Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-11-25
An INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES
Az TOLD or OLD "IIBBy PRISON" ny ONE
or THE GUARDS.


Der. It's sale called to mind tho follow
ing good story to the mind Of Captain
Joseph Winghold, which occurred, when
he once stood sentinel over the prisoners
$50 the old prisons sold, is she y no
suid, AZ he sat down on nail key ana
Joined q group seated around the stove
discussing Libby times. There were
several Henlbers of tho old Richmond
Livht Imfantry Blues In the group who
in their times had been detailed 10 son
tiasls ut Libby, and eaeh had some an
.clote to relate. Wingfeld listened to
them all, and thcn said, "Well, lAtver
pass Libby Prison without laughing
When lock up at tho windows can't
help thinking Of one Of tho eutest tricks
these yankees ever did play-sharp was
not the word for Il. Fact Is, gentlemen,
had NV musket levclcd at a crowd OF
those fellows to shoot, but the trick was
40 good that didn't have the heart TO
Are On 'em."
"Hew was that ~ asked tho crowd
"Well, ysu see, l didn't have more
than three days guard duty to do down
thsre, hut that WINS enough for me.
Libby prison had gotten No full that q
room ius, across tho street was fitted
m for sons of the prisoners, This room
was lust over long room which was
used by the Confedcratss to store some
articles in. Absut week before was
stationed there the Confcderates had
gotten o large supply Of sweet potatoes
from North Carolina. They were regu'
lar vans, aud they were in demand IN
those DAYS, I can tell you. Well, sir,
thew stored those yans for safe keeping
in that room, under the ono In winch
tho Yankees were confined. Iho
Confederate officers who got those vans
far their own mess noticed that they
were disappearing very fast; III tact,
tbev missed about two or three bushels
n day. At first il was thought that the
rats rot them, but little calculation
shaved that il would take several mil
lion rats tn got away with them III that
way, and the officers came to the con
elusion that somebody was stealing
Guards were posted oil around the
building, with orders to shoot any mar
they saw gsing into that room They
watched three nights, but could not zee
u soul 20 In or como cut Of tho room, and
tho strangest part Of the thing was that
while they were watching the potatoes
wer. Just melting away. The officers
were furious, aud swore that the se1tl-
sels were not doing their duty, and
were allowing tho yams to be stolen
right before their eyes, but In spite 81
all their talking the vans went like hot
cakes. II certainly was 4 mystery how
these yams got ont of that room, and
where they went to. When the thing had
been going on thrso days tho officer 81
tho guard came to mosnd said, Il, want
YOU TO stand guard in that sweet potato
reom.' He had me put in there oil
night and locked me in. was ordered
to shoot anybody l caught stealing. The
room was q long, narrow one, and had
a lighted candle placed ut each end
just q fast AZ woald get at ono end Of
the room the rats would cut tho candle
down at the other, and when ! would
hurry back to light that ono the rats
would cut out the one l had just left
These rats kept me pretty busy ! can
tell you. thought thoy werc tho most
devilish things l had ever como across
Il was pretty lonesome in there, and u
seemed to me like hell had been turned
loose in that resm, those rats made q
much fuss, but for the life Of me
couldn't sec any yarns disappearing
though l kept my eyes fixed on the pile
know il any Of those petatses were
missing the next morning wculd catcl
fits. Il was soon after the Streight tun
mel had been dug, and Major Turner hat
gotten to be devlish strict. Well, sir
aboat IL o'clock that night ! heard
rambling, creaking noise, and looking
around cooked my gun, bat couldn'
see anybody. l began to feel rathe
nervous. The noise stopped, AM
presently heard it again l looke'
toward the pile of yams and saw rop
coming downing from the ceiling 1t ha'
brick tied to it, and came down on tn
potatoes with slam. BY George tina
surprised me but when saw this SAM
brick drawn slowly up again tewar
the ceiling with about peck OF pota
tees sticking to it, l toll you just he'll
my breath. Icrept up nearly under tn
rope and waited fer it to csme dow
"A