The Dillon tribune., 1886-06-12
PRISONERS At CAMP CHASE,
The Enterprise Displayed in Planning ant
Constructing Tunnels--TOOls Used.

AAo G]ntcrprASo DASpI0y0>l III tlAnN1NE ava
Constructing Tunnels--Tools Used.
While at Camp Chase we learned in va
rious ways how some of Cur fellow prison.
ers at Camp Morton were killed-wan.
tonly rs we th0ught-while attempting to
escape by tunnels which they had made
from within their prison Enclosure. Pos
slbly these statements were made to check
us in similar efforts for escape, as the
planning and constructing of tunnels, car
ried Oh with great secrecy, was Il popular
enterprise for several months in Camp
Chase after all hopes Of an early exchange
were destroyed. We learned and had rea-
sous to believe that when it was known by
those in command at Camp Morton that
such u tunnel would come out ut q certain
point beyond the walls, the guards had
orders to shoot any prisoners who made
their exit there, and that some were so
shot without any other attempt to secure
them. For the correctness of this state
nlent we must rely on men then confined
ut Camp Morton to corr0borate or deny it.
Certain 1t is that attempts at "tunneling
OUT were continued at Camp Chase in
spite OF such statements, up to the very
time that all officers confined at Column
BUS, OHIO, including those of Gen. John
II. Morgan, were removed in March, 1864,
TO Fort Delaware, where. if they sue
ceedea in tunneling, their tunnels would
come ont in the waters of Delaware bay.
When we left, Il shaft and tunnel were in
progress under the door of our Mess room.
Some idea OF the exit eme difficulty and
slowness of these efforts for liberty may
be formed from the following facts: Ali
the work was done in the darkness of the
night. after taps" by details and reliefs
from the most trusted men of our number.
for spies were kept among us, and it was
hard to identity them. After "taps" our
lire was allowed to die down. The stove
was moved enough from its position to
take up some Of the rough boards Of the
loose hoor as noiselesly us possible. In
this way the shaft was sunk in the earth
Immediately under the stove. the floor
being near the ground. Toward morning
everything was carefully put back in its
place, and no visible traces of the nights
work were left. 1t may be asked, how
did you get tools for digging, and what
was done with the dirt removed from
these tunnels. A file was obtained by
careful management; then a .strap-hinge"
was taken from an out house. This hinge
made two excellent small hoes for tunnel
ing.
How. With the file the two straps of
the hinge We're cut apart where they
unite. The broad part of each strap"
was heated and bent, and then sharpened
like hoe on the broad edge Each strap
was fastened with the screws taken from
the hinge to small wooden handle, less
than foot long. This made a convenient
ana effective hoe for such work. Tin close
quarters" as the men did who formed the
working force in their unique mining The
dirt removed from, the tunnels was put in
large pockets" concealed in the clothes of
the workers. When these pockets were
filled they were emptied into the common
sink, within the prison walls, to which
prisoners We're allowed access at all hours
OF the night. Our "saprers and miners"
found this work warmer than one might
suppose on those winter nights in Ohio:
for they were working in narrow tunnels
under ground, and they were buoyed by
the exciting hope of escape. Your readers
would be astonished If informed of the
amount Of work accomplished by these sim
pie contrivances of our southern soldiers.
j. w. A. Wright in Southern BiyOuac