Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1880-11-25

building. When the war began the
sign, ssLibby s. Sons, Ship Chand-
Hers and Grocers,n was over the enr
trance, and remained there up to
the year 1868. Many a federal
prisoner will remember seeing it.
Old Mr.. Libby lived on Church Hill,
in the lower portion of the city, near
the historic st. Johns Church, in
1 which Patrick Henry delivered his
immortal Grafton, concluding "but
as for me, give me liberty or give
me death.'' This hill, overlooking
the river. since the war has been
turned into park, and is known as
Libby Hill Park. In his warehouse
Mr.. Libby amassed large fortune.
Libby Prison was not the first
choice of the Confederate govern
meht as a military prison. Soon
after the commencement of the hos
tilities the authorities began to look
around for suitable building as a
prison for Union soldiers. They
fixed upon a large frame building
in what is known as Lumpkin's al
ley. This was the first military
prison in Richmond, and perhaps,
i the South, and was ,lled s'Castle
Goodwin"
1t had been built and used as a
"jail" for the housing of slaves be-
fore they were sold. Lumpkin's
alley was filled with these large
houses called 'jalls," and here the
slave sales took place. Castle God
win ha mot been in use year be-
fore it was found to be too small
for the accommodation of the pris-
oners, and the Confederate author
tiles fixed upon the large warehouse
of Libby & Sons, con dock"
Castle Goodwin was nearly Il mile
from the river and in low and
swampy potion of the city. It is a
singular fact that none Of the LiEAt
Prison officials are now IN RichmhRd
There are quite number ofex Com
fedetates who acted as guards at the
prison still living here. Mai. Tur-
'ner, the Czmmandant of the Libby,
was one of the youngest officers in
the Confederate service, and his
rank was owing to the fact that he
49, sSrs..x 4 ty.-x i0s:x WI : :. Al =
States seeded he was cadet there,
and at once resigned and came
South. He held the position of Com
mandant of the Libby until the
close of the war, when he went to
Mexico and experienced an adven-
turOus life with Macmillan. After
wards he returned to Mississippi
studied dentistry: and one of his
guards says that he is now a sue
cessful dentist in Memphis. To-day,
in speaking of the sale of the Libby,
Mr.. Joseph Wingfeld, an ex-guard,
told his experience ON memorable
night while standing sentinel over
the prisoners there
50 the old prison is sold, is its'
he sid. "Well, gentlemen, never
go by that place without laughing
now. Ican't-help thinking of the
cute trick played by lot of Yam
KEGS there The fact is twas so good
! that, although 1 had been ordered to
shoot among them, disobeyed or
ders. It was about '63, and the LIB
by building was SO crowded that it
wouldn't hold any more prisoners, so
they put a large lot of them in the
second story of the building across
the street. Soon after these prison
ers came the prison officials got a
large supply of sweet potatoes (reg-
nlar yams) from North Carolina,
and stored them on the first hoOf of
the building in which those prison
ers were confined. Big sweet pota-
toes were luxuries in those days,
end Turner and those fellows kept a
strict watch over. the building, 1 can
tell you. The third day after they
had been slowed away it was notIc
ed that they were disappearing at
the rate Of about bushel a day.
At first it was thought the rats took
them, but a second thought showed
that the idea was absurd. SentinelS
were posted all around the building
with orders to shoot any man they
caught stealing those yams, but
they didn't see anybody to shoot,
and although they we're posted there
day and night, and no one way al
lowed to enter. the room in which
the potatoes Were kept, they contin-
ned to disappear at the rate of a
bushela day. The Confederates
saw their yams disappearing in this
way, and were furious The thing
was an unaccountable mystery.
The doors and windows Of the room
were sealed. and private marks were
put.on the wax, SO that if any one OF
them was opened it would be, known.
The next morning the officers wont
into the room. The wax was all
right, but another btshel ofpota-
toes. had vanished. Well, sir, it
was the maddest crowd you ever
saw. They came after me, and or
|:dered me to take my stand in the
room. They locked me In and q
lighted candle, was put at each end
of the room SO that / could see. I
was ordered to shoot on sight any