Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-05-08
Confederate Prisoners.
DARING ATTEMPTS OFLIEUT CHARLES
PIERCE TO ESCAPE.
BY Lieut. Michael Mcnamara, in Southern His
torical Papers for February.

BY Lieut. Michael Mcnamara. in Southern His.
torical Papers for February.
But the writer's mission is torecord
the daring and chivalric deeds Of a
member of the command that sur
rendered. The captured prisoners
were marched to General Sedgwick's
headquarters, and when assembled
around the camp fire at night, sur
rounded by Federal pickets, Leon
Berlin, by the advice Of Colonel d.
B. Penn, the only field officer cap
turcd, threw the flag into the flames,
as the cffectual means of preventing it
from falling into the enemy's hands.
The following morning the pris-
oncrs were taken to the Old Capitol
Prisons where they were confined
three days, when the officers were
sent to Jol,nson's Island and the
privates to Point Lookout.
As soon as the captured officers
reached their future prisons the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES itself
and during the winter months every
species of amusement possible was
INDUCED in, to drive away the cnnui
and render prison life bearable.
A minstrel company was formed, of
which Charlie II. Pierce was among
the leading performers, and their
entertainments were witnessed and
appreciated by many outside as we'll
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 Southern nine composed of those
below the rank of captain, of which
Charlie Pierce was captain and catcher
and the Confederate nine, composed of
the higher officers. Their champion
ship game was considered one of the
best ever played, and was witnessed
by upwards of 5000 people, including
the prisoners, officers and citizens OF
Sandusky, Ohio, who eagerly embra-
ced the opportunity to be present.
So apprehensive were the prison
officials that the game was gotten up
for the purpose of covering an
attempt to break out, that they had
the slides of the portfolios drawn back
and the guns prepared foraction. The
Sandusky Register published a long
and eulogistic account of the game,
which was won by the Southerns, and
it was made the subject of severe
comment by the bitter radical press
of the North, who Immediately
demanded the removal of the com
handing officers for allowing the
rebels so much liberty. Their
malicious efforts were successful the
commander was removed, and the
amusement of the unhappy prisoners
for the time being cut off.
In all the prisonG-ports Lieutenant
Charlie Pierce was regarded as the
leader. His versatile 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. But his notoriety and
popularity proved disastrous to his
future operations, as he was known
and constantly watched by the prison
spies.
Johnson's Island, it will be rememb-
cred, is three miles from Sandusky,
OHIO, and about thirty miles from the
Canada shore. There is, however, a
strip of land twelve miles from the
prison, leading to a swamp or woods
on tho Canada side.
The severity Of the winter season