about the lst of January we, in the
officers quarters, received the boxes sent to
us honestly and in good condition, but at that
time the issuing stopped for nearly three
months. Meanwhile the boxes continued to
arrive and were piled up in an old building
near the prison, and when issued great deal
of the contents was rotten and a great deal
more had been stolen. What little there was
left we received. Liquors Of all kinds were
forbidden to come in the boxes, and it was
often amusing to see the ingenuity displayed
to cheat the inspecting officer. For long
time liquor came in as can fruit, but that was
discovered after a while and then all cans
were punched and examined About the
coolest performance in this line was by a
Wisconsin 1t. Colonel His box was opened
and the first thing was the bill of goods On
CHANGING over it lie noticed one item, two
bottles whiskey." He very coolly put the
paper in his pocket, remarking that it was
nothing but the bill of goods, )" and then tax
mi hot 20
be about all there was. The inspector evil
IDENTITY thought the operation a cool one, but
suspecting nothing, let him take his box and
go. Another Lit. Colonel, also from Wiscon-
sin, was not so lucky. Twelve cans of fruit,
alias whiskcy were cOntiscated at one time.
Every can and package was also punched and
closely examined for greenbacks.
The private soldiers rarely received any
thing sent to them, and the suffering of those
on Belle Isle was beyond description. About
half of them had some old leaky tents and
the balance had no shelter at all during the
entire winter. They were marched past our
prison the day before being sent South, and
never saw such a miserable looking set of
men. Pale, gaunt and haggard looking, they
seemed like hideOuS spectreS. Many could
barely walk alone, ard others had to be stead
led by the stronger ones. At Danville, how.
ever, | learn that the prisoners were treated
more humanely, had better shelter, and re-
ceived more food. The 18th, and | believe
most of the Chickamauga prisoners were sent
to this place, and those who escaped the
small pox seemed to do very well.
The prison authorities at the Libby gener-
ally treated us as meanly as they could, and
we always returned the compliment on every
possible occasion. One of the officers one
day shouted to corporal of the guard who
was strutting about, with one of our great
overcoats on, Come out of that Yankee
overcoat." Pretty soon the room in which
he was, and where | was also unfortunate
enough to be at the time, had guard at the
door and we were ordered into live. We
soon smelled a rat and the offender borrowed
his neighbours 0vercoat, handed his hat to me
and then put on as innocent a look as posi-
bic. The offended corporal scrutinized US all
very closely, but without success. We were
then told that if we would point out the man
for punishment the rest of US should be 1e-
leased, but if not we would be kept there
three hours. We chose the latter, and when
we had served out our time faithfully, were
honorably discharged. This we called serv-
ing on the standing Committee" There
were frequently similar committees in fession
for different misdemeanors, but this was the
only one of which | had the honor to be a
member
The ingenuity of the prisoners was all the
time exercised in discovering some means by
which they might escape from prison. 4
few got outside of the prison by bribing the
guards, but very few succeeded in escaping,
for the guards would report the case to the
prison authorities and they instructed them
to receive the bride and let them out mean
while they placed guards on the outside to
take the poor prisoners in again. Thus they
were both robbed and recaptured.
While the carpenters were at work in the
prison, inserting iron bars into the windows
and making some other repairs, several es
capped by taking an iron bar on their shout
der, or hammer or sOme other tool in their
hand, and passed out, tie guard supposing
they We're workmen. One of these politely
lifted his hat to Maj. Turner as he passed him
and went out. Another stepped into the of
fee and inquired if this!was the office of so
and so-mentioning some name that he had
seen on sign from the prison window
Adjt. La Touche informed him that this was
Libby Prison and stepping to the door show
ed him the name he inquired for, and he of
course passed the guard without molesta-
ton.
The escape of the 10 in Febru nv last is a
well-known fact. | have frequently been
asked, "Why did not you escape through the
tunnel?" as if every one who chose might
have escaped at that time. In the first place
l knew nothing about the proceeding until
after dark the evening that the exit was made
Lit. Bufum, of the LIST Wisconsin, and myself
then determined to try it together but we
had been without supper that evening, and
had nothing for the next morning We en-
deavored to get something from our fellow
prisoners, but did not succeed, and by that
time the vicinity OF the tunnel was so crowd
ed with those anxious to 90 that we could