The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-11-28
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0Ur Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
A BREAK FOR LIBERTY.

What Happened at Salisbury Prison Nov. 70, 1854.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Several years
ago. when the article on Andersonville was
running in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE, the
attempt 10 escape from Salisbury Prison by a
portion of its prisoners was alluded 10 IN not
very iattering terms and now my lone can
hardly write about prison life without lnduig-
ing In personalities to greater or less extent,
YOU KNOW attention is again called TO the
matter.
All OF these years have waited to hear the
true story OF this affair from some comrade, but
in vain.
/ haye ever hoped to hear from Ned -, of
New York, our gallant leader. is he dead? is
Serg't - -, who lost his brother in that
terrible storm OF lead and iron, still alive2
perhaps If j break the ice Others Will follow.
Perhaps that this long silence has been main
tanned On account Of A. ID. RS condemnation
ia his book, The Field, Dungeon aud Escape"
We all loved him, and, in my opinion, nober
and better man never lived.
Jnnius Henri Browne in Four Years in
Secessia," comes nearer telling the true inward
ness Of the case Tran anything That have
ever read.
Comrade Weaver IA his present story, in my
opinion, has done well and don't wish 10 crit
icize him at all. Your artist, however, had bet
ter try again.
To almost any story preface is in order Let
the above be one for mine
Salisbury Prison, unlike Andersonyile, was
well located in sanitary point oil view, eX-
cepting thai there was not good water within the
Enclosure.
The plan as given in a late number Of THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE is pretty correct The
large brick building had formerly been cot
ton factory. Ii was fanked on the northeast
and north sides by six small brick boarding
houses; these were about 80 by 60 feet, and
one and a half story. In this square thus formed
was fine natural grove Of white-oak trees.
These buildings were considerable distance
from the outskirts OF the grove, say, 70 or 100
1eet, on the northeast SIDE, and On the other
side perhaps 80 feet. The grove comprised
aboHt one acre in extent There were other
trees TO The southeast OF the factory also.
Immediately east and about 30 feet distant
was a large wooden building used for prison
for political prisoners OF the vicinity. Between
these buildings was a very deep well, used for
merly to supply water for steam for the factory
engine. The water IN this well was very nasty,
and wholly unfit for use. 1t was bricked up
that is, its sides were laid in brick.
The cOOk-b0use was az the south end Of the
factory and adjoining the same. The stOckade
ran along beside this building, and only about
50 or 80 feet distant Upon the great influx Of
prisoners. early in October, these buildings
were mostly unoceupied, excepting the wooden
prison building.
For few days several hundred officers had
their quarters in the log houses in the north
east angle Of tie prison. a heavy line Of guards
separating them from US. Had they remained
B day or Two longer break would have been
made, for d large force Of guards being on in
side duty, their capture would have been an
easy matter, and aell-arnied Yankee battalion
could soon have been organized.
Al first we were free TO locate ourselves in
these buildings each man for himself and soon
every foot was pre-empted.
The organization Of the men into squads 100
men and sections, or divisions II 900 mem, for
convenience IN drawing rations, was soon per-
fected. SeTgeants were put ia command Of the
FIRST and Sergeant Majors of the second.
Birds Of a feather flock together" and SO
lot Of SergeaHts took possession Of the garrett
OF the west building the same being few rods
only from the entrance gate, through which all
prisoners aud the guards entered. Between
this building and the gate were few cheap
wooden sheds. used by Suffers, etc.
This garrett was the rendezvous for the plan
ming OF contemplated breaks, tunnels, etc. Time
and time again bad these been betrayed by some
poor starving wretch, and when the time came
for The attempted escape the garrison would be
found on the alert and All ready 10 receive Us.
We knew that very large portion Of our gar
FlsOB were true Union men, and few knew
that one Of the principal garrison officers stood
ready 10 aid ne. We also knew that our chances
81 getting out Of this mouth OF hell were
good could aB organization be perfected among
the men. Plans very much like the one given
b. COmrade Weaver had been instituted There
wac. however, no plan mapped cut or agreed
upon IA this attempt Only the party Of SER
eeants Ia the garnet Of that building knew the
first word They numbered perhaps % or 100
men. On this day, the third without any food
for the most VI tie prisoners, the situation had
become uBbeaTsbe.
Al this time, about noon, the yard in front Of
~ A. . H. q
men. To look out Of our garnet window upon
these poor, suffering fellow soldiers was enough
70 make one Hiid with rage and despair The
rebel ealisliug officers were among them, too,
holding forth the easy duty, with plenty TO
eat, Of garrison or other light duty in their
service.
Some fell and FOR one did not then. and
very much less now, blame them for enlisting
fully believe that nearly ali Of them enlisted
FOR Tie purpose Of getting 10 cur lines at the
Arsi opportunity. " Put yourself IN his place"
Those Of o. that fought il ont, and finally got
70 Gods country, just alive maybe, will ac-
knowledge thai we were sOrely tempted some
Times. Just think Of the 1900 nameless graves
~ Salisbury!
The most Of them could have been untitled.
and simply ~ enlistiDg in the service Of the
4. ,. A. few starving men yielded to the
greatest temptation that ever presented itself
70 man, ia my opinion. To-day these very men
arc denle0 pension Tor having done this
Gods mills grind slowly indeed, bat hope to
Bee this great wrong corrected.
IL seemed 10 o.. as we looked out of the
window. that u was only question Ct few
days when mmcd late death or service Ia q
hateful cause would be our lot. The situation
was enough 70 make towards desperate and
ready Tor anything. We talked over several
plans for breaking the dead lock bat none
seemed 10 offer any hopes Of relief The re-
election Of Lincoln bad made the rebel authori-
t4eE about AZ desperate AZ we. No more cheers
were heard for Mcclellan and peace They
now knew that the fight was 10 be one 10 tie
buisb. These thoughts and thousand others
OF bone far away were IN our minds when an
Of once our leader-Aed-jumps 10 his feet and
addresses ns about like this: Boys the hell
hounds mean 70 starye us all. or force US into
the rebel service. Time and again we've tried
10 organize forces TO make the attempt 20 get
cut Of this. You all know how each time we've
been betrayed See those thousands Of des-
peTate men. The guards soon come in Fol
low me aud We will oyerpoRer them when
they arc once well inside Of the gate. Their
our garrison has left for Richmond and we
believe that those remaining are, many Of them,
our friends. Our chances for success may be
small but our situation cannot be made much
worse, and We may scare them into feeding us
better Follow mel"
Out Of that little window we went 10 the
ground one 1t 3 time; for our stairs were ON
the outside, aud consisted Of an old rope. with
sticks driven in between the bricks In a
short time we were ready for action, but not