Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-22
NO. 276.
miscellaneous.
LIBBY PRISON MEMORIES.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE OI.p CoNrEpER-
ATE STRONGHOLD AT RICHMOND.

Libby Prison, sold at auction on Thurs
day, was the most famous ofthe Confeder-
ate military prisons, and by the Confcder-
ate governmet it was ranked rs the most
secure. although the success of the tun-
nelling enterprise of Streight, Rose. and
others, rather deprecated tie idea OF its
safety. and caused Major Tuner to double
his guards. The Libby in outward APP
pearances has changed little. says the
New York Sun, since the war. Even the
sign, although now much weather-stained
and rather iadistinct, is shere still--"lio-
by Prison" The iron bars have been tax
en- away from the windows and sold As
old iron. Soon after th:, war the prison
was without tenants. bus finally North
ern gentleman rented it and fitted it up as
a sumac warehouse. Subsequently il was
used as tobacco steamery, and then as
tobacco factory, The building has front
of l40 feet and depth of l05 feet.
When it was used rs n prison it was divi-
ded into nine rooms, each l02 feet long
and A. ieet wide. The partitions have
been Knocked down. In many places on
the walls there can still be seen letters
and dates carved in the bricks by Federal
captives. Scattered about there are de-
cally inclined, and had a turn for the
sculptor's art. Skulls, crossbones, cot
fins, chains, are mixed up with more am
bilious attempts in the shape of thin-legged
animals, which the beholdcr's fancy can
take for horses, cows, or dragons.
Men who were confined in the Libby
are scattered all over the Union, and yet
il may be doubted whether there is one In
hundred who knows the history Of Lib
by Prison. Ii was buiit as n warehouse
by an old citizen of Richmond, Mr.. Libby,
and up to ten years before the war he oc-
cupied the building. When the war be-
gan the sign, ''Libby& Sons. Ship Chand
lers and Grocers," was over the entrance,
and remained there up TO the year 1868.
Many 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
which Patrick Henry dcrivered his mmor-
tai oration. concluding ''but 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 net the first choice of
the Confederate government as military
prison. Soon after the commencement of
hostilities. the authorities began TO look
around for a suitable building as prison
for Union soldiers. They fixed upon II
large frame building in what is known "a
Lumpkin's alley.
This was the first military prison in
Richmond. and perhaps the South, and
was called Castle Goodwin" II had been
built and used as '1ail" for the housing
of slaves before they were sold, Lump
kins alley was filled with these large
houses called '.jails,'' and here the slave
sales took place.
Castle Goodwin was nearly mile from
the river and in low and swampy por-
none of the Libby Prison officials are now
in Richmond. There are quite number
of x-Confederates who acted as guards at
the prison still living here.
Major Turner, the cCmmandant Of the
Libby, was one of the youngest officers in
the Confederate service, and his rank was
owing to the fact that he had been to West
Point When the States seeded he was
cadet here, and at ance resigned and
came South,
He held the position of Commandant of
the Libby until the close Of the war, when
he went to Mexico and experienced an ad-
venturous life with Macmillan. After
ward he returned to Mississippi. studied
dentistry, and one Of his guards says that
he is now a successful dentist in Memphis.
To-day, in speaking of the sale of the
Libby, Mr.. Joseph Wiagfeld, an ex-
guard, told his experience on a memora-
BILE night while standing sentinel over the
prisoners.
$50 the old prison is sold, is it?'' he
said. "Well. gentlemen, never go by
that place without laughing. / can I help
thinking of the cute trick PLAYED bv lot
of Yankees there, The fact is 1t was
50 good that, although had been ordered
to shoot in among; them, disobeyed or
ders Il was about '63. and the Libby
building was so crowded that it wouldn't
hold any m )re prisoners, so they put a
large lot of them in the second story of the
building across the way.
Big sweet potatoes were luxuries in
those days. and Turner and those fellows
kept strict watch over the building,
can tell you. TIE third day after they
had been slowed away it was noticed that
they were disappearing at the rate OF
abou. bushel a day. At first it was
thought that the eats took them, but sec
ond thought showed that the idea was alb
surd. Sentinels were posted all around
the building with orders to shoot any man
they caught stealing those yams, but they
did, see anybody 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 con.
tinued to disappear at the rate of a bushel
a day. The Corfederates saw their yams
disappearing in this way, and were furi-
Gus. The thing was an unaccountable mys-
terry. The doors and windows of the room
were sealed, and private marks were pul
on the wax, so that if any one of them was
opened it would be known. The mex
morning the officers went into the room
The wax was all right, but another bushe
Of potatoes had vanished. Well, sir II
was the maddest crowd you ever saw
They came after me, and ordered me te
take my stand in the room. They locke(
me in, and lighted candle was put a
each end of tho room SO that could see
0 1 was ordered 70 shoot on sight anybody
saw stealing those yams. Il was terribly
lonesome in that room. just as fast as
rContinued on fourth pare.1