The National tribune., 1882-12-07
PRISON EXPERIENCES.
Little Red Caps Account Of the Defeat
of the AudgrseuViIIe Raiders,
Continued from last rceek.l

Sergeant Key proceeded with great secrecy
in the work of organization. He accepted
none but Western men, and, in order that
Wirz might not mistake for an outbreak any
unusual commotion within the stockade, he
acquainted the commandant with his plan.
Wirz appeared to approve of the movement,
but | have often thought that he would not
have cared very much if the raiders had come
off victorious, and all the inmates of the prison
had been slain in the struggle. 1 remember
that on the evening of the day when the raid
ers were at last overpOwered and the ring-lead-
crs placed under arrest, he seemed to be quite
elated over what he characterized the terrible
battle which the Yankees had had among them
selves"
Notwithstanding Sergeant Keys efforts to
keep his plans secret, information of what was
going on somehow reached the raiders. They
discussed the scheme at their headquarters, and
at last decided that Key must be put out of the
way, and they accordingly detailed three men
for the work.
The assassins called on Key at his tent on
the evening of the second of July about dusk.
They told him that they had heard of his
scheme, and asked whether he proposed to
carry it out. He replied that he did, where
upon they drew knife and billy with the
intention of putting an end to him then and
there. Fortunately for Key, however, he was
not unprepared One of the prisoners from
Plymouth, North Carolina, had managed to
secrete in his knapsack revolver which Key
had procured and wore On his person. The
moment, therefore, that the raiders drew their
weapons he covered them with the pistol, and
they beat precipitate retreat. This incident
created great stir in the stockade as soon as it
became known; and the impending battle be-
tween the raiders and the Regulators" as Keys
organization was called, was the talk of the
whole stockade.
The attack on Sergeant Key precipitated
matters. The sergeant realized that no time
was to be lost, and he sent word that very
evening to all the members of his society-the
regulatOrs-to be ready for action in the morn
ing. Very few of those within the stockade
slept that night. The regulators were appre-
hensive that the raiders would attempt to break
up their plans by making q desperate attack
in force on Keys squad, for the purpose of as
sassinating both him and his aide, Timber jim
held themselves in readiness all night to come
to his assistance.
The raiders, on their part, were very conf
dent of success, although they were not totally
oblivious of the dangers of the situation. They
placed strong guard about their headquar-
ters, and took every precaution against sur
prise. The night was spent by them in revelry.
They sang hilarious songs, and howled them
selves hoarse. When morning came the regu-
latOrs mustered at their headquarters, and then
marched to the place on the south side of the
stockade where our rations were usuallyissued.
They were armed with small clubs, secured to
their wrists by string.
Outside the stockade the alarm was even
greater than within. Wirz ordered his infantry
drawn up in line of battle, the fuses were
thrust into the touch-holes of the cannon, and
the cannoneers stood ready with the lanyards
in their hands. A single volley of grape and
canister would have moved down thousands.
The majority of the prisoners did not belong
to either the raiders or regulators, and they
assembled where they could get the
best view of the encounter which was about to
take place.