Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-11-14
Communication.
By THEIR BROTHER. o. SIDNEY STEWART.
Garlic! E ID

ISioWuSN oHus pOitutSu piiSOiI, Gu
abled them to fully realize their
condition, The scarcity Of food,
the want Of clothing, together with
the severity OF the weather, effect.
led a release for many of their
number: by being sent to their long
homes. These wants of the com
moncomforts OF lif-, rendered prison
lifevery disagreeab!e, which caused
a growing hatred OF the place that
resulted in many attempts to es-
clpe. The first plot was an agree.
ment between the inmates of bar,
rack no ten, to cut a tunnel from
the barrack beyon the prison wall.
Accordingly a cellar was dug un
der the barrack floor from which
to start the tunnel and Ia which
to conceal the dirt. The eager
ness With which they locked for
ward TO an escape rendered the
labor pleasure; Sc the tunnel.
was extended rapidly. Only two
could work at once. a box was
made in the shape of a shuttle
with a cord attached at each end,
with which one at the entrance
would draw out and empty the
dirt while the other would dig and
| fill it. When one became tired
another would be eager to take his
place.
do you think we will be sue
cessful in our attempt to escape
from this awful placer asked Jim
Of his brother Jesse, as they sat
down to rest after working an
hour in the tunnel. at is our on
iy source of hope at present, but
| am afraid we will be betrayed,
for the secret is too widely
known replied Jesse. The
brothers had no time to extend
their conversation further, for at
that instant the bugle sounded the
niue o'clock signal, which hushed
the din of that great army into
perfect silence. IL any lights
CHANGED to be burning at that
hour the guards would exclaim
"ligh.s out!' three times in quick |
succession, and if they were not
extiDguished in the mean time,
they would shoot into the bar
racks. The tunnel was thought |
to be extended far enough, but
the distance between the barrack |
and the outside wall was not
known nor could it be ascertained,
on account of the guard-line be-
tween the two points. 81 believe
| can get the distance" said Jesse
as they were trying TO develop q
plan to that effect. He did OBJ
tain the distance, and this is how
he did il; be took the leg of an
old sock, whose foot had become
useless by the wear and tear OF
time, and raveled it into a long
string, then attached large nail
to the end Of it; he went out and
and began to throw the nail in
this direction aud that, then to
draw it TO him by the string, as if
for sport. He finally threw ii
With such force that it clicked
against the wall beyond the guard
line. Then walking hack to the
barrack be Strengthened the stri6gs
and made it the exact length
without exciting the least suspi
cion. When the distance was
compared with the length of the
tunnel, it was found to lack only
a few feet. A scene OF great
preparation followed. The fol-
lowing night was appointed for
the escape. Every heart beat fast,
and every countenance beamed
with joy at the thoughts OF being
free once more. When anticipa
tions are permitted to make an
undue ascension, sad disappuint
nent is almost sure to follow; and
this instance was not an excep
ton. One Of the prisoners know
ing he could not escape with the
rest, on account Of being sick, and
expecting some personal aggran-
dizement, reported The whole af
fair to the guards, who were very
much enraged. Some shot into
the entrance Of the tunnel, while
others dug down into it from a
bove and jobbed long poles into
it that they might kill the Did
Johnny Rebs, ,1as they expressed it. |
But when the tunnel was found |