Sacramento daily record-union., 1880-12-07
A STORY OF THE WAR.

OOStpI W tnSIltld, dill vi
Libby Prison, tells the following story OF
his experience while standing guard over
the prisoners one night in Libby Prison in
1868: "The building was so crowded with
prisoners that large number of them were
quartered in the second story of building
across the street. In the first story of this
building the prison officers had slowed
a large quantity of splendid, large,
North Carolina sweet potatoes. About
the third day after the prisoners had
been placed in the building it was
noticed that the potatoes were disap-
pearing at the rate of about bushel q
day. At first it was thought that the rats
had taken them, but second thought
showed that the idea was absurd. Senti-
nels were posted around the building, with
orders to shoot any man caught stealing
those potatoes; but they didn't see any
body to shoot, and, although they were
posted there day and night, and no one
was allowed to enter the room in which the
potatoes were kept, they still continued to
disappear. These potatoes at that time
were considered Injuries, and the Con-
federate officers were nearly wild with
rage at their repeated losses. The doors
and windows of the room were sealed,
and private marks were put on the wax.
The next morning the officers went into the
room. The wax was all right, but another
bushel of potatoes had vanished. 1t was
the maddest crowd you ever saw. They
locked me in, and lighted candle was put
at each end of the room SO that could
see. | was ordered to shoot on sight any
body that saw stealing those yams. L
was terribly lonesome in that room. Just
as fast as I would light one candle and go
to the other end of the room to light the
other, the rats would cut the first one
down. They were regular Confederate
rats, and a candle was a godsend to them.
About midnight l heard a creaking, graf
ing noise. l cooked my gun and listened.
The noise ceased, I could see nothing
but the rats, and / began TO think that
the place was haunted. Presently the
noise occurred again. looked at the pile
of potatoes, and presently saw something
shoot from the ceiling and fall on them. L
saw it was brick, and could distinguish q
rope tied to it. / crept little nearer
to get good look at the thing, but
before l could examine it, it was drawn
slowly up, and there was about a
peck of potatoes sticking to it. IL
went up through hole which had been
cut in the floor above, and presently came
down again with a thump right among the
potatoes. 1t was the most artful arrange
ment you ever saw. The brick had about
fifty holes drilled in it, and through each
hole sharpened tenpenny nail had been
run, so that when the brick fell among
the potatoes these nails stuck into every
one they tell on. | couldn't help laughing
at the smart dodge those Yankees had
taken. / gently put my hand forward aid
caught hold of the rope. Pretty soon they
begun 20 draw on it, and when it did not
move l heard one fellow say: Steady,
boys the bricks hung in something. Pull
her steadily without jerking They did
pull steadily, and fairly lifted me from
the floor No jerk !; easy, boys, easy,
the director said, and they tugged away.
L got pretty red in the face holding to
the rope. l was afraid to let go. be-
cause / thought some of those spiked nails
might strike me in passing. | thought of
my pocket-knife, and hauled it out just as
they were putting all their weight on the
other end of the rope. | cut it In two, and
the end shot back through the hole in
the ceiling, and I could hear a rolling
and tumbling ON the floor above, show
ing that the sudden giving way Of
the rope had had disastrous effect. |
heard another voice say: There, now,
told you so. You've broken the rope.
We've lost our brick, and tomorrow we'll
be found out Then another voice called
out: Can't you see it? We might hook
it up. Next saw long neck protrud-
ing through the hole, and fellow
peering down. Then l called out :
If you trouble any more of those
potatoes I'll shoot That fellows head
shot back through that hole just like a
terrapin, and it was as still as death up
there. hated to tell on them, because 1t
was such sharp scheme of foraging on
the enemy, but had to. When the
officers went up the next morning to ex-
anime the room it took long time to find
the hole. Those Yankees had cut hole
about a foot square through the floor, and
it was done SO neatly that it took good
eyes to discover it.