The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-21
JOHHS0H's ISLAND.
Daring Attempts Of Lieutenant
Charlie Pierce to Escape.

Prison Life in the North--The At
tempt of the Prisoners to Tunnel
Their Way Out-Pierce's
Btratagem.
tBy Lieut.. Michael McNsmara In Southern His.
torical Papers for February. 1880
Early In November 1853. after Gen. Lee
had successfully driven Meade ACROSS the
Rapidan back to Centreville. and the entire
force south OF the RappahannOck, for the
purpose Of going into winter quarters,
Hays's brigade was sent to picket the north
bank at Rappahannock station. Here they
were reinforced by the Louisiana Guard bat
terry aud portion Of Gen. Hoke's North
Carolina brigade.
After being on duty day. a forward move
ment was made by the enemy In that direc-
~ " Sre do~n eon eoas ts rhs sss
| WAS tarrliG--ths enemy being ten to one
but the gallant brigade held them In check
until night, when their lines were broken and
they were cut off from their own pOntDOn
bridge. The RappahaDnock Was at that
point not fordable, and the night was In
tenaely cold. 80 that their capture WIS lnev-
liable. Nevertheless. they resisted to the
last.
their pieces when the enemy we're upon them,
| and two of their men were bayonetad ut the
guns. Many Of the officers threw away their
swords to avoid surrendering them, and
Lieut. Charlie Pierce, of the seventh Louisi-
ana, broke bis sword on bis knee and handed
| the bilt to the Ofilcer-the effect OF which can
easily be imagined. The weapon was high
| " priced one. being trophy 0f the battle OF
Gen. ms1py yhrdga II aays yer ran e
filadi6g fire Of the enemy. Col. Monaghan
SWAN bis horse across the river. Dol Terry
and q few others successfully swan across.
but many lost their lives In the attempt.
Louisiana. tore the flag from the staff aud
concealed II In his bosom. In fact, every
thing possible was done by the gallant fol.
| lows TO render their capture as barren Of
trophies az possible, while In point Of casual
ties It was q dearly bought victory for the
enemy.
The entire force captured numbered about
140O men, consisting OF the Fifth. Sixth,
Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Louisiana Guard
Battery. and about 100 OF Hoke's North Caro-
lina brigade.
The capture was witnessed from the south
bank by Gems. Lee and Early, who accepted
It IN q sacrifice that had to be made, and un-
% the Geysr Se sne
1 But the writer's mission ID to record the
daring and chivalric deeds 0l member Of the
command that surrendered. The captured
prisoners were marched to Gen Sedgwick's q
headquarters, and when assembled around
the camp fire at night, surrounded by Federal
pickets, Leon Bertin, by the advice Of Col. d.
b. Penn, the only field officer captured, threw
the flag into the flames, 40 the effectusl means
hands.
The following morning the prisoners were
taken to the Old Capitol prison. where they
were confined three days when M tae q officers a,
| Yates to Point Lookout
/ Az soon as the captured officers reached
their future prisons, the buOyancy OF their
natures asserted itself, and during the winter
was indaleed In TO drive away the ennui and
render prison life bearable.
/ minstrel company was formed, Of which
Charlie II. Fierce was among the leading per
formers. and their entertainments were wit
messed and appreciated by many outside as
well as inside the prison, and by none more
eagerly than the officers Of the garrison, who
invariably assembled to witness them:
They also organized base ball clubs, the
rank Of captain, Of which Charlie Pierce was
captain and catcher. and the Confederate
nine, composed Of the higher officers. Their
championship game was considered one OF
bet ever played and was py
prisoners. officers and eitizens OF Sandusky,
Ohio, who eagerly embraced the opportunity
to be present. So apprehenHive were the
prison officials that the game was gotten up
break out, that they had the slides Of the
portfolios drawn back and the guns prepared
Tor action. The Sandusky Register published
q long and eulOgistic account Of the game,
which was won by the Southerns, and 1t was
made the subject Of severe comment BY the
bitter Radical press Of the North, who Inn
mediately demanded the removal OF the COM
manding officer for allowing the rebels 80
much liberty. Their malicious Efforts were
successful; the commander WAS removed.
and the amusement Of the unhappy prison.
ers, for the time being, cut of.
In all the prison eports, Lieut. Charlie
Pierce was regarded R5 the leader. His versa
tile talent, genial humor. sterling manhood
and undoubted bravery, together with his
kindness Of heart, endeared him to all. and
even commanded the respect Of his captors.
Hut his notoriety and popularity proved dis
astrous to hiS future operations, aS he was
spies.
three miles from Sandueky, Ohio, and about
thirty miles from the Canada shore. There
the prison, leading to swamp or woods on
/ the Canada side.
The severity OF the winter season being
past, the minds OF many OF the prisoners
no one was more bent on It than the heroic
and daring Charlie Pierce. A tunnel had been
commenced from block 8, but the project was
from the dead d-line and abandoned. Charlie
then transferred his operations to block l,
where he soon organized working party,
who succeeded, by incessant labor. In COM
pleting tunnel to the extreme end OF the
i works. But, alas for human expectations,
when the attempt was made to pass out they
were pounced upon by guard and their
hopes blasted. Thus ended the first attempt
On q less active and vigorous mind, such q
effect But 1t only aroused the ambition Of
our hero to succeed at all hazards, and bis
thoughts were instantly turned to some plan
for the future.
An opportunity soon presented itself. which
; he eagerly seized. One morning the offal
cart was driven in by soldier under the In
fiuence Of liquor, who lay down In Charles
block while the cart was being filled. Charlie