Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-09
THEY TUNNELED OUT OF LIBBY.
War Veterans Who Escaped From Rebel
Prison Pens Form an Organization.


War Veterans Who Escaped From Rebel
Prison Pens Form an Organizafion.
Chicago Herald.
Half dozen grizzied and battle-scarred
veterans met yesterday afternoon at Libby
Prison War Museum and formed an associa-
ton to perpetuate the bravery of Union
soldiers who escaped from Southern prisons
during the war. Through mistake in fix
ing the date Of the meeting the attendance
was confined almost exclusively to veterans
living in the city. As the old warriors went
through the prison again horrors of their
long confinement were vividly recalled.
sit seems like an awful dream to be within
these walls again and reflect upon our prison
life. was one of the tunnel diggers, and
know what agonies those 109 men who es-
capped passed through" said Captain Eli
Foster, of the Thirtieth Indiana Vol
unteers. "1t is singular coinci-
dence," he continued, "that the morning
Of our escape, February 9, 1864, was the
thirty-seventh anniversary OF my birth.
We had been working on that little tunnel
lit was only 50 feet long-just a month.
We determined to take our chances Of being
shot by the guards. I shall never forget the
night. The greatest difficulty we had ex-
perienced was in keeping our comrades from
learning that we had been at work on the
tunnel. 1t was known to but 25 men, who
worked in squads of five each night. Colonel
Rose, of the Seventy seventh Pennsylvania,
conceived the plot, and was among the go
escaped prisoners who were recaptured. We
let 109 men into the secret, and by o'clock
in the morning they had crawled through
the tunnel and were hiding in the woods in
parties of four. Captain j. G. McMoore, of
the Twenty-ninth Indiana, was the first man
to fall into the hands of the enemy. My
partner was taken also, but after eight days
and nine nights reached the Union lines
and was sent to Fortress Monroe"
Ex-senator Mark NJ Bassett, of Peoria,
was one of the tunnel diggers who attended
the meeting. 81 was in this prison 18
months, less two days." he said, "being
captured four days after making my escape.
OF the 100 who crawled ont all but 40 were
recaptured, among them brave Colonel
Rose, who engineered the expedition
General b. G. Hobart, of Milwaukee,
was too much. agitated to talk about his
thrilling experience, but he called the meet
ing to order and stated that Libby Prison
Tunnel Association should be formed be-
fore all the men died. General Hobart
was chosen President OF the organization;
Mark M. Bassett, of Peoria,
Vice President and R. c. Knaggs,
OF Chicago Secretary. Others present were
Captain Matthew Boyd, Captain Eli Foster
and George R. Lodge of this city. It was
decided, after adopting the name, to invite
all veterans VINO escaped from Southern pris-
ons during the war to join the society. "We
expect" said one Of the members, ''to have
members who escaped from Libby No. 2,
PemberIon, Smiths, Castle Thunder, Light
ming and Belle Isle, all at Richmond and
Danville, Andersonville, Millen, Florence,
Salisbury, Charleston, Catawba and Taylor,
and the organization will be one of the most
picturesque of the many G. A. R. societies"
The next psetlpg will be hsldin Chicago On
from Libby Prison.