Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-04-12
An Incident in Libby Prison.

and in this faith will briefly set forth
two incidents of army life, which are
none the less entertaining from the fact
they are beyond the common experiences
of the military career The first is leaf
out of the record of Capt. B. +. Porter, OF
the New Jersey cavalry, descriptive of
one incident alone Of his confinement in
Libby Prison, in 1863. He was taken
prisoner, with his company, outside Port
Richmond, in June, and from that mo-
ment until his escape from the Libby
Prison, months after-and his was the
very first escape from that prison-his adj
ventures were many and full of interest.
had the whole story from his own lips
in 1864, and my notebook Is full OF it;
but one incident only will suffice for the
present purpose. 1t is one which he de-
scribcd rs something that "produced
more emotion than ! have ever seen,
aside from II, among crowd OF men"
1t must be promised that he was one OF
almost 200 Union officers at this time
within the walls, who were confined in
rooms upstairs. Among his companions
were Gen Neal Dow, Col Streight, after
ward known to fame by the exploit of
himself and others in escaping by "tun-
neling out and Lieut.. Col. Irvine, after
ward Adjutant General of New York
All the Captains among the prisoners
were one day ordered below into the Com
mandant's room More than fifty Of us
were thus assembled and counted. Maj.
Turner, the Commandant, was sitting by
the table with an open cigar box before
him half filled with paper slips. A muir
muir of delighted discovery ran from lip
20 lip. We were certain OF being ex.
changed but never were men more de-
ceivcd. Ranging US around the room, the
Commandment said:
We have received news OF the execu
ton of two of our Captains in Ohio rs
spies, by Gen Burnside, and our Govern
ment proposes to retaliate. | am ordered
to select by lot two OF the Yankee Cap.
tains confined here for immediate execu-
ton. In this box Is the name of each of
you; the drawing can be done in such
manner rs you prefer. You can talk to-
gcthcr about ii, and arrange the details to
suit yourselves, SO that il proceeds ut once.
The men selected will be led from here to
execution, Confer together, and say how
you will have it,"
/ think five minutes passed before a
word was spoken. The revolution was
30 painful from the hopeful expectation
of n moment before, that we could only
look blankly into each others faces, and
keep silent
well, make HASTE said Turner
A few Of us exchanged n few words,
then some spokesman declared that we
should have nothing to do with what we
regarded as fragrant outrage upon the
rights OF prisoners and the rules OF civil.
lied war
VERY we'll" said Turner, harshly,
"l'll arrange il for you We are bound
to make Burnside and all of your Gener-
ais sick of this sort OF thing and we will
begin with you You, SIR, may draw
two slips out of that box, one after an
other. Mix them up together first
lie spoke To gray haired chaplain OF
one OF our regiments, who, strangely
enough; had been for some time detained
in the Libby. The old man was general
favorite, and at the command he clasped
his thin hands and looked around on the
-somler faces, in pitful distress.
My God, can'tr' he sobbed, and the
tears rolled down his cheeks. We partial.
ly forgot our own fears in witnessing his
trouble. There were many more white
faces and loud beating hearts among us;
hut we assured the chaplain that IL one of
our number must make u fatal allotment,
we would prefer that he should do it, He
hesilatcd a moment, stepped up 10 the
box with avcried face, and after mingling
the ballots together, drew one out In
the midst of the most painful hush that |
ever head he handed il to Major Turner,
who uniolded II and read The name
Capt. John w Sawyer"
Ii was the name of rs brave a fellow as
L.. L.
in that trying moment. Folding his arms,
he stepped 10 the side OF the table with II
defiant smile, and in another minute of
horrible suspense, another slip was
drawn, handed to the Commandant, and
read For an instant Maj Turner hest
lated
Blind writing" he muttered, loud
enough 10 be heard across The room
What is ii anyway Capt b; yes,
chats Il: F., think-yes, BIZ, and
then r."
lie was reading my doom from that lit.
tie slip ct paper! Thus far he had read
my exact initials. knew there WAS none
other in my room, and could not hope
there was in the prison, with the same
name, | grew faint and leaned on the
shoulder OF my ncighbor. With dead
weight OF despair al my heart | fastened
my eyes ON the face OF the Commandant
ana awaited the sound of my name,
Il. F that's sure" he went on. is
the mex, u Il, | wondcri-~No. it's another
F--and the name is Flynn Capt Il, +.
Flynn
Well-that was such u revulsion rs very
few men can experience in this lite. The
throbhing of my heart, rs the blood went
back to II, sounded in my ears like the
strokes OF The hammer on the anvil.
felt something as the catsleptic must feel
when his coffin lid rs torn OF at the grave,
10y some one who has detected natures
awful secret The tive doomed Captains
babe Us farewell mantully Il believe they
MI !.