The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-03-06
IN THE IRON DUNGEON.

IN THE IRON DUNGEON.
Looking At the brightest se Of things might say that
al that time, although locked up in Jail, was
comparatively confortas s But there was change
On the afternoon OF Wednesday, LIST Of April the deputy
sheriff. corpuent old constable and the TAILOR came 10
my door, and after the aiior had opened the sheriff said
70 must 60 up STAIRS" observing, as an excuse
for moving mo, ths Confederate government wants your
room" said nothing, but went up stairs with them
Passing from my room into The prison yard We ascended
staircase on the outside OF the building the PLATFORM
at the head, we paused moment while the tailor nm
locked two great iron DOORS This opened into passage
which, for window, had opening with an iron GRAZING
at the further end. The passage occupied by run
away negro To the right 10 the dungeon for the
negroes and to the left the dungeon for criminals II was
A. tho latter that paused again while the jalor un
locked two more great Iron doors. The massive chains
fell with doefu the iron floor. and the doors
rolled back with grating sound upon their heavy hinges
The aior ddnot search me- but with becoming decacy
asked me for my pocket knife, remarking, gave Il
TO him. According tcthe rules Of the prison and the
orders that have no knives allowed in hese" Tho
dungeon doors were open wide almost seemed II the
Jaws Of death had opened and impatient 70 receive
nae. There 10 silence more eloquent that
spoken language. Not another word was uttered
BY the sheriff. tho constable, the jaior or myself.
But the dungeon doors were open wide; was silent
but most impressive invitation to walk In; and Of course
the invitation was accepted few PAGES, and was
inside the iron dungeon. heard tho rusty dungeon
doors close after mo- heard the doors close with
more distant sound and heard the aors footballs the
staircase growing faint and fainter STILL as he descended
until they were gradually lost in the prison yard below
and heardtheir sound no was standing as II
was fastened 10 the 6oor Coming tho blazing
dark and drcary dungeon, struck with partial
momentary blindness that for time could not tell
occupants. Gradually, however my eyes became accus-
toned to the gloomy aspect OF the place. and could
shinxs IN the walls where gmner Of light stole
through the skyght in the ceiling, could distinguish
that otesque looking figures were sitting and lying on
looking lying close to the wall, near the iron door.
II seemed darker even than the dungeon was
the figure. walked up and down. gazing at IT. but there
II lay still and SILENT apparently in the impressive u-
figure was. So stopped in front Of It. and stood while,
wondering what 1t possibly could be. Finally stopped
down close TO it. and as STOPPED It moved Isuppose
shuddered but felt relieved to know that whatever
might be- it thing Of life Presently IL and
walked across the room the chains with which was
the skylightI saw that It was negro BY this time
Of the prisoners had mo- and OF them
the preceding FRIDAY for striking his oversecr with
gun and cutting the throat OF his masters He had
not been hanged because his master had succeeded in
procuring order for another trial
DESCRIPTION OF THE DUNGEON.
Upon examining the dungeon found that II was all OF
walls and iron doors In the centre Of the ceiling
there was skyght, having throe separate gratiDgs
was told that before the commencement OF the war some
prisoners who had been confined in there for the
mission Of grave offences had cut their way out of the
ysn when tn Rad a ny sngs grating in
,a lad s bal in, ccS above the Other. and no knives
were allowed In there There high, square cupola
above the skyght; the glass In IL broken so that
In stormy weather the rain came down flooding the floor
n
north side and at ethor end there small greetings in
the walls for the admttanee Of air and light Oftentmes
had to stand with faces to these openings In order
to obtain fresh air. Oh, how grateful was breeze
side when it blew te~ spare blasts through the little
openings in our dungeon walls.
THE COMPANY KEpr
II not long before knew the rames Of my compan
July. the negro. who was sentenced to be hung Mr..
Hamilton, an old man who had cut open Portuguese
Sa young bowie men, ss ssn': he s q
being Union spies; and rheumatic old man, who
w.s R's 70 % an 70 the
captured told him was taken on the Queen OF the
West Don't you remember seeing me aboard Of hery"
dungeon could not distinctly his face from the
spot where was standing; went over close to him.
rle had picked up Red river asked him what they
had put him in prison for "why," he said s.they have
saoW IS well as ds that d moth
ing OF the kind for know very ttle indeed about the
1900 he said am nearly sixty three years old When
tine broke out volunteered the Confederate army
fought with a. Shiloh ,s after The battle
lost nearly everything; lay out several nights with
out any covering: l was soon attacked with rheumatism
that was no longer ft for service, and after being
year in the army got discharge. have my discharge
In my POCKET now" He then pulled piece Of paper
showing that in consequence Of disability he had been
honorably discharged from the rebel service. aThe
way came to be here" he continued, "is ths:-When
snd
the river. Afterwards, when went ashore, who
had seen me aboard, and who has owed grudge for
several years had arrested and told that story on me-
Il the man that informed poor Smith that
informed on me. You remember Smith, suppose He
Bark had been many weeks in Jail. He had been unusy
Imprisoned. In private note TO the editor OF the
represented to the military authorities they would not
leave the old to dis Smith had died in dreary
dungeon This note ELECTED another visit from the editor
He told that Mr.. BurkS probably only one
Of hundred similar cases, and he had doubt there
were many men now In Southern prisons who, amid the
Cd forgotten by the authorities Tho editor might
have mentioned Is seccssonst Of the strongest kind
JOYS We couIp NOT REALIZE.
SO these were my companions In the dungeon. In tho
daytime II was too dark TO read with pleasure. We
could read LITTLE Sy stsa'ninr our eyes immediately
when the was passing the meridian single ray OF
sunshine would steal down through the skylght and
lineer while upon the WALL and every day At we
watched that single ray Of sunshine with sort Of sacred
pleasure II was TO Us ray Of hope also It seemed
single ray OF sunshine was generally the only cheeffu
thing that we would see oil day The light Q: Heaven
seemed moro beautiful to than in that celestial
visitor-so true that never appreciate the bless
ings are constantly receiving until deprived
Of them. When, a. mealtimes We would ask about the
and beautiful. We could hear the birds singing in the
branches OF the trees, which we knew were growing
green: but our misfortune was that We could not
see any OF them. Even the singing OF the
little birds was joyful music to our Our
food consisted OF corn bread ana bees. Our
meals brought In TO ustwice day. Al night some
times We had piece Of candle but oitener had none
The jalor said candles could not be bought In Alexandria
that ne moulded few for his family use and other
people In town generally did the same Matches. too,
were scarce and expensve-a dollar boz when they
could be found. The way we managed to have light
sometimes wss TO keep piece o. rag smouderng all day.
aud at night blow II into blaze TO light the piece OF can
die. when, sometimes happened, the nre In the rag
went out we used flint and powder 10 rclight IT, The
powder was taken from few cartridges given by
conscrpt soldiers, who had been imprisoned for deser
iion and released lew days before oned my compsn
Ions In the dungeon On more than one occasion we
worked hour to strike light The candle was very
convenent, especially to give us light 70 spread our