The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-08
ACYCLONE In A PRISON CAMP
TIE NdRROW ESCAPE SIX PRISON
HOSPITALS MAD IN 1904
A waterspout TINT WINS Shattered by n Cam
non shot-Two Terrible Arcs Described by
the Hurricane before the Soldiers Eyes.

WATERFRONT n
non shot-Two Terrible Arcs Described by
the Hurricane before the Soldiers Eyes.
A sufrocatng feeling, as II some great
weight was pressing upon my lungs. and an
understandable sense OF impending danger akin
to nightmare awoke me from n sound sleep. 1t
was n little after daybreak at Point Lookout.
Md. in tho summer Of 1864 whore the regi-
mont OF which was Adjutant was doing guard
duty over tho Confederate prison camp, moro
commonly known among prisoners and guards
alike as the "Bull ipen." This camp was 50
ovcrcrowded. and tho force for guard duty so
Inadequate, that every ono from the command
ing officer down to the drummcrs lived. "a II
we're constantly on tho "tentcr-hooks." with
caution and every other sense pertaining to tho
duty as keen as the point Of n bricr. stray
shot within the radius OF half mile was suffl-
Client warning for forming the line OF battle at
any hour Of the day or night, to which the mon
Of the command would rush up. in whatever
condition OF dress they might DO in at the time,
az long "a they had their muskets with them.
Such was the discipline that ench man went
Immediately to the position his company would
occupy without the usual preliminary forma-
tion In the company streets.
On the morning to which refer tho scnse
that something unusual was transporting
was such that sprnging from my bunk
without outer clothing. l hurried from the
log hut which served rs both office and quar-
,crs. and which. for want Of camping room. had
been located at tho edge Of the bay on tho left
flank OF the regiment. The spectacle that met
my eye as | glanced hu-ricdly down the parade
ground was novel ono for even that place OF
emergencies. The line was almost completely
formed. tho men being in their Undertaking
and hugRing the ground like adders. With tho
exception about to be noted. the stars shone
dimly in a perfectly clear sky. meowed by the
gray tints OF the breaking day A strange. in
describabo noise. n kind OF .seething. rumbling
whirr. filed tho air, which in other respects
Looking across tho Potomac river 20 the
Northumberland county. Va side about eight
miles distant; n wondr9us phenomenon mot my
sight in the shape Of n huge tornado and water
spout combined. This was approaching dr.,
nally across the river directly toward ""fY \ visit
ff rom su sh'aGS .as WEIGHED in hs
minds 81 al a""iNtniary with the men was the
SSnt,.l sssult Of the forcbodings of the havoc
sweep into the prison camp. wherc. huddled TO-
gethcr, were more than l1,OOO Confederate prls-
oners.
elevated platforms around the nigh board fence
which enclosed the prisoners, and rivetod their
attention on tho approaching danger. Ihoy
could not leave their posts under pain Of death,
and IL WIS almost certain destruction " the saw
age elements now ia full view should strike the
frail structure upon which thoy wero perched
at short intervals for moro than mile and
half around three sides Of the camp. the fourth
hcing formed 10y the waters Of Chesapeake hay.
The horses neighed and paved restlcSsly. and
the scores OF soldiers dogs, which. in some
way beyond ordinary calculation always attach
themselves 10 a camp OF long duration ran from
place To place rs u TO seek Protection from I'M
pending humiliation.
The tornado and waterspout was in form Ike
two tunnels joined. the lower one inverted. The
cloud was OF inky bla'kness along the upper
rim. the funnel or lower norton being almost a
silvery gray color, and when hrst sighted ap-
peared in size and shape much like balloon.
Joining the funnel portion 81 the balloon was
the upyer part Of the waterspout. the shading
from tho mas above being graduated from
light to a deeper color rs IT passed down tho
widening mass OF water to tne surface oi the
struction as II moved slowly onward. with a
gyraiing movement OF fearful velocity.
