The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1882-06-15

aud other modes Of escape from pri-
son.
commenced my first tunnel with
him, and become conversant with all
his plans.
One day this man said TO me, that
about oil the way he knew of getting
ont OF the prison was to "die.' They
carry the dead out but IL is hard
word for tho living to get sight. l
did not exactly understand him, for
/ knew he had to much Of the game
character to give mp in despondency;
and as for dying, had no idea he
thought seriously Of such thing as
long as there was any kick in him.
You eau imagine my surprise, to
soc two comrades seriously Juggling
poor Billy out on stretcher Que
morning, with his toes tied together,
which was all the ceremony we
had in prison in laying out the
dead. .
l took a last look at poor Billy as
he lay upon the stretcher, and
said, Poor Billy" 1 little thought
he would go away as he had planed
it.
He makes very natural corpse"
said one of tue boys and sure
enough, he looked the same as in
life, only his faco was u littlo dirtier
il anything
The next day | was startled to
hear, that after Billy was laid in tho
dead-house, he took to his legs as
lively as ever, aud walked away.
He never was heard of in my pri-
son experience again, and probably
escaped to Sherman's army, which
was then 10 Marietta.
,Tunnelling was periormded IN
much the Same manner wood chucks
dig their holes.
First. q hole was sunk about five
feet in the ground, then were com-
menced parallels, the holo sufficient
ly large to admit mar.
The labor was perfouned during
the night, and the dirt carried off in
haversacks aud bags, and scattered
around camp.
The mouth Of the tunnel was COW
cred mp during the day to prevent
discovery, which was moro liable to
happen than otherwise, fror the
fact that great inducements of extra
rations were offered to spies.
l was engaged in digging, during
the first week, On no less than four
tunnels, which were all discovered
by the rebs, before being finished.
One Of the great instruments of
death in the prison was the dead
line.
This line consisted OF a row OF
stakos driven into the ground, with
narrow board strips nailed down on
the tops, at the distance of about
fifteen feet from the stockade,o on the
interior side.
This line was closely guarded by
sentinels, stationed above on the
stockade. and any person who hap
pened to touch this dead line was
sure death, as many unconscio usly
did and as in the crowd was often
no warning to any one.
but sure death.
An intance of this kind came to
my notice the fourth day was in
prison.
Apoor one.legged cripple placed
one hand on the dead line to sup-
port himself while he got his crutch,
which had fallen from his feeble
grasp to the ground. The rebel
guard put bullet through his head.
In this position he was shot another
lime through the lungs, and laid
near the dead line waiting in tor
nent during most of the forenoon,
until at last death came to his relief.
None dared approach him to re-
ieve his suf'erings through fear OF
meeting with the same fate.
The two guards loaded their
after they had performed
Ibis dastardly and inhuman act. and
with satisfaction, viewed
The body Of the dying, murdered
nan. for nearly an hour, with appar-
ent pleasure, occasionally raising
heir guns to threaten any one who,
rom curiosity or pity, dared to ap- |
proach the poor fellow.
In similar manner men were
continually shot upon the smallest