The National tribune., 1891-08-20
HELD AS HOSTAGES.
How Union Officers we're Confined In Rebel Dun
grons.


grons.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUSE: In recent
issue 81 your paper IN Personals" ] not iced
the item pertaining to Gen. w. u. Lee, Colonel
OF the goth Mass and his part in the rebel
prison as a hostage. think there is very little
known about that affair, aud as j have heard
Capt lockwood, one OF the ia hostages, tell the
story OF their selection, confinement, and cs-
cape as escape they did, ] venture on the
patience 81 your readers 10 give the story as he
tells IL sitting by my side; also, as an aid in
proving data, a volume OF Prison Lie in the
Tobacco Warehouse "a Richmond" by Lieut.
Wm. g. Harris Of Col Bakers California rcgi-
meut, published In l-62
The book says: ION Sunday Nov. 10 l-Gl
Gen. John III. Winder commanding Depart.
mcnt OF klchmoud, accompanied by his staff
was observed % alight no the prison Office. IL
being an unusual occurrence for his visits 10 be
attended with such ceremony, much surprise
arose rs 10 H. cause and consequences; but We
readily believed that IL p0rtendcd evil as his
visits invariably Curtallcd our restricted prison
privileges. lcw moments elapsed and he
entered the building attended by the stat n
iull-dTCsa Uniform Directing one Of them 10
clear the room Of an persons excepting the
Federal officers he took position ia the center
Of The ioor aud announced that be had most
unpleasant duty 10 perform. lie then read the
following order from the Confederate War
Department:
'CoST1DEEATL sTkTFs WAR DEPARTMENT
RICHMOND, Nov. p 1851.
90 SIR Nuu are here hereby inst ruoted 10 choose
by iut from among The prisoners Of 81 thc higl-
est rgul one WHO D. 90 be- coHtilcd in "A cell uppro-
printed to convicted fel0us, and who be- 90 De treated
u hil respects such p0uyiC. aud 10 bc held Tor
execution Iu aloe Same manner AZ may be adoutcd
by ir enemy Tor the u1ncuo - the prisouer-ui.
war NhitA. recently condemned 10 death la Pllla-
dolphin hon ven also select ID other prisoners 81
WHf tHe highest bee rank of those captured 10y our
forces 90 ne confined u the cells reserved ior pri-
oHtIE accused ~ infamous crimes aud viii treat
\ NIcn n- rurh ~ long nH tic enemy shall continue
go % trent tID like number al prisoners ~ war cap
tuIed us them al sea aud now held foT trial ia New
York az pirates. A. these measures are intended
+ 60 rcprcrs ihc Infamous attempt now made By The
enemy 90 commit Judicial murder on prisoners 81
WAL, you will execute them strictly. the mode
/ best calculated 10 prevent the commission Of 20
helnons CRIME.
"'J a. BLSJAMIS. Acting Scc'y II War
"'To Brig.-Den. J. 81. NiADIi, Richmond, Va"
Capt. lockwood says: ] remember the
scenes a. but yesterday ] think this was not
the building known as Libby Prison. but a
strong three story brick building. LIeuL
I Harris SAYS the officers room was 65 feet 3
inches by - icot) Tho middle Of the loor
WAS filled with huge tobacco presses 50 close
together that we could not pass easily bc-
tween. N r0l-cal the guard drove Us all 10
I one side Of the room, and as our names were
called we passed. The guard at the end Of the
room. Gen. hluder announced that from the
six Colonies one was 10 be drawn 60 be held n
hostage for Smith, aud ordered the numes "a
be written on separate pieces Of paper and
placed In a hat. llarris says tin box And
now Mr. Ely Member Of Congress from New
York, captured nc Ball Rum was requested q
draw one Of the names Col. Michael Corcor
an, Of the G9th n. y, was drawn. There were
six ColOnels, two Lieutenant Colonies, aud thre,
Majors, making IL Geld officers, and three Cap