St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1879-03-15

stable, it was carefully covered with a
broad board until such time as was
thought proper fer number of the pris-
oners to make their egress. The night
Of the 9th of February had been fxed
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 confederates. 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 COM
mence their egress-the entrance to the
tunnel was crowded. It was designated
for fifty to leave that night, and fly
Others were selected to mislead the cen.
tederate clerk, who called the roll each
morning. This wonld have been easily
done if the exact number who left had
been known, for the manner of calling
the roll was to crowd all the prisoners
into the east room and pass them through
a 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 officer who was to count off
the fifty who were to 60 on the first night
and conduct the reception at roll>call
the next morning, finding he could not
stop the officers when the fifty had gone
out, and that so many would leave that
it would be impossible to conceal their
Sight 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 whict
the prisoners could have escaped but By
bribing the guards, and consequently b
!, put them all under arrest and procured
, new detail for guard duty.
A lank, lean Georgia sergeant VIII
attended about the prison, said Thes
Yankees are all witches and can fly, ant
r will all fly out of the windows SOM
night. JEFF Davis ought to have then
a handcuHed 80 that they couldn't sprea
their wings, or else have all the window
barred" The disappearance OF thes
q federal officers was so mysterious tina
the confedsrates were dumb-toundeo
AS coon as their astonishment subside
+ scouts were sent in every direction l
q search of the tugitives. In the mea
: while large number of the citizens {
Richmond reconneitered the prison th
y greater portion of the day; but SOM
o time In the afternoon somebod y happene
!, to enter the old stable and discovere
=, the tunnel. This was great relief
@ them. It relieved the guards from II
charge OF treason, ind relieved th
- minds of the superstitious, who coul
not shake the belief from their mine
- that some supernatural agency had bee
employed in the escape of the Yankt
=. prisoners. The confederate scouts SOC
began to return with some of the escape
: federal officers, and in the course OF
few days they succeeded in recapturir
, fttv-two of the one hundred and mir
:. who escaped, ftty-seven having mad
, their way into the federal lines. Colon
; RISE, the protector and engineer of Il
tunnel, was recaptured. and punishe
- for his ingenuity by solitary confneme1
in cell for several weeks. Colonel
- D. Strejght, of the fiity-tirst Indian
made his way into the federal line
-. All those who finally succeeded in ma
ing good their escape suffered great
~ from hunger and cold before they cou
AZ get relief Colonel W. P. Kendrick,
$; the first West Tennessee (union) cavalr
suffered 80 much that he died in Cinci
~. natl on his way home.
- The excavation of this tunnel, wi
- the appliances at hand, was truly
s herculean task. The earth taken ire
it had to be taken in very small vess'
to a considerable distance and empti
- into q sewer, in order that discove
. might be prevented. Soma of the
brave men have left the scenes OF cart
-, these who survive are engaged in pu
~ suits of peace, and the exciting seer
40 through which they passed dwell only
=. memory.
II. The Next Census.
. The census of 1880 is not attracti