New-York tribune., 1884-01-10
"BARRACKS NTMBER THREE.7
"REMINISCENCES OF A WARPRISCN IN
EI.MIRA.

ffRou Az OCCASIONAL CoREEsT oNpENT OF TIE TRIBUNE.
ELNIRA. y. Y, Jan. 4.-This thriving little
oity on the banks Of the Chcm- River contains about
$4,000 inhabitants. and Is a bu,tius busy trade
centre with nothing especially to distinguish II rom
other cities OF like size but the fact Of IT. being the pro
oscd site OF monument TO mankinds general ancestor
Adam But twenty years ago Emira occupied promi-
uen place in the eyes Of the public. II was then an
important military post and its streets echoed TO tue
tread OF 10000 soldiers Lying the intersection or
the Erie and Pennsylvania systems, It was one OF 'he
oost important recruiting stations OF the North and
thousands OF troops here equipped and sent ont
Here was too that in 1sC4 established one OF tne
most famous rebel prisons On the banks o. the rVe IN
the northern part OF the city nearly two miles from the
business centre, lay Barracks No 3 The Enclosure
contained about thirty acres, gently soping toward the
south and surrounded by high tight board fence Al
the northern end were several large buildings used as
officers barracka Thcso, with exception, have all
be.u removed and tho whole space built up with cot
t.ges Some 2 900 captive Confederate soldiers were
confined here ro tue latter part Of 1864 until the close
OF the
About supst on the aultry evening Of July z 1854 the
st detachment Of rebel prisoners arrived In Elmra via
the Erie Railway from New-York They had been cap
tured at Point Lookout and were mostly from North aud
South Carolina and Virginia. They were tall, hardy
looking lot OF men, ragged and travestaincd but In gen
e-aI good spirits They mainly from the rank and
flo few officers being consigned to Elmira Every
few days for the OF the year addition made to
this detachment aud tue beginning Of the new year
fou nd more than 5000 in Barracks No B. The
rues and regulations governing the prison were OF the
noat rigid character. As fast as the men arrived care
t comparison OF their numbers with the roll which ac-
oompanied them made, and they were divided lbto
companies for better preservation Of order.
prison flnd was created be used in the purchase OF
additional table deicaces, defrayin9 the expenses OF
washing mcndIng etc. This fund principally made
from hp difference between
those allowed the United States soldiers.
The ratiOns allowed each prisoner were as toHows;
Pork or bacon fourteen ounces; fresh beef fourteen
ounces Hour soft bread, sixteen ounces hard bread
sixteen ounces meal fifteen ounces; and TO every
loo ratl0ns. beans peas, twelve and a haf
pounds; rice or homny, eight pounds soap
four pounds; vinegar, ;htec qusrtsi salt troe ana
thrceTIusrtcr pounds; potatoes. fifteen pounds Tea
coffee and sngar we're only issued to the sick ana
gounded. and then only upon surgeons CeItincats' ;
also 10 those employed upon public WORKS near inc camp
Each man could draw sn2ll amount from the prison
fund weekly for the purchase o; tobacco etC. ,,.
They were permitted to write letters to friends subject
always to the inspection Of an ohicer Many 81 these
not were copied for their very qaintuess portion OF
one from a captive written TO woman friend IN Dixie
Tie quarter, in camp passabe but the quarters
fnr IN ny loS aud covered myself with sheet Of water
long for more whiskey barrels and less gun narres
more bscults and ess bullets How l wish you were
here. The further get away from You the oetter IKE
you" ,.....,. ,.., ,-,o+,or ,D ttoir ~
tenpts at escape, some OF them showing daring ana
shrewdness worthy 0: success Most OF these we're te
ed Two daring North Caronlans brothnrs. worked a
month On tunnel carrying the dirt away Ia their pock
ets and boots It flushed one night at about y
clock and the astOushed nnue workers found tha an
angle had been made the hole and they had come out
on the inside Of the fence. They verO discovered ana
closely watched for time but in about two months dld
make their escape aud were never Oyertaken one rec
less young fellow, eighteen year Old Nirginian win
the aid OF companion, removed tho bGay OF smallpox
corpse from s coffin and placed himself IN H. II was
taken 10 the cemetery night and un0aded When ne
heard the dead-wag0n leave the grounds nc eIt ms
CHASTITY bed and rising mp nearly frightened the Two
negro gravediggers out of their senses. He made good
his escape and the precincts Of Barracks No. saw nm
no more. 49, -.
hrst very OF the prisoners would take the oath
~ allegiance the Eprit among them that time being
very bitter against the North In letter written 10 The
Richmond Eriuer by prisoner Who escaped ey digging
tunnel sxty-hve feet long the following words appear
We should fight forever before being 5ubdled BY such
n nation though cannot wnere Qd ADO Is TO get his
next call from. They scarcer from here % EmlTa
than 10 the Confederacy. I think It Is they who are
PLAYED ont and not the South
T3ward the last, however they accepted The parole
a were rfleasrd by hundreds.