The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-13
CASTLE THUNDER.
THE FAMOUS RICHMOND PRISON AND
ITS FOUNDER.
~ Terror to Evil Doers"-A "Reminiscences
Of the War-Its Early History
Glass af Prisoners Com
fined There
fRichm0d State.1

1t has been nearly twenty years since the
tocSn Of war sounded and the north and the
south were arG,ysd in battle against each
other. Those we're stirring times, and the
men chat participated in the struggle are
rapidly passing the meridian of lie. Some
have already passed that period and ara
now quietly moving along under the weight
OF years. Now and then incidents arise
which make the thoughts of the veterans OF
the downfallon Confederacy and those
Of the Union army wander back
to those days that tried mems
souls, when joy and sorrow alternately
reignel around the campfire. Now ami
then the days of Libby prison, of Castle
Thunder and of Andersonville come WILDLY
before the minds of those who experienced
those hardships, and war life in the north
and south is similarly recalled.
Mr.. Robert d. Ward, of this city, who was
an officer at Castle Thunder during the war;
in course of a recent conversation with re-
porter, related the following:
The people of Richmond who were here
during the war must well recollect Capt.
Alexander, who was a conspicuous character
from the day he first put his foot in the civ.
sHNA hPN) lttAt htRlAU bl tue lhBn recent
capture of tine steamboat st. Nicholas, on
the Potoma in which he had taken a promi-
rent part, and his unique outre style OF dress
made him conspicuous when ne appeared on
the streets. The 81. Nicholas was on its way
from Washington to Norfolk laden with
valuable commodities, and at one of the
BINDINGS it was entered by Col Zarvona
Thomas, Capt. Alexander, and picked set
Of mon as pa SengerS, all in disguise, some of
them IN womens apparel, AMI at q concerted
moment TIE party threw or their disguise,
captured the officers and crew, and brought
The vessel To Fredericksburg where
its contents w.r' .olI Capt. Alexander.
shortly Afterwards, WIS captured 10y
the Federal forces in Maryland and
iRrarcoratad in Fort Mciienry, near Balti-
mora Aft,r Some ~. nths' suffering in that
Federal fort lie IIa'io his e cape in a manner
which greatly attracted public attention
and aroused sympathy. lie happened TO
have t!rat greatest hiassing that God ever
vouch-sate3 to mani true, noble, courage
Gus little wife, who visited him in his prison,
and conveyed to him under her dress suit
Of Federal uniform. She prevailed upon
him to don this suit and make his escape,
'AiC A'AAtAt-A'A5 u 10 .SFbSA l4i LIS StttsAa W
meet whatever fate Federal hate might as
sign to hcr. He escaped, jumped over the
walls Of the fort ana swain to Baltimore,
and then cana on to Richmond Here he
was received with great cordially by Gov
ernor Lstcher wno gave him commission
III tie rg uian forces, ami soon after he
was appointed provost MARSHAL and superin-
tendent of prisons I'y Con. Winder
The eclat Of these adventures made him
known to our people AMI no man OF Rich
mond Of that time can have forgotten him,
as be often appeared on the streets in hi
tight-fttins suit of black trousers, brcl,lej
at the knees, his black stockings, and black
loose shirt relieved only by white collar
with his long black whskers flowing in the
wind as he rode on his black horse at a full
gallop through the city.
atle Thunder was named by Capt Alex
Rnder because, rs he said, he desired its very
name TO be "a terror to eyi.-doersn The
building was an old tobacco factory, il
which the late John Il. Greanor had mann.
featured many thousand dollars worth OF
tobacco before the war 1t occupied one.
half Of the square between Eighteenth and
Nineteeath streets, with its front OF Cary
street, facing the dock and the river run
ming back to an alley in the rear divid
ing the square The building was
III the shape of parallelogram, three sides
being occupied by connecting houses, ant
the whole inclosed hy a high wall the int
rior space forming large yard, in which
tho prisoners, were allowed to take daily eX
ercise. 1t had the capacity to hold about
1900 prisoners. and it averaged daily from
| 1908 to 1,500 The books of the prison vii
show that its whole number of prisoners wa,
about 10000. Ii was divided into compart
ments into which soldiers who had commit
| ted different grades Of military offenses wert
respectively confined; and also into rooms al
! inttai to disloya persons and civilians ~h
| were captured As attaches Of thu Fed
eral army, and all others not prisoners O
war, these latter being always confined il
! Libby prison