The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-05-14
The Tunnel at Columbia Prison,

To THE EDITOR: Judging from the vast
amount of literature that is being published by
number of comrades with regard to the con-
structiOn of the so-caed famous Libby tunnel,
the uninitiated must of necessity be led to be-
lieve that its successful accomplishment must
have required something more than ordinary
skill and intelligence, as well as an unusual
amount of bravery. This the writer hereof
would regard as a delusion, as he witnessed
the successful tunneling from the Columbia
u.s. c. Jail in January, 1862, by a party of
about 100 privates who, in connection with
about so officers, had the misfortune of being
selected by the rebel authorities for the pur-
poses of retaliation. The work of tunnellng,
however, was carried on by the privates ex-
clusively, unbeknOwn to the officers. These
comrades, unlike those later on at Libby, re-
quired no engineer in the prosecution of their
work. An OverpOwering desire for liberty,
security, bread, covering for their nakedness,
combined with an abundance of willingness on
the part of each and every comrade to get down
into the diggings and do his share Of the work,
constituted the scientific principles upon which
these boys found an opening to the outer world.
But owing to the unfortunate circumstance of
their already long confinement, the inclemency
of the weather. the isolated locality in which
they were kept, and consequent want of in
formation pertaining to the whereabouts of the
Union armies, which Mt best were believed to
be no nearer than Ccntreville, Va, a probable
distance of from five to six hundred miles,
and as the negroes thus far removed from the
seat of hostilitics were either too ignorant or
too unfriendly to be trusted, neither inlOrma-
ton, food or shelter could be obtained from
them EN- route. After an heroic struggle of
from three to 10 days time they were all re-
taken, and soon after, in connection with the
balance of the party, removed to Libby Prison,
arriving there on or about Feb. 27. being the
first batch of prisoners that ever entered that
building. Being furnished with seeming salts
factory assurances on their way and arrival
there, the boys remained quiet for a time until
it was found that Gen. B. +. Butler, to whom
this party of prisoners had been rendered TOR
exchange, had refused to receive them. Then
they again set themselves at work by making
a careful examination of the brick wall be-
tween their own and the adjacent room, which
upon very little effort was soon unanimously
found to be an impediment to Yankee progress
and as such proper subject for instant re-
moval portion of it being SO removed at once,
but by whom none of the boys, as matter of
course, ever knew. As it is now Just % years
since these things transpired, much has been
forgotten; it is therefore hoped that should
this reach the notice'of comrades who, in COM
pany with the undersigned involuntarily par
ticipated in that remarkable tour to Charleston
and Columbia, $. C., awaiting the trial and anti
cipated hanging of crew of rebel privateers-
men at the North, they may furnish THE TRIB-
UNE with such of their recollections as to
them may seem proper for publications.. d.
ScHNAITMAN, Co. Z, LIST Mich, Chelsea, Mich