The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-02-13
earth found they were correct in their
estimate OF distances.

earth 1Ouna thSy were CORRECT In their
estimate OF distances.
After the opening was effected in the
stable, it was carefully covered with a
broad board until such q time as was
thought proper fer a number of the pris-
Oners to make their egress. The night
of the 9th of February had been fixed
upon for fifty of the officers to make
their escape through the tunnel. The
design was for fifty to go out on that
night and fifty each succeeding night
until the means Of egress was discovered
by the coniederates. 1t was thought
by those who projected and completed
the tunnel that the matter was not
known to above a hundred officers, to
whom they had Communicated it; but
by some means the thing leaked out and
was generally known to the officers in
prison, and when nine o'clock had ar
rived-the hour the officers should eom-
mence their egress-the entrance to the
tunnel was crowded. 1t was designated
for fifty to leave that night, aud fly
others were selected to mislead the con-
federate clerk, who called the roll each
morning. This wonld have been easily
done if the exact number who left had
the roll was to crowd all the prisoners
into the east room and pass them through
doOr, count them; and, as there was
another door in the same room it was
very easy for an officer to pass back
through it and fall in and be counted
again. The offcer who was to count of
the fifty who were to go on the first Pight
and conduct the reception at Toll~call
the next morning, finding he could not
stop the officers when the htty had gone
out, and that SO many would leave that
it would be impossible to conceal their
| fight at roll.call, made his own escape.
The next morning when the roll was
called by the usual method of counting,
one hundred aUd nine officers were
! found missing. This created intense ex-
| element among the officers in charge OF
The prison. All the officers were then
called by name with the same result.
The prison was carefully examined, and
the point of egress was not found. Cap.
| Turner, the commandant of the prison,
could think of no other means by which
the prisoners could have escaped but by
bribing the guards, and consequently be
put them all under arrest and procured
a new detail for guard duty.
A lank, lean Georgia sergeant who
attended about the prison, said These
Yankees are all witches and can fly, and
will all fly out of the windows some
night. JEFF Davis ought to have them
handcufed so that they couldn't spread
their wings, or else have all the window.
barred" The disappearance of these
f deral officers was 50 mysterious thai
the confederates were dumbfounded
As soon as their astonishment subsidized
scouts were Esnt in every direction il
search OF the fugitives. In the NEAR
while large number OF the cltizsHs o
Richmond recOnnoitered the prison the
greater portion of the day but some
time in the afternoon somebody happened
to enter the old stable and discovered
the tunnel. This was great relief tc
them. 1t relieved the guards from the
charge of treason, md relieved the
minds of the superstitious, who could
not shake the belief from their mind:
that some supernatural agency had beer
employed in the escape of the Yankee
prisoners. The confederate scouts soou
began to return with some of the escap pee
federal officers, and in the course of &
few days they succeeded ia recapturine
ffty-two of the one hundred and Bint
who escaped, 6fty-ssveR having made
their way into the federal lines. Colone
Rose, the protector and engineer OF the
tunnel, was recaptured. and punished
for his ingenuity by solitary confinement
in a cell for several weeks. Colonel A
D. Streight, of the fity-frSt Indiana
made his way into the federal lines
All those who finally succeeded in max
ing good their esespe suffered greatly
from hunger and cold before .ney coulC
get relief Colonel ". P. Kendrick, o
the first West Tennessee (uniOA) cavalry
suffered SO much that he died in Cincin
natl on his way home. z---. :.
The excavation of this tunnel, will
the appliances at hand, was truly al
, hereulean task. The earth taken tren
} it had to be taken in very small vessel
to considerable distance and emptieo
into a sewer, in order that discover.
} might be prevented. Some Of thes'
brave men have left the scenes OF earth
these who survive are engaged in Pur
suits of peace, and the exciting scene
through which they passed dwell only i
memory.
The Next Census.