Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1865-03-29
'HFTY-FOUR DAYS IN lINCOLN'S
BASTILES.
CLEARrIaLD, Pa, March %. lS(

CLRARrIsLD, Pa, March %, 1865.
D. W. moore, Esq, Editor Republican.
Dear Sir:-At the request of number
u my friends | have consented TO furnish
you for publication an account of my ar
rst and imprisonment by the military
& authorities. was arrested on the 9th Of
January last, at o'clock, p. m., in my
offce in Baltimore, by Government de-
\ leclive. and taken to Col. Wooley's office
nrner of Camden and Eutaw Streets,
shere was given in charge Of guard,
& who locked me up in the "old Negro
\ JAIL" or "Slave Pen," with some forty
{ oiher prisoners, mostly deserters and
Il bounty Jumpers. The room was in q most
n slthy condition, and alive with vermin,
( Without furniture of any description. At
!, p H., was oriored TO get ready to 60
10 Harrisburg. ! asked permission of the
Detective, who had me in charge, to stop
nmy boarding house, on our way to the
Depot. to get some clothing. This he re-
fused, saying that he vas not permitted
olake q prisoner into any hodse. On
i rriyng at the Depot got one of the
dsrks TO 90 for my shawl, but could not
lstSny other clothing, ! WAS then Ia
Ken on the train for Harrisburg, where
Wmriyed at t. p. M, of the 7th, having
teen detained by gu accident on the Road.
WAS then turned over to Capt. Thume,
Pfoyo Marshal, who sent me under guard
pthe Exchange Guard House. on Wal
nat Street, opposite the County Jail,
there was put into q room on the sec
nod floor 20 by 40 feet, with SO prisoners,
luopg whom were number of prisoners
ton this and Jefferson county. There
as usually from Is to 100 persons con-
med in this room, including five or six
Ngoes, i. was very filthy and dirty, and
Dnained no accommodation Of any kind.
kesept on the floor, without any cloth
ig except gu ch as we had with US. We
rue marched down TO the Soldiers Rest,
Pposite the P. Il. r. Depot, three times
iday, for our rations ofbread, meat and
sfee. For dinner we had vegetable coup,
iplace Of meat. We had as much Of
sse articles as we wished. The bread
I'd coffee was reasonably good the meat
rs not remained in this military
flon until the nth Of January, when |
nth 10 others. was taken TO Fort Mifilin,
tear Philadel phia where we were locked
pin q Bomb Prof. with IL prisoners
Um this and adjoining counties draft
amen, deserters, bounty,jumpers, and
iliie number like myself, knew not
hat their offence consistedil. The Bomb
ROOF is an arch of brick aud stone, laid
cement, and intended to be proof o.
alnst shot and shell. The room is about
gby 60 feet, and II feet high in the CEN
Mof the arch. the walls are or 6 feet in
ackness, on the top of which is thrown
fm to 10 feet of earth, the floor is of
suent, and has the appearance of hard
afth. There was crate IN the one end
ahe room in which we kept constantly
nro OF anthracite coal-the chimney OF
4 eich smoked so badly that our eyes
'Te continually sore from the effects of
Ell In the opposite end there we're nine
ss7ices by Is inches, through which all
ee light and air passed that was admit
70 this room. There were number
similar crevices along one side, but
eese Nc we're obliged TO keep closed on
count of the GOODNESS OF tho weather.
Twas SO dark that in no part of the room
'ay one could see to read or write word
mid day without candle, and had the
leather permitted us to have kept all the
aeVices open, there still would not have
sen enough light admitted to allow oi
ssAer reading or writing. There was NO
'unks, or accommodations for sleeping,
''her than few loose boards thrown a.
Ssog either eide, upon which we slept.
Zach prisoner was furnished by the Gov
anment with one old blanket, and those
,Ge the only beds We had until the 10th
February, (seven days before we were
Fought to Harristurg) when hunks we're
M uI in for US; and five days afterwards
s@e hay was given US to put upon them,
Sda few old bed ticks given 10 the old
S"' Each man was provided With 3 tin