Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-18
How the Union Prisoners ERected
their Escape from Libby Prison

How the Union Prisoners ERected
their Escape from Libby Prison.
BALTIMORE, Feb. 1.-THE escaped
Union officers reached here this morn
ing to goto Washington this P. NJ. The
account of their escape is full of thrill
ing interest, but for prudential reasons
many particulars are withheld from pub
LEGATION at present. They were 81 days
making tunnel, managing to find ac-
cess to the cellar they -commenced work,
relieving one another as opportunity of
fered Their instruments were case
knives, pocket knives, chissels and files.
They had to abandon their work and
commence anew on account of the OBJ
structions which they could not pass.
They had hoped to avail themselves of a
culVert but found it impracticable. At
ter getting through the walls they dispos-
ed of the exeavated soil by drawing it
out in a spittoon which they attached to
cord. This would be filed By the party
at work in the tunnel and pulled out in
the cellar by their companions there who
disposed of it BY placing it in shallow
layers over the floor and concealing it
beneath the straw The work was neces-
sarily very slow So close was the air in
the tunnel that they could not remain
in it but few minutes at time, and
their candles would go out. At one time
they got so near the bend of the street
that small hole about the size of a
stovepipe broke through, but fortunately
this was not discovered by the guard and
was of great service, admitting air and
enabling them to prosecute their work
more rapidly.
The tunnel, when completed, was
about sixty feet long, and opened into
an old tobacco she'd beyond the line of
guards. AS soon as they found the way
clear, they emerged slowly in single
squads Of two and two, and sauntered
off until they got clear of the guards,
making their way towards the Williams
burg road by the shortest route The
darkness favored them, and the fact that
rebel soldiers whom they met were hab-
tied in the army coat of Uncle Sam,
which they had stolen from the supplies
sent to the prisoners by our Govern
ment, was of great help to them, al
though they were attired in our army
overcoats, and many of them had their
knapsacks. They found the national
uniform better disguise than if they
had been provided with regular rebel
uniform, in order to elude the pursuit of
their enemies, who they knew would
soon be on their track They scattered
as much as possible. They experienced
many hardships and sutferings and fire.
quent narrow escapes from the rebel
cavalry, who the next morning were
bushwhacking in every direction. The
Joy which they experienced when they
first caught sight of our troops sent out
to protect them from their pursuers, cam
not be expressed To the officers and
men of the 18th Pennsylvania who they
met, they express the most profour d
gratitude for their unbounded kindness
They also bear testimony to the gallant
ry with which theirfellow soldiers pur-
sued the rebel cavalry and secured many
of them. Had it not been for the prompt
action of our cavalry, many of the way
worn fugitives would have been recap
tured There is good reason to suppose
that many more will yet come in safe.