This dreadful combination OF clements was
travelling in straight line and from where l
was standing appeared 70 be destined 10 str be
ne prison camp near me cent? IKE vas
ity. Tho prisoners quietly sleeping. or hud-
died In tho streets in front OF their marrow fonts
| had no other choice than 10 whit and brunt the
| danger or 70 seek refuge in the moats where
| the Tide ebbsd and flowed with never-ceasing
| regularity on either side the narrow s!reeis
would be below the surface Of tho ground. and
many 81 them sought refuge there.
The danger added new horror when II was
observed TINT directly in the line Of the cyclone
| lay M anchor ono Of the largest OF the | nitcd
] states EuniONfS. tho EoNnoke. n SisteT snip 81
/ tho Minnesota, which had been raced and
/ changed to a throe.iurreted monitor carrying
| two eleven -inch and one fifteen inch guns. The
| mon watched with the eagerness OF dies peratt
| hope FOR somo sign n tho last resort for pro-
| tecting ship from water-spouts. The decks
! were clear, and not an object stirred unon lhcm
! 20 bronx the suspense. My God why don
she fir" 90 said a chorus " voices rs the seeth'
ing mass NJ cloud and water almost u ked tht
| side ~ the gunhoat. BEFORE the words hai died
| away on the mir a curling volume Of hluish
| smoke rolled out from N" cenlr" turtyl 'nt
| water portion ot the whiFlwind tei, " shape.
| los mass almost upon the rescued shp and Q
! few seconds later the hQom ~ the nlteen-in 'l
| gun md the BURSTING; s;l..' revcrheratcd across
/ tho marrow pe"insuia and died away over the
| 49,; nov W. were to witness tho grandcsi
IL; - all, for although the Roanoke had cs-
cNIed being swallowed up. greater dangers &C
companied with sad loss of life. were soon 70
follow. Gut loose from the water spout which
had held It i wn. The 'y'ono shot upward many
hundred ioe wiz lightning. rapidly. That ;
the end Of IT, wa the Involuntary e1rfession
Of So S9s PoTeySr wa mot to 6", me s
So 'onds away. The whirling mas acted almost
like a thing Of life. Describing segment OF q
circle Of less than IA quarter oi mile the cloud
struck with all it, fury and gathered strength.
the large cOmWissary buildings n"ar the land
ing utterly demoh-hins them in less time dian
IL takes - writ these lines. although they were
strengthened by being piled high with barrels
Of hour ant meal within. Ih. house was liter
II supplies which N turn were broken and
driven in every direction. The two sentries
'hflhE lnly on inc WHIT wore hlfkfil MP anu
carried distance ~ Two hundred Yards, whore
they were subs t,lucnily found. still casuing
their mu-kots. hut lifric~s-dHsh"d against the
lumber pile and probably instantly killed
Another .was found with spike. still attached
t. board driven into his back 10 y depth of
three inches, aud still another had "a lex broken
while being whirol through the air within u
sentry box. where b. had sought shelter.
On II sped towards the prison "amu. scarce a
hundred rods distant. Filled with barrels
boards AMI other d1hris whirliug in every i'm
a%inable direction. the sight was one never 20
be ioIEottcn is those who witnessed H. Ii told
too plainly what might hc the consequences IL n
visited the camp. II was destined n do So and
officer, aud men alike with batcd breath await
cd the CATASTROPHE
Within tho prison camp wcrn seven hospitals
long wooden buildings standing M from the
ground on scanty brick piers three fent in
height. six Of thc - buildings Were filled with
conyqlsrent Conlodrratcs. and the seventh
which stood nearly In the centre ot them. was
uscl only for stQrehOuso for blankets and
other clothing.
Aftor The work Of DESTRUCTION at the wharf and
comnissaliat, tn" tornado, while midway hc-
tween that point and the canp. made another
leap into the qir. describing an arr ~ q circle
shorter than tn" Vrccding one, and. loaded
with It's fre lght oi .br9k ptlmhGrs, whlrlnv bar
rels and other debris. descended again Ike a
huge Nulturr into the midst of the hospitals. 4