The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-12-03
Castle Thunder During the War.
From the Richmond Southern Opinion.

Castle Thunder! What horrible euphonious
name for prison place. So suggestive of doom
and death. And so it proved to many Confed-
crate soldier, who, lying in the dungeons damp,
or crowded into the common pens, for long weeks
| and months awaiting trial for some violation of
army regulation, sickened, and were taken forth
not to the court martial, but to Oakwood Gem
etery, where Death was recruiting another great
| Confederate army. Death finds little respect
paid to its grim shape in stern war times and as
the dead passed the Castle doors day by day,
there were no tears shed for the departing by
those left behind Such jocular remarks as these
| would be invoked by the appearance of the dead
wagon at the gates, and the passage of the corpse
| thereto: ''There goes a fellow with his dis
charge in his pocket" swish I was him."
''Got on his pine overcoat at last bound for Oak
wood."' ''Good-bye, Johnny" etc.
Thus did the living learn to mock the dead !;
but such are the teachings of war, and "Died in
Castle Thunder" is the entry upon the tablets of
scores of anguished hearts in Southern homes
| to-day.
But there are, we suppose, thousands of men
throughout the South who, as Confederate sol
diers, were at one time or another, during the
four years Of its existence, inmates of Castle
Thunder. Not that they had committed grave
offences, for that was not necessary, for the
Slt1leSG tfdnSSgfeSSlOn OF Tc3tHle-Sucn
as neglect of duty, insubordination, transgres-
sons-condemned the unfortunate offender to
the Purgatory of Castle Thunder, for period of
time measured according to his offending. 1t
will interest, we know this large number to learn
something concerning the place where they first
experienced the hospitalities of a Confederate
prison. though the remembrance of it be painful;
and the great public in whose ear Castle Thunder
was dinged through the Press during the war
until it became familiar over the whole South
will listen willingly to the "reminiscences of an
institution that is numbered with those of the
past, its glory and its terror alike departed.
The first Confederate prison was located in
dingy alley back of Franklin street, between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets. Here John
Minor Bolts and other "Union" men were i'm
prsoned for short time in 1861.
Castle Goodwin for by such name it was known)
was abandoned in 1862, and the large tobacco
| factory of William Greanor & Sons on Cary
street, between Eighteenth and Nineteenth
streets, became the receptacle of the prisoners.
This factory soon after came to be known as Castle
Thunder-a term that had already entered into
history and became historical. It was never
known, and we believe never inquired into, as to
who suggested the name. But before it became
known as Castle Thunder, Captain George W.
Alexander had taken command of the post, and
we believe he applied or suggested it to members
of the Richmond press, who did the rest through
their respective journals, styling the post, in their
reports, "Castle Thunder"
Captain Alexander, the commandant, was of
unusually fine physique, IN height about five feet
six inches, shoulders broad, and chest deep, limbs
elegantly moulded and proportioned, and when
set off by his Zouave leggings and Confederate
uniform, his appearance one to attract notice.
III FIJI ol,1 bo,r
mustache and beard In his youth he was a
sailor, which fact gave to him natural, easy
gait and swagger of carriage, which better be-
came the deck of ship than the wards of
prison. His voice was of the loud, rattling kind,
and he loved to shout his commands as though
delivering them through speaking trumpet.
He loved to command and threaten, and there
were qualities in him that greatly assisted him.
In his moods he was capable of inspiring either
hatred, love or fear Whether sitting in his
office or moving about through the Castle he
always wore his sword and pistol-sometimes two
of them. His black felt hat was adorned with
feather of the same hue, and altogether he was
striking and antique figure.
The constant attendant upon the commandant,
lying at his feet walking at his side or ranging
through the Castle, with the entree of every quar-
ter was s'Hero,' the Russian bloodhound of
disposition. He acted only upon orders from his
master, but then that action was quick as thun-
derbolt. The person of the commandant was
perfectly secure in his company though he were
unarmed.
The sagacity of Hero seemed to partake of the
military character, and he fell readily into the
routine of the Post. At the drum beat for
parade, in the guard room for mastering relief
Hero would walk through the gang-way, pausng
for the sentinel to remove his musket, and
leisurely ascend the stair way to the guard room
There he would seat himself on his launches,
and calmly observe the evolutions of the guard
Some of the guard on coming to 1present arms"
| would pretend to salute Hero; whereat the dog
would express delight nod and yawn, as though
| less he did, after dogs fashion. The parade
| over, Hero would descend to the great prison
room, and attend the roll call of the prisoners,
manifesting the same degree of interest.
In this way Hero inspected all the operations
Of the Castle, penetrating to the cook room and
mess room, but never touching anything unless
| given him from the hand of the Commandant.
He was afraid of being poisoned by some of the
prisoners who were enemies to his master, and
therefore kept upon his guard, eating his daily
rations of raw beef and bread, prepared by his
master.
The next figure that we shall introduce, is that
of Miss Doctor Mary Walker. She was appre-
hended in General Johnson's lines in Georgia, in
1863 we think, and sent to the Castle upon sus-
| picion that she might be spy in disguise. Her
| arrival i'm Richmond created sensation, as well
it might, as she was the most onre looking crea-
ture that could be we'll conceived. Her costume
4 M